Eighth Circuit
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Courts
8th Circuit Decides To Wildly Limit Enforcement Of The Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act takes another hit. -
Courts
Justice Brett Kavanaugh Charms Judicial Conference But Ducks Supreme Court Ethics, Partisanship Concerns
When asked about the recent spate of Supreme Court ethics scandals, Kavanaugh deferred to what Chief Justice John Roberts said about that (which hasn’t been much). - Sponsored
Are Small Firms Going Big On Legal Tech?
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Courts
Media Consortium Files Amicus In Appeal Of Batsh*t Nunes Defamation Case
This aggression will not stand, man. We hope.
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 12.12.18
* Yale Law School’s list of the most memorable quotes of the year is out, and Rudy Giuliani’s “truth isn’t truth” and Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s “I still like beer” coming in first and second place, respectively. Congratulations on all of your success. [Newsweek]
* After some dealmaking with Republicans, Senator Kamala Harris will remain on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The problem here is that another GOP seat will be added, but right now, it seems like there’s no one out there who wants to take up this important role. [Washington Post]
* Yup, I’m just going to leave this one right here: “Senate Lawyer Deemed ‘Not Qualified’ by ABA Confirmed to Eighth Circuit.” [National Law Journal]
* Kirkland & Ellis will have a new leader soon, but that doesn’t mean the firm’s lateral hiring spree will end. “[T]he Kirkland threat of poaching isn’t going away anytime soon and might get worse,” says one of the firm’s partners. [American Lawyer]
* The Senate will take a look at a criminal justice reform in a revised version of the First Step Act later this month. Per President Trump, the bill “looks like it’s going to be passing, hopefully, famous last words, on a very bipartisan way.” [Reuters]
* Remember that dustup at GW Law between the SBA and the Jewish Law Student Association? Students say the administration has “swept the incident under the rug” and won’t resolve the situation until next semester. [GW Hatchet]
* When do women get seats on corporate boards? When it’s required by law. That’s certainly less than than inspiring. Time to start lobbying. [Big Law Business]
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Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 10.14.18
* Adam Feldman examines the historical record to look at how Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s brutal confirmation process could affect his jurisprudence. [Empirical SCOTUS]
* And Joel Cohen looks at how Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation fight might affect his judging of the accused. [Law and Crime]
* Meanwhile, David Oscar Markus argues that criminal defendants in federal court get treated much worse than Justice Kavanaugh. [The Hill]
* Jemele Hill points out the support and sympathy for Justice Kavanaugh from a possibly surprising quarter: African-American men. [The Atlantic]
* Packing the Supreme Court? There ought to be a constitutional amendment about that, Jim Lindgren says. [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason]
* In fact, is it time for progressives to fight against, rather than within, the courts? Howard Wasserman offers thoughts on the recent Slate debate between Daniel Hemel and Christopher Jon Sprigman. [PrawfsBlawg]
* Patrick Gregory reports on the latest controversy in the world of lower-court nominations: the ABA’s “not qualified” rating of Eighth Circuit nominee Jonathan Kobes. [Big Law Business]
* Edmund Zagorski has multiple legal challenges to his execution (which is now on hold); former federal defender Stephen Cooper looks at the one based on the method of execution. [Tennessean]
* Congratulations to Pedro Hernandez on the dismissal of his case — and to his counsel, Alex Spiro of Quinn Emanuel, on the great result.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2YPLmtwkug
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Courts
President Trump's Eleventh Wave Of Judicial Nominees
Look for more confirmations in the very near future. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 01.31.18
* According to his friends, President Trump is reportedly planning to ask Attorney General Jeff Sessions to prosecute special counsel Robert Mueller and his team. Considering he’s done nothing wrong, it’s anyone’s guess as to what Mueller could possibly be prosecuted for, but that’s neither here nor there. [CNBC]
* For the first time in more than 80 years, the Senate has confirmed a circuit court judge with a missing blue slip. Yesterday, Judge David Stras of the Minnesota Supreme Court was confirmed to the Eighth Circuit, with a 56-42 vote that threw decades-old tradition to the wind. [The Hill]
* “It’s really important that lawyers in large firms know that they can sign up….” In the short time since the initiative was announced, more than 500 lawyers have signed up to take on cases for the Time’s Up legal defense fund, and they’ll be able to provide free consultations to victims of workplace sexual harassment. [Big Law Business]
* The robots are coming: Former payroll managers from Dechert claim in a federal age and gender bias suit that they were laid off because they were the oldest women employees in the department. The firm says that’s not the case, since it was cloud-based technology, not discrimination, that took their jobs. [Legal Intelligencer]
* A California appellate court has breathed new life into a proposed class action that accuses Tinder of charging older users more money to use the enhanced version of the app. The judge who wrote the opinion reversed the lower court using slang very familiar to dating app aficionados. We’ll have more on this later. [The Recorder]
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Courts
The Latest And Greatest In President Trump's Judicial Nominations (Part 2)
President Trump just announced his tenth wave of judicial nominees -- who are they? - Sponsored
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Findings from the "Future of Professionals Report," based on a survey of 1,200 professionals from North and South America and the UK. -
Federal Judges, Politics
Obstructing Judicial Confirmations: Two (Or Three, Or More) Wrongs Don't Make A Right
Is it time to bury the hatchet when it comes to judicial confirmations? -
Federal Judges, Politics
The Trump Train -- Of Federal Judicial Nominations -- Rolls On
Congratulations and good luck to the next ten judicial nominees. -
Federal Judges, Politics
Circuit Court Nominees In The Trump Administration: The Latest News And Rumor (Part 2)
These highly qualified women and men should be swiftly confirmed to the federal bench. -
Federal Judges, Politics
The Latest Legal Luminaries Nominated For Federal Judgeships By President Trump
Prominent conservatives are hailing this latest slate as "a fantastic list." -
Federal Judges, Politics
More Judicial Nominations From The Trump Administration
We were right about a number of nominees; let's look ahead to the next batch.
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How AI Is The Catalyst For Reshaping Every Aspect Of Legal Work
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Federal Judges, Politics
Circuit Court Nominees In The Trump Administration: A Nationwide Round-Up
Names, names, and more names, for federal judgeships around the country. -
Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 08.05.16
* Judge Olu Stevens, who famously said he would not “check his First Amendment rights at the courthouse door,” will be dropping his suit against the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission. He remains charged with six counts of misconduct related to public comments made about the exclusion of black jurors. [WDRB] * Four partners from Cadwalader […]
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Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 04.15.16
* Pharmacists are hoping the Supreme Court will allow them to stop upholding the law. [Bloomberg BNA]
* The University of Mississippi tried to contextualize a Confederate statue on its campus. It failed. Miserably. [Lawyers, Guns and Money]
* The phenomenon of rap lyrics being used against criminal defendants in court. [Genius]
* Yes, you may be an educated professional, but social media can still be hard. [Med City News]
* The evidence is mounting: basic legal services may soon stop being the province of lawyers in favor of tech solutions. Can anything be done to stop the future? [Law and More]
* The Eighth Circuit may not be happy about it, but North Dakota is paying a settlement over its overly restrictive abortions laws. [Slate]
* Don’t forget, the deadline is Monday at 5pm! We are taking submissions for ATL’s annual Law Revue Contest. Deadline is April 18th. [Above the Law]
* The University of Mississippi tried to contextualize a Confederate statue on its campus. It failed. Miserably. [Lawyers, Guns and Money]* The phenomenon of rap lyrics being used against criminal defendants in court. [Genius]
* Yes, you may be an educated professional, but social media can’t still be hard. [Med City News]
* The evidence is mounting: basic legal services may soon stop being the province of lawyers in favor of tech solutions. Can anything be done to stop the future? [Law and More]
* The Eighth Circuit may not be happy about it, but North Dakota is paying a settlement over its overly restrictive abortions laws. [Slate]
* Don’t forget, the deadline is Monday at 5pm! We are taking submission for ATL’s annual Law Revue Contest. Deadline is April 18th. [Above the Law]
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Morning Docket
Morning Docket: 03.03.16
* Polsinelli has gutted Novak Druce by hiring away 44 lawyers from the firm in a mass lateral move, including two of its name partners. The suffering IP boutique will shutter its doors and wind down its legal practice for good. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]
* A source says that Judge Jane Kelly of the Eighth Circuit is being vetted as a potential nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. The Iowa judge could make Senate Republicans squirm since she was confirmed unanimously just three years ago. [New York Times]
* “You’re making a commitment that has very little room for escape.” Kirkland & Ellis increased its notice period to 120 days, and partners are wondering whether other firms will follow suit and make it even harder for them to leave. [Crain’s Chicago Business]
* SCOTUS watchers say the justices appeared “deeply divided” during oral arguments in the Whole Woman’s Health case, but some think Justice Kennedy may decide to punt it — perhaps giving time for Justice Scalia’s replacement to be confirmed. [USA Today]
* Attention sports fans: The NFL’s Hail Mary appeal of the Deflategate case will be heard by a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit today. At an estimated $20 million total, the legal bill on this action could be one for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [WSJ Law Blog]
* Louisiana is a state with notoriously harsh punishments for marijuana-related crimes, but it may be considering legalizing weed for recreational use. Dealing drugs seems like it’d be a quick and easy way for the state to get out of its $850M debt. [Daily Beast]
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White-Collar Crime
Can Punishment For The Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine Be More Than A Walk In The Park?
The Eighth Circuit should soon decide if you can go to jail for doing nothing wrong. -
Non-Sequiturs
Non-Sequiturs: 07.22.15
* Taylor Swift has renegotiated her photography contract. Where her old contract allowed her to rough up photogs, there’s now a blank space, baby. Ugh. [Poynter]
* How much of a dick is this guy? At his federal criminal trial his sole character witness admitted, “we’re not friends.” [NY Post]
* Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to practice in Florida without taking the bar exam. [South Florida Lawyers]
* The Eighth Circuit just terminated the country’s most restrictive abortion ban. [Jezebel]
* Dewey witness breaks down on the stand. Let’s just be excited that I managed to get that blurb written without being cajoled into making a “Dewey know…” joke. [Law360]
* Negotiating salary and benefits for you folks not on lock-step. [Corporette]
* Do you want a free copy of an LSAT Logic Games guide? Then act now… offer expires Friday. [Blueprint For LSAT]
* A reminder that there are some crazies out there and sometimes you need to put in writing that you’re not going to represent them. [What About Clients?]
* An attorney doubled down on racist, offensive comments… and now he’s been fired. [WHAS 11]
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8th Circuit, Benchslaps, Federal Judges, Litigators, Quote of the Day
Benchslap Of The Day: Hot Stuff Gets A Sick Burn
A lesson in what NOT to do when filing a reply brief.