U.S. Supreme Court

Fuss Over Firm’s $1.8 M ‘Pro Bono’ Fee

A major Seattle-based law firm’s effort to collect $1.8 million from taxpayers in a pro bono case has ignited a firestorm of controversy. As provided for by statute, Davis Wright Tremaine wants to collect for seven years of work for a prevailing plaintiff in a reverse-race-discrimination case that went to…

Sep 17, 2007 9:35 PM CDT

Obama Next Supreme Court Justice?

Legal writer Jeffrey Toobin, author of a new book on the U.S. Supreme Court, tells the Wall Street Journal Law Blog that Barack Obama could be the next nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Toobin thinks it could happen if Hillary Clinton is elected president. Obama is a former law…

Sep 17, 2007 12:13 PM CDT

Novel Court Order: No Gang Loitering

In an unusual and controversial approach to criminal activity by street gangs, a California judge issued a preliminary injunction today prohibiting more than 100 alleged members of a notorious Riverside street gang from gathering together in certain public areas. If it is made permanent by Superior Court Judge Edward D.…

Sep 14, 2007 11:38 PM CDT

Public Flunks Supreme Court Quiz

The public knows little about the workings of the U.S. Supreme Court, according to a new survey. A majority of Americans did not know that U.S. Supreme Court rulings are final, and only one in seven could name John G. Roberts Jr. as the chief justice, a press release (PDF)…

Sep 14, 2007 2:51 PM CDT

Roberts: Lawyers and Firefighters Alike

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. compared lawyers to firefighters in a speech yesterday, concluding that both are viewed as “a little bit nuts.” He told students at the University of Montana law school that both groups jump into difficult situations and have a strong camaraderie, the Associated Press reports.…

Sep 14, 2007 11:01 AM CDT

Justice Thomas to Appear on ‘60 Minutes’

Justice Clarence Thomas will appear on 60 Minutes on Sept. 30 to publicize his new book, My Grandfather’s Son: A Memoir. Thomas received a $1.5 million advance from HarperCollins for the book, which focuses on his childhood and ends with the battle over his 1991 confirmation, Legal Times reports. Some…

Sep 13, 2007 10:33 AM CDT

18-Year Terms for Justices?

Dozens of academics from both sides of the political spectrum are questioning whether U.S. Supreme Court justices should have life tenure. A popular proposal is for a constitutional amendment to give justices 18-year terms, allowing presidents to appoint a new justice every two years, the New York Times reports. Another…

Sep 10, 2007 12:24 PM CDT

1940s Justice Influences Terrorism Cases

A justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1940s has had a major influence in several recent opinions, thanks to one of his former clerks—U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. Stevens has relied on World War II-era opinions written by Justice Wiley B. Rutledge, who served on the…

Sep 8, 2007 1:53 PM CDT

Book: Souter Distraught Over Bush v. Gore

U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter was distraught over what he viewed as a partisan decision by a majority of his colleagues in Bush v. Gore and considered stepping down from his seat on the bench of the nation’s highest court over the ruling. That is what an upcoming book…

Sep 6, 2007 8:50 PM CDT

ACLJ is Key Contender in Religious Cases

Most lawyers are probably familiar with the ACLU. Far fewer attorneys may have heard of the ACLJ. However, the two civil rights organizations—sometimes fighting together and sometimes on opposing sides—are both key players in ongoing efforts to protect religious rights. The ACLJ—American Center for Law and Justice—is a leading Christian…

Sep 5, 2007 12:44 AM CDT

Setting Precedent In Two Wars

How Justice Stevens turned 60-year-old dissents into major rulings in the war on terrorism

Sep 1, 2007 6:00 AM CDT

UCLA: Public School Segregation Worse

Despite decades of efforts to end “separate but equal” public education for children of different races, the nation’s school system is getting more segregated rather than less. And a decision in June by the U.S. Supreme Court forbidding most voluntary efforts to desegregate is likely to accelerate that trend, reports…

Aug 30, 2007 4:14 PM CDT

Two SG Lawyers Step Into Fray

U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement’s appointment to serve as acting attorney general has resulted in a temporary promotion for his deputy Gregory Garre, who will fill Clement’s post on an acting basis. SCOTUSblog cites the “real prospect” that the two Bush policy loyalists could get the jobs on a permanent…

Aug 28, 2007 2:15 PM CDT

IL Court Snuffs Light Cigarette Suit

Enough, already. That appeared to be the message of the Illinois Supreme Court, when it issued a two-paragraph supervisory order yesterday directing a Madison County judge to drop efforts to reopen a light cigarettes class action that originally resulted in a $10.1 billion verdict, the largest ever in the state.…

Aug 24, 2007 11:46 AM CDT

FEC Drafting Campaign Ad Rule

The Federal Election Commission hopes to have a rule in place before the 2008 primaries that makes clear what kind of issue-oriented ads are permitted under a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The issue has been hotly debated by election law blawggers who differ on the impact of the ruling,…

Aug 22, 2007 5:44 PM CDT