Supreme Court

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.02.19

* Trump wins on taxes (this time): A federal judge in California blocked a state law that would require candidates for president to disclose their income tax returns before their names can appear on the state's primary ballot. [CNN] * In the wake of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations of sexual assault, Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s name has not been “totally and permanently destroyed” as he predicted; though he may be regarded as a “walking controversy,” he’s mostly gone back to his regular life. [Washington Post] * Rudy Giuliani has hired former Watergate prosecutor Jon Sale to represent him in the impeachment inquiry against President Trump. Sale says of his client: “He 100 percent did not do anything illegal.” That’s a good lawyer. [National Law Journal] * The D.C Circuit largely upheld the FCC’s right to dump net neutrality rules, but the court’s opinion still allowed for state and local governments to set their own regulations that would prohibit some customers from being charged more than others. [Associated Press] * A judge has ruled that Harvard's admissions policies are constitutional due to the school's reliance on "race conscious admissions." If Students for Fair Admissions appeals, it could go to SCOTUS and endanger affirmative action. [NPR] * If you’ve been dreaming about going in-house and eventually becoming general counsel, now might be a good time to make a move, considering that GC pay recently hit a five-year high of $2.6 million. [Big Law Business] * “Alabama and I had a difference of opinion, but Gainesville and I have the same opinion.” That tide has rolled, so Hugh Culverhouse decided to make a $1.1 million donation to the University of Florida Levin College of Law. [Herald Tribune]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.01.19

* IP professors swear IP cases are going to be interesting this time. Of course they say that... it's their trademark response. [National Law Journal] * Chris Collins resigns from Congress in advance of pleading guilty to abusing his board position. [Law360] * California has fired the first, serious shots at the NCAA's student-exploitation model. Where do we go from here? [Sports Illustrated] * Forever 21 enters Chapter 11, learning exactly what 32 feels like. [USA Today] * Law firm merger market remains relatively quiet. [American Lawyer] * Companies hiring GCs increasingly consider candidates based on potential to move into executive leadership someday. [Corporate Counsel]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.24.19

* Boris Johnson unanimously smacked down by UK Supreme Court, a bizarre institution where jurists uphold the law regardless of whether or not it inconveniences one or the other political party. [Legal Cheek] * The biggest law firms in the world enjoyed a good year as the rich get richer. [American Lawyer] * The Supreme Court needs to branch out from Harvard and Yale when it comes to clerks. For that matter, it needs to branch out from Harvard and Yale when it comes to justices. [National Law Journal] * This is about well-being coordinators but holds a universal truth: firms hiring non-lawyer professionals probably should only focus on people familiar with the law firm environment. [Law.com] * Today's the day Dershowitz tries to disqualify Boies Schiller from the defamation case against him. Let's see how that pans out for him. [New York Law Journal] * The Ninth Circuit's Stairway to Heaven case will ramble on. [Courthouse News Service]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 09.16.19

* Remember Deborah Ramirez, one of the first women to accuse Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while he was going through his Supreme Court confirmation hearings? It turns out the FBI never really investigated her allegations because of limitations imposed by the Republican-controlled Senate. [New York Times] * President Trump, of course, has come forward to defend Kavanaugh against allegations that the justice exposed himself to unwilling women in college, proclaiming, “He is an innocent man who has been treated HORRIBLY,” and that Kavanaugh “should start suing people for libel, or the Justice Department should come to his rescue.” [NBC News] * What could happen if Donald Trump refuses to step down as president should he lose the 2020 election? National security expert Josh Geltzer says that as a nation, we should “be prepared for the worst.” [Slate] * “Desperate Housewife” Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in jail, one year of probation, 250 hours of community service, and a $30,000 fine for her role in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, while “Fuller House” star Lori Loughlin has “resolved” to stay out of the Big House. [CBS News; Page Six] * In case you missed it, Texas lawyer-politician Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) made a “death threat” via tweet against Beto O’Rourke, saying “My AR is ready for you,” after the Democratic presidential candidate promised to “take your AR-15[s]” during the latest debate, but there are likely no legal ethics repercussions coming his way. [Texas Lawyer]

By Staci Zaretsky