Vaughn Walker

After Perry & Windsor: A Conversation About The Supreme Court’s Rulings

Three distinguished commentators -- Bill Eskridge, Linda Greenhouse, and Evan Wolfson -- discuss the Supreme Court's recent rulings on marriage equality.

Morning Docket: 07.01.13

* Who is the real John Roberts? Will he forever be known as health care reform’s savior, or the man who disregarded precedent to gut minority voting rights? Hell if we know, so we’ll let you be the judge. [Opinionator / New York Times] * The man may be a mystery, but one thing’s for sure when it comes to Chief Justice Roberts: it’s fair to say that at this point, he’d sincerely appreciate it if his colleagues would kindly STFU during oral argument. [Big Story / Associated Press] * Elena Kagan, a justice who was never a judge, is now being praised for her ability to put the law into terms that non-lawyers can understand. That’s a score for law professors everywhere. [New York Times] * In terms of the Voting Rights Act, while the chances of the current Congress enacting a universal voting law are approximately nil, there are other effective avenues that could be taken. [New York Times] * On Friday, the Ninth Circuit lifted the stay on gay marriages in California, and less than 24 hours later, Prop 8 supporters filed an emergency motion with SCOTUS to stop all of the weddings. Lovely. [NPR] * Meanwhile, ex-judge Vaughn Walker thinks Justice Scalia’s having joined the high court’s majority on standing telegraphed the fact that he didn’t have votes to uphold Prop 8 as constitutional. [NPR] * Rubber stamp this: Judges on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court are so upset that they’re being made out as government patsies that they’re talking to the press about it. [Washington Post] * Whether you think Chevron is “suing [Patton Boggs] lawyers for litigating” or for promoting fraud that “shocks the conscience,” here’s a summary of what’s going on in an epic case. [Washington Post] * Got a high-profile criminal defense firm? Look out, because you may have captured Biglaw’s eye. Take, for example, Stillman & Friedman, which will be merging with Ballard Spahr. [New York Times] * Apparently being in your mid-50s is a “good time to [retire]” for law deans who pull in six figures. Ken Randall, outgoing dean of Alabama Law, says he’s “really ready for the next challenge.” [AL.com]

What’s Horrible About Hollingsworth Is Horrible for Us All

The Supreme Court's ruling in Hollingsworth v. Perry is a disastrous decision, as conservative columnist Tamara Tabo explains.

The Supreme Court Rules In Two Major Gay Marriage Cases

Finally! The Supreme Court's long-awaited rulings on gay marriage in California and the Defense of Marriage Act. What did the Court rule?

Breaking: Ninth Circuit Issues Landmark Ruling on Gay Marriage

The Ninth Circuit has issued a landmark ruling on gay marriage. Or, if you prefer, a ruling on marriage equality. We knew this ruling was coming because the Ninth Circuit kindly informed us in advance that its opinion would be issued. Now, let's find out how the three-judge panel ruled in Perry v. Brown (formerly known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger)....

Associate Bonus Watch: Susman Godfrey Pays Ten-Gallon Bonuses (and Announces New Partners)

Just as it did last year, the powerhouse litigation boutique of Susman Godfrey announced associate bonuses that put the bonus scales of most other firms to shame. Happy Holidays, Susman Godfrey associates! So, the Susman bonuses -- what are we looking at here?

The ‘Redneck Olympics’ Try to Jump the Hurdle of Law

Over the weekend, a quaint little festival took place up in Hebron, Maine: the Redneck Olympics. Don’t ask me why this event happened in Maine. I didn’t think that rednecks were allowed to cross the Mason-Dixon line. The event featured typical redneck fare, including a greased watermelon haul, a wife-carrying race, toilet seat horseshoes, and […]

Non-Sequiturs: 06.14.11

* An associate in the New York office of Gibson Dunn, Moshe Gerstein, has been hit with child pornography charges. (More coverage to come; if you know him personally and have info to share, please email us.) [New York County District Attorney’s Office] * Motion to vacate the Proposition 8 decision, on the grounds that […]

Cameras in the Courtroom: Now With More Internets

Many state and local courts do have cameras in the courtroom (unlike most of their federal counterparts), but other forms of technology are still frequently verboten. Some courts prohibit cellphones, laptops, and, in the traffic court I once attended, reading the newspaper. Yet slowly, with much weeping and gnashing of teeth, some enlightened folks in […]

Apparently, Prop 8 Supporters Are Now Comfortable With Everybody Knowing They’re Raging Bigots

Judge Vaughn Walker, the man who overturned Proposition 8 in California, is gay. He even admitted it. You know what that means, don’t you? [Wink, wink]. I mean, the man is gay so clearly… like, do I have to spell it out for you? He’s a man who likes to have sex with other men, […]

Morning Docket: 04.20.11

* The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a lawsuit asking courts to force major companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sotomayor spent the entire oral argument asking attorneys how she could fit more Miami Sound Machine on her Zune. [New York Times] * Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who can be seen every Thursday night […]

Morning Docket: 09.30.10

* Michigan AG candidate David Leyton demands that assistant AG Andrew Shirvell be faaaaaaaabuloussss fired. [Ann Arbor News] * If at first you don’t succeed, ignore the judge’s ruling and try again. Lawyers for the Department of the Interior beg for a pass on the second deep-water drilling moratorium. [Bloomberg] * “I’m black, I’m transsexual, […]

Breaking: Ninth Circuit Issues Stay Pending Appeal in Prop 8 Case, Schedules Oral Arguments for December

The three-judge motions panel — consisting of Judges Edward Leavy, Michael Daly Hawkins, and Sidney Thomas — has issued a stay pending appeal in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the case in which Judge Vaughn Walker (N.D. Cal.) struck down Proposition 8’s ban on gay marriage in California. More about the ruling and a link to the […]

Non-Sequiturs: 08.13.10

* Would Michael Green, exonerated of rape charges by DNA evidence, be worth $2.2 million today if he hadn’t gone to prison? Just asking. [New York Times] * More on the issue of standing in the Prop 8 case. [The BLT (Tony Mauro); Dorf on Law (Michael Dorf); SCOTUSblog (Lyle Denniston)] * Attention maritime law […]

Breaking: Judge Walker Won’t Stay Prop 8 Ruling Pending Appeal!

Chief Judge Vaughn Walker (N.D. Cal.), who struck down Proposition 8’s ban on gay marriage in California, has denied a motion to stay his judgment pending appeal. This means that same-sex marriages in California can start immediately after August 18 at 5 PM, assuming the Ninth Circuit doesn’t grant a stay. UPDATE (3:45 PM): No […]