Constitutional Law
-
Antonin Scalia, Bloomberg, Career Alternatives, Constitutional Law, Harvard, Intellectual Property, Judicial Divas, Music, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Videos, YouTube
A Law School Graduate Who Makes Beautiful Music
Where did Derrick Wang come up with the idea for his "Scalia/Ginsburg" opera? -
Constitutional Law, Craigslist, Religion, Weirdness
Crusader Requires A Jewish OR Muslim Lawyer: Apparently We're Going After The 16th-Century Vatican In SCOTUS!!
Who can you sue when the calendar is oppressing you? - Sponsored
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
How to best leverage generative AI as an early adopter with ethical use. -
Alan Dershowitz, Books, Constitutional Law, Death Penalty, Quote of the Day, SCOTUS, Sentencing Law, Supreme Court
The Eventual Death of the Death Penalty?
How will the death penalty come to an end in the United States? Alan Dershowitz makes a prediction.
-
Antonin Scalia, Biglaw, Celebrities, Constitutional Law, Eugene Scalia, Federal Judges, Gay Marriage, Law Schools, LSAT, Military / Military Law, Morning Docket, Phil Alito, Police, Samuel Alito, SCOTUS, Sentencing Law, Shira Scheindlin, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 08.22.13
* The NSA has violated the Constitution for years, you say? And it’s been misleading the FISA court about all of its domestic spying activities? As of this moment, the NSA is on double secret probation! [New York Times]
* Imagine how the New York stop-and-frisk case would have turned out if it had been before SCOTUS. The “human toll of unconstitutional stops” may not have been weighed so heavily. [Opinionator / New York Times]
* “[N]o one has a crystal ball,” but right now, it’s highly likely that the Supreme Court will take up another gay marriage case. Perhaps it’ll be the one that’s currently unfolding in Pennsylvania. [Legal Intelligencer]
* According to a recent survey conducted by Randstad, about 60 percent of lawyers are proud to be members of the legal profession, which is impressive(!) considering how unhappy they are. [The Lawyer]
* Birds of a feather really do flock together. Philip Alito, son of Justice Samuel Alito, will join Eugene Scalia, son of Justice Antonin Scalia, at Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office. [Blog of Legal Times]
* Even though the vast majority of his race-based claims were dismissed on summary judgment, this “token black associate” still has a respected Biglaw firm up against the Ropes. [National Law Journal]
* Law school applications are plummeting, but top law schools haven’t started scraping the bottom of the barrel — their applicants’ LSAT scores have remained relatively competitive. [WSJ Law Blog (sub. req.)]
* I am Chelsea Manning, I am a female.” Considering (s)he was just sentenced to 35 years in prison, Bradley Chelsea Manning sure picked a great time to make this announcement to the world. [Chicago Tribune]
* You dare call the Duchess of Dumplins racist and sexist? When it comes to Paula Deen’s new legal team from Morgan Lewis, five are women, and four are black. Take that, Lisa Jackson. [Am Law Daily]
-
American Bar Association / ABA, Bankruptcy, Bar Exams, Biglaw, Constitutional Law, Federal Judges, Gay, Gay Marriage, Howrey LLP, Law Professors, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Money, Morning Docket, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 08.19.13
* Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is definitely one of our favorite judicial divas. When asked if she thought the Supreme Court’s work was art or theater, she mused, “It’s both, with a healthy dose of real life mixed in.” [New York Times]
* According to the Citi Private Bank’s Law Firm Group report on the first half of the year, the legal industry should count itself lucky if it manages to meet last year’s single-digit profit growth. This “new normal” thing sucks. [Am Law Daily]
* Howrey going to celebrate these “monumental” settlements with Baker & Hostetler and Citibank? The failed firm’s trustee might throw a party when he’s finally able to file a liquidation plan. [Am Law Daily]
* Uncommon law marriage? A man stuck in an inheritance battle who lived with his late partner since 1995 now asks the District of Columbia to declare him common-law husband. [Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)]
* The ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar proposed a major overhaul to its accreditation standards. Action, of course, likely won’t be taken until next year. [National Law Journal]
* Despite the fact that these measures could help struggling graduates, law deans are at odds over the ABA’s proposed changes to tenure requirements for professors. [Capital Business / Washington Post]
* “Sooner or later you’ve got to make a choice, because you need enough revenue to cover what your expenses are.” Cooley will weather the storm by introducing a massive tuition hike. [Lansing State Journal]
* “How would you feel if you spent well over $100,000 on law school, only to have to spend an extra couple of thousand dollars on a course to get you to pass the bar?” You’d probably feel like everyone else. [CNBC]
* Requiring porn stars to wear condoms might not be sexy, but a federal judge says it’s constitutional. Don’t worry, unlike its actresses, the adult film industry won’t go down without a fight. [Los Angeles Times]
-
Antitrust, Constitutional Law, Election Law, Free Speech, Politics, Religion, Texas, Videos
Laws Make Strange Bedfellows
Antitrust, Sharia law, voter suppression, it's a legal potpourri... -
Constitutional Law, Crime, Federal Judges, Minority Issues, Police, Quote of the Day, Racism, S.D.N.Y., Shira Scheindlin
New York Can No Longer Stop And Frisk The 'Right People' For Being The 'Wrong Color'
It is now considered unconstitutional to stop and frisk New Yorkers solely on the basis of race. -
5th Circuit, American Bar Association / ABA, Biglaw, Cellphones, Constitutional Law, Election Law, Eric Holder, Gay Marriage, Headhunters / Recruiters, Health Care / Medicine, Law Schools, Morning Docket, SCOTUS, Supreme Court, Texas
Morning Docket: 07.31.13
* Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the legal wrangling: Eric Holder’s use of the VRA’s “bail in” provision to circumvent the SCOTUS ruling in Shelby may prove to be trouble. [National Law Journal]
* The Fifth Circuit upheld warrantless cellphone tracking yesterday, noting that it was “not per se unconstitutional.” We suppose that a per se victory for law enforcement is better than nothing. [New York Times]
* The pretty people at Davis Polk are fighting a $1.4 million suit over a headhunter’s fee with some pretty ugly words, alleging that the filing “fails both as a matter of law and common sense.” [Am Law Daily]
* Howard Dean is rather annoyed that he’s had to go on the defensive about his work for McKenna Long & Aldridge after railing against Obamacare. Ideally, he’d just like to scream and shout about it. [TIME]
* The ABA is concerned about Florida A&M, and sent a second warning about the school’s imminent failure to meet accreditation standards. Well, I’ll be damned, the ABA actually cares. [Orlando Sentinel]
* Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett is suing to prevent a clerk from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. A silly little lawsuit won’t stop this guy from doing what he thinks is right. [Legal Intelligencer]
- Sponsored
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
If 2023 introduced legal professionals to generative AI, then 2024 will be when law firms start adapting to utilize it. Things are moving fast, so… -
Constitutional Law, Gay, Gay Marriage, Lesbians, Linda Greenhouse, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
After Perry & Windsor: A Conversation About The Supreme Court's Rulings
Three distinguished commentators -- Bill Eskridge, Linda Greenhouse, and Evan Wolfson -- discuss the Supreme Court's recent rulings on marriage equality. -
Antonin Scalia, Constitutional Law, Quote of the Day, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
If The Constitution Ever Came To Life, Scalia Would Be The Man To Kill It
No, stupid, the Constitution isn't a living document -- at least Justice Scalia doesn't think it is. -
Bar Exams, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Texas
Texan Claims Bar Exam Is Unconstitutional -- Which Kind Of Proves Why We Need Bar Exams
It's unconstitutional to make me take this exam... -
4th Circuit, Antonin Scalia, Biglaw, California, Constitutional Law, Crime, Gay Marriage, Health Care / Medicine, Law School Deans, Law Schools, Morning Docket, Murder, Music, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, SCOTUS, State Attorneys General, Supreme Court, Trials
Morning Docket: 07.12.13
* You’ve seen Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg give Justice Antonin Scalia the finger in prose, but now you can hear what it would sound like in operatic form as composed by a recent law school graduate. [NPR]
* The Fourth Circuit upheld Obamacare’s employer mandate against Liberty University, calling it a constitutional tax, just like the individual mandate. Now’s a perfect time for a sip of Campari. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The Fried Frank toner bandit was sent to the slammer, but alas, it’s unlikely that the firm will be able to recover any of its losses. Too bad, it could use the cash after its 2012 performance. [Am Law Daily]
* Crisis? What crisis? The dean of UC Davis Law refuses to trim class size, but that doesn’t really matter — the application cycle is handling the situation quite nicely. [Sacramento Business Journal]
* Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Kathleen Kane won’t defend the state against a lawsuit seeking to overturn its ban on same-sex marriage. She’s choosing the people over politics. [New York Times]
* With his trial quickly drawing to a close, George Zimmerman is growing increasingly worried about his future. Let’s face it, even if he’s acquitted, living in hiding isn’t a very good look for him. [ABC News]
-
Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Kids, Social Media, Social Networking Websites, Texas, Violence
Terroristic Threat Laws & A Texas Teen: There But For The Grace Go We
Have you ever written something stupid and intemperate on the internet? Watch out.
Sponsored
Is The Future Of Law Distributed? Lessons From The Tech Adoption Curve
Navigating Financial Success by Avoiding Common Pitfalls and Maximizing Firm Performance
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
Sponsored
The Business Case For AI At Your Law Firm
Legal AI: 3 Steps Law Firms Should Take Now
-
Barack Obama, Basketball, Constitutional Law, Election Law, Football, Google / Search Engines, Non-Sequiturs, Politics, SCOTUS, Sports, Supreme Court, Video games
Non-Sequiturs: 07.09.13
* Ed O’Bannon asks the NCAA to agree in writing not to retaliate against any current athlete that joins his lawsuit against the organization. How sad is it that a non-profit organization committed to helping students needs to be reminded not to retaliate against students? In other news, NCAA Football 14 (affiliate link) came out today. [USA Today] * More SCOTUS Term analysis. Tom Goldstein, Adam Liptak, and Jess Bravin have been invited to explain to the Heritage Foundation what an awesome term it had. [Heritage] * The Shelby County decision completely lacks any foundation for the argument that the Voting Rights Act violates the Constitution. Yeah, but besides that… [Lawyers, Guns & Money] * What is wrong with soccer fans? Referee stabs player and then ends up like Ned Stark. [Legal Juice] * Mayer Brown reports that Mexican leaders are lining up behind energy sector reform. [Breaking Energy] * Ever wonder about the extent of Internet censorship around the world? Here’s a handy chart showing how Google is censored in various countries around the world. [io9] * Obama caves to Republican requests to suspend law. Republicans label Obama tyrannical for suspending that law. Bravo. [Wall Street Journal] -
Abortion, Alan Dershowitz, Blogging, Constitutional Law, Football, Guns / Firearms, Law Schools, Layoffs, Media and Journalism, SCOTUS, Sports, Supreme Court
Five Stories That Made This an Exhausting Week of Legal News
My this was a busy week. Here's a list of the big-ticket stories that struck my fancy this week. -
1st Circuit, Bankruptcy, Biglaw, Constitutional Law, Copyright, Dewey & LeBoeuf, Gay, Gay Marriage, Morning Docket, Music, Politics, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Morning Docket: 06.27.13
* Edith Windsor’s lawyer said she thought her client’s case was “simple,” but it proved to take a little longer than she thought to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. [New York Law Journal]
* Conservative pols are up in arms about the SCOTUS decisions, promising to file constitutional amendments, but like Rand Paul said, “As a country, we can agree to disagree.” [Washington Post]
* Nate Silver breaks down gay marriage by the numbers. By August, 30% of Americans will live in states where same-sex marriage has been legalized. [FiveThirtyEight / New York Times]
* Wherein the ancient artifacts of a once storied and prestigious Biglaw firm are touted by a furniture liquidation company as “like new, for less!” Dewey know how embarrassing this is? [Am Law Daily]
* Sorry, Joel Tenenbaum, but the First Circuit affirmed your $675K debt to the RIAA. That’s what happens when you blame illegal downloads on burglars and foster kids. [Law & Disorder / Ars Technica]
* It looks like David Boies claimed two victories yesterday. The Court of Federal Claims gave Maurice Greenberg the green light to sue the U.S. over the terms of AIG’s bailout. [DealBook / New York Times]
-
Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, California, Constitutional Law, Gay, Gay Marriage, John Roberts, Lesbians, Paul Clement, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
The Supreme Court Holds That It Is Unconstitutional For The Government To Hate Gay People
What was it like to be at the Supreme Court this morning, when two major rulings on gay marriage were handed down? A report from SCOTUS columnist Matt Kaiser. -
Anthony Kennedy, California, Constitutional Law, David Boies, Gay, Gay Marriage, John Roberts, Lesbians, SCOTUS, Stephen Reinhardt, Supreme Court, Ted Olson
The Supreme Court Rules In Two Major Gay Marriage Cases
Finally! The Supreme Court's long-awaited rulings on gay marriage in California and the Defense of Marriage Act. What did the Court rule? -
Constitutional Law, Election Law, Minority Issues, Politics, Racism, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
The Chief Justice Kills Part Of The Voting Rights Act With Kindness (And A Majority Opinion Saying It Is Unconstitutional)
A report on today's Supreme Court proceedings, from our SCOTUS correspondent, Matt Kaiser. -
Constitutional Law, Election Law, John Roberts, Minority Issues, Politics, Racism, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
Supreme Court Rules That Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act Is Unconstitutional
Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act has been struck down. Is there anything left?