Courts, Justice, Lawyering

Surgery Fires

Submitted By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

As if anxiety over the common risks of surgery weren’t enough, a strange story from Florida points up the dangers of flash fires during routine procedures.  Kim Grice entered North Okaloosa Medical Center Outpatient Surgery Center  in Crestview, Fla. for simple surgery to remove cystic growths from her scalp. After about two hours of surgery, an ambulance pulled up to the clinic and emergency personnel rushed past Grice’s mother, Ann, to transport her 29-year-old daughter to the South Alabama Medical Center due to severe facial burns.

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Courts, Lawyering

Court Jesting

Submitted By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Some think  lawyers and judges to be serious folk and devoid of humor as they carry out the public’s business. Here’s some proof to the contrary from Gavel2Gavel.com taken from real case depositions and trial transcripts:

By the Court:  Is there any reason why you couldn’t serve as a juror in this case?

By a Potential Juror:  I don’t want to be away from my job that long.

The Court:  Can’t they do without you at work?

Potential Juror:  Yes, but I don’t want them to know that.

______________________________________________

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Bizarre, Society, Torts

Kale v. Chickin

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Bo Muller-Moore, a folk artist from Montpelier, Vermont, decided to print up some T-shirts for friends that own a local farm. The slogan that was chosen was “Eat More Kale.” That phrase doesn’t sit too well with Chick-fil-A, whose lawyer claims “is likely to cause confusion of the public and dilutes the distinctiveness of Chick-fil-A’s intellectual property and diminishes its value.”

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Justice, Lawyering, Military, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Senate Votes Overwhelmingly To Allow Indefinite Detention of Citizens

In one of the greatest attacks on civil liberties in this country’s history, Democratic and Republican Senators voted yesterday to approve a measure as part of the $662 billion defense bill that would allow for the military to hold both citizens and non-citizens indefinitely without trial — even those arrested on U.S. soil. In a welcomed change, President Obama has committed his Administration to fighting the measure as inimical to the rule of law. The measure was pushed by Carl Levin (D – Michigan) and John McCain (R – Arizona). While some members of Congress like Ron Paul (R., Texas) have denounced the bill, the measure passed at the same time that Administration lawyers publicly declared that the military and intelligence agencies alone should decide whether a citizen should be killed without a charge or hearing (including killing citizens on U.S. soil) — a position supported by President Obama who has ordered the killing of U.S. citizens under his claim of inherent authority.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Duluth Jails Detroit: Man Sentences To 15-Months For Voting As Convicted Felon

This happy guy appears satisfied that he did his duty as a citizen. Antonio Vassel “Detroit” Brown, 48, had just voted and in response the state has secured a 15 month sentence in jail. “Detroit,” it turns out is from Duluth and is a convicted felon. He was charged with “voting while ineligible” — a sentence that should trigger a long-needed debate over the counterintuitive rule banning felons from trying to participate in the society as full citizens.

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Academia, Bizarre, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Saudi “Scientific” Report Warns Lifting Driving Ban On Women Will Lead To “No More Virgins” Within Ten Years

Kamal Subhi, a former professor at the King Fahd University, and the Majlis al-Ifta’ al-A’ala, Saudi Arabia’s highest religious council, have issued a “scientific” report that the proposed lifting of the ban on women driving will result within ten years in “no more virgins” in the Kingdom as well as “a surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce.”

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

Turley Blog Selected As A Top 100 Legal Blog — Now We Need Your Vote!

The ABA Journal has released its list of the top 100 legal blogs in the world and we are once again in this august group of blogs. Congratulations to all of our regulars contributors and weekend bloggers. This blog’s success is due entirely to the consistently high level of commentary among our readers and, I believe, our commitment to civil and substantive (if at times passionate) dialogue on the legal and political issues of our day. We are again placed in the “opinion” category and facing two of the top five most popular blogs. You can vote at You can vote at this site by clicking on the “opinion” category and we need your vote. A quick registration is needed to prevent cheating in the competition.

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Free Speech, Society, Torts

Could Hoover Sue J. Edgar?

While some critics have panned the new movie “J. Edgar,” reviews among former FBI agents appear far more harsh. This article was sent to me by one of my students given our discussion this week of the rule that you cannot defame the dead. Indeed, the controversy over the film raises that very question as well as an interesting question of whether alleged homosexuality should still be considered per se defamation.
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Bizarre, Society

California Man Sues Playboy Over Gender Discrimination . . . Against Men

Steve Frye is a man who was shocked, shocked when he went to a party at the Playboy Mansion called the “Leather Meets Lace” that there was naked sexual discrimination . . . against men. Frye was outraged that men were required to pay for admission while “gorgeous ladies” could enter for free. He is now suing on behalf of all aggrieved men.
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Bizarre, Criminal law

Former Sheriff Arrested For Allegedly Trading Drugs For Sex and Booked at His Namesake Jail

Processing personnel at the Patrick J. Sullivan, Jr. Detention Facility might have taken a double take or two when processing one of these weeks admitees: Patrick J. Sullivan, Jr. Detention Facility. Sullivan, the former “Sheriff of the Year,” was charged with allegedly using and distributing methamphetamine in exchange for sex.
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Academia, Bizarre, Religion, Society

Massachusetts Teacher Suspended Due To Prior Career As Porn Star

We have another case of a teacher who has been suspended or fired because of conduct in their private lives. Kevin Hogan teaches English and crew at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, a highly rated high school, in Malden, Massachusetts. That was before someone told the school that he has appeared in pornographic movies like “Just Gone Gay 8” under the name Hytch Cawke
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Torts

You Can’t Say Dimmick Without Dim: Felon Sues Family For Break of Contract In Failing To Hide Him From Police

Jesse Dimmick may have made for a poor criminal but he makes for an even worse lawyer. Dimmick has sued a Kansas couple, alleging that they broke an oral contract to hide him in exchange for money. This particular breach resulted in his being shot by police.
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Society, Torts

Medal of Honor Recipient Sues Defense Contractor For Defamation

There is an interesting defamation case that has been filed in Texas. Dakota Meyer, a former U.S. Marine who received the Medal of Honor is alleging that BAE Systems OASYS defamed him to a prospective employer by saying that he has a drinking problem, poor work habits, and is mentally or emotionally unstable.
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Constitutional Law, International, Politics, Religion

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Accused For Discriminating Against Muslim Employee Barred From Serving Israeli Delegation

There is an interesting lawsuit filed against the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C., which stands accused of discriminating against a Muslim employee by barring him from serving an Israeli delegation — claiming a “national security exemption” for such religious and cultural discrimination. The man, Mohamed Arafi, was previously cleared in a security check with the FBI and handled other foreign guests, including dignitaries. He is of Arab ancestry. He is a naturalized citizen of Moroccan descent. I will be discussing the case today on CNN.

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