How Appealing



Thursday, November 20, 2008

“Remarks Prepared for Delivery by Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Federalist Society”: CNN is reporting that Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey collapsed while delivering these remarks this evening. More details to follow.

The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Attorney General Mukasey collapses during speech” that begins, “Attorney General Michael Mukasey has collapsed during a speech and is being taken to a hospital. Associate Attorney General Kevin O’Connor says Mukasey began shaking during a speech to the Federalist Society and collapsed. He did not immediately regain consciousness.”

At Politico, Mike Allen has this report.

Evan Perez of The Wall Street Journal has a news update headlined “Attorney General Mukasey Collapses During Speech.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “U.S. Attorney General Mukasey Collapses During Speech.”

Posted at 10:30 PM by Howard Bashman



“Gableman lawyers cite First Amendment in defense of ad”: Today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contains an article that begins, “Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman went on the offensive Wednesday against a state Judicial Commission complaint that he knowingly ran a false ad before the April election in which he beat former Justice Louis Butler. In documents they filed, Gableman’s lawyers said a state Judicial Conduct Code rule that prohibits judicial candidates from knowingly running false or misleading claims, or misrepresenting their opponent, illegally infringes on the justice’s First Amendment right of free speech.”

Via WisPolitics.com, you can access the response online at this link.

Posted at 8:57 PM by Howard Bashman



“Misconduct charge dropped for judge’s donation”: The Salt Lake Tribune today contains an article that begins, “Utah’s chief federal judge, Tena Campbell, will not face punishment for breaking the rules by donating to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Because she admitted the error, promised to stop donating to candidates and publicly apologized, she will not face any serious sanction, according to Robert H. Henry, chief justice of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Henry dropped a charge of judicial misconduct on Nov. 11, in a dismissal order that doesn’t name Campbell, but the series of events it describes matches her case.”

I have posted online at this link a copy of last week’s dismissal order.

Posted at 5:27 PM by Howard Bashman



“Judge’s nomination rejected; Utah Senate cites gun ruling — and his temper”: The Deseret News today contains an article that begins, “In a rare move, the Senate voted against the judicial confirmation of Robert Hilder, with a primary criticism being his anti-gun-rights rulings. The Senate voted 16-12 against confirmation for Hilder to Utah’s appellate bench, with one of the key criticisms being his ruling in favor of the University of Utah’s concealed weapons ban. Along with the gun ruling, Hilder was also criticized as being unable to control his temper, a problem Sen. Chris Buttars, R- West Jordan, said the judge displayed during a closed-door portion of hearings before the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee.”

And The Salt Lake Tribune reports that “Senators reject Hilder for Court of Appeals.”

Posted at 5:20 PM by Howard Bashman



“3 men plead not guilty to digging up grave to have sex with dead woman”: The Associated Press provides this report. According to The AP’s report, the men should at least be lauded for having intended to practice safe necrophelia.

And in local coverage, The Telegraph Herald of Dubuque, Iowa today contains an article headlined “Judge: Corpse case trial will stay put; Lawyers say 3 men accused of digging up woman’s body won’t get an impartial jury in Grant County.”

Posted at 5:00 PM by Howard Bashman



Obviously, he chose the law firm that would be most supportive of his blogging-related intentions and his plans to start the latest law school-based U.S. Supreme Court clinic: At her “Legalities” blog, ABC News correspondent Jan Crawford Greenburg has a post titled “Clement Decides.”

WSJ.com’s “Law Blog” offers a post titled “Former SG Paul Clement to Return to King & Spalding” consisting of a report from Jess Bravin.

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “King & Spalding Lands a Big Fish: Paul Clement.”

Of course, it’s pleasant news when “How Appealing” readers return to the ranks of the gainfully employed.

Posted at 4:48 PM by Howard Bashman



“Will Obama Have an Awkward Inaugural Moment?” Lawrence Hurley has this front page article today in The Daily Journal of California.

According to the article, “Obama will be the first-ever president to be sworn in by a chief justice whose confirmation he voted against.”

Posted at 4:40 PM by Howard Bashman



Programming note: A visit with co-counsel in a pending appeal will have me out of the office until later today. Additional posts will appear here this afternoon.

Posted at 8:02 AM by Howard Bashman



“Joyce guilty; Former state judge faces prison term”: The Erie (Pa.) Times-News today contains an article that begins, “He faces a likely prison sentence of four to five years. The federal government has the power to take his $360,000 Millcreek Township house and his $19,000 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle, as well as the money he spent on a personal plane and investments. With his conviction on federal mail-fraud and money-laundering charges on Wednesday, former state Superior Court Judge Michael T. Joyce, a former Erie County judge who rose to the top ranks of the state’s courts to preside over the liberty and property of others, now faces prison and financial ruin.”

Today in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Jason Cato reports that “Former judge found guilty in fraud, money laundering case.”

Paula Reed Ward of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Fraud jury convicts ex-judge.”

And The Legal Intelligencer reports that “Former Judge Convicted for Lying About Injuries in Auto Accident.”

It will be interesting to see whether this former Pennsylvania intermediate state appellate court judge will hire an appellate lawyer to handle his appeal.

Posted at 8:00 AM by Howard Bashman