White-Collar Crime

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.17.18

* A whistleblower reports that SARS reports regarding Michael Cohen's transactions are missing from FINCEN. SARS don't just disappear without a trace... well, the disease did, but the reports shouldn't. [New Yorker] * After passing an abortion law accomplishing little more than exposing the state's taxpayers to litigation expense, Iowa is going to have to find someone else to defend it because Attorney General Tom Miller wants no part of it. [ABC] * The FTC's new consumer protection chief represented payday lenders, and really what's so bad about a 110 percent interest rate anyway? [The Hill] * Wolf of Wall Street needs to up his payments to victims. [Law360] * Facebook is getting into the blockchain game meaning soon your vacation photos will overtake Bitcoin as the most inherently worthless thing backed by blockchain. [Legaltech News] * An interview with a federal magistrate judge finally answers the question: what's the penalty for Yogi Bear stealing a picnic basket? [Coverage Opinions] * The Senate, against all odds, voted to save net neutrality yesterday. [Courthouse News Service]

By Joe Patrice
Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequiturs: 05.06.18

* Congratulations to Quinn Emanuel partner Alex Spiro and Jose Baez, of Casey Anthony fame, on a big win: a full acquittal in the securities-fraud trial of David Demos. [Bloomberg] * Do you feel that the Supreme Court is taking its sweet time in releasing opinions this Term? Adam Feldman confirms that it's not your imagination. [Empirical SCOTUS] * Consovoy McCarthy Park, the elite litigation boutique led by a group of conservative former SCOTUS clerks, welcomes its newest partner: Jeffrey Harris, former associate administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and former law clerk to Chief Justice Roberts. [National Law Journal] * Are law school graduates getting "good" jobs? Professor Derek Muller has a novel idea: why don't we ask them? [PrawfsBlawg] * The Colorado congressional race featuring two NYU Law alumnae, incumbent Diana DeGette and challenger Saira Rao, reflects a divide in the Democratic Party more broadly. [NBC News] * Criminal defense lawyer Joel Cohen argues against reading too much into an individual's invocation of the Fifth Amendment -- even if the individual happens to be Donald Trump or someone connected to him. [The Hill] * Criminal defense lawyer Elizabeth Kelley interviews Stanford law professor Paul Goldstein about his biting and funny law school satire, Legal Asylum (affiliate link). [AuthorChats] * Speaking of books, if you'd like to support the Jersey City Free Public Library -- and enjoy some delicious Filipino food by celebrity chef Dale Talde -- please join me this Thursday, May 17, for what should be a great evening! [Jersey City Free Public Library]

By David Lat
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.19.18

* The proposed cap on federal student loans for graduate students will make life a lot rougher for law students who will have to resort to the more expensive private market for tuition bucks. On the other hand, it could devastate the bottom-tier schools who rely on the government gravy train to bilk students into buying a degree they can't use. So it's not all bad news. [Law.com] * When it comes to appointing a Special Master, the government and Michael Cohen have wildly different preferences. The government would like a retired Magistrate, someone well-versed in making tough calls in discovery disputes. Cohen's camp would prefer a former prosecutor, which you should read as "someone who currently represents criminals and has a vested interest in defining privilege broadly." Trump's lawyers haven't submitted a list of preferred candidates but we can go ahead and pencil in Jeanine Pirro, Andrew Napolitano, and Judge Judy. [New York Law Journal] * While we're talking about Cohen, he just dropped his libel suits against Buzzfeed and Fusion GPS over the Steele dossier. So there's definitely a pee tape. [Politico] * Oh, and documents suggest he owes $110K in taxes. [Law360] * Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has asked state lawmakers to eliminate a state law that prevents state prosecutions of individuals who have already reached the plea or a jury is sworn in a federal case. Or, more to the point, when someone in that situation is pardoned. [NY Times] * There are hints that the jury may acquit Tex McIver of the most serious charges related to his wife's shooting death. As a reminder, McIver shot her in the back while she rode in the front seat of their car when his gun, which he says he had loaded and ready because he was worried about Black Lives Matter, went off when the car hit a speedbump. [Daily Report Online] * If you notice some new changes to your Facebook privacy protections, you might think that's a response to Zuck's recent congressional testimony. But actually, it's just Facebook playing shell company roulette to make sure you're not covered by GDPR. [Reuters] * The organizer of the Charlottesville "Very Fine People On Both Sides" rally popped into the UVA Law library yesterday. Vigilant students kept an eye on him. [Cavalier Daily] * We'd also be remiss if we didn't express our sadness over the loss of Judge Harry T. Stone. Harry Anderson's portrayal of the free-wheeling but fair judge contributed to making Night Court one of the greatest, and most honest, courtroom television shows of all time. [CNN]

By Joe Patrice