How Appealing



Monday, March 10, 2008

“When Scalia Argued Before – Not With – the Supreme Court”: Tony Mauro has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times” about Bryan Garner’s videotaped interviews, available online via this link, with eight of the nine current U.S. Supreme Court Justices about legal writing and advocacy.

In this post from January 18, 2007, I recommended viewing the videos of several of Garner’s interviews with U.S. Court of Appeals judges.

Posted at 6:05 PM by Howard Bashman



“Reporter Tries to Block Daily Fines”: Pete Yost of The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A former USA Today reporter asked an appeals court Monday to block daily fines levied by a judge who wants her to disclose confidential sources for stories on a scientist under scrutiny in the 2001 anthrax attacks.”

You can view the D.C. Circuit filing at this link (viaTony Mauro at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times“).

Posted at 5:52 PM by Howard Bashman



“Threats Against Judges, Lawyers on the Rise; Marshals, Judges Try to Combat Increasing Number of Threats”: ABCNews.com provides this report.

Posted at 5:35 PM by Howard Bashman



“Brian Nichols trial set for July 10; Judge will push hard, plans to work Saturday, he says”: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides a news update that begins, “The new judge in the Brian Nichols courthouse shooting case on Monday set a trial date of July 10 as he seeks to get the much-delayed case moving.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Judge Reschedules Court Shooting Trial.”

Posted at 2:35 PM by Howard Bashman



“House Files Contempt Lawsuit”: Pete Yost of The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “The House Judiciary Committee filed suit Monday to force former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten to provide information about the firing of U.S. attorneys.”

You can view the complaint initiating suit (which may reveal the current home address of former White House Counsel and U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers) at this link, while a press release that the House Judiciary Committee issued today can be accessed here.

Posted at 12:22 PM by Howard Bashman



“26-Year Secret Kept Innocent Man In Prison; Lawyers Tell 60 Minutes They Were Legally Bound From Revealing Secret”: This segment (transcript) appeared on yesterday evening’s broadcast of the CBS News program “60 Minutes.” And you can access the video of the segment by clicking here.

Posted at 8:55 AM by Howard Bashman



“Gory image published of wounded detainee”: Sunday in The Miami Herald, Carol Rosenberg had an article that begins, “A Toronto newspaper on Saturday published a graphic photo of long-held Guantanamo captive Omar Khadr, a Canadian youth captured during a 2002 firefight with U.S. forces in Afghanistan and severely wounded in his chest.”

The photograph at issue appeared Saturday online at The Toronto Star, accompanying part one (caution, graphic photo) of an excerpt from reporter Michelle Shephard’s forthcoming book, “Guantanamo’s Child: The Untold Story of Omar Khadr.” Part two of the book excerpt appeared online yesterday.

Posted at 8:50 AM by Howard Bashman



“After campus gets ‘juicier,’ Yale considers legal options; Citing anonymity of site, Gentry consults general counsel about banning JuicyCampus at Yale”: This article appeared Friday in The Yale Daily News.

Posted at 8:24 AM by Howard Bashman



“Aversion to Death Penalty, but No Lack of Cases”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an article that begins, “They are an ignominious bunch: two Bronx heroin dealers who murdered an informant, a father and son who killed three people in a drug deal, a Brooklyn gangster hired in the killing of a husband for the victim’s wife. These five men are linked not only by the nature of their crimes but by the fact that federal juries in New York decided that they should not be put to death. In the 20 years since the federal death penalty statute was revived, no federal juries have been more reluctant to sentence federal defendants to death than those in New York.”

Posted at 8:20 AM by Howard Bashman



“Felon on the Bench: No one to judge.” The Philadelphia Inquirer today contains an editorial that begins, “It’s fine that reality TV’s ‘Judge Mathis’ was a former gang member who did time behind bars. But in the real world, it’s far from entertaining to have a convicted felon in black robes. For more than six years, Municipal Court Judge Deborah S. Griffin has been serving under just such a cloud. Despite a 1984 felony fraud conviction that she has repeatedly tried to hide, Griffin, 54, has managed to practice law, worked as an assistant Philadelphia district attorney, and twice been elected judge, despite poor marks from the legal community. Finally, after what appears to be inordinate tardiness, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is considering whether Griffin should be bounced from the bench.”

Posted at 8:17 AM by Howard Bashman



“Lawyer for ex-judge seeks change of venue”: Two Sundays ago, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an article that begins, “The attorney for the first state appellate judge to be charged with a crime in 14 years wants the federal trial moved from Erie to Pittsburgh because of pretrial publicity.”

And late last month, The Erie Times-News published articles headlined “Joyce wants trial moved to Pittsburgh” and “Joyce seeks full statements; Retired judge says interviews could help his defense in fraud case.”

Posted at 8:10 AM by Howard Bashman



“Reporter’s lawyers seek to delay fines; Ex-USA TODAY writer told to pay out of own pocket”: This article appears today in USA Today.

The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Judge forces reporter to pick between sources, bankruptcy; Ruling sends chilling message to journalists, whistle-blowers.” And Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds has an op-ed entitled “No ‘freedom to keep secrets’; If anyone can be a journalist, anyone could defy a subpoena.”

Posted at 8:00 AM by Howard Bashman