Gay Marriage

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.07.16

* "I've taught immigration law literally to 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds." Immigration Judge Jack H. Weil seems to think that children facing deportation don't need court-appointed attorneys because they're perfectly capable of representing themselves. We'll have more on this later. [Washington Post] * "[T]his will be the first time a law school will be on trial to defend its public employment figures." It's taken five years, but Anna Alaburda will finally get to face off in court against Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Soon we'll find out if the word "allegedly" can stop being used as a prefix for the school's allegedly deceptive job statistics. [DealBook / New York Times] * If President Obama nominates Judge Jane Kelly of the Eighth Circuit for a seat on SCOTUS, then Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) of the Senate Judiciary Committee could be in a pickle. Would Kelly, a longtime Iowa public defender, be refused a hearing even though Grassley supported her when she was appointed in 2013? [Des Moines Register] * The Alabama Supreme Court begrudgingly dismissed suits filed by conservative groups seeking a ruling declaring that the state's anti-gay marriage laws were still in effect, despite the SCOTUS decision in Obergefell. In a concurrence at odds with reality, Chief Justice Roy Moore held fast to his belief that the state's law was still intact. [AL.com] * As we mentioned previously, the American Bar Association will vote on a change to its bar passage rate rules for law schools. Schools notorious for their bar passage problems better hold onto their hats if this proposal is passed, because their accreditation may quickly turn out to be like their graduates' job prospects: nonexistent. [WSJ Law Blog]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 01.28.16

* Now that Rudy Giuliani's in the news again thanks to his departure from his namesake firm, he's letting his opinions be known on all sorts of things relevant to lawyers and law students. In fact, he thinks law school should be four years long. Go back into the woodwork, Rudy. [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * After a decade on SCOTUS, Justice Samuel Alito hasn't strayed from his conservative roots like some of his colleagues. He “has been every bit as conservative as conservatives could have dreamed -- and as liberals would have feared.” [ABA Journal] * Prior to Martin Shkreli's arrest, prosecutors obtained a secret order nullifying attorney-client privilege in communications between the pharma bro and his Biglaw attorney. Per records, this case has been ongoing since before he outed himself as a d-bag. [Reuters] * “Whether I want to marry or not, it should be my right to decide." China's first-ever lawsuit challenging its ban on same-sex marriage is expected to be heard in court today. In a country as conservative as China, this could be revolutionary. [New York Times] * Shake those pom-poms, because the New York Jets have reached a settlement with the team's cheerleaders in a lawsuit filed over alleged wage theft. The J-E-T-S will pay out $324,000, making it the fourth NFL team to settle such a suit. [New York Daily News]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.22.15

* Getting arrested on federal criminal charges accusing you of conspiring with loathed pharma CEO Martin Shkreli is very stressful — so one can understand why Biglaw partner Evan Greebel needs a Cancun vacation right about now. [USA Today; BloombergBusiness] * Speaking of Evan Greebel, here is a closer look at the charges against him, […]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.14.15

* Donald Trump has opinions on Supreme Court justices. He thinks that Roberts is "disgraceful," that Scalia was "very tough" on black students, and that he loves Thomas. Perhaps he should take a cue from his favorite justice and shut up. [CNN; Associated Press] * An easy peasy solution? Rather than amend the Constitution, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio says that he'll just appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn the decision in the Obergefell case because he thinks that gay marriage is "bad law." [ThinkProgress] * Gibson Dunn has billed about $8 million to defend New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal thus far, so here's a thought: perhaps you should show your hard-working associates some appreciation and announce bonuses already. [Fox News] * Taylor Swift filed trademark applications for five signature phrases (Swiftmas, Blank Space, And I'll Write Your Name, A Girl Named Girl, and 1989). If you infringe upon any of them, you can expect that she'll be writing your name -- on a lawsuit. [USA Today] * Braeden Anderson, the Seton Hall law student and ball player who divides his time between the courtroom and the basketball court, has had one hell of a 1L year. When he graduates, this extremely lucky guy may have a job -- with the NBA. [New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 11.04.15

* Fans of this man's dopey mugshot grin will be sad if they're deprived of another jailhouse picture, but lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton want their client's securities fraud indictment to be tossed over what they claim was a faulty grand jury investigation. [Reuters] * Friday is apparently "Love Your Lawyer Day," and the ABA recently passed a resolution to commemorate this special day every year. Biglaw firms can show their love for lawyers by announcing bigger, better bonuses! [Big Law Business / Bloomberg BNA] * Alabama thinks the legal fees and costs that are being requested by attorneys in the state's landmark same-sex marriage decision are "entirely excessive" and should be "cut dramatically." It's not like these lawyers had to "reinvent the wheel" or anything. [AL.com] * "I may be known in tiny corners of the tubes of the Internet, but I am not well-known to the American public generally." One-issue Democratic candidate Professor Lawrence Lessig of Harvard Law School is dropping out of the presidential race. [Boston Globe] * It's high time you joined the green rush, lawyers: although Ohioans voted against legalizing marijuana yesterday, more and more states are adding ballot measures for the legalization of marijuana or medical marijuana to be voted on in 2016. [Washington Post] * “I’m glad Houston led tonight to end this constant political-correctness attack." In other election news, voters in Texas repealed an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance that would've prevented bias related to several important areas in life. [New York Times]

By Staci Zaretsky