Top Law Blogs
Share the Top Law Blogs on
Patent Baristas
Medical Patents – Are They Necessary Evils?
It’s a subject that has been debated for a while now, and yet there seems to be no real solution in sight. Why is the cost of healthcare in the USA spiraling out of control and going further out of the reach of the average citizen? Why do people find...
Book Review Monday: Patents for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotechnology
In Patents for Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology: Fundamentals of Global Law, Practice and Strategy, Philip Grubb and Peter R. Thomsen provide a solid introduction to patent law topics in some of the largest countries, with an emphasis on Europe, Britain, and the USA. Given the importance of global trade and...
A Warning About Requests for Payment of Patent Fees
This is a reminder that some companies and individuals are sending out unsolicited mailings to patent applicants and owners of international patents, designs and trade marks asking them to apply for entry in various (sometimes official sounding) publications, databases and “registers” in return for payment of a fee. These parties...
Jackson Labs Doesn’t Infringe After Patent Discloses But Does Not Claim Mouse
The Jackson Laboratory, a biomedical research institution and repository for laboratory mice, won a summary judgment of no patent infringement against The Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA). CIEA, a non-profit Japanese corporation that develops animal models used for scientific research, alleged that Jackson had infringed U.S. Pat. No....
PTO Director David Kappos’ Speech: The Innovation Economy
The Innovation Economy: Unleashing Intellectual Property to Fuel Growth and Create Jobs Under Secretary Kappos June 2, 2010 Thank you, Sarah, for that kind introduction. I would like to thank the Center for American Progress for having me in today to speak with you about intellectual property’s critical role in today’s innovation economy. America...
Conglomerate
As some readers may know, I give a lot of thought to The Bluebook. I am the co-author of The......
Still Fuming Over May Kristof Column: Moonshine or the Kids?
So, I've been traveling a lot the last month, and I tend to read the paper on the plane and......
Contract Crisis: Rewriting California Mortgages
Over a year ago, I began thinking of the 2008 financial crisis in terms of a Contract Crisis, analogous to......
Not much, actually. Anyone who has been around legal academia for awhile understands that most law schools grade on a......
Here, via Clusterstock, is the New York Fed's amazing comic book guide to inflation....
Financial Reform Conference Committee Update
I would characterize this as one of the most rebloggingest blog posts I've ever written, but for those interested in......
World Directory of ADR Blogs
Xad Camomila: O Blog da Conciliação
Xad Camomila: O Blog da Conciliação Xad Camomila: O Blog da Conciliação: O blog tem como objetivo divulgar o trabalho do Setor de Conciliação e Mediação de Campinas....
United Arbitration Inc. Blog This eponymous blog posts news and information relating to partnering, neutral evaluation, mediation, and arbitration....
Law Rules Law Rules discusses how we resolve our disputes – mediation, arbitration, litigation, and negotiation – as well as interesting legal decisions....
Clive Lewis’s Blog Clive Lewis’s Blog shares thoughts from a former HR director on mediation and conflict resolution at work. Based in the U.K....
Frameworks for Agreement Frameworks for Agreement explores conflict and communication skills and challenges we confront in our lives from work to home to community. Susan Shearouse, a mediator, facilitator and conflict resolution specialist for over twenty years brings her own experience and observations to the blog....
Razreshenie Sporov – Mediation and ADR
Razreshenie Sporov – Mediation and ADR Razreshenie Sporov – Mediation and ADR (Медиация и АРС) is the blog of the Scientific and Methodological Center for Mediation and Law in Moscow. Its purpose is to develop and promote mediation in Russia, and to seek the integration of alternative dispute resolution into Russian...
Social Media Law Student
ACLU Weighs in on Facebook’s Privacy Issues
According to news reports, Facebook has called an “all hands” meeting today to discuss its privacy policies. That’s because they are facing a brewing revolt among Facebook users alarmed by the company’s cavalier attitude toward protecting your privacy. In recent months, Facebook has rolled out some very privacy-unfriendly practices, from...
How to Cite a Podcast in Legal Documents Addressed in 19th Edition of Bluebook
How do you cite a Podcast in a legal document? First, I checked my PAPER copy of The Bluebook and “Podcast” was nowhere. I thought maybe an Internet citation, or some type of audio citation, would be a respectable work-around but that a Podcast should require some different citation rules....
North Carolina Publishes Proposed Ethics Opinion on Cloud Computing
The North Carolina Bar Association published Proposed 2010 Formal Ethics Opinion 7, which concludes that: …a law firm may contract with a vendor of software as a service provided the risks that confidential client information may be disclosed or lost are effectively minimized. This opinion is a welcome tool for attorneys trying...
Ohio Judge Makes ‘Anonymous’ Online Comment about Litigant, Refuses to Step Down
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold allegedly made anonymous comments online about her pending cases, using the clever moniker, “Lawmiss.” Judge Saffold then refused to recuse herself on a motion from defense counsel. Related posts:Comment Fail for 76.171.45.218 Colorado Judge Allows Twitter In Courtroom Kansas Federal Judge Allows Twittering Media in...
How to Link to a Google Scholar Case
Learn how to properly send a link to a Google hosted case, without revealing what terms you used to find the case. Related posts:Google Scholar Search Now Includes U.S. Case Law and Legal Journals WestlawNext: It’s About Time Google vs. Bing ...
Free Software Alternatives for Anti-virus, Budgeting, and Photo Editing
Today software is as expensive as ever. However, more and more free alternatives pop up all the time. Today's post looks at free alternatives for your commercial anti-virus, budgeting, and photo editing software. Related posts:School Sues Student for Facebook Comments Google Offers Free Airport Wi-Fi for the Holidays Facebook Cuts Junk Launches Facebook...
The Volokh Conspiracy
Does Kindle change everything?
(David Kopel) I prefer reading books on paper (“pagebooks” in 23d century parlance). So I initially thought that Kindle (and similar products from other companies) was an interesting novelty, but not greatly important. However, some ancillary aspects of Kindle are making me reconsider. To wit: 1. Text to speech. Only a very...
And a Final Word on USA-Algeria:
(David Post) Here’s the goal, if, like me, you want to watch it over (and over) again ... In reference to some of the comments on my earlier posting about the game , I’ll just say this: If you come to soccer with the mindset that the goal of sports is to...
(David Post) Judge Stanton in the SDNY has granted Youtube’s motion for summary judgment in in the long-running copyright infringement lawsuit brought by Viacom (and, in a nice soccer-related twist, The English Football Association’s Premier League was another (losing) plaintiff). [The full text of the decision is here] ...
Family Research Council vs. the Second Amendment
(David Kopel) A new piece from the Family Research Council blasts Grover Norquist (President of Americans for Tax Reform; Member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association) for joining the board of GOProud, an organization of conservative gay Republicans. Among the alleged sins on the GOProud agenda : Equalize...
Property Rights Five Years After Kelo
(Ilya Somin) Today is the fifth anniversary of Kelo v. City of New London, one of the most controversial decisions in Supreme Court history. In Kelo, a narrow 5–4 majority of the Court ruled that the condemnation of private property for transfer to other private individuals for purposes...
Liberty Guard Amicus Brief in VA Challenge to Health Care Bill:
(Todd Zywicki) The organization Liberty Guard has filed an amicus brief in support of the state of Virginia in its challenge to the health care bill. Most other constitutional critiques have focused on the issue of whether the individual mandate is beyond the scope of proper powers of the federal...
Legal Blog Watch
Survey Shows Increasing Gap Between Legal and IT Departments
Recommind, a software vendor with several e-discovery products, last week released the results of a survey showing that collaboration and communication between corporate legal departments and IT departments is on the wane. The press release doesn't specify how many companies, or what kind of companies, were surveyed, other than to...
More Lawyer Advertising: Depositions 101
Maybe I just don't get it. On the Birmingham Injury Blog, lawyer John Watts has begun a series of videos on the basic principles of deposition preparation. He's posted the first video, in which he discusses the most important principle of sitting for a deposition: Tell the truth. The next...
Cease and Desist Letter of the Day: Naked Cowboy to Naked Cowgirl
New York fixture Robert Burck, better known as the Naked Cowboy, apparently doesn't dig on people stealing his shtick. Namely, standing in the middle of Times Square, minimally clothed, playing music and singing poorly. The New York Post reports (via Lowering the Bar) that Burck has sent a cease and...
Dopiest Catch: Lack of Fishing License Costs Winning Blue Marlin Team $1.2 Million
Add now to the annals of "the one that got away" stories the tale of the one that was taken away on a technicality. The crew of the Citation thought they were sitting pretty, having pulled in the biggest fish in the annual Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead...
Legal Writing 102: Lessons From Songwriters
I've posted here several times recently to pass along the blogosphere's ongoing tips for better legal writing. I'd characterize most of those tips as Legal Writing 101 -- tips for avoiding truly "bad briefs," tips from brief-writing rockstar Justice John Roberts, and so on. Now let's move on to Legal...
Tuesday's Three Burning Legal Questions
Here are today's three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I'm in the airport gift shop and my flight leaves in 20 minutes. Should I get the snow globe for my kids or not? Answer: What!? Are you not concerned with airport safety?...
Kevin Thompson
The below post was put on my new website: www.themlmattorney.com. It concerns a bill that’s up for debate in Tennessee. About two months ago, I approached a legislator in my legislative district to run an anti-pyramid bill designed to help clarify the differences between legitimate network marketing companies...
What a powerful legacy. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a precious gem whose end came far too soon. He was truly a remarkable person that altered the course of history....
but I intend to get better and I need some help. I understand the social media tools and I appreciate their game-changing importance, but I’ve done a poor job at optimizing their effectiveness. I’m all over the place. Take this blog, for example. I dont’ make...
Check out there homepage: 7 Summit Challenge Fan them up on facebook and track their progress. Become part of this adventure by helping spread the word. Click the share button below and do your thing....
I’ll post my thoughts on this lawsuit in a separate post. Until then, check it out. MonaVie vs. XOWII, et al...
PointOfLaw Forum
House Judiciary passes oil spill liability bill, attacks CAFA
The House Judiciary Committee today passed out of committee H.R. 5503, the Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act, or SPILL Act. The vote was 16-11. Chairman John Conyers issued a news releasing the committee approval of the bill he sponsored, "Judiciary Panel Passes SPILL Act to...
Judge grants preliminary injunction against deepwater drilling moratorium
This Court is persuaded that the public interest weighs in favor of granting a preliminary injunction. While a suspension of activities directed after a rational interpretation of the evidence could outweigh the impact on the plaintiffs and the public, here, the Court has found the plaintiffs would likely succeed in...
"Oddly enough, I admired one of the lawyers."
Bill McClellan of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes about the Bachman v. A.G. Edwards case and settlement:The case against Jones was murky. The payments from the mutual fund companies were not illegal. In fact, news accounts at the time said they were common, and were called revenue sharing. But the...
House Judiciary moves to block arbitration, make BP liability retroactive
Big day Wednesday at the House Judiciary Committee, which has a business meeting scheduled for 10:15 a.m. to mark up: H.R. 5503, the Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act Motion to authorize issuance of subpoenas to BP America for documents regarding its claims process relating to the...
Schwartz on BP $20 billion fund
Victor Schwartz in the Washington Times correctly notes that the devil is in the details for the $20 billion BP fund. I can easily envision billions of dollars of the fund being siphoned to attorneys, rather than to victims, if it is not administered properly....
Bachman v. A.G. Edwards update
You may recall the $60 million settlement that wasn't to which CCAF objected. Judge Angela T. Quigless approved the settlement and approved the $21.6 million award of attorneys' fees and costs without addressing any of the objections. And if you ever hear a class action attorney tell you that what...
Health Care Law Blog
ONC Issues Final Rule for EHR Temporary Certification Program
Last Friday the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued a final rule providing the details on how organizations can be authorized by ONC to test and certify EHR technology. ONC discusses the details the Temporary Certification Program.Certification is important because the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentives...
SAMHSA and ONC: FAQs on Substance Abuse Confidentiality Regulations for HIEs
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced last week the release of FAQs for Applying the Substance Abuse Confidentiality Regulations to Health Information Exchanges (HIEs). Cover letter regarding the FAQs by Pamela S. Hyde,...
Thanks Blogger Team! Blogs of Note - June 14, 2010
Wow! Thanks to the Blogger Team for highlighting my Health Care Law Blog as a Blogs of Note on Blogger Buzz, the official buzz from Blogger at Google, for Monday, June 14, 2010. More on the Historie of Blogs of Note. Welcome to all stopping by the Health Care Law Blog...
Reversal of Conviction Because Undisclosed MySpace Friendship Between Defendant and Juror
Brian Peterson posts on a fascinating West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decision involving the use of social media between a juror and defendant and the issue of disclosure of such connections during voir dire.In State v. Dellinger, No 3573 (W.Va. Supr. Ct. June 3, 2010) (PDF version) the West...
On May 10, 2010, the West Virginia Board of Medicine has issued a new Policy Statement - Guidelines for Physicians in Collaborative Relationships with Advanced Nurse Practitioners or Certified Nurse Midwives; Standard of Practice.The new Policy Statement provide West Virginia physicians with guidance on the role and responsibility they play...
Credentialing and Privileging Telemedicine Physician and Practitioner
Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule revising the conditions of participation (CoPs) for hospitals and critical access hospitals allowing for a new credentialing and privileging process for physicians and practitioners who provide telemedicine services. The proposed rule should make it easier on...
LexUtah
In Archuleta v. St. Mark’s Hospital, the Utah Supreme Court, in a 4-2 opinion released today, overturned a district court decision which had determined that Utah Code sections 58-13-5(7), 58-13-4, and 26-25-1 do not bar negligent credentialing claims brought against health care providers. The court analyzed each code section and...
We all know that the ‘American Rule’ applies to bar an award for attorney’s fees unless otherwise permitted by statute or contract. Utah recognizes an exception to the American Rule “when the natural consequence of one’s negligence is another’s involvement in a dispute with a third party,” which is also...
Utah Supreme Court Upholds Constitutionality of Products Liability Statute
The Utah Supreme Court issued Egbert v. Nissan (”Egbert II”) in which it has expressly held: 1) The rebuttable presumption of non-defectiveness in product liability cases is constitutional and has been effective in Utah for more than 20 years; and 2) Restatement (Third) Torts section 16(b-d) regarding enhanced injury claims is rejected. ...
Settling Personal Injury Claims in Utah – an Update on Medicare Liens
No doubt you have heard about Medicare’s new reporting requirements. If Medicare has paid for any of a personal injury claimant’s medical care, Medicare is entitled to be repaid whenever the case is settled—regardless of any provision in the settlement documentation disputing any liability or otherwise attempting to allocate the...
Failure to Issue “Litigation Hold” Could Result in Sanctions and Attorney’s Fees
The recent S.D.N.Y. decision in Pension Committee of the Univ. of Montreal Pension Plan v. Banc of America Securities, 05 Civ. 9016, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1839, *1 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 11, 2010, and amended, Jan. 15, 2010), highlights that litigation requires more than simply responding to discovery once it is...
Remember to Post All legal Notices in Print and Online Beginning January 1, 2010
If you need to post a legal notice in a local publication, remember that the Utah Legislature modified the law somewhat and, beginning January 1, 2010, many legal notices in Utah must appear in a local newspaper and online. The Utah Press Association, an association of most, if not all,...
That's What She Said
Aged Like a Fine Wisconsin Parmesan
Litigation Value: More fodder for a potential lawsuit by Oscar Martinez; at least $10,000-15,000 to help Dunder Mifflin muddle through the competing Darryl-Dwight complaints — and the only reason it is that low is that, at the end of the day, neither is likely to want to escalate their dispute...
NBC trotted out a repeat — St. Patrick’s Day — last night. My colleague, Jaclyn West, wrote an excellent piece focusing on work-life balance when the episode originally aired back in March. Jaclyn’s post made me think about potential wage-hour issues that arise when employers demand long work days. It’s no secret...
Litigation Value: training management on whistleblower protections — $10,000; settling customer claims due to the flaming printers — more than Sabre would like to think about; finding out Holly’s coming back — priceless. The printers aren’t the only things heating up at Sabre. Jo’s mission to root out the whistleblower had...
Lovers, Fighters, and Nappers — Oh, My!
Litigation Value: Up to $50,000 — or maybe more — to settle Toby’s claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress; $3,000 to train the employees again on what is and what is not appropriate office behavior (especially with regard to office romance); more fodder for Erin’s sexual harassment case; and some...
Litigation Value: $50,000 for the office meeting Michael called to discuss his sex life with his employees. In this week’s episode of The Office, we saw two storylines, both of which provide interesting employment law issues: Michael’s quest to find out if Donna is cheating on him and Darryl’s attempt to...
Litigation Value: $250,000 for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring, and negligent entrustment. Well, folks, the quintessential horndog – Michael Scott – is back on the stick. And this week, he didn’t disappoint. Michael’s recent announcement that this may be his final year sitting in the boss chair makes us wonder who...
Bag and Baggage
TWiL 65 Video — The Times They Are A-Skintillating
Episode 65 Show Notes. Video archives for this WEEK in LAW are available at TWiT.tv, on YouTube, and ODTV. Also, TWiL is on Twitter and Facebook, if you're so inclined. This WEEK in LAW on Facebook ...
TWiL 64 Video — NYT Has No Pulse
Episode 64 Show Notes. Video archives for this WEEK in LAW are available at TWiT.tv, on YouTube, and ODTV. Also, TWiL is on Twitter and Facebook, if you're so inclined. This WEEK in LAW on Facebook ...
TWiL 63 Video — Pink Floyd Semantics
Episode 63 Show Notes. Video archives for this WEEK in LAW are available at TWiT.tv, on YouTube, and ODTV. Also, TWiL is on Twitter and Facebook, if you're so inclined. This WEEK in LAW on Facebook ...
TWiL 62 Video — Distributing Fractional Cows
Episode 62 Show Notes. Video archives for this WEEK in LAW are available at TWiT.tv, on YouTube, and ODTV. Also, TWiL is on Twitter and Facebook, if you're so inclined. This WEEK in LAW on Facebook ...
Child Coloring with Baby Blue Color CrayonOriginally uploaded by Pink Sherbet I was volunteering at Kindergarten when the principal and two 5th graders — one African American, one Caucasian — made an unannounced visit. The principal explained they were there to "give back to the community," by...
TWiL 61 Video — Transformers Transformed
Episode 61 Show Notes. Video archives for this WEEK in LAW are available at TWiT.tv, on YouTube, and ODTV. Also, TWiL is on Twitter and Facebook, if you're so inclined. This WEEK in LAW on Facebook ...
Human Rights in the Workplace
Have you ever had one of those weeks where you are ridiculously busy yet feel like you’ve accomplished nothing? Well, that’s where I’m at as I close out this week. I think the “parent juggle” swings into high gear in June with everything from sports events to recitals to field...
Here are the posts I’ve found interesting (with a workplace human rights angle of course!) on Twitter over the course of the last two weeks [click on the links to take you to the original reference]: Seniors to outnumber kids by 2021: StatsCan http://bit.ly/9jacFv Great overview. RT @CanadianHRLaw: ...
Sorry folks….media interviews only!
Seems I made an “oops” in my last post regarding the Manitoba Human Rights Commission being open to interviews about nursing mothers and human rights protections. Turns out that the Commission is making itself available for interviews by the media and not actually doing interviews of nursing moms. Sorry for...
Manitoba Human Rights Commission seeking input from nursing mothers
In conjunction with the release of its new guidelines on protections from discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and marital and/or family status in employment, housing and services under The Manitoba Human Rights Code, appropriately entitled Parents and Pregnant Women, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission has announced its desire to...
In addition to being back to blogging I have also returned to Twitter and have, as a result, come across some interesting reading material to pass on relating to workplace human rights issues. Here’s the latest from the Twitterverse for the two week period ending May 21, 2010: So true whether...
Employee fails to show “absence of reasonable alternatives” for child care, must work night shift
Last week I posted about the “great prima facie case debate” that is occurring amongst human rights tribunals, courts and arbitrators regarding when an employee is able to prove a prima facie case of discrimination on the basis of family status. In other words, in what circumstances can an employee...
PLI SmartBrief
FTC "pay-for-delay" deals are criticized by drugmakers
-More- ...
High court reinforces arbitrator's power
A U.S. -More- ...
Congress moves quickly to finalize the reform bill
Lawmakers are quickly making deals as they strive to complete the final version of legislation to overhaul financial regulati -More- ...
L'Oreal says eBay is involved in selling fake cosmetics
-More- ...
Family leave is expected to be expanded for same-sex partners
The Labor Department is expected this week to issue rules that state workers in same-sex relationships are allowed to take fa -More- ...
Big firms send thrifty clients to small law shops
Small law firms are getting an increasing amount of their new clients through informal referrals from big law firms, as lawye -More- ...
Articles on National Review Online
A Nation of Trentons -- By: The Editors
Government employees’ unions already maintain a death grip on the finances of most state and local governments, and a remarkably bad piece of legislation -- the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act -- threatens to tighten that stranglehold, imposing the unionization of public-safety workers in the 21 states that currently do...
A Political Moment to Savor -- By: Abigail Thernstrom
State representative Tim Scott, a black Republican, has won the GOP primary in South Carolina’s First Congressional District. It’s not particularly big news in the mainstream media; perhaps Republican victories are always unwelcome -- particularly ones that put a tiny chip in the image of the GOP as whites-only. In...
Non-Leaders at the Toronto Summit -- By: Conrad Black
The G-8 and G-20 economic summit meetings about to be inflicted on the unenthused population of Toronto are illustrative of the absurdity of much of the world’s political leadership. A catalogue of all that is amiss in the world in policy terms is hardly necessary. These leaders constantly meet with...
A Conversation with Arthur C. Brooks, Part 2 -- By: Interview
EDITOR’S NOTE: Kathryn Jean Lopez continues her conversation with Arthur Brooks on his new book, The Battle: How the Fight between Free Enterprise and Big Government Will Shape America’s Future. Part 1 of the interview can be read here.KATHRYN JEAN LOPEZ: How was Scott Brown “in touch with America’s mainstream”? And why...
Why Ditching McChrystal Was Wrong -- By: Brock Dahl
General McChrystal, for all his staff’s missteps, was the right leader for the counterinsurgency in Afghanistan. If recent reports are to be believed, the U.S. military has started focusing more resources on collecting information on corrupt Afghan officials and the widespread criminal syndicates with which they are involved. As I...
Victims of the Ayatollah -- By: Clifford D. May
Iran’s rulers have long embraced Stalin’s impeccable logic: “The people who cast the votes don’t decide an election; the people who count the votes do.” So a year ago this month, they held an election and blatantly falsified the results. Iranians protested and were brutally suppressed. One victim became known worldwide:...
Personal Injury and Social Security Disability Blog
Toyota Recalling 400,000 Vehicles to Fix Steering Problems
Poor Toyota is still struggling with bad publicity. Now there's a new recall: Washington Post (7/30, Cha) reports that Toyota announced yesterday the recall of "412,000 Avalons and Lexuses for steering problems, bringing the number of cars recalled around the......
The world's luckiest (and calmest!) bicycle rider:...
Toyota Does an About-Face on Reliability of Black Boxes in Its Vehicles
The Los Angeles Times reports that Toyota has often dismissed the data collected by its event data recorders as "unreliable" and collected by "unproven technology. ... Now, facing continued claims that its vehicles are defective, Toyota appears to have done......
Tainted Food Sometimes Remains on Shelves Despite Recalls
Far too often, food contaminated during the manufacturing process is recalled, but word of the recall never reaches consumers or even the owners of grocery stores, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune. Here are some disturbing excerpts from......
Featured Link - American College of Gastroenterology
I've linked before to the American Gastroenterological Association. Here's a similar organization, the American College of Gastroenterology, with additional resources for those who suffer from digestive difficulties. Here's a description from the site: The mission of the American College of......
FocusDriven is a group with a worthy cause — to reduce auto collisions caused by drivers who talk on the phone while driving. Here is a little information about them, from their site: Who We Are FocusDriven is an advocacy......
Crime Scene KC
Elderly woman says husband egged her into killing him
You really need to read this story from the Kitsap Sun about an elderly woman who says she killed her husband because he got his gun, cocked it, handed the firearm to her and pointed at his forehead, telling her......
Man blew up his mailbox in effort to get rich, prosecutors say
A Washington man is accused of blowing up his own mailbox in what prosecutors call an elaborate scheme. The man allegedly told the victims of an investment fraud scheme in Georgia that he had crucial information in their case --......
DOJ handled fewer public corruption cases last year
That's according the Main Justice blog, which cites a report on the DOJ's Public Integrity section. There was a 30 percent drop in the number of charges filed. Public Integrity handles investigation into corruption in the federal and legislative branches.......
"When the cops come and bother me that's when I think 'Run, Colton, run. Fly, Colton, fly.' I'm proud he taught hisself how to fly." -- Pam Kohler, mother of the Colton Harris-Moore, the alleged Barefoot Bandit....
Police: Woman robbed bank because it was on her 'Bucket List'
It looks like she'll get a chance to cross "Go To Prison For Several Years" off her list, too....
Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,......
theCPLRblog
Brian Garner is coming back to New York with a new CLE: The Winning Brief. But the CLE is $395.00, and, unfortunately out of reach for poors like me. Everyone else should go. If you do go, please let Mr.......
BP CPLR R. 3043 (use it right)
CPLR R. 3043 Bill of particulars in personal injury actions Mahr v Perry, 2010 NY Slip Op 05369 (App. Div., 2nd, 2010) The appellants' objections to the plaintiffs' responses to demands number 4, 14, 18, and 19 are without merit,......
Nothing to do with fish. I just like the way the title sounds. Sorry. Fontana v LaRosa, 2010 NY Slip Op 05357 (App. Div., 2nd, 2010) The order appealed from, which denied the appellant's motion to preclude certain testimony of......
Matthius v Platinum Estates, Inc., 2010 NY Slip Op 04965 (App. Div., 2nd, 2010) JAC's contention that it was not obligated to indemnify Grymes Hill, Cullota, Ricca, and Platinum because pursuant to the merger clause in the January 17th agreement,......
The inherent power to vacate CPLR 5015
Katz v Marra, 2010 NY Slip Op 04957 (App. Div., 2nd 2010) Pursuant to CPLR 5015(a), "[t]he court which rendered a judgment or order may relieve a party from it upon such terms as may be just." This statute sets......
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue
It's time for my tri-weekly post of roundups of writing posts, motivational posts, and other assorted things that have piqued my interested. Most everything is something I found through my RSS reader. Writing 75 Books Every Writer Should Read (Online......
Law is Cool
Confidentiality Notices in emails from law students make me roll my eyes. Except this one: “POSSIBLY” CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email communication may or may not contain private, confidential, or legally privileged information, depending on what the author is saying and how he feels like that day. Usually, it will be...
Weird Legal News: Ancient Archery Law and God’s Ambassadors on the Bench
Here’s another digest of some articles I collected this week that are either funny, interesting, or just plain weird. Wiltshire vicar revives ancient archery law – BBC A vicar in England has relied on an unrepealed law from the middle ages to require all men in her village to report...
What can the mayor of Toronto really do?
Toronto will go to the polls to elect its mayor on October 25 this year. There is a lot of media interest in mayoral candidates and scandals surrounding some of them. The incumbent mayor, David Miller, also attracted media attention and intense feelings among both his supporters and detractors. But...
Podcast: Chris Bredt and BLG Climbing a Mountain
In this podcast Omar Ha-Redeye speaks to Christopher Bredt of Borden, Ladner, Gervais LLP about his plans to clime Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. Bredt will be accompanied by partners in his firm, Sean Weir, Shelley Munro, William Carter and Michael Smith. The climb is a fundraiser for...
The stakes of copyright reform
Not many government bills cause so much debate as C-32—the legislation to amend Canada’s Copyright Act—introduced on June 2, 2010. One of C-32’s most contentious innovations is a complete ban on bypassing digital locks on electronic content. James Moore, a federal Minister, said that C-32 offered “a common-sense balance between...
...