Judicial Divas

Donald Trump's older sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, is a well-respected federal judge -- but she has some things in common with her brash little brother.

How much have taxpayers spent on the defense of this judge, and how many law firms has she burned through?

Eric Holder is right: we are cowards.

A high-profile judge prevails against her critics.

Which prominent federal judge, married to a big-time Biglaw partner, just purchased a penthouse for $8.7 million?

New Yorkers: go vote today, there are lots of interesting ballot issues in play.

Which of these three disgraced lawyers should be our Lawyer of the Day?

Where did Derrick Wang come up with the idea for his "Scalia/Ginsburg" opera?

A federal judge takes a state court judge to task for his extra-judicial writing.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened, either.

So many millions, so few bedrooms....

* Meow! An ethics complaint has been filed against Judge Edith Jones, the judicial diva herself, over insensitive comments about race and the death penalty that she made at Penn Law. [San Antonio Express-News]

* In the pissing contest over judicial confirmations, it’s fair to say that Obama’s recent nominees to the D.C. Circuit won’t receive a hearing, much less be confirmed, any time soon. [WSJ Law Blog (sub. req.)]

* Nobody likes patent trolls, not even the president. Obama went on the offensive yesterday, promising to curb unwarranted intellectual property litigation filed by pesky profiteers. [Thomson Reuters News & Insight]

* Speaking of patents, there’s a new exchange being formed for public trading rights. Please welcome the Intellectual Property Exchange International, the first exchange platform of its kind. IP: so hot right now. [DealBook / New York Times]

* After a review of evidence that Colorado movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes was whacked out of his mind at the time of the shooting, he was allowed to enter an insanity plea. [Bloomberg]

* The judge in the Oscar Pistorius case has adjourned the track star’s legal proceedings until August on account of a “trial by media.” We’ll probably continue to speculate about it until then. [New York Times]

* A woman is suing because she got her ass kicked by a gang of hookers at a Florida hotel. She claims the prostitutes thought she was infringing on their territory. Nope — she’s just a Jersey girl. [Fox News]

A state supreme court justice just got convicted of multiple felonies. What did she do?

According to Beyonce, a diva is a female version of a hustler, but you don't need to tell that to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Remember Judge Cynthia Brim, the two-time Judge of the Day who was declared "legally insane" by a court-appointed psychiatrist? She just won re-election -- before appearing in court hours later, not as a judge but as a defendant....

* Chief Judge Edith Jones of the Fifth Circuit, the judicial diva herself, will be stepping down from her role at the head of the bench earlier than expected, due to “family issues.” Perhaps she told someone to “shut up” too many times? [Tex Parte Blog]

* Apple asked U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to deny Samsung’s request that she bar all further communication with trial jurors, because the company claims it wants “equal access to information” (aka jury foreman Velvin Hogan). [Bloomberg]

* “[T]here’s no way to preserve the definition of marriage [as one man and one woman] other than by preserving the definition. It becomes somewhat circular.” That, and you rely on law from 1885. Argh! [BuzzFeed]

* ASU Law wants to move from Tempe to Phoenix, and to make it financially feasible, the school may increase enrollment and raise tuition. Sound like a good idea, prospective law students cash cows? [Arizona Republic]

* Now compare/contrast: Stanford Law had to dip into its coffers to come up with the cash to cover its financial aid promises this year, but the school isn’t cutting out a dime that’s owed to students. [National Law Journal]

* Massachusetts appealed the Michelle Kosilek sex-change ruling. The state claims it provided “adequate medical care,” but it’s questionable whether that was the case if the prisoner tried to castrate herself. [CNN]

* Tully Rinckey, a midsize firm, is planning to open an office in Buffalo, New York, so it sent out recruitment letters to 5,469 attorneys in the region. Unemployed law grads: open the letter, it’s not a bill! [Buffalo News]

Apple v. Samsung moves right along and still manages to maintain the crazy.

We've got MOAR techno drama at the Apple v. Samsung trial this week, as Apple rests its case.

A federal judge calls for systemic change in the law school student loan system...

A Bay Area judge allowed a defendant out on bail on condition that he read daily and compose book reports. That's some creative judicial thinking!