How Appealing



Thursday, March 8, 2012

“Miss. Supreme Court rules Barbour pardons valid”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The Mississippi Supreme Court upheld the pardons issued by former Gov. Haley Barbour during his final days in office, including several that freed convicted killers.”

You can access today’s 6-to-3 ruling of the Supreme Court of Mississippi at this link.

Posted at 3:33 PM by Howard Bashman



“Federal appeals court hears Proposal 2 case”: Today’s edition of The Michigan Daily contains an article that begins, “Parties advocating for and against the state’s ban on affirmative action were back in court yesterday as a federal appeals court heard arguments pertaining to the policy’s constitutionality.”

Posted at 2:33 PM by Howard Bashman



“In the fable of the cat’s paw (a fable offensive to cats and cat lovers, be it noted), a monkey who wants chestnuts that are roasting in a fire persuades an intellectually challenged cat to fetch the chestnuts from the fire for the monkey, and the cat does so but in the process burns its paw.” Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner issued this opinion today on behalf of a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Update: Terry Baynes of Reuters reports that “Law based on animal fable confuses jurors, lawyers and judges.”

Posted at 12:52 PM by Howard Bashman



“It is time for cameras in the courtroom”: Online at The Hill, U.S. Representative Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) has a blog post that begins, “There is one thing on which Republicans and Democrats, not to mention a majority of the public, agree when it comes to the health insurance reform law: This month’s Supreme Court hearings on the constitutionality of that landmark legislation ought to be televised so the public can hear the oral arguments on a case that will affect the lives of every American.”

Posted at 10:47 AM by Howard Bashman



“New trial ordered in death of inmate forced to wear pink underwear; Appellate panel says judge should have allowed testimony that the dress code imposed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio in an Arizona county so traumatized a schizophrenic man that it may have caused his death”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

In today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Wrongful death suit over pink underwear reinstated.”

And Cronkite News reports that “New trial ordered over Arpaio’s pink-underwear policy for inmates.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Ninth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

Posted at 10:28 AM by Howard Bashman



“Judge needs to take a break”: Today’s edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer contains an editorial that begins, “New testimony in the political corruption trial of State Sen. Jane Orie makes it even more obvious that her sister, Justice Joan Orie Melvin, should step down at least temporarily from the state Supreme Court.”

Posted at 10:06 AM by Howard Bashman