Facebook

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 08.18.15

* Talk about Texas justice: After an elderly couple called animal control on a family with four dogs and caused them to be assessed a $121 fine, the dog-owning family posted this eloquently worded sign on their lawn. [San Francisco Chronicle] * Chicago Blawkhawks hockey player Patrick Kane has been accused of rape, so naturally, his lawyer took to Facebook to defend his client in a hat trick of idiocy by engaging with bloggers, commenters, and witnesses, as one does. [CBS Chicago] * Just when you thought you'd memorized all of the hearsay exceptions, the judiciary says it's thinking of tossing one out. It may be popular on the bar exam, but it's time to say goodbye to the otherwise rarely used ancient documents rule. [National Law Journal] * British firms are borrowing "record sums" to fund expansion, and many have increased associate pay to compete with the U.S. firms with higher pay scales across the pond. Perhaps Biglaw firms ought to consider spreading the wealth over here. [Financial Times] * After having served 10 months in prison for killing his girlfriend, a law school graduate turned model, Oscar Pistorius is ready to move on to "mansion arrest" for the remainder of his sentence. Man, it must be nice to be a wealthy convict in South Africa. [Reuters]

By Staci Zaretsky
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 05.22.15

Ed. note: Above the Law will not be publishing on Monday, May 25, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. * The settlement deal between Target and Mastercard over the 2013 data breach is dead after failing to garner the requisite issuer support. Proposed settlement: $19 million. Years of protracted litigation: Priceless. [Credit Union Times] * High school teacher who admitted she and another teacher had a threesome with a 16-year-old student got off -- well, legally -- with a slap on the wrist. Folks are starting to wonder if her dad being a sitting district judge had anything to do with that. [Times-Picayune] * On a similar note, Mama June of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo... fame? Is she famous? Whatever. The point is Mama June is toying with suing the TLC Network because they canceled her show over a child molester, but haven't nuked 19 Kids and Counting in the wake of its brewing molestation scandal. When you consider these hit shows starring inbred hillbillies with molestation issues, remember that TLC stands for "The Learning Channel." [TMZ] * Lawmakers pushing back against Governor Cuomo's proposal to appoint an independent monitor to investigate police-related civilian killings. One skeptical State Senator proclaims, "What I do know is that it treats police officers different than other citizens." Yes, because right now the police get the same kid gloves grand jury presentations the rest of us do. [Capital New York] * Texas prosecuted 115,782 truancies in a year, levying hefty fines and doling out jail time to kids as young as 12. Well hello there prison-industrial complex! [Al Jazeera America] * Are the Yankees and A-Rod gearing up for arbitration... or settlement? I don't know, why wouldn't you want to put a warm, likeable guy like him in front of a panel? [Concurring Opinions] * Judges must be the loneliest people on social media... [The Daily Record] * Merely complaining to your boss is enough to trigger anti-retaliation provisions according to the Second Circuit. So feel free to call up that partner you hate... [JD Supra]

By Joe Patrice
Morning Docket

Morning Docket 04.28.15

* Oh Texas. Judge gets in trouble for posting about an ongoing trial on Facebook, violating HER OWN RULE about posting about an ongoing trial on Facebook. [Texas Lawyer] * Head of the Georgia state judicial ethics committee resigns after billing questions arise. [Daily Report] * Ach nein! Orrick closes two German offices. [Am Law] * Yup, if you graduated law school (even from a great school like Columbia) in 2010, you are well and truly screwed. [NY Times] * Get ready for the gay marriage oral arguments with a fascinating history of codified homophobia in public service. [WaPo] * Irony alert: Judge's son got a DUI when he was driving recklessly in front of -- yup, you guessed it -- the courthouse. [Times Free Press] * NY State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman comes out in favor of decriminalization of seven "broken windows" offenses that account for ~42% of NYPD summonses. [NY Daily News] * RIP Harvey Miller, 82, Weil Gotshal bankruptcy partner passed away after a fight with ALS. [NYLJ]

By Kathryn Rubino