Election Law

Suit Seeks to Force Democrats to Count Florida Delegates

A federal lawsuit filed yesterday claims the Democratic Party is required to count all of Florida’s delegates because of the state’s history of discrimination. The suit notes that Section Five of the Voting Rights Act requires the Justice Department to approve any significant voting change in Florida to make sure…

May 23, 2008 12:35 PM CDT

Justice Stevens, Considered Liberal, Joined Conservatives in Three Notable Opinions

Justice John Paul Stevens, appointed by a Republican, is regarded as one of the U.S. Supreme Court’s liberals. But he joined with conservatives in three of the court’s most recent high-profile opinions. Former Stevens clerk Joseph Thai told the Associated Press that he is beginning to wonder if Stevens is…

May 13, 2008 3:14 PM CDT

Appeals Court Tosses Fieger Suit Against State AG

Lawyer Geoffrey Fieger’s vindictive-prosecution lawsuit against Michigan Attorney General Michael Cox won’t be heard in federal court. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the lawsuit and affirmed a federal trial court’s order requiring Fieger to pay attorney fees as a sanction for making unsupported allegations against another…

May 6, 2008 4:20 PM CDT

Senate Says McCain is ‘Natural Born,’ Hence He Can Be President

Although the U.S. Senate unanimously voted earlier this week that John McCain is a natural-born U.S. citizen, that nonbinding resolution is not the final answer in a legal debate that includes at least three lawsuits challenging the presumed Republican nominee’s qualification to serve as president. Born in a U.S. military…

May 2, 2008 7:24 PM CDT

Gerry Spence Warms Up Jurors, Even If He Is a Bit Grumpy

Well-known trial lawyer Gerry Spence, coaxed out of semi-retirement to represent Geoffrey Fieger on charges of making illegal campaign contributions, has attracted several lawyers to the trial who want to see him in action. So many came, in fact, that several observers had to be turned away. Those who got…

May 2, 2008 2:49 PM CDT

Stevens Vote a Surprise in Voter ID Case

Some observers were surprised when liberal Justice John Paul Stevens wrote a lead opinion for the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday that upheld Indiana’s voter ID law. Stevens, whose opinion was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, wrote that the plaintiffs had not met…

Apr 29, 2008 1:06 PM CDT

Supreme Court Upholds Indiana Voter ID Law

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld Indiana’s voter ID law against a facial challenge. The law requires voters to show photo identification before they vote. Challengers had contended the law improperly interferes with the right of poor people and minorities to vote. Three justices said the evidence did not support…

Apr 28, 2008 2:27 PM CDT

Fieger’s Dream Team Debuts This Week

The big-name plaintiffs lawyer Jeffry Fieger has called in a couple of other recognizable legal eagles to help defend himself against allegations that he and a partner illegally contributed $127,000 to Democrat John Edwards’ failed 2004 presidential campaign. Representing Fieger will be celebrated Wyoming criminal lawyer Gerry Spence, whose website…

Apr 21, 2008 2:23 PM CDT

Nasty Race for Wisconsin Supreme Court Ends With Upset

An expensive, bitter supreme court race in Wisconsin ended Tuesday with the first unseating of a justice since 1967, when Chief Justice George Currie was ousted after he allowed the Milwaukee Braves to relocate to Atlanta. Burnett County Circuit Judge Michael Gableman succeeded in his bid for the high court,…

Apr 2, 2008 6:25 PM CDT

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Involving Anti-Clinton Movie

The U.S. Supreme Court has summarily rejected an appeal by a group that wants to buy ads promoting an anti-Hillary Clinton movie without complying with campaign finance laws. The decision lets stand a ruling by a federal district court that requires the group, Citizens United, to attach a disclaimer and…

Mar 24, 2008 2:51 PM CDT

Wisconsin Justice Dubbed ‘Loophole Louis’ in TV Ads

When Wisconsin voters decide whether to retain Justice Louis Butler on the state’s top court in the April 1 election, they may be swayed by a critical TV ad. It dubs the justice “Loophole Louis” for rulings favoring defendants in criminal cases. Not to be outdone, Butler supporters are running…

Mar 24, 2008 2:27 PM CDT

Legal Thriller Author Bashes Judicial Elections, to Chagrin of Newspaper

An editorial writer at the Wall Street Journal is taking legal thriller writer John Grisham to task for supporting merit selection of judges over judicial elections. Grisham backs merit selection of judges, as do retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and the American Bar Association (PDF). The method,…

Mar 20, 2008 1:02 PM CDT

Scalia Uses Oscar the Grouch Analogy to Support Political Party Rights

Justice Antonin Scalia showed his familiarity with Oscar the Grouch in a dissenting opinion on Tuesday that supported the right of political parties to affiliate with candidates of their choosing. Tony Mauro of Legal Times did a database check and found Scalia’s mention of the Sesame Street character was the…

Mar 20, 2008 12:31 PM CDT

Supreme Court Upholds Washington Primary System

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to Washington state’s primary system, SCOTUSblog reports. The system allows the two candidates who get the most votes to face each other in the general election, even if they are from the same party, the Associated Press reports. In the primary, candidates…

Mar 18, 2008 3:12 PM CDT

Obama Lawyer Dials in to Clinton Conference Call

Barack Obama’s campaign lawyer, Bob Bauer, found an unusual way to get some free press yesterday evening: Crash a conference call for the media convened by the Clinton camp. Bauer dialed in and called on his primary opponent to stop attacking the caucus process in Texas, clashing with Clinton communications…

Mar 5, 2008 1:13 PM CST