Nina Totenberg

Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 07.05.17

* Now that the Supreme Court Term is over, it's time to take stock of SCOTUS. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, law professors Sai Prakash and John Yoo posit that the staunchly originalist Justice Thomas "might have found a fellow traveler in Justice Gorsuch." [How Appealing] * Speaking of the Journal, it's the end of an era: the beloved WSJ Law Blog is no more (but note that the Journal's stellar legal coverage will remain in the newspaper and online). [WSJ Law Blog] * There's an embarrassment of riches hen it comes to SCOTUS Term wrap-ups. The MoloLamken overview is always one of the best -- and one of the most useful, for the many Above the Law readers representing big business as lawyers in Biglaw. [MoloLamken] * And if you like your Supreme Court reviews live, check out this one tomorrow night at the 92nd Street Y here in New York, featuring an all-star cast of commentators: Dan Abrams of ABC News, Joan Biskupic of CNN, Dean Trevor Morrison and Professor Kenji Yoshino of NYU Law, and moderator Thane Rosenbaum, director of NYU's Forum on Law, Culture & Society. [FOLCS] * Will Chief Justice John Roberts's recent speech at his son's graduation go down in history as one of the best commencement addresses ever? [Jane Genova -- Speechwriter-Ghostwriter] * And where is the Chief Justice spending the summer? Like many of his colleagues on the Court, JGR is leaving the country (and given what D.C. is like in the summer, you can't blame him). [The Economist] * A piece by NPR's Nina Totenberg over the long weekend reignited the Justice Kennedy retirement rumors (which I've thrown cold water on last year and again last week -- but even I admit that AMK might retire around this time next year). [Daily Intelligencer / New York Magazine]

By David Lat
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 04.27.15

* Nina Totenberg reviews past opinions to divine how the Court might rule on marriage equality. Or she could have pointed to Windsor and said, "That way." [NPR] * The media attention focused on the two and a half hours of oral arguments over marriage equality coming this week have inspired some to ask just what goes into preparing an oral argument anyway? [Cincinnati Enquirer] * Loretta Lynch sworn in as Attorney General. So now the House finally knows which address to send frivolous subpoenas to. [USA Today] * What skills do you need to get hired as a lawyer? It's a sign of the economy that "dad be managing partner" isn't the top line. [Associate's Mind] * The Fifth Circuit rules that the family of a teenager killed when a Border Patrol agent shot from the U.S. into Mexico cannot sue in U.S. courts. "The border agent's lawyer said the opinion vindicated his client." I mean... you killed someone in cold blood and got off on a ludicrous technicality, but yeah, "vindicated." [Yahoo] * Richard Hsu chats with Bill Gross, Caltech Trustee and Chairman and Founder of Idealab[Hsu Untied]

By Joe Patrice
Abortion

Morning Docket: 06.20.13

* Today is most likely going to be a banner decision day for the Supreme Court, so in wild anticipation, SCOTUS expert Nina Totenberg was on call to answer some need-to-know questions for the people about the innermost workings of the Court. [NPR] * One of the opinions we hope will drop at the Supreme Court today is that of the Fisher v. Texas affirmative action case. If you want some hints on how the three justices who attended Princeton (not counting Kagan) might rule, check this out. [Daily Princetonian] * Justice Samuel Alito is out in Texas where he threw the first pitch — “a bit wide of the plate” — in last night’s Rangers game. Will SCOTUS unleash anything important in his absence? [Washington Post] * Meanwhile, while we eagerly await decisions in the gay marriage cases next week, consider for a moment the possibility that this is all just but a gigantic train wreck waiting to happen. [New Republic] * Things are heating up in North Dakota where the battle over abortion regulations continues to rage on. What a shame, especially since we supposedly took care of this stuff in the early 70s. [ABC News] * “If this is what these women signed up for, who is anybody to tell them differently?” Two pimps were acquitted of sex trafficking after prostitutes testified on their behalf. [Thomson Reuters News & Insight]

By Staci Zaretsky
Airplanes / Aviation

Morning Docket: 03.19.12

* With 269 partners to go, Dewey need to start panicking yet? Twelve additional partners, including practice group leaders, have jumped ship, bringing the grand total of partner-level defectors to 31 since January. [DealBook / New York Times] * Late-breaking news: law schools’ numbers still don’t add up. The New York Times has already said its piece on the problem with law schools, so the Wall Street Journal decided that it was time to chime in again. [Wall Street Journal] * Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, the man accused of going on an Afghan killing spree, will be represented by Ted Bundy’s lawyer. In the court of public opinion, that’s equivalent to pleading guilty. [Bloomberg] * “I have had it with these motherf**king snakes breastfeeding women on this motherf**king plane!” A mother has settled a lawsuit with her airline over being kicked off a plane for nursing her child. [Businessweek] * Here’s a fashion tip for law firm staff: you wear orange shirts in prison, not at the office. Think twice next time before you wear that color to work, because you might get fired like these folks in Florida. [Sun-Sentinel] * Let’s face it, there is no escape from the law, not even in your free time (if that even exists). That being said, here’s a lawyerly crossword puzzle, inspired by Nina Totenberg’s reporting on legal affairs. Have fun! [NPR]

By Staci Zaretsky
Department of Justice

Nina Totenberg Wishes You A Very Merry Christmas!

Yesterday we mentioned, as our Quote of the Day, a quip by NPR legal affairs commentator Nina Totenberg that some conservative bloggers interpreted as being anti-Christmas. As it turns out, La Totenberg loves Christmas — and her innocent remark was badly misinterpreted. She explained everything to Roxanne Roberts and Amy Argetsinger, of the Washington Post’s […]

By David Lat