Category: Society

Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Society

New DUI Program Requires Mandatory Daily Monitoring: Protection For The Public Or Undue Burden On Offenders?

Submitted by Darren Smith, Guest Blogger

Breath Test DeviceA pilot program has been initiated in four Washington counties and two municipalities. Essentially the program requires those convicted of a second DUI offense are required to 24/7 daily monitoring consisting of a twice daily visit to a jail for a breath test or an ankle monitor capable of reading breath samples. Both options are mandated at cost to the offender. A newly created state law, effective January first, provides for this program named the 24/7 Sobriety Program Pilot Project.

The program is the result of repeat DUI offenders who have posed significant risk to the public and have shown to not be easily deterred from future violations by present statutes and sentencing. Yet some may question the effectiveness of the program and whether it places an undue burden on offenders who might not have the means to comply.
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Society

Posting Of The Civility Rule

64a46cc1If you look above, you will see a new link that will permanently show our civility rule on the blog. In light of the recent tension over postings with personal information and insults, I wanted to make the policy available and prominent on the blog. The vast majority of adults do not need to be told to be civil, even when they are cloaked in anonymity. However, for trolls and toddlers, this link will remain as a reminder that this blog strives to offer something different from the usual trash-talking fare that you find on some other sites.

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Courts, Politics, Society

City of SeaTac Minimum Wage Increased to $15.00. Consequences Could Be Beneficial And Detrimental.

Submitted by Darren Smith, Guest Blogger

City of SeaTac LogoThe City of SeaTac Washington enacted a proposition narrowly approved by voters (77 vote margin among approximately 6,000 total votes) that would, among other issues, raise the minimum wage of hospitality and transportation workers to $15.00 per hour; one of the highest in the United States. The minimum wage for Washington State is $9.32 and the highest among all fifty states. Supporters of the proposition argued the cost of living for those workers is forcing them to live in substandard lifestyles given their working environment and lack of benefits provided in these industries. Opponents argue the law would put an unnecessary burden upon business and force cuts in employees and a disincentive to operate within the city. Much controversy has been generated on all sides.
Continue reading “City of SeaTac Minimum Wage Increased to $15.00. Consequences Could Be Beneficial And Detrimental.” →

Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

Don’t Hurt Little People!

Submitted By: Mike Spindell, Guest Blogger

ChildhoodIn my first blog today I alluded to two experientially developed concepts formed in my youth that have played an overarching role in my life. I explored the first and now I will develop the second as alluded to in my title. Unlike some childhood memories there is a particular memory associated with this title of this piece that is indelibly etched in my mind. So much so that as I write this I can see the scene in my mind’s eye and in my chest feel anew the power of the emotional experience. I will relate it to you as I remember and feel it, then explain how it has had ramifications for my entire life and upon my perspective of the environment I live in. Continue reading “Don’t Hurt Little People!” →

Environment, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Bittersweet: Life and Loss

Submitted By: Mike Spindell, Guest Blogger

NEW YEARSFor the many decades now, since my childhood, there have been two underlying ideas about life that have guided me as I’ve journeyed through the years. The first is that life for all of us is at best bittersweet. This blog is about the first of these ideas and the second will be expressed in a companion piece. Continue reading “Bittersweet: Life and Loss” →

Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society

Edward Snowden And The Public Interest Defense: Part 1 – What An Old Roman Can Teach Us About The Defense Of Political Crimes

By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

This is the first of a multi-part article on the Public Interest Defense and its application to the the Edward Snowden situation. The defense is not recognized in America but other nations have considered this legal mechanism to provide an appropriate way to deflect criminal charges from whistleblowers like Snowden. Part 2 can be found here.

The Legend of Publius Horatius

The Oath of the Horatii
The Oath of the Horatii

For centuries, children in ancient Rome would recount the legend of Publius Horatius, one of three Horatius brothers (known as the Horatii), who fought to defend Rome from attack by the militaristic and close-by Italian city-state of Alba Longa. Rather than engage in a pitched battle of armies for supremacy of the peninsula and subject all of Latinium (as Italy was then known) to the vulnerability of foreign attack, Rome and her rival opted to name a triumvirate of champions to fight to the death to decide the fates of two ancient megalopolises. One would emerge as the dominating power and the other would be relegated to a vassal state. The Horatii seemed the obvious choice among the Roman legionnaires as the triplet brothers  were unequaled among their peers in strength and martial prowess. Swearing an oath to fight to the death, the brothers strode to the Field of Mars to battle for both the glory and survival of Rome. For her part, Alba Longa chose her own incredibly coincident set of warrior  triplets known as the Curiatius brothers (or the Curiatii) who swore an equally obligating oath to “return either with their shields or on them” as a Spartan might say.

Continue reading “Edward Snowden And The Public Interest Defense: Part 1 – What An Old Roman Can Teach Us About The Defense Of Political Crimes” →

Bizarre, Society

Coolest Thing Ever: Kid Loses RC Plane In Tree . . . Helicopter Crew Pulls Plane Out Of Tree And Returns It To Kid

I just saw this video and had to share it. A helicopter crew was flying in the countryside and saw a kid and his Dad lose a World War II RC plane in the top of a tree. They proceed to hover over the tree and pull the plane out of the branches. They then land and give it to the Dad and a dumbfounded kid.

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Environment, International, Politics, Society

Redline: China Reports Loss of 3.3 Million Hectares Of Farmland To Industrial Contamination and Pollution

280px-SoilcontamFlag_of_the_People's_Republic_of_ChinaChina has released a shocking admission that at least 3.3 million hectares of farmland is now so polluted that it is effectively dead for purposes of growing crops. To put that into perspective, it is an area the size of Belgium. It is the latest statistical insight into the costs of the continued industrial output that reaches roughly 10 percent a year. That is two percent of China’s arable land and there is a concern about whether the per capita land allocation for food production has fallen below the communist regime’s own “red line” calculation. The country now has 135 million hectares of arable land, which translates to about 1.52 mu, or about a quarter of an acre, per capita. The world average is half of an acre, or 3.38 mu per capita.

Continue reading “Redline: China Reports Loss of 3.3 Million Hectares Of Farmland To Industrial Contamination and Pollution” →

Academia, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Environment, Free Speech, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Religion, Science, Society, Supreme Court

Turley Blog Selected As Top News/Analysis Blog

eurocuptrophy80mm2008Well, the results are in and we have another distinction to crow about at the blog. We have been selected as the 2013 top News/Analysis site among the competing world blogs in the annual ABA Journal survey. The success of this blog is due entirely to our unique community around the world, which have maintained a site where the issues of our day can be discussed with passion but civility. Thanks to all of our regulars and particularly our our talented and popular weekend team of guest bloggers: Mike Appleton, David Drumm, Mark Esposito, Gene Howington, Elaine Magliaro, Larry Rafferty, Darren Smith, Mike Spindell, and Charlton Stanley. While we created and maintain this site to allow us to share our thoughts, it is always gratifying to receive such recognitions. It is always my hope that the selection will bring new people to our site to further expand the voices and views on legal, political, and sometimes just plain bizarre stories.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Federal Prosecutors Charge White Man With Hate Crime After “Knockout” Game

conrad-alvin-barrett.jpg.siThe Justice Department has decided to charge Conrad Alvin Barrett, 27, with a hate crime in the “knockout game”-style attack against a black victim in Katy, Texas. The victim was a 79-year-old black man. The prosecution — and heavy punishment — of Barrett is clearly warranted if found guilty of the attack. However, the intervention of the Obama Administration is being questioned and is likely to add to preexisting concerns over the use of hate crimes to federalize state criminal actions and the standard for such prosecutions.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Society

Indian Police Hijack Hearse Of Gang Rape Victim To Take Body For Forced Cremation

India flagWe have been discussing of the continuing rape epidemic in India, including repeated rapes by police officers in that country or efforts by police to shield rapists. Police in Kolkata reached a new level of abuse in actually hijacking the hearse of a victim who was gang-raped and dumped at at a hospital for nine days with fatal burns. The police then tried to force the family to agree to an immediate cremation.

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Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Religion, Society, Supreme Court

Sotomayor Grants Last-Minute Stay In Obamacare Challenge From Catholic-Related Groups

250px-Sonia_Sotomayor_in_SCOTUS_robe220px-New_Year_Ball_Drop_Event_for_2012_at_Times_SquareMany of us stayed up to midnight last night and watched the ball come down in Times Square. If you were still sober enough to notice, the person triggering the dissent was none other than Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. It turns out that that was not the only thing that she was doing on New Year’s Eve. Late Tuesday with only hours to go before January 1st — and the activation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — Sotomayor granted a stay requested by Catholic-affiliated groups to prevent the implementation of part of the ACA to require them to supply contraceptive services to employees in violation of their religious beliefs. The decision follows a refusal of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit to issue a stay. The stay order by Sotomayor was requested from Catholic nuns running the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged in Denver and now joins a stay issued earlier by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Continue reading “Sotomayor Grants Last-Minute Stay In Obamacare Challenge From Catholic-Related Groups” →