Alabama

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.05.19

* The White House has told former staffers Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson to ignore a congressional subpoena for documents (as most Trump staffers are wont to do), but at least Hicks is cooperating a little bit. [Salon] * Meanwhile, Paul Manafort, one of President Trump’s former henchmen, will likely be transferred to Rikers Island where he’ll be held in solitary confinement while he faces state fraud charges in New York. Yikes... [Intelligencer / New York Magazine] * Alabama wants convicted child sex offenders to pay for their own mandatory chemical castrations before they can leave prison. If you’re shocked by this, please remember this is just Alabama being Alabama. [The Hill] * There’s no pure applesauce here: John Scalia, son of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, is heading back to Greenberg Traurig in Northern Virginia after spending a few years at Pillsbury in D.C. [Big Law Business] * Move over, Doogie Howser, because these young phenoms are heading to law school in droves. Aaron Parnas, who started law school at the ripe age of 18, has some advice for the latest crop of teenage 1Ls. [Law.com]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.15.19

* Donald Trump Jr. has reached an agreement for “limited” testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, where he’ll discuss no more than a handful of topics for no longer than two-to-four hours. But will he plead the Fifth? [New York Times] * Just when you thought Georgia’s fetal heartbeat law was too extreme, Alabama shows up with a near total abortion ban like it’s some race to see which state can get Roe v. Wade overturned the quickest at the Supreme Court. [NBC News] * Can President Trump actually can block his accountants from complying with a congressional subpoena? Based on the way Judge Amit Mehta skeptically grilled Trump’s lawyer during yesterday’s hearing, we’re not too sure things will go the president’s way. [National Law Journal] * Claire Murray, a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis, has been appointed by AG Bill Barr as principal deputy associate AG, the Justice Department’s third in command. The Biglaw firm seems to be taking over Main Justice. Congratulations! [Big Law Business] * In case you missed it, this global law firm is reportedly facing a “cash flow crunch” that’s causing it to struggle to pay its partners and think about cutting ties with “substantially underperforming partners.” [American Lawyer] * Professor Ron Sullivan of Harvard Law, the soon-to-be former faculty dean of an undergraduate house at Harvard, has stepped down as a member of Harvey Weinstein’s criminal defense team, claiming that the case will “conflict with his teaching responsibilities.” [CNN]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non Sequiturs: 02.10.19

* Irina Manta, a recent addition to the roster of Volokh Conspirators, assesses some of the attacks leveled against D.C. Circuit nominee Neomi Rao. [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason] * In other nomination news, Thomas Jipping explains why conservatives should temper their excitement over those 44 judicial nominees who just got reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. [Bench Memos / National Review] * Michael Dorf's take on Chief Justice John Roberts joining the four liberals on the Supreme Court to put the Louisiana abortion law on hold: the right to an abortion is "not in quite as much immediate danger as one might have thought. And that's not nothing." [Take Care] * Lawyer to the stars Alex Spiro, partner at Quinn Emanuel, talks about how he's approaching the representation of his latest celebrity client, rapper 21 Savage. [Complex] * On the occasion of his 15th blogiversary (congratulations!), Rick Garnett reflects on the past and future of blogging. [Mirror of Justice via PrawfsBlawg] * Jean O'Grady chats with Pablo Arredondo of Casetext about the platform's newest features. [Dewey B Strategic] * And in other legal technology news, congrats to legal AI innovator Luminance on securing another $10 million in funding (reflecting a total valuation for the company of $100 million). [Artificial Lawyer] * Last Thursday, Alabama executed Domineque Hakim Marcelle Ray and did not allow his imam to be present (even though Christian inmates can have the prison chaplain present) -- a manifest injustice, according to Stephen Cooper. [Alabama Political Reporter] * In the latest installment of his ongoing series offering advice to trial lawyers, David Berg sets forth an essential rule of cross-examination. [YouTube]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non Sequiturs: 12.09.18

* A fantasy from the fevered imagination of Lawprofblawg: playing the role of the Grinch who stole meetings. [Lawprofblawg] * Joel Cohen wonders: should jurors be instructed about the possible inaccuracy of descriptions of forensic evidence in "cop show" television programs? [Law and Crime] * David Oscar Markus isn't afraid to take on tough cases -- like defending embattled Secretary Alex Acosta in the court of public opinion. [Miami Herald via SDFLA Blog] * Former federal defender Stephen Cooper does not mince words: "The prospective gassing of human beings in Alabama is an abomination." [Alabama Political Reporter] * Jerry Goldfeder and Lincoln Mitchell offer up this hypothetical (which sounds far-fetched, but never say never given the times in which we live): "What if Trump loses but refuses to leave the White House?" [New York Daily News] * Looking for a special present for the legal nerd in your life? In addition to the items featured in the Above the Law holiday gift guide, check out the latest edition of the Solicitor General's Style Guide. [Amazon (affiliate link)] * Speaking of the Supreme Court, Adam Feldman takes a data-driven look at the recent spat between President Donald Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts over partisanship in the federal judiciary. [Empirical SCOTUS]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.05.18

* President Trump ordered White House Counsel Don McGahn to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing in the Russia probe -- and Sessions, after not recusing and incurring Trump's wrath, later submitted his signed resignation letter (which the mercurial Trump, who had told Sessions to resign, then declined to accept). [New York Times] * Brazilian oil company Petrobras just announced a $2.95 billion class action settlement, which will be the largest settlement of a class action U.S. securities fraud suit this decade if approved (by Judge Jed Rakoff, so it's not a foregone conclusion). [Corporate Counsel] * Congratulations to litigation finance firm Lake Whillans, which just concluded a $125 million round of funding. [American Lawyer] * Leigh Corfman, one of several Alabama women who accused unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexual misconduct, is now suing Moore for defamation. [Washington Post] * Speaking of defamation claims, the Trump tax bill contains some very bad news for plaintiffs in such cases (and tort cases more generally, it seems). [Slate] * Tallahassee prosecutor Georgia Cappleman has thrown her hat into the ring for a judicial vacancy; what does this mean for the Dan Markel case, which she's currently handling? [Tallahassee Democrat] * The Motel 6/ICE mess has triggered a lawsuit against the company by Washington State's attorney general. [ABA Journal] * Journalist Roy Strom surveys the year ahead for Biglaw -- and highlights Bruce MacEwen and Janet Stanton's noteworthy prediction of a prominent U.S. law firm forming a joint venture with a "New Law" entity. [Law.com]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 11.15.17

* Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell thinks that the people of Alabama should choose Attorney General Jeff Sessions as a write-in candidate to replace alleged pederast Roy Moore on the ballot for his former seat, but the AG has no desire to return to the Senate. [NPR] * The Ninth Circuit has temporarily allowed part of Travel Ban 3.0 to proceed. While that means issuances of visas to citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen will be restricted, there's a catch. Applicants with concrete ties to the country will be exempt. [POLITICO] * Wisconsin is so desperate to get lawyers to help indigent criminal defendants in rural areas that lawmakers have introduced new legislation that calls for the state to fund law school loan payments of up to $20,000 a year in exchange for the representation of these clients in need. [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel] * Newsflash: In-house legal departments are planning to spend more on outside counsel in 2018. This is the first time this will have happened in more than a decade. Hopefully Biglaw's fee hikes don't come back to bite them. [Corporate Counsel] * After a two-month national postal survey, Australians have voted "overwhelmingly" in favor of same-sex marriage. Now it's up to the country's government to work out the details of the bill that will bring marriage equality down under. Congrats! [CNN]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 11.10.17

* Federal judges with lifetime appointments: They're just like recent law school graduates! The Senate Judiciary Committee just confirmed Brett J. Talley to the Middle District of Alabama, despite the fact that he's got less than years of experience, has never argued a motion, and was declared "not qualified" by the ABA. Awesome. [The Hill] * Calling all defenders of Roy Moore: "If You Refuse to Condemn Predators because of Politics, You’re Disgusting." [National Review] * Thanks to all of the recent sexual assault accusations that have been lodged against men in the entertainment industry, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office has set up a task force to deal with these star-studded Hollywood cases. [Jezebel] * News that the law school cartel in the United States is in crisis has finally made its way across the pond. Should solicitors and barristers care? [Legal Cheek] * Dozens of DACA recipients have had their renewal applications rejected due to mail delays, and they have no right to appeal. This is awful. [New York Times]

By Above the Law
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 11.10.11

* One of Roy Moore's former law school classmates says he isn't surprised that the former judge was accused of having a "sexual encounter" with an underage girl. He warns Alabama to "beware of false prophets," because he's seen "Bible-thumping, God-fearing hypocrites" all his life -- and Moore is one of them. [Washington Examiner] * Much to President Trump's the DOJ's chagrin, AT&T has no plans to sell CNN in order to push through its deal with Time Warner. [DealBook / New York Times] * Earlier this week, the Supreme Court released its first opinion of the October 2017 Term, less than a month after hearing oral arguments in the case. Justice "Rapid Ruth" Ginsburg wrote the Court's unanimous opinion in record time. [Associated Press] * Who is Kate O’Scannlain? You're not the only one who has no idea, but she's the Trump administration's pick for solicitor of labor. You may be familiar with her dad, though. He's a senior judge on the Ninth Circuit. [Big Law Business] * According to a new report by the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, although 2017 was a record year, women are still lagging behind men when it comes to making partner in law firms. This is apparently news to some people? [American Lawyer] * A juror who was dismissed from Senator Bob Menendez's bribery trial says she thinks this is going to end in a hung jury. She says if she would've stuck around, "he would have been ‘not guilty’ on every charge." [New York Post]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.27.17

* Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore has won the Republican primary runoff election for the Senate seat that was once occupied by AG Jeff Sessions. Perhaps we can look forward to history repeating itself and Moore being twice suspended if he wins the special election. [New York Times] * Senate Republicans don't have the votes for the Graham-Cassidy effort to repeal Obamacare to pass, but not to worry, because they'll be back at it again soon via the 2019 budget reconciliation process, and next time, they're going to be transparent, hold committee hearings, and even consult Democrats. [CNN] * The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security has refused to waive Jones Act shipping restrictions that are preventing Puerto Rico from getting the gasoline and supplies that are so desperately needed for the island's recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria. Senator John McCain is pissed, and says it's time to repeal the "archaic and burdensome" Act. [Reuters] * Freedom hangs in the balance for Making a Murderer's Brendan Dassey, whose case was heard before the full Seventh Circuit yesterday. According to court watchers, the judges seemed split, and we can't help but to wonder what Judge Richard Posner would have thought. [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel] * Irell & Manella's Andrei Iancu, President Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is awaiting confirmation. There's no better way to bide our time while we wait than to discuss the fact that he'd been pulling down a $4 million paycheck at the firm. We'll have more on this later. [Am Law Daily] * "How can you expect companies to do the right thing when you[r] agency has not?" U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton is taking heat over the fact that his agency was hacked in 2016, but nothing was mentioned about it until last week. He's set a great example. [Big Law Business] * According to a recent study, no matter what women do, in most cases, they'll continue to earn less than men. The ban on asking employees about their salary history is doing nothing for women; in fact, they're being penalized for refusing to disclose their salaries, while men are being rewarded. [The Careerist]

By Staci Zaretsky