Brian T. Fitzpatrick

Non-Sequiturs: 03.04.18

* Which Supreme Court justice wrote the most dissents over the last 30 or so years? The answer might surprise you. (My guesses came in second and third.) [Empirical SCOTUS] * Does the latest constitutional challenge to Obamacare have merit? The 20 states are right on one issue and wrong on another, Ilya Somin explains. [Volokh Conspiracy / Reason] * Ann Althouse makes the case against To Kill A Mockingbird. [Althouse] * Litigation finance and class actions: two great tastes that taste great together? Professor Brian Fitzpatrick breaks it down. [SSRN] * Artificial intelligence is all the rage, but what should lawyers actually look for when it comes to AI-enabled products? Daniel Lewis, co-founder of Ravel Law (now part of LexisNexis), offers his insights. [Dewey B Strategic] * As a new dad, I find the notion of prosecuting a parent for improper car-seat installation deeply disturbing -- especially after the defendant mom lost her daughter, an already horrific punishment for that mistake. [Slate] * Has the Trump Administration drained the swamp, or made it more swampy than ever? The latter -- at least if you view Biglaw partners as swamp creatures. [The Nation] * Utah legislators try their hand at "Schoolhouse Rock," and the result is... something. [Twitter (@RobertMaguire_)] * Another interesting use case for blockchain: solving IP challenges. [Artificial Lawyer]

The Most Popular Supreme Court Justices — In Law School Casebooks

Yes, the late Justice Scalia is up there -- but he has some surprising company.

Heresy! Conservative Law Professor Thinks Class Actions Are A Pretty Good Idea

Get a load of this guy who still thinks harming consumers is bad....

Non-Sequiturs: 08.02.17

* As I noted in my last nominations roundup, the Trump administration is actually ahead of the Bush and Obama administrations when it comes to judicial appointments -- especially with yesterday's confirmation of Kevin Newsom to the Eleventh Circuit. [How Appealing] * With Republicans in charge of the presidency and Senate, could breaking up the Ninth Circuit return to the agenda? [Law360] * And here's an interesting argument against a split, from the Republican point of view (by Wyatt Kozinski, following in his father's footsteps). [SSRN] * Capital punishment: yet another issue where it's all about Justice Kennedy. [Empirical SCOTUS] * Thoughts from Joel Cohen on the Trump/Sessions troubles. [The Hill] * How NOT to escape from your law school loans. [Gizmodo] * If a pizza party isn't your thing, here are some other ideas for what to eat when working hard at the law firm. [Cater2me] * Litigation that lawyers can love: Mel Gibson files suit over a dictionary (okay, actually a movie about a dictionary -- the Oxford English Dictionary). [Deadline] * Congratulations to Judge Lorna G. Schofield (S.D.N.Y.) on receiving the Liberty Award from the ABA! [American Bar Association]

Non-Sequiturs: 03.16.17

* What does the future hold for the U.S. Supreme Court? Analysts (including yours truly) opine. [Bloomberg BNA via Storify] * Another prediction of ours has come to pass: congrats to Sullivan & Cromwell partner Brent McIntosh on his nomination as general counsel for the Treasury Department. [Corporate Counsel] * Is it time to break up the Ninth Circuit (as President Trump recently called for)? Professors John Eastman and Brian Fitzpatrick say yay; Judges Sidney Thomas, Carlos Bea, and Alex Kozinski say nay. [House Judiciary Committee] * Anthony Kronman: from dean of Yale Law School to "born-again pagan" (affiliate link). [New Yorker via How Appealing] * Looking for smart, timely takes on the Trump Administration, from an all-star cast of law professors and legal experts? There's a site for that. [Take Care] * Guess who: "Cat-loving judge makes case that has nothing to do with cats all about cats." [Chicago Tribune] * Professor Orin Kerr chats with Professor Barry Friedman about Friedman's latest book, Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission (affiliate link). [Volokh Conspiracy] * The current SCOTUS Term isn't super-sexy -- but there are a few interesting cases on the docket, as Adam Feldman points out. [Empirical SCOTUS] * Attention 2Ls & 3Ls, here's a cool contest -- with $100K in scholarships as prizes! [PR Newswire (press release)]

How Justice Scalia’s Writing Style Affected American Jurisprudence

Reflections on the powerful and distinctive writing style of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Non-Sequiturs: 02.24.16

* The only way for Republicans to save face is by... confirming Obama's Supreme Court choice (even if it isn't a fellow Republican). [Gawker] * The complicated relationship between Asian-Americans and justice is highlighted by the Peter Liang protests. [New York Times] * The greatest impact of Justice Scalia's passing may be on the Fourth Amendment. [LinkedIn] * One of Justice Scalia's long line of clerks who paid tribute to the legal legend after his passing, Professor Brian Fitzpatrick, speaks out on the jurist's impact. [The Conversation] * Who has the most to lose in the fight over the Supreme Court? The Chief Justice. [MSNBC] * Here's a fun thought experiment: What would Donald Trump have been like as an attorney? [Law and More] * Apparently this is how you should teach in open-carry on campus locations. Horrifying. [Chronicle on Higher Education] * Yes, you must attend mediation, even if you are Shaq. [Daily Business Review] * The long arm of the law takes on Salvadorian death squads. [Guile is Good]