Benchslaps
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Benchslaps, Bill Mathesius, Judge of the Day, New Jersey, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns
Judge of the Day: Bill Mathesius
There aren’t many two-time winners of ATL’s Judge of the Day award. The members of that distinguished group are true pieces of work — jurists like Judge James M. Brooks and Judge Elizabeth Halverson. But we think that Judge Wilbur Mathesius, of Mercer County, New Jersey, richly deserves membership in the club. If you question […] -
Alan Dershowitz, Benchslaps, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Robert Bork
Benchslap of the Day Last Week: Judge Walton Smacks Some Academics
Last Friday, in the Scooter Libby case, Judge Reggie Walton delivered quite the benchslap. Some brief background, from Ana Marie Cox: A group of exceedingly prominent law professors (including Alan Dershowitz and Robert Bork) filed an amicus brief to Judge Reggie Walton [on Friday], arguing that the Libby verdict could possibly be overturned on appeal […] - Sponsored
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Bad Ideas, Bankruptcy, Benchslaps, Biglaw, Fast Food, Practice Pointers, Rudeness
HappyMealGate: An Update on the Fry Guy
Earlier this month, we wrote about how William P. Smith — a partner at McDermott Will & Emery (Chicago), and head of its bankruptcy department — landed himself in the deep-fat fryer. Smith unwisely told a bankruptcy judge, in open court, that she was “a few French Fries short of a Happy Meal.” Well, Judge […]
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Bad Ideas, Bankruptcy, Benchslaps, Biglaw, Practice Pointers, Rudeness
ATL Practice Pointers: Don't Insult the Judge in Open Court
Or even in chambers, for that matter. But open court is worse. From a tipster: In a bankruptcy case here in the Southern District of Florida, William P. Smith — a partner at McDermott Will & Emery (Chicago), and the head of its bankruptcy department — actually told a judge she was “a few French […] -
8th Circuit, Antonin Scalia, Benchslaps, Death Penalty, Habeas Corpus, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Benchslap of the Day: Justice Scalia's Dissent in Roper
Okay, make that yesterday. A reader email drew our attention to the saucy conclusion of Justice Antonin Scalia’s dissent in Roper v. Weaver: The greatest harm is that done to AEDPA, since dismissing the writ of certiorari leaves the Eighth Circuit’s grossly erroneous precedent on the books. (That precedent, by the way, cannot be explained […] -
9th Circuit, Benchslaps, Nude Dancing, Police, Racism, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Ebony and Ivory, Live Together in Perfect Harmony: Los Angeles County v. Rettele
Several commenters drew our attention to the Supreme Court’s quasi-amusing decision today in Los Angeles County v. Rettele (PDF). We also received reader email about it: “In the per curiam opinion in LA County v. Retelle (PDF), we get a nice discussion of racial harmony in the context of naked white people being awakened early […] -
Benchslaps, D.C. Circuit, Federal Judges, Harry Edwards, Laurence Silberman
Silbermannerisms: A Pair of Stinging Benchslaps
The D.C. Circuit’s administrative law-heavy docket can be a total snooze-fest less than thrilling. But at least that uber-prestigious court is stocked with some interesting personalities. Like the prominent, conservative, and temperamental Judge Laurence H. Silberman. From a tipster: How about giving a shout-out to the latest Silbermannerisms? Yesterday Judge Silberman served up these two […] -
Benchslaps, Blogging, Defamation, Free Speech, Media and Journalism, Shameless Plugs, State Judges
Murphy v. Boston Herald: Some Beantown Benchslappery
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… an ATL post not related to law firm pay raises! The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently issued a somewhat saucy opinion in a libel case brought by a state court judge, Ernest B. Murphy, against a New England tabloid, the Boston Herald. No, we don’t know who is […] - Sponsored
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Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Kids, Sam Sparks, Texas, Vicious Infighting
Judge Sam Sparks Does It Again
Remember Judge Sam Sparks, of the Western District of Texas? He’s a colorful judge with a robust sense of humor, as well as a low tolerance for lawyer shenanigans and quarrels. Back in 2004, Judge Sparks compared bickering lawyers in his court to kindergarteners. His saucy order made the email rounds, first in Texas, then […] -
Alex Kozinski, Benchslaps, Blogging, Eugene Volokh, Federal Judges, Howard Bashman
Kozinski on Blogs: "Hateful Things"
The brilliant and irascible Judge Alex Kozinski, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, has handed down his opinion on blogs, and it’s scathing. The audio link is down, but Orin Kerr helpfully gives us the juicy bits: ERIC GOLDMAN: So but what about blogs? . . . JUDGE ALEX KOZINSKI: I […] -
Benchslaps, Environment / Environmental Law, John Paul Stevens, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
An Inconvenient Ruling: Supreme Court Benchslaps the EPA
A summary of this morning’s Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA, from SCOTUSblog: Ruling 5-4, the Supreme Court on Monday found that the federal government had the authority to regulate greenhouse gases that may contribute to global warming, and must examine anew the scientific evidence of a link between those gases contained in the […] -
Antonin Scalia, Arthur Miller, Benchslaps, Law Professors, Rudeness, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Arthur Miller Deals Justice Scalia a Reverse Bench-Slap
Oh no he didn’t… Oh yes he did! Check out this account of yesterday’s Supreme Court argument, by the AP: Longtime Harvard law professor Arthur Miller (at right)… was arguing on behalf of shareholders who want to sue companies for fraud. Miller is a frequent television commentator, prolific writer and possibly the inspiration for an […] -
Benchslaps, Canada, Conrad Black, Crime, Lawyer of the Day, Trials
Lawyer of the Day: Edward Greenspan
Former media magnate Conrad Black is currently on trial in federal court in Chicago. Lord Black (at right) stands accused of fraud, racketeering, tax violations, obstruction of justice, and money laundering — serious stuff. He’s being defended by Edward Greenspan, one of Canada’s most colorful trial attorneys. Greenspan — who went to law school with […]
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Benchslaps
Benchslapped: Does Justice Walter Tolub Need a Refresher Course in Contracts?
That’s essentially the question raised about Justice Walter Tolub, of New York Supreme Court, in a recent item by Judicial Reports: Justice Walter Tolub is by most accounts a smart and fair jurist…. Why then when it comes to straightforward contracts and lease provisions, does Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub seem to hit a […] -
Attorney Misconduct, Bad Ideas, Benchslaps, Dale Kimball, Legal Ethics, Snell & Wilmer, Stupid Lawyer Tricks
Timestampgate: Snell & Wilmer's Letter to Judge Dale Kimball
We have obtained a letter that Snell & Wilmer partner Tracy Fowler sent to Judge Dale Kimball (D. Utah) concerning Timestampgate. Our source for the letter expressed the following opinion (opinion! opinion! no verifiable statement of fact!): Attached is a letter Tracy Fowler sent to Judge Kimball explaining that he is “shocked and embarrassed” that […] -
Attorney Misconduct, Bad Ideas, Benchslaps, Dale Kimball, Legal Ethics, Snell & Wilmer, Stupid Lawyer Tricks, WSJ Law Blog
Timestampgate: Snell & Wilmer Associate Resigns
Last week, we did an item on Judge Dale Kimball (D. Utah) benchslapping some Snell & Wilmer lawyers for allegedly engaging in questionable conduct involving the court’s time stamp machine and outside drop box. Yesterday the WSJ Law Blog put up a post on the controversy. Most of their post will be familiar to readers […] -
Bad Ideas, Benchslaps, Dale Kimball, Federal Judges, Snell & Wilmer, Stupid Lawyer Tricks
Benchslapped: Don't F**k with Time Stamps, You WILL Get Busted
From a correspondent in the Beehive State: Dying for just a few extra days on that brief? Ever thought about trying to game that little date stamp machine outside the court house? The attached order has been causing some buzz here in Salt Lake City. Judge Dale Kimball is not exactly a divo, but I […] -
7th Circuit, Art, Benchslaps, Education / Schools, Fashion, Kids, Lawsuit of the Day, Richard Posner
We Hope This Makes It Into F.3d
A quick follow-up to yesterday’s post about Judge Richard Posner’s opinion in the “Giftes” free speech T-shirt case. Thanks to the commenter who brought the two drawings in the opinion exhibits to our attention. We reprint them after the jump. And we look forward to seeing them in the august pages of the Federal Reporter. -
7th Circuit, Benchslaps, Education / Schools, Fashion, Free Speech, Kids, Lawsuit of the Day, Richard Posner
Judge Posner Gives the 'Gifties' an Appellate Wedgie
A detailed excerpt, plus a link to the full opinion, can be accessed here (via How Appealing). Money quote: [T]he picture and the few words imprinted on the Brandt T-shirt are no more expressive of an idea or opinion that the First Amendment might be thought to protect than a young child’s talentless infantile drawing […] -
Benchslaps, State Judges, State Judges Are Clowns, Vicious Infighting
Benchslapped: Michigan Supreme Court Justices -- Why Can't They All Just Get Along?
Whenever we make fun of state court judges for being kinda low-rent, we often get emails and comments defending members of the state judiciary. We realize, of course, that dismissing state court judges as “icky” is a huge overgeneralization. Sadly, it’s not without factual basis — at least in the state of Michigan. From the […]