Second Amendment

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 07.29.18

* Amy Howe has highlights from Judge Brett Kavanaugh's completed questionnaire for the Senate Judiciary Committee -- including the five different law firms where he worked as a summer associate. [SCOTUSblog] * Despite Judge Kavanaugh's impeccable qualifications, the battle to confirm him to the Supreme Court will be hard-fought -- and Adam Feldman explains why. [Empirical SCOTUS] * In other nominations news, Veronica "Ronnye" Stidvent, a prominent Latina lawyer, comes to the defense of Ryan Bounds, whose Ninth Circuit nomination was defeated last week. [Oregonian] * Does the failure of the Bounds nomination spell trouble for the Kavanaugh nomination? Here are some thoughts from Elizabeth Slattery and me. [SCOTUS 101 / Heritage Foundation] * Had he been confirmed, Ryan Bounds would have replaced his (and my) former boss, Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain -- who just penned a landmark Second Amendment opinion, Young v. Hawaii, that could very well wind up before SCOTUS (and allow the Court to settle a circuit spit). [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason] * Speaking of the Ninth Circuit, Chris Walker has some concerns about the late Judge Stephen Reinhardt casting the deciding vote in an important tax law case, some four months after his passing. [Notice & Comment / Yale Journal on Regulation] * Why is the internet such a cesspool today? Media lawyer Charles Glasser identifies five factors behind the decline (and gives a shoutout to Above the Law's dearly departed comments section). [Daily Caller] * Elsewhere in the First Amendment world, Joel Cohen and Dale Degenshein argue that it should be easier for parties to have documents sealed in litigation. [The Hill] * If you appreciate the dying art that is the book review, check out Alice Lloyd's beautifully written review of Robert Anthony Siegel's Criminals: My Family’s Life on Both Sides of the Law (affiliate link), which paints a portrait of his father, Stanley Siegel -- "a big-hearted and brilliant," but deeply troubled criminal defense lawyer. [Weekly Standard]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 06.03.18

* Which lawyers and law firms scored the most SCOTUS arguments this Term? Adam Feldman has the tally. [Empirical SCOTUS] * And speaking of the Supreme Court, what can lawyers learn from linguists about Heller and the Second Amendment? [LAWnLinguistics] * Adam Kolber discusses the phenomenon of "judicial bulls**t" -- and wonders whether the justices would fail Philosophy 101. [Daily Journal via PrawfsBlawg] * Are Justice Neil Gorsuch's long-winded concurrences contributing to the Supreme Court slowdown this Term? Andrew Hamm crunches some numbers. [SCOTUSblog] * Many of the major precedents in the school free-speech context feature liberal students -- but conservative kids can play this game too. [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason] * Lex Machina's latest foray into litigation analytics covers the world of trade secrets. [Dewey B Strategic] * Relativity: not just for ediscovery anymore. [Artificial Lawyer]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 05.05.17

* What does Biglaw firm Cozen O'Connor share in common with Brooklyn hipsters? [Philadelphia Business Journal] * Glenn Reynolds offers concise commentary on Comey. [Instapundit] * "Kozinski, circuit judge, ruminating" -- yeah, you know you want to click.... [Volokh Conspiracy] * Professor Ann Althouse does not "like" punishing high school students for their Facebook activity. [Althouse] * And Professor Orly Lobel questions the use of noncompetes, especially in terms of low-wage workers and women. [New York Times via PrawfsBlawg] * How many Jewish justices have we had in Supreme Court history? [U.S. National Archives via How Appealing]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.19.17

* The Seventh Circuit -- in an opinion by Judge Diane Sykes, a top-tier SCOTUS possibility under President Trump -- just struck down Chicago ordinances regulating shooting ranges as violative of Second Amendment rights. [ABC News] * Speaking of firearms, law professor Fredrick Vars has an excellent proposal for preventing gun suicides. [Washington Post] * Possible good news for legalizing sports betting in New Jersey: the U.S. Supreme Court wants to hear from the solicitor general on this issue (although we don't yet know who the solicitor general will be). [How Appealing] * But we think we know who the principal deputy solicitor general will be -- Noel Francisco, whose imminent departure from Jones Day is now public. [National Law Journal] * In other Justice Department news, what can we expect from Jeff Sessions's DOJ in terms of civil rights enforcement? [New York Times] * Are we seeing a "fragile recovery" in the number of people interested in law school? [ABA Journal] * If you share my curiosity about the future of Chief Judge Merrick Garland in the wake of his unsuccessful SCOTUS nomination, it seems that the distinguished jurist is back on the bench -- at least for now. [National Law Journal]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.16.16

* Former Berkeley Law dean Sujit Choudhry is suing the school, claiming that Berkeley discriminated against him by punishing him more harshly for alleged sexual harassment compared to white professors. [Law.com] * The family of Sandra Bland settles its lawsuit over her death for $1.9 million. [New York Times] * The Sixth Circuit, sitting en banc (and rather splintered), rules that the mental-health ban on gun ownership could violate the Second Amendment. [How Appealing] * Congratulations to Miami corporate partner Ira Coleman, who will replace Peter John Sacripanti and Jeffrey E. Stone as chair of McDermott Will & Emery in January. [Big Law Business] * Ashurst remains in a tailspin, with five partners (including two office heads) leaving in the span of 24 hours. [Ashurst] * In other U.K. law firm news, Freshfields is replacing "Dear Sirs" with gender-neutral salutations in all communications and legal documents. [The Lawyer via Big Law Business] * More exciting news for Bancroft: recognition for its pro bono work, which partners pledge will continue after they move over to Kirkland. [Law360] * Paging parents who left Davis Polk to raise their kids: here's a program to bring you back into Biglaw. [Law.com via ABA Journal]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 08.11.16

* More cases are working their way up to the Supreme Court to define a religiously affiliated employer's obligations to its employees. [Rewire] * Is there a particular formula for getting yourself a coveted Supreme Court clerkship? [Empirical SCOTUS] * The conservative interpretation of the Second Amendment has been prelude to Donald Trump's veiled assassination "joke." [Slate] * Is criminal sentencing about to go all precog in this country? [FiveThirtyEight] * Yes, even liberals can commit sexual assault. [The Slot] * Remember -- these pages and pages of redactions were probably done by some poor contract attorney trying to make a living. [Gawker]

By Kathryn Rubino