Sentencing Guidelines A story in from the Wall Street Journal brings us to the question of sentencing guidelines. In the 80's, Congress passed a series of mandatory sentencing guidelines for the federal court system, but a series of Supreme Court rulings in 2005 and 2007 made the guidelines optional. In recent years the number of cases where federal judges have given lighter sentences than... (1 views)
Out In The Cloud A few weeks ago, in my first post for this site, I commented on the concept of Virtual law firms. In that post I touched briefly upon some of the technologies, both old and new, that could be used, in fact, to create a practice free from the constraints of the traditional law office. (1 views)
Just how bad was 2009? We all felt the pain last year. For some of us it was declining home values and loss of equity, for others it was lost jobs or reductions in salaries, and for some it was lower profits. (1 views)
Tough Questions in Prop 8 Case Closing arguments for the Prop 8 case in California are scheduled for Wednesday, June 16, months after the last witness was called. The plaintiffs in the case are asking the court to rule that Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to define marriage as existing only between opposite sex couples, violates the due process clause of the US Constitution. (1 views)
It's time for football! No, not that football. The kind of football that is actually played with the feet, and not the hands. Yes, I’m talking about the sport most Americans perversely call ''soccer''. And Friday was the first match in the quadrennial championship that draws more television viewers than the Super Bowl. I'm talking, of course, about the World Cup (go Brazil!). So why am I... (1 views)
Schwarzenegger v Plata We've spent a lot of time here recently talking about the rights of criminal defendants and prisoners, and although we're not a CrimLaw blog you'll have to indulge us for one more day. The Court today granted cert to an important case from California that could determine whether or not a large number of prisoners will be released early from the state's overcrowded prison... (1 views)
Working at a Lawyer Job One misconception that people tend to have regarding lawyers is that they will always have jobs. There are plenty of lawyer jobs out there, but finding a good lawyer job is always going to be a bit of a challenge. Something you need to consider when searching for lawyer employment is that there are a number of different types of attorney jobs out there, and if you really... (1 views)
Kagan Confirmation Hearings As I write this, Senators on the judiciary committee are making their opening statements while Elena Kagan sits silently, more like a prop on a stage than a nominee to the Supreme Court. Although her confirmation seems all but certain - the Democrats already have the votes lined up - there may still be some fireworks in the hearings this week. (1 views)
Finding Legal Paralegal Jobs Before looking for legal paralegal jobs, it is important to decide whether or not this is the right career for you. Law paralegal work is very difficult and time consuming. In addition, you will be doing much of the work for these lawyers, without getting nearly as much in compensation for your time. This career definitely is not for everyone, but those who do enjoy their... (1 views)
I Pledge Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. (1 views)
Kagan Hearings and Political Opportunism In the wrap-up of the Elena Kagan hearings last week, the Wall Street Journal Law Blog summarized the reaction of several Senators by saying ''The gist of both sides' complaints was the same: If a nominee's assertions are no guide to how she will judge, what's the point of hearing testimony?'' (1 views)
The New ''New Deal''? Not quite. Ignoring the fact that the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform bill does nothing to address the first 2 of the ''3 R's'' of relief, recovery and reform that served as the cornerstone of the New Deal policies, it is debatable that the bill would pass muster with regards to the third ''R'' of reform either-if you take the word ''reform'' to mean actual change and not... (1 views)
It's fun to stay at the Y? Sometimes I get a little punch drunk on Friday afternoons, particularly in the summer when temperatures outside hit 110 degrees by 8 AM and stay above 100 until sometime after midnight. (1 views)
Move the Game In the late 80's and early 90's, Arizona became ground zero over the fight to recognize the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. as an official holiday. Over the initial objections of President Reagan, Congress had acted to create a federal holiday as early as 1983 but most states were slow to recognize it as a state holiday. (1 views)
Lindsay Lohan Loses a Lawyer (Again)! Lindsay Lohan is behind bars now, serving a 90 days sentence for violating the terms of her parole following a DUI conviction. Due to overcrowding in California prisons, Lohan could be released in only 23 days, but don't tell that to Lohan whose self aggrandizing Twitter posts make this case out to be one of the great miscarriages of justice of our time. The night before... (1 views)
Finding a Legal Manager Job Online Are you looking for legal mangement jobs? The are many choices to choose from. A vast number of the openings are under different postings including legal manager job listings. (1 views)
Proposition 8 Overturned By U.S. District Chief Judge in San Francisco Opponents of California's proposition 8 are celebrating after a federal judge in San Francisco ruled today that the proposition passed by voters in 2008, making same-sex marriages illegal, was unconstitutional. (1 views)
Swearing-In On Saturday, August 7th, Elena Kagan will be sworn in as an Associate Justice for the United States Supreme Court; she will become the Court's 112th justice. Kagan served as Solicitor General to the Obama Administration from 2009-2010, immediately prior to her confirmation. Kagan is the court's fourth female justice and her confirmation makes her one of three women... (1 views)
A Victory for Privacy Rights The First Circuit has upheld another law restricting data mining over the constitutional challenges brought by the data miners. The case dealt with a Maine law that prohibits the sale of prescriber information for marketing purposes if the prescriber has affirmatively opted in to the privacy provisions. (1 views)
Neo-Nimbyism Not In My Backyard! For years this has been the rallying cry of communities rallying against nuclear power plants, prisons, strip clubs, industrial projects and other planned developments believed to lower property values, increase crime or threaten the moral fiber of neighborhoods. Recently it has become the rallying cry of groups protesting against something far more... (1 views)
Arizona's Immigration Reform Inspiring Other States Immigration control in Florida may soon resemble the new legislation in Arizona. The Republican gubernatorial candidate and attorney general of Florida, Bill McCollum wants to see the controversial laws enacted in his state of Florida if he's elected governor. And McCollum isn't exempt to the controversy. (1 views)
Caveat Emptor E-filing in state courts across the nation is becoming, county by county, more prevalent. To do so, unlike in the centralized federal court system, counties and states often contract with third party vendors that serve as e-middlemen. This often can, and often does, lead to confusion, frustration and missed deadlines. (1 views)
If at first you don't succeed, try try again... and again... and again... and again... It's time to turn our attention once more to the ongoing tale of one Orly Taitz, D.D.S., J.D., birther lawyer extraordinaire. Dr. Taitz has brought suit in numerous cases in courts across the country alleging that President Obama is not the lawful president because he fails to meet the constitutional requirements of office, to wit that he is not a natural born citizen of... (1 views)
Suspected Serial Killer Extradited To Michigan A man suspected of at least 17 stabbings across three states has been extradited from Georgia to Michigan to face charges for one of his stabbings. (1 views)
Finding NC Legal Lobs If you are looking for legal positions in North Carolina, you know how tough the competition is, but one when you know where to look for the freshest positions, you are sure to find the best NC legal jobs, legal jobs in NC, law jobs in NC, employment in NC, and legal employment in NC. (1 views)
Censored! Under pressure from the attorneys general of several states, the popular online site Craigslist has pulled the ads from its adult services section and replaced them with a graphic reading ''Censored!''. It's still unclear whether this change is permanent or a temporary stalling tactic while the company considers its options going forward. The change only affects US sites... (1 views)
Judge Rules To Block Funding For Stem Cell Research Last month, Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction against government funding for research having to do with human embryonic stem cells. (1 views)
LSAT and Student Potential With an American Bar Association panel reviewing law school accreditation standards, the Law Schools Admissions Test (LSAT) is in danger of losing the power it once held. If the panel advocates an end to the LSAT requirement, law schools may opt to make the LSAT optional or drop the test altogether. While some are applauding this possibility of this change, others argue... (1 views)
Death Looms Near for Many on Death Row Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. 8th Amendment to the United States Constitution (1 views)
Looking for Legal Jobs Lancashire and Wonder Where to Search? Do you reside in Lancashire and looking for legal jobs Lancashire? If so, you are sure to find some in your area, but you need to know where to look. In addition, you need to prepare yourself for the various competitions that are keen right now in the legal profession. Let's face it, you chose to enter law because the legal field intrigued you and because you wanted to... (1 views)