How Appealing



Thursday, April 22, 2010

“Potential Supreme Court pick Garland could find foes on left”: Friday’s edition of The Washington Post will contain an article that begins, “Unlike several other possible candidates to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Merrick B. Garland probably won’t face conservative opposition. Instead, it could be liberals lining up against him.”

Posted at 10:42 PM by Howard Bashman



“Courtly Love: Why an affair fails the ‘ick’ test.” Dahlia Lithwick will have this essay in the May 3, 2010 issue of Newsweek.

Posted at 8:25 PM by Howard Bashman



“Government to appeal ruling against Prayer Day”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The Obama administration said Thursday it will appeal a court decision that found the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional.”

Posted at 5:04 PM by Howard Bashman



“Nine Supreme Court justices? Why not stick with eight? There haven’t always been nine Supreme Court justices; In 1866, Congress reduced the Supreme Court to eight justices in protest against President Andrew Johnson.” Peter Grier of The Christian Science Monitor has this report.

Posted at 4:08 PM by Howard Bashman



“Tough enforcement against illegal immigrants is decried; Advocates say the deportation case against one Nevada couple highlights the continued harassing of many who pose no threat — despite Obama’s promises to target bad actors and help legalize others”: Today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times contains an article that begins, “When the Obama administration went before California’s 9th Circuit Court last year seeking to deport a middle-class couple from Nevada, one judge criticized the government’s case as ‘horrific.’ Another labeled it the ‘most senseless result possible.’ A third complained of ‘an extraordinarily bad use of government resources.'”

Posted at 3:57 PM by Howard Bashman



“Congressman tries again on animal cruelty law; Rep. Elton Gallegly introduces a narrower bill after the Supreme Court rejects a 1999 law that made it a federal crime to sell so-called animal crush videos”: The Los Angeles Times contains this article today.

Posted at 3:54 PM by Howard Bashman



“Judge Who Sentenced Madoff Confirmed to 2nd Circuit”: At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” David Ingram has a post that begins, “The U.S. Senate today unanimously confirmed Judge Denny Chin to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, as Democrats continued to inch through a backlog of lower-court judicial nominees.”

Posted at 3:42 PM by Howard Bashman



Programming note: I’ll be attending the oral argument of post-trial motions midday today in a case I’m working on that will soon be heading to appeal. Additional posts will appear here later this afternoon.

Posted at 10:03 AM by Howard Bashman



“Obama Meets With Senators in Effort to Speed Court Choice”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Chicago Tribune reports today that “2nd Chicago judge in the mix for Supreme Court nominee; Ann Claire Williams is the first African-American to serve on 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.”

In USA Today, Joan Biskupic reports that “‘Short list’ for court picks shows ties to Obama; Professional links have been a trend.”

James Oliphant of The Los Angeles Times has an article headlined “Why religion could affect Obama’s court nomination: With the exit of John Paul Stevens, the court will be without a Protestant for the first time; Catholics dominate; Does it matter?

The Washington Times reports that “Abortion issue looms over Supreme Court fight; White House, activists gird for reprise of ‘huge battle’ after health debate.”

The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press reports that “Leahy says court will be back to nine by August; Senate has time to confirm whomever Obama picks, lawmaker says.”

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that “Obama, Hatch talk pick for top court; Senator has already praised a leading contender.”

The Red and Black, the student newspaper of the University of Georgia, reports that “Visiting professor up for Supreme Court job.”

And in The Hill, Lanny Davis has an essay entitled “Time for another ‘Gang of 14’ agreement.”

Posted at 10:00 AM by Howard Bashman



“Judicial Bouts Reveal Power of Persuasion”: In today’s edition of The New York Times, Sheryl Gay Stolberg has a front page article that begins, “There were few liberals and just one woman on the federal appeals court in Chicago when Diane P. Wood, an antitrust expert with a flair for foreign language and an ear for playing the oboe, showed up in the summer of 1995. The chief judge, a scholarly conservative named Richard A. Posner, promptly gave her some advice. The appeals bench, Judge Posner warned, was like ‘a system of arranged marriage with no divorce.’ His message to his junior colleague was clear: Pick your battles carefully. Compromise when you can.”

Posted at 8:36 AM by Howard Bashman



“Justices Put Curbs on Payment for Lawyers”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

In today’s edition of The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Supreme Court backs bonuses for lawyers’ public interest work.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that “U.S. Supreme Court rules on Georgia case.”

And Tony Mauro and Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal report that “High Court Hands Lawyers a Mixed Bag in Rulings on Fees, Errors.”

Posted at 8:25 AM by Howard Bashman