Virginia

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.18.22

* Love the way you lie: Court decides that Musk’s 2018 tweets about buying the country were phony. [CNBC] * Property professors! New hypo just dropped! One man’s trash is another man’s…you know. [Insanememeshub] * Not adding up: Math textbooks are now on the CRT ban chopping block. Too many of the numbers are Black or something? [Business Insider] * Kansas officers are taking liberties with filing reports on seized property. Didn’t expect to see a takings issue in criminal procedure! [LawrenceKSTimes] * Virginia law classifies the sexual abuse of animals as a felony. I’m definitely going to be clarifying the next time I hear the phrase “heavy petting”. [NBC 12]

By Chris Williams
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.17.22

* Shall be infringed: The DOJ is suing Missouri over passing a law that just straight up ignores federal gun laws. [NPR] * I never forget a face: Clearview thinks it will be able to recognize everyone once it hits 100 billion photos. It is gonna be hard to explain the 4th Amendment to children in the future. [WaPo] * De-ttorney'd: Suge Knight's former attorney loses law license for life as part of a plea deal on a conspiracy and perjury charges. Guess that's the tradeoff for fewer CEOs dancing in your videos. [Yahoo!] * If you build it, they will come back: Biglaw firms are announcing their comeback expectations for their employees. [Reuters] * Now that it’s cool for soccer moms to get baked, Virginia is figuring out the equitable way to deal with prior weed-related criminal charges. [VPM]

By Chris Williams
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.15.22

* Hard to Barrett times: Supreme Court justice goes back to alma mater to speak on the tensions between precedent and equity. [NDSMC Observer] * Virginia just passed a law that will ban open air burning before 4 p.m. to help stave off forest fires.  If a mnemonic helps, say no to Sean Paul till 4! [WDBJ 7] * The ABA makes it a requirement for law schools to require anti-bias training. Yes, I will be keeping eyes on Twitter for the people outraged over this. Something about enabling equity really gets under people's skin. [Reuters] *  Well-behaved women seldom got hired: American Freight Management Company settles hiring discrimination lawsuit for $5M. Does this mean now is a good time to apply or that you wouldn't want to work here anyway? Let us know! [HR Drive] * About two thirds of Kentuckians are okay with legal sports betting. May the odds be ever in their favor. [WSN]

By Chris Williams
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.04.22

* Not on my watch! Montana judge rules that last minute changes to a law were unconstitutional. [Billings Gazette] * Deal with it: Despite Republican frustrations, New Jersey’s Supreme Court finds no issue with their congressional map. [Politico] * Broken clocks need an attorney at least twice a day: Guy committing identify fraud is arrested because the dude he’s frauding also had a warrant. [Richmond Register] * Utah bill is set to give parents full reign over what teachers are able to teach children. Helicopter mommy and daddy better be chipping in on school supplies too! [Salt Lake Tribune] * A bill just got introduced in Oklahoma that would let you sue teachers for $10k if they teach something against your religion. The biggest display of faith here is the thought that teachers could make good on that judgment. [Independent]

By Chris Williams
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.02.22

* Umm. St. Louis might be bringing back trial by combat? Dead men tell no tales, I suppose. [STL Today] * People are still couching casual racism as a 1st Amendment issue, despite the key examples occurring at private institutions that aren't bound by it. [Reuters] * The Judicial Big 4: Here are some key SCOTUS jurisprudence areas you should be paying attention to. May the retention of your rights be ever in your favor. [NLR] * Breaking: Brilliant legal minds exist outside of HYS apparently. Might be something President Biden (and people looking over summer applicant resumes) ought keep in mind. [WaPo] * No shot, no problem: Virginia universities drop vaccine requirements. [The Hill]

By Chris Williams
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.14.21

* Judge Judy claims that expanding the Supreme Court is a "dumb idea." Maybe she would change her mind if the Supremes televised their arguments... [Hill] * A Virginia woman has been arrested for allegedly posing as a lawyer. [NBC News] * An Australian man has filed a lawsuit claiming that he invented Bitcoin. Strange, assumed Elon Musk invented it... [Reuters] * A lawyer alleged at a hearing earlier this week that Jeff Lowe of Tiger King fame would purportedly be willing to give up big cats. [Chicago Tribune] * A topless, passed-out Florida woman who was found behind the wheel of a car purportedly still asked for a lawyer before failing a field sobriety test. What a Florida story. [Fox News]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.11.21

* 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]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.27.21

* A lawyer for a defendant allegedly present at the Capitol riot earlier this year is defending her client's use of a mesh mask. It's quite a fashion statement... [Hill] * Check out this article on how lawyers can improve their digital marketing efforts. [Forbes] * A lawsuit filed by a Michael Jackson accuser has been dismissed. [TMZ] * Louisiana State University is being sued over how the school responded to Title IX complaints. [ESPN] * A client, whose lawyer had his license suspended and refused to refund his fee, is suing his former attorney. [Roanoke Times]

By Jordan Rothman