How Appealing



Sunday, February 10, 2008

“The Future of the Supreme Court : New York Times Supreme Court Correspondent Linda Greenhouse and CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin talk about recent cases and shifts in the Court since Justice Alito and Chief Justice Roberts joined.” This installment (RealPlayer required) of C-SPAN’s “America and the Court” series aired on Saturday, February 2, 2008.

Posted at 11:18 PM by Howard Bashman



“Because They Said So”: The New York Times today contains an editorial that begins, “Even by the dismal standards of what passes for a national debate on intelligence and civil liberties, last week was a really bad week. The Senate debated a bill that would make needed updates to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — while needlessly expanding the president’s ability to spy on Americans without a warrant and covering up the unlawful spying that President Bush ordered after 9/11.”

Posted at 10:52 PM by Howard Bashman



“U.S. Said to Seek Execution for 6 in Sept. 11 Case”: The New York Times on Monday will contain an article that begins, “Military prosecutors have decided to seek the death penalty for six Guantanamo detainees who are to be charged with central roles in the Sept. 11 terror attacks, government officials who have been briefed on the charges said Sunday.”

Posted at 10:48 PM by Howard Bashman



“Judgment lacking in ethics case”: The St. Petersburg Times today contains an editorial that begins, “Put aside, for a moment, the possible motivations. An appellate judge who blew the whistle on a jarring conflict of judicial interest is now being punished by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, and its selective prosecution is indefensible. The commission, which has shown undue tolerance in recent years for many judges’ misdeeds, is all but throwing the book at 1st District Court of Appeal Judge Michael E. Allen. His crime is that he questioned whether the court’s then-chief judge, Charles J. Kahn Jr., should have recused himself in a high-profile corruption case that was defended by his former law partner.”

One week ago today, the newspaper contained an article headlined “Lust, lies and disorder in court; Sworn statements of judges show a bizarre conflict playing out behind the scenes.” On Friday, the newspaper reported that “Perjury charge looming for district judge; Judge Michael E. Allen is accused of lying about his feelings toward a fellow judge.” And on Thursday, the newspaper contained an article headlined “Misdeeds of other judges off limits? A panel wants to block some testimony in the trial of a judge accused of unbecoming conduct.”

Friday’s edition of The Tallahassee Democrat contained an article headlined “Judge’s impropriety not relevant, says attorney” that begins, “Judge Charles Kahn’s hot temper and sexual affairs have nothing to do with charges of misconduct against a fellow 1st District Court of Appeal judge and mention of it should be barred as evidence, lawyers for the Judicial Qualification Commission argue.”

And The Pensacola News Journal yesterday contained an editorial entitled “Court panel’s actions outrageous.”

I wrote about this matter in the May 14, 2007 installment of my “On Appeal” column for law.com headlined “When Should a Judge Face Discipline for What an Opinion Says?

This blog’s earliest coverage of this matter appeared in this post from July 2006.

Posted at 2:54 PM by Howard Bashman



“Spring man explains civil suit against law school”: Yesterday’s edition of The Houston Chronicle contained an article that begins, “A Spring man suspended last fall by a private Virginia law school for posting an unflattering Internet image of its founder, televangelist Pat Robertson, told a Houston federal judge Friday that he was misled into enrolling at the Christian university.”

According to the article, U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent has been assigned to the case.

Posted at 2:05 PM by Howard Bashman



“Key figures face grueling times in capital cases”: The Casper Star-Tribune today contains an article that begins, “Intensely stressful. Overwhelming. Simply miserable. The attorneys who’ve litigated death penalty cases in Wyoming don’t mince words when describing the experience. Fighting for the ultimate punishment, or fighting to prevent it, is an emotionally taxing business that sticks with the participants long after the outcome has been decided.”

Posted at 1:48 PM by Howard Bashman