Here is today’s column in the Los Angeles Times (Sunday) on the recent remarks from Justice Clarence following criticism for his disclosure violations and alleged conflicts of interest.
Continue reading “Justice Thomas’ Dangerous Conceit”
Category: Lawyering
Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
The nightmare started back in July of 2010. Pvt. Bradley Manning was arrested and detained in the Brig at the Quantico Marine Base on allegations that he stole and then leaked classified documents to Wikileaks. The conditions that Pvt. Manning has been held under have been outrageous from the start. He has suffered shackling, solitary confinement and he has not been allowed normal contact with visitors and the outside world. His visitors have been denied access to him and now the latest humiliating tactic being used by the Department of Defense is to force Pvt. Manning to strip naked in his cell for hours! Continue reading “Stop The Torture of Pvt. Bradley Manning”
Submitted By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Stephen Supers of Elyria, Ohio can’t seem to get anything straight. Pulled for speeding, the 25-year-old gave the arresting officer the distinct impression he was DUI. After failing several field sobriety tests, the alleged offender confirmed the officer’s suspicion and calmed his nerves by slamming back a beer he conveniently had stashed in his car. A subsequent search of the car revealed some other goodies like marijuana. (Quite the mobile pharmacy, you have there, Stephen– allegedly)
Continue reading “No, No, No, You Silly Drunk: Drink First Then Take Field Test”
This story caught my eye on Reddit because last night I went to a dinner in Milwaukee and discussed how it still takes decades for a civil case to be brought to verdict in India — a huge barrier to businesses and firms in that country. As a demonstration of the problem, it took 33 years for an indian court to award $1 million to Susan Leigh Beer for a fall that paralyzed her on a dirty floor at a pool at the Akbar Hotel in Delhi.
Continue reading “English Woman Receives Damages for Paralyzing Fall at 33 Years in India”
LawDragon has released the results of its increasingly popular survey of the top lawyers in America. I was fortunate to again make the list this year.
Continue reading “LawDragon Selects Top 500 Lawyers”
We all wait in our careers for that Perry Mason moment that never comes in a trial . . . when someone stands up in the court and screams “Yes, I did it!” One lawyer in the trial of Earl Berry, 40, came close in a real plot twist. On the second day of the trial, a juror announced she had previously seen the defendant . . . dragging the victim across a bridge.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has reportedly unleashed an attack on his critics for his violations of disclosure laws and alleged conflicts of interest. He warned law students that these critics are “undermining” the Court and endangering the country by weakening core institutions. As one of those critics, I am flabbergasted by Thomas’ remarks which show an implied disregard that seems to have now reached open contempt for certain principles of judicial ethics. There is not a hint of concern for his own conduct and how it has undermined the Supreme Court as an institution. For a prior column, click here
Continue reading “Thomas Condemns His Critics As Undermining The Supreme Court”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
We have previously discussed the law firm with the drive-thru window, here. That notion seems upscale compared to law firms using Goupon. Groupon (group coupon) is a deal-of-the-day website that can determine your computer’s location through it’s IP address and offer you discounts on goods and services in your area. If enough people sign up for the deal, it becomes available. If the predetermined minimum is not reached, no one gets the deal. Groupon makes money by keeping approximately half of the cost of the deal.
Groupon recently turned down a rumored $6 billion buy-out offer from Google.
There is an interesting case out of Delaware where the Supreme Court overturned a decision by the state Human Relations Commission that the manager of a Dover cinema, David Stewart, was racist for asking people in a largely black movie audience to turn off their cellphones and refrain from talking during the movie. What is most interesting is the individual who appears to have helped organize the complaint to the Human Relations Commission. The decision also overturned the $80,000 fine against the Carmike 14 Theater. The case is Boggerty v. Stewart, 2011 Del. LEXIS 108 (Feb. 17, 2011)
Continue reading “Delaware Supreme Court Overturns Ruling That Movie Announcement to Turn Off Cellphones Was Racist”
The Atlanta Constitution is reporting on a bizarre case against Catossa County magistrate Anthony Peter who is accused of a rather impressive list of acts of misconduct ranging from smoking pot to flushing a cellphone intentionally down a toilet to pointing a gun at his own head.
Continue reading “Judge Accused of Misconduct Ranging From Pulling Gun To Flushing Evidence”
Submitted By Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
I will be honest. I am not a big fan of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and as of late, I have had the same less than positive feelings about his wife, Virginia Thomas. According to a recent Think Progress article, Justice Thomas’ vote on the Citizens United case has allowed his wife’s “consultant” company to profit by educating its customers on the best political causes to invest, I mean, donate to .
Continue reading “Profit From Behind The Supreme Court Bench?”
Alabama Municipal Judge Carlton Teel is packing more than legal principles under his robe. When a defendant Brian (Bryant) Keith Ford reacted badly to a sentence and started swinging his crutches at the judge, Teel whipped out a gun and then a deputy shot Ford in the side.
Continue reading “Alabama Judge Pulls Gun On Violent Defendant”
Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski (left) has written an order (below) absolving a magistrate judge (believed to be Magistrate Judge Edward Chen) of ethical charges after he spoke out publicly against “institutionalized racism” and the criminalization of immigration laws.
Continue reading “Court: Judge Allowed To Speak Publicly Against Federal Law and “Institutionalized Racism””
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced this morning that he will file a Petition for Certiorari Before Judgment today requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court review the Commonwealth v. Sebelius decision without waiting for a ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Dan Snyder is reportedly planning a defamation action against Washington’s City Paper for a scathing story about his controversial time as owner of the Washington Redskins. The case could prove an interesting battle over first amendment rights and defamation law.
Continue reading “Redskins Owner Threatens Newspaper With Libel Suit After Unflattering Article”