Legal Research

Selections from National Law Journal Daily Headlines July 1, 2008

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: NLJ.com, July 1, 2008.

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FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Lawyers jockey for influence in next president's judicial appointments
"Plenty of influential lawyers have been whispering in the ears of presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama about how to mold the federal judiciary with future appointments. The potential number of judges the next president might appoint is impressive. With U.S. Supreme Court justices in their 70s and John Paul Stevens at 88, as many as five justices could step down in the next four years. The appellate and trial courts may have 45 vacancies when the new president takes office, and a bill to create 50 new judgeships could give the next president nearly 100 openings to fill immediately."

FROM THE UPCOMING ISSUE  |  Patent office proposes fee hikes for international patent applications
"The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is proposing double-digit fee hikes for international patent applications filed at the agency that fall under Patent Cooperation Treaty guidelines, which allow applicants to file an initial international patent application in one member country. The proposal would increase search fees for prior art by 24% to $2,225 from $1,800 and application transmittal fees by 38% to $415 from $300."

WEB-ONLY  |  Illinois bar supports abolition of death penalty in state
"The assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association has voted to support state legislation to abolish the death penalty in the state. Former Illinois Governor George Ryan in 2000 suspended state executions after some prisoners were found to have been wrongfully convicted. Nonetheless, the state's legislature has not passed legislation halting the practice, leaving the policy in limbo".

WEB-ONLY  |  Judge in Oracle case may be willing to impose sanctions
"A federal judge who took over the long-running Oracle Corp. securities class action case after the prior judge left the bench, gave her first indication Friday that she may be willing to impose sanctions for alleged destruction of evidence by a key defense witness in the case. The dispute over electronic discovery centers on the missing audio files of interviews with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison done in preparation for a biography of the hi-tech executive."

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on July 01, 2008 (boomark / email).