How Appealing



Saturday, February 2, 2008

“Snipes acquitted of felony charges; Actor, guilty of misdemeanors, may face prison”: The Ocala Star-Banner contains this article today.

The St. Petersburg Times reports today that “Snipes wins, loses in trial; The actor is acquitted on two felony charges but convicted of not filing tax returns.”

The Orlando Sentinel reports that “Wesley Snipes found not guilty of tax fraud, guilty of misdemeanors.”

The New York Times reports that “Wesley Snipes Cleared of Serious Tax Charges.”

The Washington Post reports that “Wesley Snipes Fights Taxman To a Draw; Action Star Found Guilty Only of Lesser Charges.”

And The Los Angeles Times reports that “Actor Snipes acquitted of tax fraud, guilty of failing to file a return; The onetime box office star faces up to three years in prison.”

Posted at 10:54 PM by Howard Bashman



“Lawyers claim Kline could ID Tiller patients; A Phill Kline spokesman counters that ‘No patient has ever been identified'”: The Wichita Eagle today contains an article that begins, “Lawyers for Wichita abortion provider George Tiller began turning over names of clinic employees to a Sedgwick County grand jury Friday. They also began, under subpoena, compiling files on women who sought late-term abortions.”

Posted at 4:00 PM by Howard Bashman



“State dropping rape prosecution”: Friday’s edition of The Republican of Springfield, Massachusetts contained an article that begins, “The state is no longer pursuing charges against a 59-year-old pharmacist who was accused of rape and two counts of indecent assault and battery. Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth G. Dineen recently filed papers to end the prosecution of Nicholas Creanza, of Wilbraham, because of a state Supreme Judicial Court interpretation of the rape law.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Legal Loophole Stops Charges in Mass.

Posted at 3:55 PM by Howard Bashman



“Insulting collections letter draws lawsuit”: The Buffalo News today contains an article that begins, “There are ‘Dear John’ letters, and then there’s the kind of missive Justin Thompson got. The Derby resident received a letter from a national collections agency that threatened to sue him over the $16.39 he owed for some CDs he ordered a year ago from Columbia House. The envelope was addressed to ‘S–t Face’ and the letter’s salutation read ‘Dear S–t.'”

Posted at 3:50 PM by Howard Bashman



“Money talks, says study of justices; Donations taint La. top court, it finds”: This article appeared yesterday in The Times Picayune of New Orleans.

Posted at 3:42 PM by Howard Bashman



“Civil unions get the nod in Oregon; A referendum ruling clears the way for gays and lesbians to register as domestic partners”: Ashbel S. Green has this article today in The Oregonian. The newspaper also reports today that “Gay couples elated by judge’s decision; Officials expect an onslaught of registrations; the forms are available online.”

And The Statesman Journal of Salem, Oregon reports today that “Domestic-partnership law takes effect; Federal judge lifts 34-day stay on Oregon benefits.”

You can access a transcript of yesterday’s oral ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon at this link.

Posted at 3:15 PM by Howard Bashman



“Ga. legislators have Roe in their sights; Lawmakers propose amendment defining life as beginning at conception; critics say it could lose in court and provide case law and windfall for abortion-rights attorneys”: This article will appear Monday in the Fulton County Daily Report.

Posted at 1:12 PM by Howard Bashman



“Divorce wants Supreme Court to rehear case; Jewish religion targeted, lawyer insists; Former wife was awarded $47,500”: The Montreal Gazette today contains an article that begins, “A Montreal man who took years to grant his wife a Jewish divorce has taken the exceptional step of asking the Supreme Court to rehear his case and is challenging the constitutionality of a section of the Divorce Act that penalizes spouses who stand in the way of religious divorces.”

Posted at 1:08 PM by Howard Bashman



“Court upholds dismissal of suit over schools’ same-sex teaching”: The Associated Press provides this report.

And the ACLU issued a press release entitled “Federal Appeals Court Says It’s OK for School to Teach Children’s Book Encouraging Tolerance for Gay People.”

My earlier coverage of Thursday’s First Circuit ruling appears at this link.

Elsewhere, this week’s issue of The Memphis Flyer contains an article headlined “Don’t Say ‘Gay’: A proposed state law would ban any discussion of homosexuality in elementary and middle schools.”

Posted at 1:02 PM by Howard Bashman



“State Court Recognizes Gay Marriages From Elsewhere”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an article that begins, “A New York appellate court ruled Friday that valid out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples must be legally recognized in New York, just as the law recognizes those of heterosexual couples solemnized elsewhere. Lawyers for both sides said the ruling applied to all public and private employers in the state.”

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports today that “Gay marriages ruled valid in N.Y.

Reuters reports that “N.Y. court declares out-of-state gay marriages valid.”

The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Court: Gay marriage in Canada should be recognized in New York.”

And the ACLU yesterday issued a press release entitled “Appeals Court Says State Must Recognize Canadian Marriage of New York Lesbian Couple.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department, at this link.

Posted at 12:40 PM by Howard Bashman



“Enron investors get new chance; Judge will allow arguments not covered previously”: The Houston Chronicle today contains an article that begins, “A federal judge in Houston on Friday left open a sliver of hope for Enron investors suing big banks over their alleged roles in defrauding investors in the energy company’s collapse. U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon will allow the plaintiffs to file additional arguments by mid-March concerning the banks’ investment-banking roles that weren’t covered previously in the case.”

Posted at 12:25 PM by Howard Bashman



Available online from law.com: Marcia Coyle reports that “Retaliation Cases Hit High Court En Masse; Justices to review trio of key cases.”

In news from California, “Google Appeal Carries Big Evidence Issue.”

And the new installment of my “On Appeal” essay for law.com is headlined “Deadline for Commenting on Federal Appellate Rule Amendments Is Fast Approaching.” In addition, my two recent blog posts on this subject can be accessed here and here.

Posted at 8:50 AM by Howard Bashman