DEA

The Drug Enforcement Administration received 38,000 comments on its proposed rule that would roll back COVID-19 flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled substances via telemedicine. In response, the DEA chose to temporarily extend the flexibilities.

* A federal judge has dismissed a case a hemp organization filed against the Drug Enforcement Agency. Maybe the claims were half baked… [Capital Press]

* Attorneys for alleged Capitol rioters were given an exclusive tour of the Capitol grounds to seemingly assist in their defense work. [CNN]

* A new lawsuit alleges that the District of Columbia’s ban on dancing at weddings during the COVID-19 pandemic violates the First Amendment. This takes interpretative dance to another level. [Reason]

* Check out this article on how often Supreme Court Justices side with lower court judges who were appointed by different political parties. [Juris Lab]

* A closely watched contempt trial for a lawyer involved in a large environmental lawsuit against Chevron has started. [Reuters]

* A Virginia lawyer is liable for $742,000 over allegedly botching a divorce. Think of what a judgment might be if the Gates’ lawyers mess up in that breakup… [Virginia Lawyers Weekly]

* A Tennessee lawyer has been suspended from practice for allegedly taking controlled substances from an evidence room while serving as a prosecutor. Maybe he wanted to see if the drugs were legit…? [ABC News]

* Former Attorney General William Barr has condemned President Trump’s alleged role in the riot that occurred at the U.S. Capitol earlier this week. [New York Daily News]

* Check out this interview with Judy Sheindlin in which she discusses her career on the bench and on Judge Judy as the show reaches its final episodes. [ABA Journal]

* The lawyer for a California man accused of having a New Year’s Eve party attended by around 100 people at Eddie Murphy’s former mansion said it “wasn’t supposed to be a big affair.” [Sacramento Bee]

* The DEA has asked that a lawsuit concerning hemp regulations be dismissed. Bet many hope this challenge goes up in smoke… [Capital Press]

Why the 'THC on Dry Weight Basis' concept unjustly puts hemp extract manufacturers at risk of criminal liability.

Uncertainty remains as to the legality of CBD products, but America's big box stores are still trying to sell them.

Marijuana remains out-of-place in Schedule I and the federal war on marijuana continues.

* Any day Cadwalader can avoid damages in a huge, multimillion-dollar malpractice case is a great day. Yesterday, the New York Court of Appeals dismissed a never-ending suit filed against the firm by a former client over a failed commercial mortgage-backed securitization. Phew! [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA]

* Say hello to Northwestern Pritzker Law: In case you missed it, Northwestern Law recently received a $100 million donation, the largest single gift ever made to a law school. For that much money, you’re damn right the school has a new name. [Chicago Tribune]

* This must’ve been a huge blow to his ego… U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara had to dismiss insider trading charges against seven defendants thanks to a Second Circuit decision that made it harder to prosecute certain financial crimes. [DealBook / New York Times]

* Charleston Law fired back against professors who sued the school by saying in its answer it wouldn’t be in such dire straits if they hadn’t “sabotaged the transfer of the school to InfiLaw.” Take that back, they did a good deed. [Charleston Regional Business Journal]

* “Sorry, not sorry, narcs,” says Judge Breyer. Earlier this week, a California judge informed the DEA that it needed to stop harshing medical marijuana patients’ mellows by shutting down medical pot dispensaries that were operating within state laws. [TIME]

* Daniel Chong, the student that the DEA locked in a cell and forgot about for a few days, has settled his lawsuit against the government for $4.1 million. No snark here, congratulations. [CNN] * Meanwhile, O.J. Simpson is getting parole (but not quite getting released yet). Here comes Naked Gun 4! [ABC News] * A Kenyan lawyer is challenging the trial of Jesus Christ at the International Court of Justice. [Legal Cheek] * Professor Paul Campos notes that from 2004-2013, it’s gotten much easier to get into law school. This year 80 percent of students applying to law school will get in somewhere. At least the profession is upholding its high standards. [Lawyers, Guns & Money] * DMX declared bankruptcy because bankruptcy actually makes it easier to get a passport. How is DMX broke? Are the residuals from Exit Wounds not paying the bills? [Grantland] * King & Wood Mallesons and SJ Berwin LLP are merging to create one of the largest law firms in the world. Dewey think a merger is a good idea? [WSJ Law Blog] * A follow-up on a previous item, checking in on the status of the petition to save the federal defenders one week in. [PrawfsBlawg] * A profile of the “eighth governor” of the Federal Reserve and Georgetown Law grad, General Counsel Scott G. Alvarez. I would say this is a fascinating look at a prominent regulatory staff member, but the article makes it clear that “regulation” is not exactly the Alvarez agenda. [DealBook] * Watch the dean of a law school defend a 0 percent bar passage rate. [ABC 33/40] * Another new resource out there — LawTrades. Basically, it’s ZocDoc for lawyers where lawyers can register and prospective clients can search for an attorney who meets their needs. [LawTrades] * What are the greatest legal novels of all time? The ABA Journal assembled a panel including our own David Lat and provided a list. You can disagree, but I see one of Archer’s favorites made the list (clip after the jump)…

Ed. note: We apologize for getting such a late start today, but we were experiencing some technical difficulties. Thanks for being patient with us.

* Barack Obama made some bold statements about marriage equality in his inaugural address, but the jury is still out — literally — on whether he thinks laws banning same-sex couples from marrying are constitutional. [BuzzFeed]

* You can smoke pot for sh*ts and giggles in several states, but the D.C. Circuit is siding with the DEA on this one. Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug in the eyes of the (federal) law. [National Law Journal]

* With claims of prejudicial evidence, Rajat Gupta is trying to get his insider trading conviction overturned. We’ll wait for more on this story from note passer field correspondent, Benula Bensam. [WSJ Law Blog (sub. req.)]

* Here are some tips on how you can refine the résumé that will accompany your law school application — but make sure you get the accents aigus right, or else. [Law Admissions Lowdown / U.S. News & World Report]

* “Why are all high school teachers freaks in the sacks?” Sarah Jones, the cheerleader-cum-sexy teacher, cried over phrases like that yesterday during testimony in her defamation case against The Dirty. [ESPN]

* George W. Huguely V, the UVA lacrosse bro who was convicted of killing his sometimes girlfriend, has got one hell of an appellate lawyer. Perhaps famous litigator Paul Clement is a friend of the family. [Bloomberg]

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper tells all of us to keep off the munchies

* This Kentucky attorney is filing a new brief against the TSA, but not the kind that you’d expect. [Cincinnati Enquirer] * There used to be a street in Chicago named after Rahm Emanuel, but it was changed because nobody crosses Rahm Emanuel and lives. [Clout Street / Chicago Tribune] * Who wants to plug […]