Morning Docket

* Uma Thurman gives dramatic testimony at the trial of her alleged stalker. [City Room / NYT] * The latest on delays in judicial confirmations. [How Appealing (linkwrap)] * Wilson Sonsini accused of malpractice in new shareholder derivative lawsuit filed against Brocade directors and officers. [The Recorder] * More information about the apparent suicide of […]

* I hear wedding bells… no wait, that’s the buzzer for yard time. [CBS Local] * Rob Lowe and wife sue former nanny for defamation. [CNN] * Kids: Obama now cool. [New York Times] * Meet the superelite. [Newsweek]

* Authorities enter compound of polygamist sect and remove more than 219 women and children. [CNN] * Drug companies find some success, and hope for more in the future, in using preemption doctrine as a defense against lawsuits. [New York Times] * Plaintiffs lawyers and witnesses associated with Dickie Scruggs barred, respectively, from representing policyholders […]

* You’ve come a long way, baby — but you’re not getting past the Second Circuit. Appeals court tosses $800 billion class-action lawsuit over light cigarettes. [New York Times] * The economy is in the toilet. Does that still count as news? [AP] * West Virginia Supreme Court, after shedding some members via recusals, rules […]

* States, cities, environmental groups sue EPA in D.C. Circuit, seeking rules on vehicle emissions. [New York Times] * Defense lawyers and civil libertarians not cool with “surreptitious sampling” of DNA — e.g., collecting DNA from saliva on discarded cigarettes. (Strikes us as an uphill battle, at least under existing Fourth Amendment law.) [New York […]

* A 2003 memo shows that the Justice Department greenlighted aggressive interrogation methods (including poking; Facebook, holla). Maybe those Yalies suing John Yoo need to amend their complaint. [New York Times; Washington Post] * Speaking of Yalies, here are a Yale 1L’s thoughts on the U.S. News rankings controversy. [Hartford Courant] * A bipartisan effort […]

* Supreme Court grants cert in fantasy baseball case. [New York Personal Injury Law Blog] * Treasury Department plan to reform financial regulation meets with skepticism, faces long odds for passage this year. [New York Times] * “Breaking News? Less M&A Work for Lawyers in Q1.” [WSJ Law Blog] * More about the departure of […]

* Media mogul smackdown: Barry Diller (pictured) prevails over his former mentor, John Malone, in Delaware Chancery Court. [New York Times; Wall Street Journal (subscription) via WSJ Law Blog] * HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson, under DOJ investigation, calls it quits. [AP] * Questions raised about 9/11 lawyer Peter Napoli, of fen-phen fame (or infamy). [New […]

* Defense contractor accused of supplying ancient arms to Afghan army and police…. [CNN] * While Defense Secretary Gates orders review of nuclear arsenal after accidental shipments to Taiwan…. [Washington Post] * And AG Mukasey vows to crack down on corruption in wake of PR governor accusations…. [MSNBC] * Meanwhile, 11th Circuit grants bail pending […]

* Clear Channel and private equity firms sue banks they claim are balking on financing their buyout deal; injunctive relief secured. [WSJ Law Blog; AP] * Lilly settles Zyprexa litigation with Alaska. [New York Times] * SCOTUS considers pro se rights. [Washington Post] * Did KPMG “enable” New Century’s collapse? [New York Times] * Federal […]

* Supreme Court rebuffs claim of presidential power with respect to enforceability of World Court ruling. [Washington Post] * Meanwhile, other countries’ courts reject U.S. punitive damages. [New York Times] * Second Circuit shoot down New York State’s Airline Passenger Bill of Rights, on preemption grounds. [New York Times] * Affirmative action opponents seeking ’08 […]

* State makes VA Tech families settlement offer to prevent litigation. [CNN] * Questioning Justice Scalia’s math on innocents in prison. [New York Times] * New Pakistani PM releases jailed judges. [MSNBC] * DOJ Antitrust approves XM / Sirius merger. But FCC still needs to weigh in. [New York Times] * Fox refuses to pay […]

* Professor Akhil Amar: Obama and Clinton can take turns being president. Say what? [Slate] * JPMorgan could raise Bear Sterns bid to $10 a share. [New York Times] * IOC engages in “silent diplomacy” with China on human rights issues. [ESPN] * Radical hippie mom accidentally released from jail for a few days. [CNN] […]

* A defense of feds’ tactics in Spitzer investigation. [New York Times] * Justice O’Connor, sitting by designation on Fourth Circuit, hears city council prayer case. [Washington Post] * Paramount head Brad Grey gives (apparently boring) testimony at Pellicano trial. [Deadline Hollywood Daily via Drudge] * Hearing to be held on recusal request in Massey […]

* Another prominent plaintiffs’ lawyer pleads. Today it’s Mel Weiss of Milberg Weiss, to plead guilty in an alleged kickback scheme. Any guesses as to the new firm name? Milberg LLP? [WSJ Law Blog] * SCOTUS overturns conviction of Louisiana death row inmate, due to improper exclusion of African-Americans from jury. Vote was 7-2, opinion […]

* Collected coverage of yesterday’s Supreme Court oral argument in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Second Amendment case concerning D.C. gun control. [SCOTUSblog (linkwrap); How Appealing (linkwrap)] * NJ prosecutors subpoena records from JuicyCampus.com (think AutoAdmit for college students). [AP] * An update on former Lawyer of the Day Kwame Kilpatrick: the Detroit City […]

* “Are we headed for another Great Depression?” [McClatchy] * Quelle surprise: Bear Stearns shareholder lawsuit (filed in S.D.N.Y. by Coughlin Stoia). [Bloomberg; WSJ Law Blog (PDF of complaint)] * Speaking of Bear Stearns, here are some law firms losing out on BSC business. [WSJ Law Blog] * Tenth Circuit reverses convictions of former Qwest […]

* Stocks plummet around the world, in wake of deal by JP Morgan Chase to buy Bear Stearns on the cheap. [New York Times] Update: If you’re interested in learning which lawyers and law firms slaved away over the weekend on the Bear Stearns deal, see here. * Fed takes action to fight crisis, but […]

* Follow the $3.00 gas. [CNN Money] * Congress moves on taxes. [MSNBC] * Report shows FBI misused personal info. [New York Times] * NRCC treasurer accused of embezzling up to $1 million. [Washington Post] * Speaker Pelosi: Dream ticket? Dream on. [CNN Politics] * Florida primary do-over looking unlikely. [Washington Post]

* Geraldine Ferraro leaves Clinton campaign after making remarks about Obama, some of which may have been either exaggerated by others or exaggerations by her. You decide: “Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let’s address reality and the problems we’re facing in this world, you’re accused […]