How Appealing



Friday, April 15, 2016

“As part of our commitment to transparency, I wanted to alert you to some errors related to publishing cases in Westlaw and our print volumes that we have now corrected.” Thomson Reuters issued this statement this evening.

According to the statement:

In March, Thomson Reuters became aware that small portions of text were missing in a number of new cases posted to Westlaw due to the introduction of an upgrade to our PDF conversion process in November 2014. We immediately conducted an investigation, which revealed that approximately one-half of one percent (0.5%) of total decisions added to our collection during this period were affected by these issues.

A list of the many cases affected, including numerous federal appellate court decisions, can be accessed here. The news release also links to examples of the omissions.

Posted at 9:50 PM by Howard Bashman



“Supreme Court Immigration Ruling Won’t End Political Tussle”: Michael D. Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis will have this article in Saturday’s edition of The New York Times.

Posted at 9:00 PM by Howard Bashman



“Kansas Supreme Court to consider for the first time whether right to abortion exists in Kansas Constitution; A.G. Schmidt’s request for review granted by Chief Justice Nuss”: Earlier this week, Justin Wingerter of The Topeka Capital-Journal had an article that begins, “With six simple words Monday, the Kansas Supreme Court agreed to consider the most divisive question before it in recent years: whether the Kansas Constitution guarantees the right to an abortion.”

Posted at 8:40 PM by Howard Bashman



“The Time Ted Cruz Defended a Ban on Dildos; His legal team argued there was no right ‘to stimulate one’s genitals'”: David Corn has this report at Mother Jones.

At Jezebel’s “The Slot” blog, Joanna Rothkopf has a post titled “Are You Surprised That Ted Cruz Once Fought Passionately Against Dildos?

At “Above the Law,” Joe Patrice has a post titled “Ted Cruz Is No Fan Of Dildos.”

And AVN News reports that “Screaming O To School Ted Cruz With Lifetime Sex Toy Supply; Company responds to Cruz’s protest of self-pleasure with L.A. Academy of Sex Ed scholarship.”

My coverage of the decisions in the case when it was pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit can be accessed here and here.

Posted at 8:17 PM by Howard Bashman



“Kansas Supreme Court justice’s fundraising arm decries ‘politicized effort’ to oust members over school finance; Letter from Justice Carol Beier’s fundraising operation says Kansas confronted by self-created financial shortfall”: Jonathan Shorman has this front page article in today’s edition of The Topeka Capital-Journal.

Posted at 7:52 PM by Howard Bashman



“Ted Cruz defended Texas ban on the sale of sex toys in state”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Defending a Texas state law banning the sale of sex toys, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz argued in a 2007 court brief that individuals have no legal right to use them, even in the privacy of their own bedrooms.”

Posted at 2:28 PM by Howard Bashman



“Court ends attempt to void early gay marriage in Travis County”: Chuck Lindell of The Austin American-Statesman has an article that begins, “The Texas Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to void the marriage of two Austin women who, thanks to an order from a district judge, tied the knot four months before same-sex marriage became the law of the land last June.”

Justices Justice Don R. Willett and Jeff Brown issued concurrences (here and here) in today’s order of the Supreme Court of Texas dismissing the State of Texas’ petition for writ of mandamus as moot.

Posted at 2:24 PM by Howard Bashman



“Houston lawsuit says man and machine is a marriage made in court”: Gabrielle Banks of The Houston Chronicle has an article that begins, “Chris Sevier says he’s being denied his right to marry — his computer.”

Posted at 2:16 PM by Howard Bashman



“Supreme Court deadlocks on lead paint case, sends it to Appeals Court”: Bruce Vielmetti of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an article that begins, “A case deciding whether lead poisoning victims could sue paint companies was sent to the Court of Appeals after the Wisconsin Supreme Court deadlocked in the decision released Friday.”

Posted at 2:13 PM by Howard Bashman



“Should a 76-year-old serve life for marijuana? Supreme Court considers review of Alabama man’s sentence.” Kent Faulk of The Birmingham News has this report.

Posted at 2:03 PM by Howard Bashman