Scalia's Best Friend Is...Ginsburg? They seem like a natural pair of enemies. There are hardly two more opposite judicial philosophies than those held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Antonin Scalia. Both are on the US Supreme Court, and both pretty much represent the opposite ends of the spectrum. (484 views)
Former Beverly Hills Mayor Disbarred in California On Thursday, the California Supreme Court ordered the disbarment of former Beverly Hills mayor and Riverside attorney Charlotte Spadaro. The court also ordered Spadaro to pay close to $25,000 in restitution to several clients. (484 views)
The Extranet Trend: More Firms Sharing with More Clients The literature on law firm extranets doesn't reach into the distant past. In fact, it was only five or six years ago when commentators first began lauding the benefits of this latest Web-technology tool. Recent surveys show a marked increase in the use of extranets. Some analysts believe the increase is a direct result of law firm clients making increased communication... (482 views)
Florida Law Grad Sentenced to Life for Murder of Girlfriend Jason Bohn, 35, a University of Florida law grad was sentenced to life in prison last week for murdering his girlfriend. At the time of the murder, Bohn’s girlfriend had an order of protection against him. The New York Post reported that Bohn cried so much during his sentencing that his nose began to bleed. (481 views)
Boulder's new hotel melds history, luxury and stylish design In 1944 when Ruth Gower bought the boarding house where she worked as a maid at 926 Walnut in Boulder, Colo., she saw possibility. A widow with a third-grade education, Gower didn't have enough money for the property, so she borrowed it - $1,600. Her dream was to create a hotel that would be ''the crown jewel of Boulder.'' (474 views)
Man Sues Salvation Army A man has filed a lawsuit against the Salvation Army for allegedly taking money from a dead man's bank account, even though money was left to the charity. (466 views)
The Steve Nodine Murder Trial Continues after 4 Days of Testimony Court adjourned on Thursday in a Bay Minette, AL courtroom in the murder trial of Steve Nodine. Nodine is standing trial for the May, 2010 death of his girlfriend, Angel Downs. Nodine's defense insists it was a suicide; however, the Baldwin County, AL District Attorney says she was shot to death by her married boyfriend, then-Mobile County, AL Commissioner Steve Nodine.... (465 views)
Understanding Stress and Attorney Relations Ask a hundred attorneys what stress is and you will get a wide variety of answers many of them quite close to the accepted definition. Stress is the reaction of your mind and body to some stimulus. It is a simple concept in its initial view but vastly complex in the exploration of the cause and effect. It would be wonderfully simple if a standard stimulus caused an exact... (464 views)
Judge Judy v. Versace: Who Are the Reigning Fashion Police of the Courtroom? With no official dress-code standard established for U.S. federal and state courts, many judges are taking it upon themselves to create and enforce their own sets of rules based on what they deem acceptable in their domains, whether it is sensible or flat-out discriminatory. Where should the line be drawn? Who should make the call regarding acceptable and unacceptable... (463 views)
U.S. Supreme Court Disbars Pennsylvania’s Don Bailey Controversial civil rights attorney Don Bailey was disbarred from practicing law by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. In December the U.S. Supreme Court had suspended Bailey from practicing law. Bailey had served as a U.S. Congressman for Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1983. He was also Pennsylvania’s auditor general from 1985 to 1989. Earlier, last October, the Pennsylvania... (463 views)
Best Kooky News Blogs Last week, a team of scientific researchers from Denmark and Germany revealed the results of a study evaluating astrology. They concluded that there are no identifiable scientific links among sun signs, birth dates, and predicting the future. But they didn't say anything about my Magic 8-Ball. As it is time again to unleash this week's law blog roundup, I will turn to my... (460 views)
Forging Signatures to Spring Hubby There are many ways to get someone out of jail. Traditionally, smuggling a file in pie or getting them a pickax have been popular. (459 views)
Pennsylvania Superior Court Rules Deposition Break Conversations Are Privileged According to an unpublished memorandum, the Pennsylvania Superior Court has said that conversations that take place between attorneys and their clients during deposition breaks will be considered privileged. This is a significant development because it opposes a previous decision by Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Howland W. Abramson. (458 views)
Nixon Peabody Sued for Alleged Harassment Ex-associate Henry Har recently filed a suit against Nixon Peabody with allegations that while working in the Los Angeles office of Nixon Peabody he was sexually and racially discriminated against. In his eighteen–page complaint, he listed several specific alleged events which corroborate his claims. (458 views)
Willie Gary’s Law Firm Ordered to Pay $12.5 Million to LFG National Capital Willie Gary, Florida, is famous for winning multi-million dollar verdicts for clients, but defaulted on litigation finance loans. On Friday, U.S. District Judge David Hurd in Albany, New York, ordered Gary’s firm, Gary, Williams, Lewis & Watson to pay $12.5 million to LawFinance Group Inc, a company that provides litigation finance loans. A high-flying lifestyle beset by... (454 views)
Demand for Virtual Paralegals Growing What is a virtual paralegal? Also called a freelance paralegal, it's a professional legal assistant who performs 'virtual' support services for lawyers, law firms or in-house legal departments utilizing the internet, email, phone and fax on an as needed basis. (451 views)
Carolina Panthers Appoint Tanya Taylor as First Black Female General Counsel Amid Allegations of Racial Bias and Failed Construction Project The Carolina Panthers have hired a new permanent general counsel, Tanya Taylor, who previously held the same position at Radisson Hotel Group Americas. This appointment comes when the team deals with allegations of racial bias in hiring practices and an investigation into a halted $800 million headquarters project. Taylor, the first Black woman to hold the general counsel... (451 views)
Barbie Bandits 05/30/07''This all began as a joke,'' said Heather Johnston about her and a friend's theft of nearly $11,000 from a Bank of America in Acworth, Georgia. ''I mean, it crossed a lot of people's minds, from what I've heard.'' Johnston continued. But crossing people's minds and crossing a line are two entirely different things. And Johnston and friend Ashley Miller are now... (448 views)
Who needs a chauffeur? Mercedes' plush S550, with options, almost drives itself For those commuters too busy to drive as they check sports scores, trade stocks or watch a movie on their phone, Blackberry or DVD screen, Mercedes-Benz has an upgraded cruise control that keeps electronic eyes on the road. (447 views)
The Life and Career of Gene Mccarthy Politician A good rule for columnists is to soft-pedal the First Person Perpendicular. Let me break the rule long enough to voice an affectionate remembrance of Eugene McCarthy. He died Dec. 10 of Parkinson's disease. He will add a good Irish voice to the choir of angels. (441 views)
The Case of illegal recruitment of Hurrican Katrina evacuees as football players Is this a case of good-hearted folks lending a helping hand to some children in need or opportunistic football coaches out to steal a championship? (440 views)
Courts in dire need for more Court Reporters and Typewriters Are court reporters becoming extinct? (436 views)
Kathryn Keneally Leaves DOJ Following Credit-Suisse Plea Deal The U.S. Department of Justice’s top tax enforcement official, Kathryn Keneally, has announced that she would be leaving her job, the DOJ announced in a press release. Keneally, 56, is credited with securing a $2.6 billion settlement from Credit Suisse and a guilty plea from the Swiss bank for helping U.S. citizens evade taxes. The Justice Department said that Keneally... (434 views)
Former Associate Sues Law Firm for Sexual Harassment On Wednesday, Alexandra Marchuk, a former associate who worked in the law firm of Faruqi & Faruqi, filed a lawsuit at the Manhattan federal court against the firm claiming a partner had sexually harassed her and the firm failed to take action for preventing a discriminatory environment. Marchuk filed the lawsuit against the law firm and against Juan Monteverde, the chair... (433 views)
Georgetown University Emerges as Top Law School in Specialty Rankings Georgetown University Law Center has emerged as the leading law school in specialty rankings based on its outstanding clinical, tax, and criminal law performance. An analysis conducted by law dean Paul L. Caron reveals that while Georgetown secured the 15th position in the overall law school rankings by U.S. News & World Report, it excelled in several specific areas,... (427 views)
Son of Lawyer Charged with Representing Himself as One On Tuesday, the son of a reputed Albany Attorney was charged with practicing law without a license. According to prosecutors, Terence Kindlon, Jr., 42, was accused of illegally representing an individual accused of criminal mischief in the New York State Supreme Court. Kindlon was arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard D. Carruthers, and his bail was set at... (426 views)
In New York, Judges Having Special License Plates is Not Unethical In its opinion released last week, the Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics, New York, said that special license plates issued for judges do not amount to using the “prestige” of their offices to advance private interests. The question had been raised by an unnamed judge, whether the use of special license plates used by judges could be considered unethical, and at... (424 views)
The First Posthumous Pardon by the President of the United States in 1999 A court-martialed U.S. Army officer. The only woman ever executed in Georgia's electric chair. The first African-American heavyweight world champion boxer. Jamaica's first national hero. A foul-mouthed comedian. What do these people have in common? (419 views)
When bad weather equals good times Vertical rain, 70-mph wind and 30-foot swells don't sound much like visitor attractions, but Pacific coast storm watching is the newest lure for the been-there-done-that crowd. It's a simple premise: Why not be in the Weather Channel instead of watching it? (413 views)
California's Shortage of Civil Rights Lawyers In 2007, the Federal Bureau of Investigations released a new report, Hate Crime Statistics, that revealed a 25% increase of hate crimes against Latinos in just three short years. Interestingly (or maybe not), this coincided with the new and growing interest of illegal immigration from Mexico in the United States. (412 views)