* Sarah Palin is pressing for news outlets to have less wiggle room in their reporting. She might not be able to see Russia from her house, but she’s definitely looking for libel. [NYT] * Garland aims to crack down on gun crime across the country. [NPR] * NY cop perjured so hard 500 convictions are being thrown out. How do you even lie that often?! [NBC New York] * So uhh… you might be able to declare bankruptcy on your student loans? [MarketWatch]
* California has the opportunity to modify or do away with their three strikes law. I hope they take it. [Voice of San Diego] * Tennessee creates law intended to penalize kids who make threats online. The first person to get locked up over a TikTok is never gonna live that down. [WKRN] * The three officers who did nothing as their coworker killed a man with his knee will also face trial soon. [NPR] * Electronic sniffing dogs are being used to detect child pornography. This is going to end up in a Criminal Procedure casebook isn’t it? [ABC] * Green thumbs and orange jumpsuits: man sentenced to two years for smuggling succulents. [LAist]
Law firms and legal departments are writing the future of the profession in separate rooms. What happens when they actually work together?
* SCOTUS denied Trump's attempt to block over 700 pages of information about the Jan. 6th attempted coup. Hopefully it’s not just a series of the rioters reciting their favorite lines from "The Apprentice.“ [CNBC] * A guy who allegedly assaulted a police officer at the failed coup doubles down and gets arrested for driving drunk. This is what happens when you don't comply, I guess. [Daily Beast] * Sold on the idea that you'll just work summers in law school? While it’s not impossible, give this thread a run though — might give you some perspective. [Reddit] * Prof. Chemerinsky gives a rallying cry for students and professors. Though heartfelt, it is unlikely to answer the question on most students’ minds: "How do I approach the final?" [Mercury News] * No more peanut gallery: New Jersey just banned packing peanuts to help save the environment. Save the earth and all, but I hope they don't come for my dear bubble wrap! [NJ.com]
* Company that probably played a massive role in proliferating anti-global warming propaganda fears the chilling effects of accountability. [Mother Jones] * New Jersey governor renews law that prevents cops from being near polling places because of that whole voter suppression by force thing. When are we getting a new Voting Rights Act again? [New Jersey Globe] * Illinois is trying to make birth control a little more accessible. It's not over the counter, but it’s a start! [WTTW] * Jersey just passed some harm reduction-focused legislation that will increase access to safe needles. [Inquirer] * Find it suspicious that you're getting advertisements for Sweet Baby Ray's after privately making fun of Zuckerberg? These congresspeople are looking to stop that. [ZDNet]
* After a six-year legal tussle, Prince's estate has an agreed-upon value. Maybe they should have just listened to the intro of "Let's Go Crazy," the one where it says "electric word life, it means forever and it’s worth about $156.4M.” [ Al.com] * "Some of us are more equal than others": Texas voting bill meant to exclude non-citizens caught a few citizens in its net. [Depaulia Online] * Working on those application? See what U.S. News thinks you ought be paying attention to. [U.S. News] * A congressman is pushing for a four-day work week. If this becomes a thing, will everyone hate Tuesdays? [Business Insider] * Fines for breaching GDPR are looking scary high. In-house, you better crack down on storing your customer's identifying information! [CNBC]
* SCOTUS blocked Biden's vaccine and testing requirement for large businesses. May liberty and funeral home owners rejoice. [CNN] * A Wisconsin judge recently ruled that absentee ballot drop boxes are not allowed under the state's law. As you make it to the polls, remember — six feet! [NPR] * ...So a few doctors, a paralegal, and some cops get paid $100m to walk into a bar. Oh my bad, I meant a jail cell. I get them mixed up sometimes. [NY Post] * Officers tried to jail a professor for showing other people what police misconduct looked like. Maybe they just wanted to be part of the video? [Reuters] * NJ governor Phil Murphy just signed a bill protecting abortion access. Woop Woop! [6ABC]
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* Virginia cops got caught using forged DNA reports to extract confessions. Due process, schmue process. [Associated Press] * The FTC gets the go-ahead to try and force Meta to divest Instagram and WhatsApp. Love me some antitrust! [The Guardian] * A court heavily influenced by big money with no binding code of judicial conduct (read: the Supreme one) will be giving their say on money's role on politics. I'm sure their decision won't be a blank check for oligarchs. [Esquire] * Turns out there was a bit of electoral voter fraud in Nevada. But what's a little forgery and disruption of democracy between friends, really? [8NewsNow] * Students are boycotting firms based on the causes they get their money from. Will you put your heart where your billables are too? [The Nation] * No WWJD defense: Court nixes religious exemption to vaccine mandate for school kids. [Courant]
* SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED! Indiana is a step away from removing a common sense restriction on gun ownership. [Newsweek] * Florida is looking to pass a 15-week abortion ban. See what you started, Texas? [Politico] * Missouri police chiefs support a lawsuit that will take a shot at pinning down the meaning of an ambiguous gun law. [STL Today] * Decisions have been made. Market is open. Giddy is up. Who wants the Broncos?! [Denver Post] * A former officer sued the Seattle Police Department for firing him because he punched a woman handcuffed in the back of a police car. [Publicola]
* Reminder: We're in the disinformation phase where teachers may be legally required to teach "both sides" of being a Nazi in the bible belt. [WaPo] * Man skills the old school version of an NFT: a $40,000 super rare Magic: The Gathering card. [ABC7] * A bunch of Ivy Leagues and fancy-type schools could be facing conspiracy charges on price fixing. Unearth those antitrust outlines! [NBC News] * Court decides it was permissible to fire police officers who ignored a robbery to play video games on their phone on the clock. [LA Times]
* We are still in a political climate where a not Forbes 400 rich, but still rich guy can treat charges for inciting a riot like making a traffic ticket disappear. Woo. [Reuters] * Working at a law firm in Philly? You may not need to change out of those sweatpants for a little longer. [Law.com] * Federal judges gave most of the failed coup'ers lighter sentences than prosecutors recommended. I didn't expect them to get life in jail for stealing 9 bucks or anything, but come on. [The Crime Report] * The United States imposes visa restrictions on Cuban officials as a punishment to their connection to arresting citizens for peaceful protests. I hope other countries don't return the favor. [Jurist] * OSHA! COVID test for OSHA! Starbucks mandates vaccines or weekly COVID tests for its employees to keep in line with OSHA. [Legal Reader]
Legal work isn’t slowing down, and the firms that win won’t be the ones working harder — they’ll be the ones working smarter.
* A fig leaf or a Trojan Horse? McConnell backing an election law change has a few people confused. [The Hill] * And a 1 and a 2! Utah has to figure out how they are going to deal with armed protesters. [Deseret News] * The judge from the highest court (of our childhoods) creates a $5M scholarship to help women succeed in law. [Law.com] * The legal aftermath of the men who lynched Ahmaud Arbery continues — the length of their sentencing and a potential death penalty are still on the table. [CNN] * UNLV Law is going to keep some of their courses online for the semester. Will other schools follow suit? [FOX News]
* A New York firm by any name would be just as legal. Unless it's confusing. [Bloomberg Law] * World's most famous naked baby has one (1) more chance to sue Nirvana over their Nevermind cover. [ABA Journal] * Over 100 years after the matter, Homer Plessy is pardoned for his crime of not respecting "separate but equal." Quite the legal Odyssey. [AP News] * "Only you can maintain democracy," say law deans reflecting on today, a year ago. [Reuters] * Wisconsin law outlaws rubber necking and double texting around accidents. [News8000]
* “We specialize in whistles and whistleblowing accessories”: Jordan Thomas starts a firm dedicated to SEC whistleblowing cases. [Reuters] * Election lawyer argues that the presidential process is vulnerable to being manipulated. If only Sallie Mae were the target. [CNN] * Trump’s rendition of “If I Did It” got canceled. Legal experts didn’t think it was a good idea. OJ’s opinion is still undetermined. [Business Insider] * California is the first state to offer domestic workers sick pay! Hoping this gets adopted federally! [Bloomberg Law] * How does one commemorate a riot? Let’s vote on it. No, seriously. [The Nation]
* Teaching is fundamental: how teachers handle the return to in-person classes and the implementation of anti-CRT legislation is gonna be groundbreaking. [AP] * A civil rights lawyer from the Loving case thinks the case is still relevant to... a death penalty case? See if you follow the logic. [Bloomberg Law] * A change of scenery: Texan abortion providers want the district court to hear challenges to SB8 rather than the appeals court. I hope it goes well. [The Texas Tribune] * NY mayor has some hesitation about letting non-citizens vote in elections. This is probably gonna go to court. [City and State] * What is beyond a reasonable doubt, exactly? Legal ambiguity may have put a man on death row. Again. [NYT]
* "Don't let a few coughs prevent getting cash!" -- NY major Eric Adams, basically. Much like Omicron, CDC policy appears to be spreading. [ABC News] * Reminder: report that embezzlement on your tax return! Wouldn't want you to go to jail for not giving the Gov't their cut. [Audacy] * The anniversary of last year's failed coup is coming up — STL Today's editorial board has something to say about it. [STL Today] * Yup, still concerning US-Russia relation tensions. 2022 is already feeling like 2021 2.0. Come on international law lawyers, do something! [NBC News] * Legal weed for recreational use is live in Montana. I wonder if they give JD discounts. [KPAX]