How Appealing



Monday, January 28, 2008

“Gag order lifted in part” against law blog: The “Southern District of Florida Blog” contains this post from late this afternoon.

Posted at 11:05 PM by Howard Bashman



“Alabama Supreme Court reverses course, offers hope to ill workers”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “In a 5-4 decision, the Alabama Supreme Court reversed direction and allowed lawsuits from workers who become ill many years after being exposed to dangerous chemicals. The majority said the two-year statute of limitations for filing suit begins to run when an injury manifests itself. That overruled a 1979 decision, where the court said the window for filing suit began to run at the last exposure to the chemicals — a standard that made it impossible for workers to sue if the illness did not show up for many years.”

And the blog “Alabama Appellate Watch” provides this link to the ruling, along with a post titled “Alabama Supreme Court Overrules Garrett v. Raytheon; Claim For Exposure To Toxic Substance Now Accrues When There Is A Manifest Injury.”

Posted at 10:57 PM by Howard Bashman



“Verdict in on Talent Agency Act; No clear victory for either side”: Variety provides an article that begins, “The California Supreme Court did not hand a clear victory to either side, but managers came out ahead with Monday’s much-anticipated decision about the Talent Agency Act.”

The Hollywood Reporter reports that “Court rules on Talent Agencies Act.”

And The Los Angeles Business Journal reports that “Court Rules for Manager.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of California at this link.

Posted at 10:47 PM by Howard Bashman



“Gun Shy: Has the Bush administration abandoned gun rights advocates?” Benjamin Wittes has this essay online at The New Republic.

And Jan Crawford Greenburg, at her “Legalities” blog, recently addresed the same question in a post titled “”No Gun Quickdraw.”

Posted at 10:42 PM by Howard Bashman



“Looking Anew at Campaign Cash and Elected Judges”: You can access tomorrow’s installment of Adam Liptak’s “Sidebar” column at this link.

Posted at 10:40 PM by Howard Bashman



“Cases piling up before justices”: The San Antonio Express-News on Sunday contained an article that begins, “At a time when the Texas Supreme Court’s case backlog has reached record levels, Justice Paul Green was spending Friday driving to Corpus Christi to speak to a group of appeals lawyers.”

Posted at 10:24 PM by Howard Bashman



“U.S. and British High Courts Compared; Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Baroness Brenda Hale of Richmond Share Similarities of Serving in Top Judicial Seats”: Georgetown University issued this news release today.

Posted at 10:18 PM by Howard Bashman



“Wanted: lawyers to defend accused terrorists.” Canwest News Service provides a report that begins, “The federal government is having trouble recruiting an experienced pool of lawyers to work as ‘special advocates’ on behalf of terror suspects under Canada’s security certificate law.”

Posted at 10:15 PM by Howard Bashman



“Rendell said to settle on Colins for Pa. high court job”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “Gov. Ed Rendell is preparing to nominate a former Commonwealth Court judge to fill a vacant spot on the state Supreme Court, according to the judge and legislative officials who were briefed Monday by the governor’s aides. Judge James Gardner Colins, reached by telephone, said he believes his nomination may face some opposition in the Senate, but was confident he will ultimately be confirmed.”

Posted at 10:14 PM by Howard Bashman



“Court OKs ‘Choose Life’ license plates in Arizona”: Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle provides this news update.

The Arizona Daily Star provides a news update headlined “Court OKs anti-abortion license plates for Arizona vehicles.”

The Associated Press reports that “Court rules Arizona must allow ‘choose life’ license plate.”

And Reuters reports that “Anti-abortion slogan OK’d on Arizona license plates.”

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

Posted at 9:00 PM by Howard Bashman



If a district court incorrectly instructs the jury on how to calculate damages, and the jury compounds the error by returning a verdict for a larger amount of damages than the erroneous instruction would permit, what is a federal appellate court to do? Today, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addresses whether the correct remedy is a remittitur, thereby reducing the damages down to the maximum amount that could have been awarded under the erroneous but unobjected-to instruction, or a new trial with a proper instruction on calculating damages.

The court’s opinion, written by Circuit Judge Ed Carnes, holds that a new trial is necessary. In the course of reaching that conclusion, he has the pleasure of considering whether to apply the legal doctrine “known by the delightful title of the ‘tipsy coachman.'”

Posted at 8:45 PM by Howard Bashman



“Carona’s pro bono defense deal; A lawyer at one of the country’s top law firms has taken a professional interest in the case of the former Orange County sheriff”: The Los Angeles Times today contains an article that begins, “As former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona prepares for trial on criminal charges that he sold access to his office for cash, favors and gifts, he has retained the best lawyers money can buy. And he’s getting them nearly free of charge. Jones Day, the fourth-largest law firm in the United States, with 2,300 lawyers worldwide and estimated annual revenue of $1.3 billion, has agreed to represent Carona on a pro bono basis. Based in Cleveland, the elite firm represents more than half the companies that constitute the Fortune 500. Though not unheard of, the case — defending an allegedly corrupt sheriff who is making about $200,000 a year in retirement — is unusual by pro bono standards. Typically, pro bono work involves providing legal services to society’s most vulnerable — the indigent, the homeless, the infirm.”

Posted at 8:12 AM by Howard Bashman



“Grace Bets On Winning Asbestos Lawsuits; Judge’s Ruling May Decide Firm’s Future”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

Posted at 8:05 AM by Howard Bashman



“Pathologist Accused of Profiting From Office”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “By his own count, Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, one of the nation’s foremost forensic pathologists, has testified in more than 1,000 civil and criminal trials in his 46-year career, and opined on thousands more on television, on radio and in print. But now, for the second time in his life, Dr. Wecht is the accused. In a case Congressional Democrats say is a politically motivated prosecution by a Republican administration, Dr. Wecht, a Democrat, is in federal court here facing 41 criminal counts. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday. Those counts include mail fraud, wire fraud and theft of honest services. The most serious charges could send him to prison for up to 20 years per count.”

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review today contains profiles of the lead opposing lawyers in articles headlined “Jerry McDevitt’s client will be judged, but so will the government” and “Stephen Stallings is no stranger to high-profile cases.” Reporter Jason Cato will provide trial updates at this link.

And The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today offers a listing of key figures in the case; a timeline; and access to the indictments and some other key documents.

Posted at 7:54 AM by Howard Bashman



“If You Can’t Win the Case, Buy an Election and Get Your Own Judge”: Today in The New York Times, Janet Maslin has this review of John Grisham’s new book, “The Appeal.”

Posted at 7:45 AM by Howard Bashman



“Get sensible on judgeships”: The Boston Globe today contains an editorial that begins, “The process of picking the next president is hogging the spotlight, but the public should also be paying attention to the process of vetting federal judges.”

Posted at 7:38 AM by Howard Bashman



“Quizzing Justice: Justice Scalia speaks, answers questions at honors lecture.” This article appeared Friday in The Reflector of Mississippi State University.

Posted at 7:32 AM by Howard Bashman