ABA Brief Supports Right to Counsel for Civil Contempt Defendants Facing Possible Jail Time

The ABA argues in a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief that poor people should have the right to a lawyer in civil contempt proceedings carrying a threat of jail time. The petitioner in the case, Michael Turner, served a year in prison for failing to pay child support. The South…

Jan 12, 2011 3:08 PM CST

U.S. News May Rank Third-Tier Law Schools

U.S. News & World Report is considering ranking law schools that are now lumped together in a third-tier category. U.S. News research director Robert Morse revealed the possibility last week in a meeting of the Association of American Law Schools, the National Law Journal reports. “It’s something that we’re looking…

Jan 11, 2011 2:52 PM CST

ABA Amicus Brief Backs Unanimous Verdicts in Criminal Cases

The ABA is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider a 1972 opinion that upheld nonunanimous jury verdicts in state criminal cases. The ABA is asking the Supreme Court to accept the appeal of Louisiana inmate Troy Barbour, convicted of attempted second-degree murder for shooting his employer during a quarrel.…

Jan 3, 2011 5:16 PM CST

Careful Planning Is Needed to Ensure Provision of Legal Services in Time of Disaster

Jan 1, 2011 10:10 AM CST

Happy New Tech Year: 4 First Steps for the Next 365 Days

Jan 1, 2011 7:10 AM CST

New ABA Commission Holds its First Hearing on the Legal Needs of Latinos

Jan 1, 2011 6:50 AM CST

ABA Urges Obama Administration to Ask India to Ease Restrictions on Foreign Lawyers

Jan 1, 2011 6:45 AM CST

Labor Department, ABA Join on Lawyer Referral

Jan 1, 2011 6:40 AM CST

Ethics 20/20 Sharpens its Ideas on Technology, Globalization

Jan 1, 2011 6:30 AM CST

ABA Announcements

Jan 1, 2011 6:20 AM CST

Senate OKs Insurance for Attorney Trust Accounts Sought By ABA

The United States Senate this afternoon approved a two-year extension of Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insurance for trust accounts set up by lawyers – a program that was set to expire on Dec. 31. The American Bar Association had lobbied hard for the extension. The measure covering Interest on…

Dec 22, 2010 11:48 PM CST

Congress Votes to Exempt Lawyers from ‘Red Flags Rule’

With a vote of the House of Representatives today, Congress has exempted lawyers from the so-called Red Flags Rule. Last month, the U.S. Senate also voted to protect attorneys and other professionals from having to comply with its record-keeping and safeguarding requirements. Hard-fought by the American Bar Association, the rule,…

Dec 7, 2010 9:53 PM CST

ABA Puts Off Decision on Accreditation of Foreign Law Schools

The Council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar on Saturday put off a decision on whether to accredit foreign law schools, saying the matter needs more study. The unanimous vote by the council, meeting at the Bayfront Hilton in San Diego, called for a…

Dec 5, 2010 12:55 AM CST

Barrier-Breaking US District Court Judge Is Nominated for Seat on 6th Circuit Court of Appeals

An award-winning, barrier-breaking federal district court judge has been nominated by President Barack Obama for a seat on the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Bernice Bouie Donald, who became the first female African-American bankruptcy judge in the country in 1988, and has been a federal district court judge…

Dec 2, 2010 1:16 AM CST

ABA Task Force Uses Software to Find Common IP Security Provisions

Dec 1, 2010 6:40 AM CST