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Post Frequency: 1.8/day Last Entry: November 16, 2009 at 17:49:00 Recent Entries: 549
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Fastcase Tips: Constructing a Broad Keyword Search
Posted on November 16, 2009Get your week started off right with a Fastcase Research Tip. Today, we have tips for creating a broad search query. When you are getting started on a new research project, it is usually a good idea to start with a broad search query and then narrow your query until you get an acceptable number of results...
Facebook: The Perfect Alibi
Posted on November 11, 2009In the past, we have blogged about how social-networking can get lawyers and defendants in to hot water. Well, there are two-sides to every coin, and today The New York Times reports how 19 year-old Rodney Bradford's Facebook status updates kept him out of jail...
Free Wi-Fi for the Holidays Courtesy of Google!
Posted on November 10, 2009Traveling during the holidays is always a harrowing, but Google is taking the edge off this year by providing free wi-fi at 47 participating airports (and on Virgin America flights). The program (which honestly sounds a little too good to be true) starts next Monday November 16, 2009 and runs through January 15, 2010...
Can You Patent a Method for Speed Dating?
Posted on November 09, 2009We've been on sort of an intellectual-property law roll here on the Fastcase blog, and today we have another IP news flash for you -- and this one is a doozie. The amicus count (70!) on this one blows McDonald v. Chicago out of the water.On Monday the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Bilski v...
Innovation and Unbundling in Legal Research
Posted on November 04, 2009In a recent post on Westlaw's (and Thomson Reuters's) Legal Current Blog, one of the elder statesmen of legal information theory, Professor Bob Berring discusses free legal information, and why he believes that it does not pose a threat to traditional legal publishers...
Do You Have a Privacy Interest In Your Gmail? Nope.
Posted on October 29, 2009Loyal readers, we apologize for the paucity of blog posts recently. We promise to return with more juicy posts soon. For now, check out this post from the Wall Street Journal Law Blog describing a scary (but thoughtful) opinion by a federal judge in Oregon that holds that law enforcement authorities can search your Gmail without notifying you...
iPhone Patent Battle Brewing (Links to Patents Included)
Posted on October 22, 2009by flickr user kyz With a product as popular as Apple's iPhone (Apple recently reported that it sold 7.4 million iPhones sold in the last quarter) it was only a matter of time before the intellectual property lawsuits started pouring in...
Legal Quote of the Day
Posted on October 22, 2009This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice. ~ Olver Wendell Holmes
Notable Articles ...
Posted on October 22, 2009Reduced legal aid rates will cause 'mass exodus' of law firms~ The Times OnlineCasemaker vs Fastcase: Closed vs "Open" Source ~ Oregon Legal Research Blog Emerging Internet Trends: An Analysis of Mary Meeker's Web 2.0 Summit Presentation~ Read Write WebMoscow court terminates $22...
Social Networking R.I.P.? Plus: How 140 Characters Can Get You Into a Lot of Trouble
Posted on October 19, 2009This past week, we have devoted a number of posts to the intersection of law and social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Were we too late? Are these familiar social networking sites already passé? According to this article from today's Washington Post, sophisticated internet users are already looking for the next big thing...
Conviction a la My Space
Posted on October 16, 2009Last week, we blogged about the ethical pitfalls of using social networks to gather evidence. Once such evidence has been gathered (ethically), is it admissible? According to the Indiana Supreme Court, it is.This morning, The Wall Street Journal Law Blog featured the Indiana Supreme Court's decision in Clark v...
Are "Superb" Civil Rights Lawyers Entitled to Larger Fees?
Posted on October 15, 2009The 11th Circuit Court Appeals certainly thinks so. In Perdue v. Kenny A., the 11th Circuit upheld the district court's $4.5 million upward adjustment of attorney's fees based on the "superb" lawyering by the plaintiffs' attorneys. Perdue was a 42 U...
Legal Quote of the Day: Publius Syrus
Posted on October 13, 2009The guilty dread the law, the innocent fear fortune. ~ Publius Syrus Source (Google Books): The moral sayings of Publius Syrus, a Roman slave: from the Latin
Fastcase Docket Review: A Weekly Round-up of Notable Lawsuits
Posted on October 09, 2009TGIF! Get your weekend started with our first ever Fastcase Docket Review - a round-up of notable (and sometimes humorous) lawsuits filed around the country. Earlier this week, NBC San Diego reported that a number of environmental groups including the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit to protect the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep...
Legal Ethics Pitfalls of Social Networks
Posted on October 08, 2009By now it has become standard practice for many law enforcement authorities to mine social networking sites like Facebook and My Space for pictures of folks engaged in unlawful activity (e.g. college students engaged in under-age drinking or minors unlawfully possessing firearms) in order to bring charges...
Legal Quote of the Day: Publius Syrus
Posted on October 08, 2009Guilty men beg, the innocent are indignant. ~ Publius Syrus
FTC Cracks Down on Payola in the Blogosphere
Posted on October 06, 2009Under the FTC's latest revisions to its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, bloggers who fail to disclose payments they have received from the subjects of their reviews may face penalties of up to $11,000 per violation...
Watch C-SPAN's Supreme Court Documentary Online
Posted on October 06, 2009C-SPAN is running a program special focusing on the Supreme Court this week. They've developed an interesting and engaging 90 minute documentary of the Supreme Court with interviews both of active and retired justices. Watch it at the link below: C-SPAN: The Supreme Court: Home to America's Highest Court Source: C-SPAN
Supreme Decision: Gaming the Supreme Court?
Posted on October 05, 2009Who is the newest female Supreme Court justice? If you guessed Justice Sonia Sotomayor, then you guessed wrong. We are talking about Justice Irene Waters, a member of the fictional high court in ?Supreme Decision?, a brand new online game developed by Our Courts...
White House Clamps Down on Texting While Driving By Federal Employees
Posted on October 02, 2009On Wednesday evening, President Obama signed an executive order banning texting while driving by federal workers. Specifically, the order prohibits federal employees from texting while driving government vehicles as well while driving their own vehicles if they are using cell phones paid for by the government...
Second Amendment Redux: McDonald v. Chicago Roundup
Posted on October 01, 2009Less than 48 hours after the Supreme Court granted certiorari in McDonald v. Chicago (08-1521), the blogosphere is already reverberating with reactions. The question presented in McDonald is ?Whether the Second Amendment is incorporated into the Due Process Clause or the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment so as to be applicable to the States, thereby invalidating ordinances prohibiting possession of handguns in the home...
Oregon State Bar Makes the Switch to Fastcase!
Posted on October 01, 2009Welcome to members of the Oregon State Bar -- in partnership with Fastcase, you now get access to the smartest tools for online legal research!This exclusive member benefit includes Fastcase?s patented online legal research system, the smartest set of tools for online research...
The Law of the Lawless: The Pirate Code
Posted on September 30, 2009Liberty. Equality. Fraternity. These high-minded ideals may not be the first three words that come to mind when you think about pirates. However, a new book, ?The Invisible Hook? by economist Peter T. Leeson, explains that a desire to maximize profits led pirates to develop an organized and efficient form of self-governance embodying these ideals...
Finding Pro Bono Opportunities - Get Started Here!
Posted on September 30, 2009Looking for a way to contribute? Take a look at your state's pro bono opportunity guide. Here are a couple of links to help you get started: Nationwide National Pro Bono Opportunity Guide By State Oregon State Bar Pro Bono Program New York State Pro Bono Opportunities New Jersey Pro Bono Opportunities Guide ISBA Pro Bono Opportunities Florida Pro Bono Opportunities By Practice Area American Immigration Lawyers Association International Law Civil Rights Or, go to Google and search for: "pro bono" and opportunity and your state
Hate Twitter? Plato Felt the Same Way About the Written Word.
Posted on September 28, 2009Salon recently interviewed Dennis Baron, a professor at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Baron?s new book ?A Better Pencil? aims to put Facebook, Google, and texting into a historical context in order to show that social media isn?t ruining the world...
New AIDS Vaccine Generates Helpful Questions
Posted on September 26, 2009The new AIDS vaccine, RV 144 was declared a success after its six-year clinical trial. Vaccinated volunteers contracted AIDS1/3 less often than those given a placebo. This was welcome news after twenty years of vaccine failures...
Oakland Neighborhood Association Sues Lehman for Clean Up and Nuisance
Posted on September 26, 2009The Sequoyah Hills/Oak Knoll Neighborhood Association (totaling 4500 homeowners) filed claims in New York Bankruptcy Court this week looking damages related to lost funds that were to back the redevelopment of the old Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. One month after Lehman declared bankruptcy last September, the developer stopped preparing the buildings for demolition...
Witnesses Believe Doctored Video Over Memory, Study Shows
Posted on September 23, 2009A recent study in Applied Cognitive Science shows that people believed the video taped account of an event even when it differs from the reality that they witnessed. In a time when even experts have trouble telling when a video has been doctored, this could present an evidence problem...
Facebook No Longer Fined for Failing to Release Photos
Posted on September 16, 2009The Virginia Workers Compensation Commission recently announced that it would stop its $200-a-day fine on Facebook for refusing to comply with an airline?s subpoena for information about a flight attendant who used to work for the airline. The airline claimed that Facebook photos proved that the ex-flight attendant had posted holiday photos...
The Green Dam is Crumbling in China
Posted on September 15, 2009The Chinese government had mandated that a filtering software be put on to all computers sold in the country earlier this year. The Green Dam software prevented sites from being viewed and is essentially a filter blocking access to what the Chinese government deemed inappropriate material...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on September 14, 2009Russian cab driver gets 7 years in prison for treason ~ RIA Novosti Turn an Email Outage into a Productivity Boost ~ Harvard Business Former Hague official found guilty of contempt for book revelation ~ France24 Google Now in XXL ~ The New York Times
New Rules for Offering Music Online in China
Posted on September 09, 2009China's government is requiring music sites to seek approval from censors for all foreign songs distributed on the Internet. China's Ministry of Culture is requiring all music providers out of China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan submit lyrics translated into Chinese (along with other documents) for every song they wish to sell in China to prevent the "intermingling of good and bad content" online...
Sites We Like: Gizmodo
Posted on September 08, 2009Do you like to keep up with the latest gadget and technology news? Check our Gizmodo, a self proclaimed 'gadget blog' which offers reviews of products and the latest tech rumors. We're all about using the latest and greatest technology here at Fastcase and we want our user experience to reflect that...
Are Students Protected From Unreasonable Search and Seizure?
Posted on September 08, 2009The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit on the behalf of a Mississippi middle school student. Richard Wade, a 12 year old student at Southaven Middle School, had his cell phone confiscated by the football coach and then viewed by the principal and Southaven police...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on September 08, 2009Firms develop guidelines for attorney social networking ~ Wisconsin Law Journal Google Book Search creates a continental divide ~ France24 "Anonymized" data really isn't?and here's why not ~ Ars Technica Skype and CNN strike ad deal ~ www...
Fan Removed from Yankees Stadium for Using the Bathroom During "God Bless America" Settles for $22,000
Posted on July 08, 2009Without admitting liability, the Yankees, NYPD, and NYC settled with Bradford Campeau-Laurion, the man removed from Yankee Stadium for attempting to use the bathroom during "God Bless America." Campeau-Laurion will be paid $10,001 and his attorneys (the New York Civil Liberties Union) will be paid $12,000 as a part of the settlement...
Google Operating System (OS) Announced
Posted on July 08, 2009Google has announced their intention to release an operating system built off their speedy Chrome browser. The Google OS will be based up a linux kernel and will be developed in tandem with the open source community.If you are not using Chrome, you can download it here...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on July 07, 2009How to vanquish mobile spam ~ Cnet Automakers? Swift Cases in Bankruptcy Shock Experts ~ The New York Times Justice Deptartment eyeing telecom probe ~ Reuters Amazon Patent Details Ad-Supported Kindle Books ~ Gizmodo
Fastcase Announces Law Librarian Trivia Contest
Posted on July 07, 2009Starting tomorrow, Fastcase will hold a trivia contest for law librarians attending the American Association of Law Libraries conference (AALL) in Washington, DC.About the Trivia Contest:The contest begins at 1:23 pm eastern on Wednesday, July 8 and will lead up to the AALL annual conference starting July 25...
Ethics Watch: May a Lawyer Examine Metadata Contained in Electronic Documents?
Posted on July 06, 2009What is Metadata? Metadata is "data about data." It's hidden in most of your documents and contains information about the document's history. For example, if you prepare a document and send it to colleagues who amend and comment on the document, and you then email the document to a third party, that person may be able to "mine" the document and view the amendments which were later deleted...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on July 06, 2009Smaller Law Firms Get More Big Company Work, Survey Finds ~ ABA Journal Lawyers set to square off over Michael Jackson estate ~ Reuters Court Ruling Clears Path for G.M. to Restructure ~ The New York Times Carbon ring storage promises 1,000 times higher memory density ~ Engadget
Seven Facts About the Statue of Liberty: Happy 4th of July!
Posted on July 04, 2009Happy Fourth of July! Today is the day that visitors will again be allowed to climb up into the crown of the Statue of Liberty. (The statue had been closed for security reasons following September 11.) In celebration - we bring you these: "7 Obscure Facts About The Statue Of Liberty...
Free Book of the Month: The Art of Cross Examination
Posted on July 01, 2009Click here to download.Source: Google Books
Law Technology News: "Fastcase has the clear edge."
Posted on June 30, 2009Law Technology News today ran an in-depth comparison of Fastcase and Casemaker - the two most popular legal research services offered by state bar associations - and concluded that although both are valuable, "Fastcase has the clear edge."The point-by-point comparison, by legal journalist Robert J...
Being a Lawyer Justifies a Buying a Kindle
Posted on June 24, 2009The ABA offers the following five reasons why lawyers should purchase a Kindle: 1. Read depositions on the go. 2. Secure private documents for travel. 3. Write your novel (about being a lawyer). 4. Read your law blogs. 5. Save cash on ink and paper. Source: ABA Journal
Fastcase Advanced Bankruptcy Searching Webinar for NACBA, June 23rd
Posted on June 22, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to attend our special Advanced Bankruptcy Searching webinar. Find out more about your member benefit and learn everything there is to know about finding the bankruptcy case law you're looking for. Click here to register for your webinar at 1pm on June 23rd, 2009...
Salinger Lawsuit Gets Underway
Posted on June 19, 2009Infamous author and recluse, JD Salinger has received encouraging news regarding his lawsuit against fellow author, Fredrik Colting, for plagiarism. Colting, under the pen name John David (JD) California, wrote "Sixty Years Later", a work that follows Holden Caulfield, the legendary character from Salinger?s most popular work "The Catcher in the Rye", in his old age...
DOJ Commits to Harsher Hate Crimes Penalties
Posted on June 19, 2009U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has made it clear that, going forward, one of the primary goals of the Justice Department will be to fight not only terrorism abroad but the growing number of domestic threats as well. In statements before both the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and the Senate Judiciary Committee, Holder asked Congress to enact new legislation that would implement harsher penalties for those guilty of hate crimes...
Buying the Right Smartphone
Posted on June 17, 2009Check out Gizmodo's guide for buying the best Smartphones. Here's what they rated: iPhone 3G S iPhone 3G Palm Pre Android G2 BlackBerry Storm Additionally, Above the Law surveyed attorneys to find out what kind of devices they are using...
Blogger Goes to Court in the UK
Posted on June 17, 2009The 100 million strong English language blogosphere is now missing one of its more popular residents from the UK. A High Court ruling in London this week determined that blog anonymity could be no more. A detective from Lancashire County, who has maintained a blog outlining his work and experiences in the department, was uncovered recently despite attempts to remain unknown...
American on Trial in Italy Speaks Out
Posted on June 16, 2009A study abroad trip, intended to last one semester, could turn into a lifetime commitment for Amanda Knox, American citizen and student of the University of Washington. Knox arrived in Italy during the fall of 2007 to study and improve her Italian, but faced rather different circumstances after becoming a prime suspect in the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher...
Attorney E-Filing Mistakes Result in Dismissals
Posted on June 11, 2009Last week, two different federal appellate courts dismissed cases where attorneys did not comply with e-filing rules. Here are some tips based on the rulings in those cases: 1. Make sure you're filing the right document. In the first case, the plaintiff filed what it thought was a notice of appeal on December 26, five days before the deadline on December 31...
Free Book of the Month: The Lives of the Chief Justices of England
Posted on June 10, 2009Click here to download. Source: Google Books
Coleman is Still Running for Senate
Posted on June 10, 2009Norm Coleman will continue his legal battle with Al Franken for the U.S. Senate seat on the Minnesota ballot back in November. When Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced that he would not be seeking a third term, there was speculation that Coleman might gracefully back out of the race and make a run for governor...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on June 10, 2009Uncertainty in Law Circles Over New Rules for Judges ~ The New York Times Organized theft up against retailers ~ Reuters Top judge assassinated in S. Russia ~ Ria Novosti DOJ steps up Google Books settlement probe ~ Cnet
Inside Look at a Justice's Lifestyle
Posted on June 09, 2009U.S. Supreme Court Justices are notorious for their unobtrusive lifestyles, keeping themselves out of the press, for the most part, and refusing to disclose information regarding their decision-making or feelings about a case. As they attempt to maintain a certain level of secrecy regarding their position as the most powerful judicial interpreters in the country, there is one aspect of their personal lives that has been difficult to keep quiet...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on June 08, 2009A decade after it launched, a look at Napster's legacy~ BBC NewsSuper Chirp: Making it simple for people to get paid for their tweets~ gaurdian.co.ukSome DOJ Lawyers Who Questioned Waterboarding Agreed it Was Legal~ ABA JournalSweden's Pirate Party captures Euro seat~ Reuters
Today At the Supreme Court
Posted on June 08, 2009On a busy Monday in the high court, the Justices issued a number of opinions and granted cert to a few more, but failed to do so in one case that would have drawn monumental attention. We'll highlight just a couple of the stand-out moments below:In the case of Caperton v...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on June 05, 2009Apple Planning to Introduce Affordable iPhone -Financial Times LPGA Golfers Won't be Twittering From the Course -Mashable DOJ Admits Evidence Withheld in Alaska Corruption Cases -Blog of Legal Times -NPR
Would GPS have made a difference?
Posted on June 05, 2009With the most recent airline tragedy still puzzling officials from around the globe, analysts in the U.S. are looking towards options that will make this type of occurrence easier to handle and even more rare. The possibility of replacing the relatively ancient radar systems with satellite controlled GPS devices is hardly a new topic as the U...
Woman Suing Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) For Injuries Sustained in Bingo Struggle
Posted on June 05, 2009Richelle Olson is suing Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) for $25,000 for injuries she sustained in the filming of his new movie, Bruno (due for release July 10, 2009). Cohen's fashion pundit alter-ego, Bruno, was participating in a bingo fundraiser for nursing students when he begin using obscene language while calling a bingo game...
True Stories About Social Media Saving the Day
Posted on June 05, 2009Twitter Network Critical for Disaster Recovery Operations A Twitter network helped Dr. Maurice Ramirez (ER physician and disaster preparedness consultant) and his partners (Red Cross and Loews Emergency Response Team) find supplies like water, gasoline, food, and electricity...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on June 04, 2009Interested in a Palm Pre? Check out Engadget's Review ~ Engadget 2 U.S. Journalists on Trial in N. Korea ~ The New York Times What makes a good search engine name? ~ BBC News Facebook eliminates regional networks ~ Facebook Blog
Webinars from Fastcase: Ask about CLE Credits for your State
Posted on June 04, 2009In Depth Electronic Legal Research - A Fastcase Webinar for Everyone! (1 hour Free CLE for MO, IA, FL) Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern State Bar of Arizona Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 12:00 Pacific Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 12:00pm Pacific Monday, November 2, 2009 at 12:00pm Mountain Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 12:00pm Mountain Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 12:00pm Mountain Monday, December 28, 2009 at 12:00pm Mountain The Florida Bar (Approved for 1 hour of Free CLE) Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Friday, June 19, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Monday, July 13, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Friday, July 24, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 1:00pm Eastern Illinois State Bar Association (Earn ...
Congress on Sotomayor: A Very Brief History
Posted on June 03, 2009Mitch McConnell: "I opposed her nomination yeas ago...I'm taking a fresh look." Diane Feinstein: She has respect for abortion precedent. Harry Reid: She has "an underdog appeal." Jeff Sessions: Looking to push the confirmation hearings back to September...
Fastcase Webinar for the Illinois State Bar Association, June 4th
Posted on June 03, 2009Attention all ISBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 12pm EST on June 4th, 2009. By attending our quick and informative webinar covering a wide range of legal research topics on the 4th, you will earn ...
Starbucks Wins Dismissal of $86 Million Labor Law Verdict
Posted on June 03, 2009Starbucks shift supervisors rejoice! A California appeals court has ruled you can keep your tips. Starbucks also will avoid an $86 million dollar judgement against them for allowing shift supervisors to collect a portion of the days tips. Starbucks policy is to allow an equal distribution of the tips to all those working that day...
Notable Morning Stories....
Posted on May 28, 2009Abkhazia's vice president resigns over dispute with leader~ RIA Novosti Is the new Microsoft Search ready to rumble?~ guardian.co.ukGoogle Reader widget brings RSS to the desktop~ Cnet U.K. Firms Begin Reporting 2008-09 Financials~ Law.com
Case Spotlight: California Supreme Court Opinion Upholds Prop. 8 Same-Sex Marriage Ban
Posted on May 28, 2009The California Supreme Court has upheld the same-sex marriage ban of last year's Proposition 8 in a 6-1 decision. The Court unanimously agreed to let stand marriages that predated the proposition.To read the full text of the opinion on Fastcase, click here (Fastcase Subscription orFree 24 hour trial required).
California debate is far from over
Posted on May 28, 2009The California Supreme Court may have made their decision on same-sex marriage but no one thought it would be the end of the debate. Bringing the California ban on same-sex marriage into the federal court system is no longer a question of if it will happen but when...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on May 27, 2009N. Korea: No longer bound by 1953 truce~ CNNChinese public outraged over case of Deng Yujiao~ The Times OnlineFour states' DMVs frown on smiling~ CnetSide by side: UI changes from Windows 7 beta to Windows 7 RC~ Ars Technica
Fastcase Research Tip: Save Time With Your Print Queue
Posted on May 27, 2009You don't have to get up an run to the printer every time you print a document on Fastcase. Instead, use your print queue to store up to 20 cases that you want to print, and you can print them all at once. For example, when you want to print a series of cases cited in opposing counsel's brief: 1...
Updated:Obama to Announce Supreme Court Pick at 10:15 AM EST
Posted on May 26, 2009Obama to Announce Supreme Court Pick at 10:15 AM EST~ The Washington PostWho do you think the nominee will be? Write your selection in the comments!Update 8:42 AM: Looks like the news has come out earlier than we expected. Obama has Choosen Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his Supreme Court Nominee~ The New York Times
Vista Service Pack 2 Released (SP2)
Posted on May 26, 2009Micorosoft has released a standalone installer for their second service pack update to the Vista operating system. For more information, check out Engadget. Source: EngadgetTo download all the updates and enhancement click on your version of Vista below:Windows Vista 32-Bit Operating SystemWindows Vista 64-Bit Operating Sytem
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on May 26, 2009Obama Set to Create A Cybersecurity Czar With Broad Mandate~ The Washington PostCalifornia Supreme Court to issue Prop. 8 decision today~ Los Angeles TimesGoogle increasingly battles Facebook in search~ The Associated PressMicrosoft hopes Bing's the thing to revive Live Search~ Info World
President Obama Nominates Sotomayor to Supreme Court
Posted on May 26, 2009President Barack Obama this morning nominated Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.Judge Sotomayor attended Princeton University for her undergraduate education and recieved her J.D. from Yale University. Judge Sotomayor was nominated in 1991 by President George H...
BREAKING: California Supreme Court Opinion Upholds Prop. 8 Same-sex Marriage Ban
Posted on May 26, 2009The California Supreme Court has upheld the same-sex marriage ban of last year's Proposition 8 in a 6-1 decision. The court unanimously agreed to let stand marriages that pre-dated the proposition.We'll post the full text of the opinion on Fastcase soon, but in the mean time, here's a link to the opinion on Scribd:Prop 8 Ruling - Cal Sup...
Fastcase is Hiring! Inside and Enterprise Sales Positions Available
Posted on May 26, 2009Inside sales representative:We are seeking inside sales representatives to sell subscriptions to our online legal research service to solo practitioners and small law firms. The company will provide all leads. Fastcase is the smarter alternative for legal research...
Fastcase Research Tip: Client-Matter Research Folders
Posted on May 22, 2009Fastcase is always looking for ways to help you customize your research. One way that many lawyers do this is to save favorite searches or favorite cases as "Favorites" in Internet Explorer (or "Bookmarks" in other browsers). Because every page on Fastcase has a unique web address, you can save any page as a favorite (CTRL+D on Explorer and Firefox), and when you next log into Fastcase, you can call up the exact same page...
Giuliani Will Probably Lose Breach of Contract Suit Against Duke University Golf Team
Posted on May 22, 2009In his memorandum opinion making continuous references to playing golf, U.S. Magistrate Judge Wallace Dixon recommended that Andrew Giuliani (son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani) lose his breach of contract suit against Duke University. Giuliani claims that the Duke University golf coach manufactured accusations against him in order to kick him off the golf team when he was a junior in 2008...
Vermont Rules No Recovery For Pet Loss
Posted on May 21, 2009The Vermont Supreme Court dismissed pet owner claims following the deaths of two cats who were being treated for hypertension. Two questions were at issue in this case: 1) Whether noneconomic damages are available when a pet dies due to negligent or wanton acts of veterinarians 2) Whether a claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress is available where a pet dies while its human companion is in the zone of danger...
FTC Shuts Down "One of the Most Aggressive Telemarketing Schemes" Ever Encountered
Posted on May 20, 2009Wondering what the Federal Trade Commission has done for you lately? If you're like millions of Americans who've recently received "robocalls" about an extension on your vehicle warranty, rest assured that the FTC is asking a federal court to shut down the allegedly deceptive promoter and telemarketing companies responsible for the calls...
Armed but not quite dangerous
Posted on May 20, 2009A North Carolina teen faces an attempted armed robbery charge based on an attempt that was most likely first of its kind. John Szwalla held-up a small store with just a banana a few days ago, but his pseudo-weapon was quickly discovered when the owner and other patrons were able to restrain him...
To you I leave my...passwords?
Posted on May 19, 2009Debating who you?ll leave that beachfront property to? Forget your problems with tangible assets, a new trend is encouraging internet users to name beneficiaries for cyber assets. Whether it?s an online bank account, social networking page or virtual gambling network, these sites and related accounts have value to each user...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, May 20th
Posted on May 19, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 1pm EST on May 20th, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
U.K. Moves Away From "Anti-Competitive" Lawyer Owned Solicitor/Barrister Partnerships
Posted on May 18, 2009Today, only solicitor and barrister partnerships owned by the lawyers themselves may be licensed to provide legal services. However, the Legal Services Act of 2007 may change that as soon as 2011. The Legal Services Board has announced that it will end this anti-competitive practice and that, down the road, legal advice will be available from many providers - including large brands...
Cheerios Told to File a New-Drug Application If It WAnts to Continue to Claim It Will Lower Cholesterol
Posted on May 16, 2009The FDA sent a letter to General Mills informing them that the claim that Cheerios can "lower your cholesterol 4 percent in six weeks" makes it a drug under federal law. The letter informs General Mills that Cheerios is "misbranded" because it "bears unauthorized health claims in its labeling...
Law Students Successfully Argue Some Three Strikes Sentences Too Harsh
Posted on May 14, 2009Students in Stanford's Criminal Defense Clinic are aiming to help prisoners convicted under California's three-strikes law. The law imposes a sentence of at least 25 years for even a nonviolent crime if the offender's criminal history includes at least two violent or serious crimes...
Fastcase Webinar for the State Bar of Wisconsin, May 14th
Posted on May 13, 2009Attention all State Bar of Wisconsin members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase.Click here to register for your webinar at 12pm CDT on May 14th, 2009.Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm EST at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Some "Facebook Discovery" is Illegal According to Recent Advisory Opinion
Posted on May 13, 2009The Philadelphia Bar Association recently issued an opinion stating that it is unethical to have a third party friend a witness on Facebook for the purpose of gaining information about that person.The advisory opinion called third party friending a "deceptive" practice which violates several Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct like: Rule 5...
Could You Pass Professor Obama's 1996 Constitutional Law Exam?
Posted on May 12, 2009As you know, Barack Obama used to lecture at the University of Chicago. Have a look the Constitutional Law Exam that Barack Obama gave in 1996. The full exam is available here. Answer explanations are here. Check out this NY Times article about Obama's views on the Supreme Court while he was a professor and how it they might his choice in replacing Justice Souter...
Former Nebraska Quarterback Sues College Football Video Game
Posted on May 11, 2009Sam Keller, former quarterback for Nebraska has sued EA Sports and the NCAA saying that the names and likenesses of college athletes are being used illegally in its products. The class action suit contends that EA Sports is profiting from these names and likenesses...
Reality TV Comes to the US Congress: CNN to Document Two Freshmen Representatives
Posted on May 08, 2009Now you can watch freshman Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) and Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) get acquainted with life in DC. You can watch the "Freshman Year" video on CNN.com. Read the NY Times article about it here.
Report Shows Media Freedom Down Worldwide
Posted on May 06, 2009A report out by NGO Freedom House finds that "negative trends" outweigh "positive movements" in almost every world region including the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and North Africa. This is the seventh straight year that media freedom has declined...
Fastcase Webinar for the Illinois State Bar Association, May 7th
Posted on May 06, 2009Attention all ISBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase.Click here to register for your webinar at 12pm CST on May 7th, 2009.By attending our quick and informative webinar covering a wide range of legal research topics on the 7th, you will earn ...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, May 6th
Posted on May 05, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 11am EST on May 6th, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Local Governments Using Kelo to Condemn Property Despite State Law
Posted on May 04, 2009You'll recall that when the new, broader standard for government takings came down in Kelo v. City of New London, states rapidly passed legislation limiting such takings (see a map of how states dealt with Kelo here). More than forty states passed laws excluding the term "economic development" from the reasons government may take a property...
Scalia for the Majority: FCC "Dirty Words" Ban Not "Arbitrary and Capricious"
Posted on April 30, 2009In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the ban on using "bad words" is not "arbitrary and capricious" as a matter of law. However, it left open the question as to whether the ban could violate the First Amendment in certain situations. That issue was kicked back to the Second Circuit...
Whistleblower to Collect $45 Million Under False Claims Act
Posted on April 30, 2009Whistle Blowers Under the False Claims Act The False Claims Act allows people who are not affiliated with the government to file actions against federal contractors claiming fraud against the government. Most of these cases involve a corporation overcharging the U...
Firefox Beta 3.5 Released
Posted on April 29, 2009Mozilla released beta 3.5 of its Firefox browser on Monday. The upgrade should be faster and includes new features. For example, the private browsing mode will allows users to browse the Internet without retaining any data about which sites you've visited or files you've downloaded...
Census 2010: Where Should We Count Inmates?
Posted on April 28, 2009"Little Siberia" - Counting NYC Inmates Upstate The next census will count everyone based on where they reside on April 1, 2010. Then, states and counties use the census numbers to draw up the legislative districts. Over the weekend, the Washington Post highlighted one district in upstate New York where 13,500 inmates reside in "Little Siberia" which is twelve state prisons and one federal prison...
Use Google to Track the Swine Flu
Posted on April 27, 2009Google's Flu Trends allows users to see how how the "Flu Activity" is in each state. It updates the site based on how many people Google flu related topics. For more information on how it works, click here. For the swine flu map, click here...
Website Tracks the Stimulus Money in Real Time
Posted on April 24, 2009Curious about where all that stimulus money is going? Have a look at www.recovery.gov, a website dedicated to helping Americans trace their tax dollars in the recovering economy. The site aims to operate in real time and hopes to eventually become a place where citizens can discuss how the money is spent...
Fastcase Webinar for the State Bar of Wisconsin, April 23rd
Posted on April 22, 2009Attention all State Bar of Wisconsin members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, tricks for using Fastcase.Click here to register for your webinar at 12pm CDT on April 23rd, 2009.Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm EST at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
2009 Law School Rankings
Posted on April 22, 2009U.S. News and World Reports has released their listing for the top law schools of 2009. The top ten are listed below: 1.Yale 2. Harvard 3. Stanford 4. Columbia 5. NYU 6. Berkeley 6. (tie) Chicago 8. Penn 9. Michigan 10. Duke 10. (tie) Northwestern 10...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, April 21st
Posted on April 20, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 1pm EST on April 21st, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Microsoft To Pay Out $388M in Damages for Patent Infringement
Posted on April 17, 2009Microsoft, the largest software business world-wide, lost a patent infringement case when an Australian inventor, Ric Richardson, successfully claimed that his anti-piracy software was used within Windows XP and office software.The patent relates to Uniloc's software registration system that allows developers to try-before-you-buy versions of their products...
Captured Somali Pirate Will Face Trial in New York
Posted on April 17, 2009Abduhl Wal-i-Musi, the Somali pirate captured in connection with holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage, will probably be tried in New York, sources report. This decision is likely based on the New York FBI's previous success handling cases in Africa involving crimes against Americans...
Under the U.S. Constitution (Article
Posted on April 15, 2009Under the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 10) and longstanding international consensus, the U.S. has the power to prosecute the captured Somali pirate who held U.S. Captain Richard Phillips hostage for five days. For now, the young man is being held by the U...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on April 15, 2009Lawyer of accused Mumbai terrorist dismissed as trial opens RIA Novosti 'Nazi guard' gets last-minute extradition delay France24 Obama set to name "border czar": report Reuters Amazon (UK) blocks Phorm adverts scan BBC News
Justice Ginsburg Defends Using Foreign Courts as Persuasive Authority
Posted on April 14, 2009Justice Ginsburg is not shy about making her case in public speeches, and she did just that at an Ohio State symposium honoring her 15 years on the bench. Ginsberg argued that the Supreme Court is losing its relevance in the international community in failing to use international law as persuasive authority...
Obama's Focus on Immigration Reform to Start Later This Year
Posted on April 13, 2009President Obama hopes to launch an effort to overhaul US immigration policy this year. However, the economic crisis is likely to push the process beyond 2009, the White House said Thursday. Obama aims to draft legislation allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens as part of a major immigration policy revamp...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on April 10, 2009President Iloilo revokes constitution, takes over power France24 Nevada lawmakers rebuff prostitution tax Reuters Bluetooth 3.0 Almost Ready Information Week We Still Need a Simpler Tax Code The Wall Street Journal
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on April 09, 2009French lawmakers reject Internet piracy bill The Associated Press Facebook your boss and earn an extra £365 per month? BBC News U.S. journalist detained in Iran to seek bail CNN D.C. Area Law Firm Sues Over Outsourced Legal Work, Alleges Privilege Issue ABA Journal
CAN-SPAM Act May Be Extended to Include Text Message Spam ("Mobile Spam")
Posted on April 09, 2009Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Bill Nelson (D-Florida) introduced the m-SPAM Act which will update the CAN-SPAM law to include text message spam. If it passes, marketers will be explicitly barred from sending text messages to any mobile number on the national Do-Not-Call Registry maintained by the FTC...
Tips for Becoming a Highly Effective Law Partner
Posted on April 09, 2009In today's world, it is hard to become a law firm equity partner. According to the AM Law 200, 85 percent of the highest-grossing firms in the United States have established a non-equity tier. From the start, many highly-profitable New York and Washington, D...
FCC Crafting Nationwide Broadband Plan
Posted on April 09, 2009The Federal Communications Commission started work on a plan to deploy broadband to all citizens. While the FCC is soliciting feedback to determine what polices should be included in the roadmap, the overall goals of making it avaible to the entire nation, enhancing the quality of service and lowering the overall cost are the tentpoles of this iniaitive...
Peru's Fujimori Convicted Of Human Rights Violations
Posted on April 08, 2009In a ruling that is sure to have far-reaching political implications in Peru, Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori was convicted of human rights crimes on Tuesday. This was the first time a democratically elected Latin American president was found guilty in his own country of human rights abuses...
Excluding Voluntary Confessions: Corley v. United States
Posted on April 08, 2009In this case, the defendant was convicted of robbing a bank and was questioned by the FBI for two days (29.5 hours) before officials brought him before a magistrate - and he'd signed a written confession. The Supreme Court ruled Monday that even where a confession is voluntary, it may not be used in federal court if the defendant was held more than six hourse before confessing...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on April 08, 2009Cyberspies penetrate electrical grid: report Reuters Liberal imam wins libel claim against Muslim newspaper Times Online Battle of the multi-column Twitter clients .... Follow Fastcase on Twitter! Cnet Tens of Thousands Demonstrate in Bangkok The New York Times
Fastcase: Bigger than Blago in Illinois (not bigger than Bulls or Cubbies)
Posted on April 07, 2009Fastcase, which is free to members of the Illinois State Bar Association, is gaining popularity in the Land of Lincoln. The cover story in today's Illinois Bar Journal says it all:Whether you make it your primary online research tool or use it to supplement Westlaw or Lexis, Fastcase can save you money if you're an ISBA member...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, April 8th
Posted on April 07, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 3pm on April 8th, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on April 07, 2009Protesters ?take control? of presidential offices France 24 Twitter Roars Past 14 Million U.S. Users Social Times Join Fastcase on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fastcase How Conflicts Escalate: Overreacting to Perceived Slights Scientific American Kadyrov says Chechens should take more than one wife RIA Novosti
Keyword Advertising Takes a Hit
Posted on April 07, 2009The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of appeals has ruled that Google must face a trademark infringement lawsuit for selling keywords that trigger ads. The IP world has long anticipated the Google trademark decision because of mixed rulings on keyword cases...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on April 06, 2009Chechen parliament denies Russian MP linked to Yamadayev murder RIA Novosti Moldova's Communists win 50 percent in parliamentary election France24 Net firms start storing user data BBC Estimated U.S. taxpayer cost for bailout jumps Reuters
Read the Blago Indictment Here
Posted on April 03, 2009Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich, his brother Rob Blagojevich and four others are named in the 19-count indictment charging conspiracy to use the governor's office to enrich themselves. Among the 16 felony counts against the ex-governor are racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion conspiracy, and lying to federal agents...
Rethinking the Legal Profession: Blueprint in Progress
Posted on April 02, 2009It's not a secret that the economic downturn is hitting the legal world like a blow torch. The Law Shucks Blog has a layoff tracker, and its readings are alarming. Furthermore, top firms are rapidly thinning their ranks, and several have closed. Although the cries of the legal elite witness little sympathy, many hard-working lawyers have been blind-sided, including young associates who are finding themselves with six-figure loan debts and no source of income...
New From Gmail: Autopilot
Posted on April 01, 2009Tired of responding to all those emails in your inbox? Let Gmail do it for you! The latest feature to Gmail includes an autopilot functionality that replies for you. Check out the image below for an example of how it works: For the full scoop, check out their FAQ site...
Google Provides Free Music Search in China
Posted on April 01, 2009Google has launched an ad-based MP3 download service in China to combat easily accessible illegal downloads that have destroyed the online music industry. Goggle's venture has the backing of 14 independent labels, and will compete with similar MP3 services, particularly with Baidu, a directory to music files whose results are heavily skewed in favor if unlicensed music...
Supreme Court Passes on Chance to Consider VA Anti-Spam Law
Posted on April 01, 2009The Supreme Court, without comment, rejected a chance to examine how far states can go to restrict unsolicited e-mails in efforts to block spammers from bombarding computer users. The High Court has passed up a chance to examine Virginia's appeal to keep its Computer Crimes Act in place...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on April 01, 2009Mass regulator charges Madoff feeder fundReuters U.S. Plans to Drop Case Against Former Senator From AlaskaThe New York Times Despite Threats, Lawyer Agrees to Represent Mumbai Terrorism SuspectABA Journal
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on March 31, 2009Man uses 35 cable modems to provide WiFi, sued by Comcast Ars Technica Group to be studied on ?journey to Mars? Russia Today Microsoft kills MSN Encarta The Register British University Offers Master's Degree in Facebook Fox News
No Verdict in the MN Senate Race - Professors Debate Merits of Potential Appeals
Posted on March 26, 2009There's no decision yet from the three judge panel. And, as the entire state of Minnesota holds its breath, Coleman's lawyers are getting ready for a potential appeal. According to a report by Minnesota Public Radio, the back up argument here is equal protection...
Controversy Over Red-Light Cameras
Posted on March 26, 2009Although there is no direct evidence that red-light cameras reduce accidents at intersections, they certainly provide a major source of revenue during a time when cities are hurting for funds. Mississippi is resisting the trend to install more red light cameras...
AIG Executives Agree to Return Bonuses Due to State Pressures
Posted on March 25, 2009Because of the mounting pressure from a bipartisan legion of state attorney generals, executives at at the insurance giant American International Group (AIG), a New York-based company, have agreed to return $50 million in bonus payments they received earlier this month...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on March 25, 2009Justices Consider Campaign Finance Law The New York Times Facebook Preparing To Tweak Site Design WSJ Digits Blog China blocks YouTube Guardian AT&T first to test RIAA antipiracy plan Cnet
Notable Morning Stories ....
Posted on March 24, 2009Ukrainian opposition set to impeach President Yushchenko RIA Novosti China Daily Assails Prisoner Abuses The New York Times Detention of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma illegal, says UN Guardian Two U.S. reporters moved to North Korean capital-paper Reuters
Webinars from Fastcase: Ask about CLE Credits for Your State
Posted on March 24, 2009In Depth Electronic Legal Research - A Fastcase Webinar for Everyone! Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 2:00pm Eastern https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/467375417 Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 3:00pm Eastern https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/872527138 Monday, May 18, 2009 at 12:00pm Eastern https://www1...
Nine Death Row Inmates in Texas Lost Appeals Due to Late Attorneys
Posted on March 24, 2009The federal (constitutional) writ of habeas corpus is the last chance for inmates to have errors reviewed. Nine death row inmates (six of whom have already been executed) lost have lost these appeals due to lawyers or judges who miscalculated/misunderstood the deadlines and "computer failures or human foible...
Burris Seeks $400K Legal Fund To Protect His Seat
Posted on March 24, 2009Ronald Burris, President Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate, wants to set up a legal defense fund to protect his seat. The fund would allow Burris to accept contributions from individuals of up to $10,000 each to cover his legal fees. Burris expects to need up to $400,000 for ongoing ethics and perjury investigations surrounding his appointment to the Senate by impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich...
Notable Morning Stores ....
Posted on March 23, 2009Khodorkovsky to defend himself in new trial RIA Novosti What's the real cost of free music? Cnet News Call to scrap 'illegal databases' BBC News Yahoo Pipes: getting started with custom RSS feeds Ars Technica
Fastcase Webinar for the Tennessee Bar Association, March 24th
Posted on March 23, 2009Attention all members of the Tennessee Bar Association, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 10am CDT on March 24th, 2009...
Fastcase Webinar for the State Bar of Wisconsin, March 23rd
Posted on March 22, 2009Attention all State Bar of Wisconsin members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, tricks for using Fastcase.Click here to register for your webinar at 12 pm CDT on March 23rd, 2009.Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm EST at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on March 19, 2009New Ethics Rules for Judges - SClOTUS Blog AIG CEO Receiving Death Threats Over Bonuses - Forbes Major League Soccer Introduces the "Fan Code of Conduct" - MLSnet.com
New! Email Delivery on Fastcase
Posted on March 19, 2009The Fastcase Legal Research System is one of the world's largest online law libraries. We constantly design and develop our site based on user feedback. Please send your comments on our new email feature and suggestions for future development to info @ fastcase [dot] com...
Obama Urges All Legal Means To Trump AIG Bonuses; Lawmakers Look Into Tax Code
Posted on March 19, 2009Obama told Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to take all legal measures to block hefty bonuses awarded to employees of AIG. "The president told Secretary Geithner... to take every legal means that he has to push back against this, to figure out who put this in the contracts and when, and to make sure this doesn't happen again," said Austan Goolsbee, a member of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers...
Defendant in $12.6 Million Dollar Verdict Looking for a New Trial on Grounds of Twitter
Posted on March 19, 2009Stoam Holdings, a building materials company in Fayetteville, AK, has appealed a $12.6 million dollar verdict rendered for mismanaging investor funds. The argument is that one of the jurors was biased. The evidence is in the Twitter history of Juror Johnathan Powell...
Nigerian Student To Serve 19 Years In Prison For Internet Scam
Posted on March 17, 2009Lawal Adekunle Nurundeen, a Nigerian undergraduate student, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for obtaining $47,000 from an Australian woman by convincing her over the Internet that he was a 57-year-old white male who was deeply in love with her...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, March 18th
Posted on March 17, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 2pm EST on March 18th, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Smith Will Head NFL Players' Union
Posted on March 17, 2009The NFL players' association named DeMaurice Smith as the executive director of the NFL Players Association . Between 1991 and 2000, he worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in D.C. and as counsel to deputy attorney general Eric Holder Jr. Smith is a partner at Patton Boggs - he chaired the government investigations and white collar practice group...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on March 16, 2009Modularity for Value Appropriation: Drawing the Boundaries of Intellectual Property ~ Harvard Business School - Working Knowledge Europe?s Hedging on Inmates Clouds Guantánamo Plans ~ The New York Times Ginsburg Hints at Vacancy 'Soon' ~ The Washington Post Obama nominates Food and Drug chief ~ CNN
Did Madoff Work Alone?
Posted on March 12, 2009Prosecutors expect Madoff to plead guilty to the his notorious Ponzi scheme - and they are not going to give him a deal - he will probably spend the rest of his life in prison. Unless you count the embarrassment of a very public trial, Madoff does not appear to be gaining anything in giving up his right to a trial...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on March 12, 2009Neuroscience Provides Biological Advantages Musicians Have Over Nonmusicians -ABC News AP Countersues Artist Over Obama "Hope" Image - LA Times Living in the City Makes You 30% More Likely to Die of Lung Disease - NPR
Disbarment Recommended for Lawyer/Juror Who Switched His Vote (To go Back to Work)
Posted on March 11, 2009The California Bar Court Review Department is recommending that attorney Francis T. Fahy be disbarred for switching his vote during deliberations so he could get back to his practice. The civil trial was a medical negligence case following an ophthalmologist's laser eye surgery...
Fastcase Webinars for The Florida Bar (Earn Free CLE!)
Posted on March 11, 2009Attention all members of The Florida Bar, come join us for one of our Fastcase overview webinars. You'll learn about your free benefit and earn 1 hour of CLER! The Webinars cover the legal research market, research philosophy, Fastcase for solo practitioners and small firms as well as large firms, how to do searches, explanations of the advanced case law search screen and sorting tools, looking up citations, newspaper access, and help options...
Three Ways A Lawyer Can Use Social Networking Sites
Posted on March 10, 2009Social networking sites are for everyone - especially lawyers. Here are three ways you can use social networking can enhance your practice: 1. Use these sites to communicate and stay connected with clients and potential clients. Join LinkedIn and find search for your undergraduate/law school classmates, colleagues, and friends...
Fastcase Webinar for the Tennessee Bar Association, March 10th
Posted on March 09, 2009Attention all members of the Tennessee Bar Association, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase.Click here to register for you webinar at 12pm CDT on March 10th, 2009.By attending our quick and informative webinar covering a wide range of legal research topics on the 10th you will earn one hour of CLE credit...
Indictment of al-Bashir Sets a Legal Precedent
Posted on March 09, 2009President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan's trial will create a set of evidentiary, legal and political precedents. On March 4, al-Bashir became the first sitting head of state to be indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC)...
Fastcase is on Twitter!
Posted on March 06, 2009People all over the world are using Twitter to exchange information and ideas via a short status message.Now - you can follow the Fastcase Blog on Twitter.We are at: http://twitter.com/fastcaseIf you aren't Twittering yet, join now!Then, click the "Follow" button on our page...
Ridiculous item of note: Why Did a Metrobus Driver Punch McGruff the Crime Dog?
Posted on March 03, 2009Video Games Are Free Speech
Posted on February 24, 2009The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that video games are free speech. And, the government may not restrict speech without a compelling interest. Thus, California's ban on selling video games to minors is unconstitutional...
Korbel Sues Anonymous Craigslist Critics, Demands Comcast Identify the Users
Posted on February 24, 2009Last year, Korbel (yes, the champagne-maker) sued anonymous Craigslist posters for defamation. The posts accused Korbel of retaliating against employees who reported sexual harassment, alleged that Korbel was scheming to cut down redwood forests on its Guerneville property, and reported that Korbel bribed law enforcement officials...
Civil Rights Cases in The Supreme Court Spotlight
Posted on February 20, 2009Monday marks the second half of the Supreme Court's annual term. When the Court took the bench in October, no one expected it to be such an important term for civil rights. Here's a quick list of questions the Court will hear: On the Docket - Whether an employer can disregard the results of a promotion exam because it produced too many qualified applicants of one race and not enough of another...
NY Governor Paterson Looking to Tax Downloads
Posted on February 17, 2009The so-called iPod tax will impose a 4% tax on downloaded music and movies and is a part of Paterson's plan to tax spending. The tax will apply only to New York State businesses. There is wide speculation that this will drive business out of New York...
Free Minnesota CLE Webinar
Posted on February 17, 2009Who doesn't love a free CLE? If you are a MSBA member check out App Practice: Appeals for the Non-Specialist tomorrow. Thanks to Greg Luce from the Minnesota State Bar Association and Mypractice for bringing this to our attention. Repost from Mypractice's twitter: Free Minnesota CLE Webcast on Appellate Practice: featuring David Herr and Chief Justice Eric Magnuson, Wednesday, February 18, 2009 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm CST Live via the Internet Register Now!
Moral Gray Zones: What Rule Breaking is Going on in Your Orginization?
Posted on February 17, 2009The Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge has a great article on beneficial rule breaking. When is it acceptable for management to look the other way or encourage actions that are questionable ethically? The article looks at these moral gray zone actions as management tools and shows examples of both beneficial rule breaking actions and those don't produce a net benefit...
Subscribe To Fastcase Podcasts On Itunes!
Posted on February 17, 2009Follow Fastcase Newsbriefs and legal research training podcasts by subscribing to our feed. Watch the videos on your computer or take them on the go. Our segments are produced in ipod/iphone friendly formats and your subscription will be through Apple's itunes music software...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, February 17th
Posted on February 16, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 11am EST on February 17th, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Are Executives Worth their Compensation?
Posted on February 16, 2009Check out this week's Planet Money podcast about whether executives are worth what they are paid. Rekesh Khurana from Harvard Business School opens the question. Listen here.
Notable Valentine's Day Stories....
Posted on February 13, 2009Island Owner Learns His Island is a Perfect Heart (Google Earth)-TelegraphInvestigators Catch Suspect Using DNA From a Doughnut-FOXNewsMicrosoft Will Open Chain of Retail Stores- Financial Times
More Digital Switchover Excitement
Posted on February 13, 2009So, the digital switch scheduled for February 17 was delayed. (Read our January 28 post about the delay here.) Nearly 500 stations were going to go ahead with the switch early. But, now, the FCC is rejecting requests to switch over early stating that the early switch isn't in the public interest...
California Medical Board Investigates Octuplets
Posted on February 12, 2009You've probably heard of Nadya Suleman, the woman who gave birth to octuplets. At first, the story was the miracle of the babies' birth. Of course, controversy followed. Suleman was already the sole parent of six other children and does not have the financial resources to care for all fourteen children...
Experienced Attorneys Sought After To Fill Top Firm Positions
Posted on February 12, 2009Despite the struggling economy, law firms are looking to hire experienced attorneys in the areas of litigation, bankruptcy filings and foreclosures, corporate securities and patent proceedings, according to Robert Half Legal. Robert Half Legal, a California-based legal staffing division, analyzed thousands of job orders and placements managed by by its account executives nationwide to come up with the statistics...
South Korea Authorizes Coutry's First Mercy Killing
Posted on February 11, 2009Earlier this week, a South Korean appeal court upheld a landmark ruling authorizing the country's first legal mercy killing. The South Korean court case comes at the tail end of the death of Eluana Englaro, a comatose accident victim at the center of a right-to-die drama gripping Italy...
Statutes on Fastcase
Posted on February 11, 2009The Fastcase Legal Research System is one of the world's largest online law libraries. Fastcase has begun to add statutes to its collection, as outlined in this video update. Download and subscribe to future video podcasts here. Try Fastcase for 24 hours - it's easy to sign up, completely user-friendly, and free! Do it in three easy steps: 1...
Add The Fastcase Blog To Your RSS Readers
Posted on February 09, 2009Interested in having the easiest access to the Fastcase blog as possible? Now you can link the Fastcase blog to your RSS feed and view you it anytime you like from your favorite webpage or RSS Reader. Just click on any of the links below to add the blog to your RSS feed now...
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, February 3rd
Posted on February 02, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 4pm EST on February 3rd, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Tech Tips: View Superbowl Ads and NBC's Chuck in 3d
Posted on January 31, 2009The HD Guru has a detailed post to prepare you for the 3d advertisements during the Super Bowl and the presentation of NBC's spy-comedy Chuck in 3d the following Monday (at 8 p.m. EST). Check out the HD Guru's post here.
Dishonest Police Testimony in the 20th and 21st Century
Posted on January 30, 2009"Testilying" In 1992, a criminal justice study found that police perjury was actually occurring 20% of the time that defendants were claiming that it was occurring. Similar studies went so far as to find that there is a tacit agreement among police officers that it's okay to lie about how evidence was seized to keep dangerous criminals off the street...
Super Bowl Parties are Legal
Posted on January 30, 2009In 2007, the NFL disappointed fans who planned on attending private parties in church buildings to watch the Colts-Bears Super bowl game. When one church wanted to show the game using its projector and a large screen, the NFL objected, stating that NFL rules did not allow for the game to be shown on any TV larger than 55 inches...
Obama?s First Bill Sets a New Tone for Employment Rights
Posted on January 29, 2009On Tuesday, Congress sent the White House what will be the first legislation that President Obama signs into law -- a bill that makes it easier for women and others to sue for pay discrimination, even if the discrimination has prevailed for years, or decades...
Postponing the Digital Switch
Posted on January 28, 2009The Transition If you've been watching the $200 million dollars worth of commercials the government has been putting out about preparing for the switch from analogue to digital television, you know that that switch deadline is scheduled for February 17, 2009...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on January 27, 2009Rove Subpoenaed to Testify About U.S. Attorneys - Blog of Legal Times Senate Confirms Geithner as Treasury Secretary - CNN Money The Vatican Has Launched a Dedicated YouTube Channel - Official Google Blog
Real World Economy May Tax the Gaming World
Posted on January 27, 2009You've probably heard of avatars - online virtual representations of computer users. They provide and buy online goods and services for one another at a price and some think that these economic interactions should be taxed because the transactions aren't just virtual - gamers can sell their online dollars for real life currency in organized exchange forums...
The Hague's First Trial Begins After Much Controversy
Posted on January 27, 2009Although it?s been open for six years, the International Criminal Court in The Hague began its first trial on Monday. On trial is Thomas Lubanga, a former Congolese warlord. Mr. Lubanga, 48, once the leader of a powerful and violent militia, is accused of war crimes, including commandeering children under the age of 15 and sending them into war to maim and kill...
Bolivians Support New Constitution
Posted on January 27, 2009On Sunday, Bolivian voters embraced a new constitution that promises greater rights and benefits for the long-suffering Indian majority. The new constitution also grants leftist President Evo Morales, the country?s first Indian president, a chance to remain in office through 2014...
Notable Weekend Stories...
Posted on January 24, 2009Top Ten of Everything -Time Belarus Children Banned from Travel Abroad -Library of Congress Global Legal Monitor Vote for Your Favorite Weblog -The Weblog Awards
Who Runs Gov Wiki
Posted on January 23, 2009The Washington Post launched its new wiki "Who Runs Gov ," a site dedicated to becoming a database of United States government officials. It claims to offer a "unique look of Washington through key players and personalities." The Who Runs Gov makes a couple departures from Wikipedia which also contains profiles of many politicians...
Blagojevich Attempts to Stop Impeachment Trial
Posted on January 23, 2009Reportedly, Governor Blagojevich and his attorneys may file suit to stop the Illinois Senate impeachment trial. The Governor and his lawyers may make the argument that these rules are unfair and deny fundamental due process. For example, they would like to call Rahm Emanuel who has publicly stated that he never heard Blagojevich say anything inappropriate...
Isle of Man Residents Live In Free Download Heaven
Posted on January 22, 2009Soon, The Isle of Man residents will obtain a compulsory music license. Every Isle of Man resident will pay a predetermined amount in exchange for being able to download infinitely. Few details are currently available, except that the plan will include unlimited download activity for all 80,000 residents...
Famous Inaugural Quote: Barack Obama
Posted on January 21, 2009For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. -Barack Obama, 2009
C-SPAN Presents:The President Barack Obama 2009 Inauguration and Address (Full Video via Youtube)
Posted on January 20, 2009California Pioneers Mandatory Free Language Services In Doctors' Offices
Posted on January 20, 2009A groundbreaking new law requires California heath plans to offer free language services for members who aren't proficient in English. The services may be provided by phone, video or an on-site interpreter. "We are the first state in the nation to have this kind of law," said Cindy Ehnes, director of the California Department of Managed Health Care...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on January 16, 2009RIAA File Sharing Motions Hearing Will Be Broadcast Online -Wired Blog Perfecting Your Work/Life Balance -Harvard Business School Methane in Mars' Atmosphere Could Indicate Life -CNN
Famous Inaugural Quote: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Posted on January 16, 2009"Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." -Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on January 15, 2009Eli Lilly May Settle Zyprexa Suit Today -Wall Street Journal Law Blog White House Ordered to Preserve Electronic Messages - Law in the News - Lewis & Clark Law School Chief Justice Roberts reports on the Federal Judiciary -Georgetown Law Library Blog
Neighborhood Inaugural Balls - Using Technology to Include Everyone
Posted on January 15, 2009Official inaugural balls of the past have required guests to be officially invited and to travel to Washington to celebrate with the new president and his family. This year, one ball will be open to every American. It's called the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball, tickets will be affordable (some will even be free!), and the Obamas will attend the main ball at the Washington Convention Center...
The Inauguration - First "Non-Disaster" Emergency
Posted on January 15, 2009On Tuesday, Bush declared Obama?s inauguration an emergency. This move will help foster additional federal money to help Washington cope with the huge crowds that are expected to turn out for the ceremony next Tuesday, where Obama will become the nation?s first black president...
Free HBO Broadcast of the Inaugural Opening Ceremony
Posted on January 15, 2009HBO will be broadcasting the January 18 opening ceremony in Washington to not only subscribers, but everyone with cable or satellite television. (Those without cable or satellite can watch it on hbo.com after the ceremonies.) So far, the concert looks like it's going to be pretty good - Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and Garth Brooks will all be there...
Famous Inaugural Quote: John F. Kennedy
Posted on January 15, 2009"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country" -John F. Kennedy, 1961
Fastcase Webinar for the State Bar of Wisconsin, January 15th
Posted on January 14, 2009Attention all State Bar of Wisconsin Members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks from using Fastcase.Click here to register for your webinar at 11 am CST on January 15th, 2009Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm EST at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
Question Presented: Must a defendant affirmatively accept appointed counsel to be protected by the Sixth Amendment during a custodial interrogation?
Posted on January 14, 2009Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Montejo v. Louisiana , the case about whether a defendant need affirmatively accept the appointment of counsel to qualify for Sixth Amendment protections. The defendant, Jesse Jay Montejo, was found guilty of murder in 2002 after making statements and writing a letter to the victim's wife apologizing for the murder...
Fastcase Webinar for the Tennessee Bar Association, January 13th
Posted on January 12, 2009Attention all members of the Tennessee Bar Association, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 12pm CST on January 13th, 2009...
Lawdable Quotes: Oliver Wendell Holmes
Posted on January 10, 2009"You can hire logic, in the shape of a lawyer, to prove anything that you want to prove." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Fastcase Newsbriefs: International Anti-Piracy Task Force Created
Posted on January 10, 2009Source: BBC Africa
AP: OLEDs Makes for Foldable TV (Youtube Video)
Posted on January 09, 2009Samsung shows off foldable, transparent OLED prototype displays at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Source: The Associated Press
Fastcase Webinar for NACBA, January 6th
Posted on January 05, 2009Attention all NACBA members, register today to learn all about your member benefit along with some great how-tos, tips, and tricks for using Fastcase. Click here to register for your webinar at 1pm EST on January 6th, 2009. Should you have any questions, contact customer support from 8am- 8pm at 866-773-2782 or by emailing us at support@fastcase...
C-SPAN Video: Competition on the Internet
Posted on January 05, 2009The House Judiciary Committee Antitrust and Competition Policy Task Force held a hearing on competition on the Internet in such areas as online advertising, online search, and web platform interoperability. Witnesses testified about business consolidation among search engine operators and providers, charges of price fixing by Internet companies, and the changing business structures of Internet companies...
Russia Eliminates Jury Trials for "Crimes Against The State"
Posted on January 05, 2009Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed into law a controversial bill that eliminates jury trials for "crimes against the state." The law eliminates jury trials for a variety of offenses, leaving people accused of treason, revolt, sabotage, espionage or terrorism at the mercy of three judges rather than a panel of peers...
Lawdable Quotes: Abraham Lincoln
Posted on January 02, 2009If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself, the thing is more than half done already. ~Abraham Lincoln
Economy Changes Focus In Family Law Matters
Posted on January 02, 2009Barbara Whitmore, a Family law attorney, used to focus on her clients getting their fair share of a couple's assets when the marriage dissolved. However, with the slumping economy, her focus has shifted to helping her clients decide which to file for first: bankruptcy, foreclosure or divorce...
The Importance Of Public Domain Works
Posted on January 02, 2009In many countries, January 1st marks a new year?s worth of works being welcomed into the public domain. Countries that use the copyright terms specified by the Berne Convention bring works into the public domain on the 1st of January that are more than 50 years after the death of their authors...
Crimes Yield to DNA Samples
Posted on December 31, 2008Michigan's Governor, Jennifer Granholm, signed a law this week requiring anyone arrested of certain crimes to provide DNA samples; the law covers arrests for murder, criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, robbery and other crimes. Previous Michigan laws only required DNA samples after arrested persons were convicted of certain felonies...
Blagojevich Appoints Burris to U.S. Senate - now what?
Posted on December 31, 2008Yesterday Rod Blagojevich (the latest Illinois governor to be arrested) defied the popular conception that nothing happens in politics between Christmas and New Years ? he appointed former Illinois Attorney General Ronald Burris to Barack Obama?s vacant Senate seat...
Recording Industry Abandons Suing Policy for Pirating Songs
Posted on December 31, 2008The U.S. recording industry has abandoned its policy of suing people for sharing songs protected by copyright and will work with Internet service providers to cut abusers' access if they ignore repeated warnings. However, the industry will move ahead with existing cases...
Google's Eric Schmidt on policy priorities for 2009 (Youtube Video)
Posted on December 28, 2008Eric Schmidt speaks at the Ronald Reagan and International Trade Center on November 18, 2008 in Washington, D.C. about technology, economic growth and open government. Source: Google's Youtube Channel
Lawdable Quotes: Henry Ward Beecher
Posted on December 24, 2008Laws are not masters but servants, and he rules them who obeys them. ~ Henry Ward Beecher
Good Samaritans Beware
Posted on December 23, 2008The California Supreme Court ruled this week that in some instances it's better to be part of the audience than part of the action. The justices determined in the narrowest margin that people must be more aware of their actions even when they believe it to be an emergency situation...
YouTube Loses Rights to Warner Music
Posted on December 23, 2008YouTube faces a game-changing loss this week as Warner Music has suspended its collaboration with the Internet giant forgoing further negotiations for the pair?s contract. Warner had become dissatisfied with the compensation it was receiving from YouTube for the licensing rights it granted the site to play music videos along with allowing its users to include their songs in individual postings...
Legal Work Costing Too Much? Give India a Shot
Posted on December 23, 2008First it hit the customer service and IT departments across the United States and now it?s moving to the legal world as well. The law is being outsourced and it?s headed straight for India. Companies, suffering from the drooping economy just like all Americans, are trying to save, without the skimp, particularly when it comes to legal work...
Massachusetts Scrambles to Implement Question 2
Posted on December 22, 2008span style="white-space: pre;" /spanAfter a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/11/05/voters_approve_marijuana_law_change/"Question 2 passed on the Massachusetts ballot/a this November, decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana, the administration was already concerned...
China Attacks Internet Bullies
Posted on December 22, 2008After the earthquake was over, the horrible pollution had already been exposed and the Olympic games came to an end, China had reason to hope that all eyes would be off of them. Unfortunately for them, when it comes to Internet regulation, the world cannot help but notice what the country has been up to lately...
No Evictions in NYC For The Holidays!
Posted on December 22, 2008div class="MsoNormal"Those tenants struggling to make ends meet can take a deep breath ? the ?Eviction Moratorium? has begun in st1:city w:st="on"st1:place w:st="on"New York City/st1:place/st1:city.span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"nbsp; /spanEach year, around Christmas, the NYC Marshals (who enforce evictions in the city) take a two week vacation, and evictions cease...
Google Steps Up Their Game For iPhone Searches
Posted on December 22, 2008divdivGoogle has been steadily a href="http://googlewatch.eweek.com/content/hello_android/google_spruces_up_search_for_apple_iphone_android.html"improving the way search results are rendered/a on the iPhone. nbsp;Last month,nbsp;Google said it was making changes to speed up processing for search results and changenbsp;the way they are rendered on an iPhone...
Lawdable Quotes: Rene Descartes
Posted on December 21, 2008A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed. ~ Rene Descartes
United Airlines Accused Of Overserving Husband, Causing Him To Hit Wife
Posted on December 21, 2008divspan style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; line-height: 15px;"span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;"/span/spanbr / span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; line-height: 15px;"span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;"div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-top: 3px; text-align: left; width: auto;"divspan style="font-family: arial; line-height: 15px;"spanCan you get drunk on a flight and then a href="http://www...
Lawdable Quotes:Heraclitus of Ephesus
Posted on December 20, 2008div style="text-align: center;"The people should fight for the law as for their city wall./divdiv style="text-align: center;"nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;/divdiv style="text-align: center;"nbsp; nbsp;~nbsp;Heraclitus of Ephesus/div pa href="http://feeds.feedburner...
Land v. Oil, the Lawsuit to Save Utah's Parks
Posted on December 20, 2008span style="white-space: pre;" /spanEnvironmental groups this week are furthering actions to prohibit the Bush administration from carrying out one of it final initiatives while still in office. a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28283620/"Suit was filed/a on behalf of a number of these groups in the hopes of slowing, and eventually preventing, the a href="http://www...
Toddler's Break-in Creates a False Alarm
Posted on December 19, 2008span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre" /spanThe a href="http://news.aol.com/article/boy-sneaks-into-store-to-play-with-toys/278110"holiday crime season has begun/a and this year it looks like the kids are picking up on the trend as well...
Veterans Face Difficulties Collecting Benefits
Posted on December 19, 2008span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre" /spanOn the same day that a a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/17/veterans.dispute/index.html"federal judge decided he would not intervene/a in the payment of benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, another group of a href="http://www...
The ABA's Top Ten Tips for Operating Your Law Firm in a Recession
Posted on December 19, 2008One of the great things that could come out of this recession is the increased efficiency that businesses (including law firms!) must achieve to survive in the market. nbsp; Here comes a summary of the ABA's list followed by a a href="http://www.abajournal...
"I Believe" Plates Not Legal
Posted on December 19, 2008divspan class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';"div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "divspan class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"Although the General Assembly passed a bill in June allowing the S...
If privacy's what you're looking for, it's time to look into Yahoo
Posted on December 18, 2008Yahoo further upheld a users right to privacy and upped the ante for competitors Google and Microsoft when it announced this week that it would begin a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28278388/"anonymizing and deleting personal data/a information from its databases after only three months...
NPR Spotlights Legal System in Afghanistan
Posted on December 18, 2008After the Taliban lost control of Afghanistan in 2003, its justice system needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. nbsp;While most post-war resources were being devoted elsewhere, the legal system improved - but only barely. nbsp;Still, Abdul Saboor Hashimi, the chief judge of the Sangcharak district of Sari Pul province a href="http://www...
"Seclusion Rooms" in Schools Stir Up Controversy
Posted on December 18, 2008Seclusion rooms are used across the nation, generally for special needs children. On November 2004, Jonathan King hanged himself with a cord a teacher gave him to hold up his pants in a a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/17/seclusion.rooms/index.html"seclusion room/abr /br /The investigators were shocked to find out that Jonathan's "time-out" session was spent in a seclusion room that mimics a prison cell...
Facebook: Where You Can Get "Super Poked" And "Super Served"
Posted on December 18, 2008span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"/spanbr / span style="color: #353535; font-family: Arial;"div color="initial" face="inherit" size="3" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 144...
No Legal Immunity For Karadzic
Posted on December 18, 2008span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;"p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 1em; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-top: 0px; "UN judges in The Hague, Netherlands, stated on Thursday that an immunity deal a href="http://news...
Issues With Legal Representation For Surviving Mumbai Attacks Suspect
Posted on December 17, 2008divspan class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"Obtaining /span/spana href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7783818.stm"span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"l/span/span/span/aspan style="line-height: 18px;"a href="http://news...
Proposed NY Budget to Tax iTunes, Beer, Cigars, Yachts, and more
Posted on December 17, 2008The New York State budget proposed by a href="http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2008/03/11/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-david-paterson.html"Governor David Paterson/a will add to the tax burden of its residents with 88 fees, 10 fines, and 39 changes to the tax code...
Shoe Throwing can get Complicated...
Posted on December 17, 2008The infamous shoes thrown at President George W. Bush last week and more importantly their pitcher, Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi, are drawing even more attention now that a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7786881.stm"Zaidi faces trial/a in Iraq for his threatening actions...
Tobacco Company's Defense Goes Up In Smoke
Posted on December 16, 2008In a close 5-4 split, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that smokers may use state consumer protection laws to sue cigarette makers for the way they promote "light" and "low tar" brands. David Frederick, who represented the Maine residents at the high court, argued that the company knew for decades that smokers of light cigarettes compensate for the lower levels of tar and nicotine by taking longer puffs and compensating in other ways...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on December 15, 2008Over 90 detained in unauthorized opposition protest in Moscow. ~ RIA Novosti Europe moves toward compromise on copyright for musicians. ~ International Herald Tribune No word on auto bailout "for a while". ~ Reuters Startup banks on making money from free broadband...
Netherlands to Cap High-Income Severance Pay
Posted on December 15, 2008The Cabinet recently endorsed legislation in the Netherlands which will amend the Dutch Civil Code to put a ceiling severance packages for those making EUR 75,000 or more per year. Because higher income individuals are in a good position to find subsequent employment, the compensation ceiling has been set at one year's salary...
Legal Precedents for Black Friday Stampede
Posted on December 15, 2008Should Wal-mart have anticipated a greater need for security measures during Black Friday? That is the legal question that the Nassau County district attorney will attempt to answer when bringing charges against Wal-mart. The chaos that ensued in the Nassau County store on Black Friday led to the death of a security guard that was fatally trampled by shoppers heading into the store for bargain hunting...
Defense Attorney Watch: Blagojevich meets with Ed Genson
Posted on December 15, 2008Last week, the Fastcase Blog brought you information on who would be representing Blagojevich in charges that he auctioned off Barack Obama's empty U.S. Senate seat. Over the weekend, Blagojevich met with Ed Genson, the Chicago defense attorney who represented R...
Lawdable Quotes: Anacharsis
Posted on December 14, 2008Written laws are like spiders' webs, and will like them only entangle and hold the poor and weak, while the rich and powerful will easily break through them. ~ Anacharsis
Lawdable Quotes: Fancis Bacon
Posted on December 14, 2008Decided cases are the anchors of the law, as laws are of the state.~ Francis Bacon
European Union overregulated says new EU President Mirek Topolanek
Posted on December 14, 2008Mirek Topolanek is the current Czech prime minister, and he takes over the six-month EU presidency on January 1st, 2009. For the first time leading the Union, the Czechs will have to conquer the hearts and minds of their partners. Many member states think that eurosceptic nationalists will hamper Pragues European action...
Lawdable Quotes:Aristotle
Posted on December 13, 2008At his best man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst. ~ Aristotle
The U.K. May Charge Johns With Rape
Posted on December 13, 2008Men who pay for sex with women who have been trafficked or forced into prostitution could face a rape charge. Other new proposals set out by the U.K.'s Home Secretary today include the increased targeting of pimps - and naming and shaming kerb crawlers...
Adventures in E-Discovery: Preserve Your Website
Posted on December 12, 2008A recent New Jersey District Court case established precedent that, when it comes to e-discovery , websites should be treated like all other electronic files. Under this ruling, failing to produce a website that existed at the time the corporation was sued can be grounds for sanctions...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on December 12, 2008Russian MP says Arctic shelf 'historically' belongs to Moscow. ~ RIA Novosti US car bail-out fails in Senate. ~ BBC News Korean Peninsula nuclear talks end with chairman's statement. ~ Xinhua Australian police uncover internet child porn network...
DUI Flashlights And Legal Rights
Posted on December 12, 2008Along with the joy of holiday celebrations comes an increase in DUIs on the roads. This season, a new legal dilemma reared its perky head with the use of some of the recent tools used in DUI investigations in California-- including the alcohol-sensing flashlight...
Harvard to Freeze Professor Salaries and Nonfaculty Hiring
Posted on December 11, 2008After its endowment plunged by 22% (and is expected to he down by more than 30% by the end of the fiscal year), Harvard is taking action to control its budget. And, professor salaries are a big part of its budget. Yesterday, it announced that it will temporarily discontinue searching for tenure-track professors...
Blogs: Powerful Marketing Tools for Lawyers
Posted on December 11, 2008Seventy-two of the AmLaw 200 firms are blogging - and those 72 firms are responsible for 159 blogs. And, the Blogosphere is growing rapidly. For example, since Kevin O'Keefe of LexBlog released the results of its second annual "State of the AmLaw Blogosphere" in March of 2008, the number of AmLaw blogs have grown by 33%...
"Favorable-Verdict-Barbie"
Posted on December 10, 2008Barbie won again in federal court last week. As a result of the verdict, MGA has been ordered to stop producing its popular "Bratz" dolls and to stop selling them by February 2009. MGA must also reimburse its suppliers. Additionally, at that time, it must turn over all unsold inventory to Mattel - the company that makes Barbie...
Myspace Bully Charged With Wrong Crime
Posted on December 10, 2008We've all heard about the famous case that brought the concept of cyber bullying to our attention. When two Missouri teens failed to resolve their dispute, one of the teens' mother, Lori Drew, got involved by creating a false Myspace account under the name "Josh Evans...
Who's going to represent Blagojevich (and the others)?
Posted on December 10, 2008Yesterday, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was taken into custody for, among other things, "auctioning off" President-Elect Obama's Senate seat. So - who's going to be representing Illinois' latest corrupt politician? The smart money looks to be betting on Dan Webb who also represented George Ryan (the previous Governor of Illinois) in corruption charges...
'Tis the Season - W.A.T.C.H.'s Worst Toy List
Posted on December 09, 2008Every year, W.A.T.C.H. (World Against Toys Causing Harm) puts together a list of dangerous toys - just in time for the holidays. Every year the list receives much media attention and often results in toy design changes. The 2008 list is in - read it here...
Free Book of the Month:Commentaries on the Laws of England
Posted on December 09, 2008Download the book or read it online.This book was sourced from Google Books.
Lawdable Quotes: Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus)
Posted on December 08, 2008Such crimes has superstition caused. ~ Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus)
Pirating: Acts of Terror
Posted on December 08, 2008A new generation of pirates has emerged, threatening trade and disturbing the world?s navies successfully. Armed with grenade launchers and assault rifles, pirates in the Gulf of Aden are currently holding 13 vessels. It is a story that keeps re-emerging - This spring, a German Navy warship, Emden, encountered pirate vessels attacking a Japanese tanker...
Lawdable Quotes:Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus)
Posted on December 07, 2008All things obey fixed laws. ~ Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus)
Lawdable Quotes: Aeschylus
Posted on December 06, 2008The laws of a state change with the changing times. ~ Aeschylus
Join Us On Google Friend Connect
Posted on December 05, 2008Google is trying to make websites social with their Google Friend Connect application for websites. The Fastcase blog is one of the first sites to integrate Google's Friend Connect and we encourage all our readers to join our site.Its quick and easy to join:1...
The Wisconsin Lawyer: Fastcase and State Bar Partnership: Filling a Legal Research Void
Posted on December 05, 2008The Wisconsin Lawyer has a nice write up in the cover story of this month's issue about free access to Fastcase through the State Bar of Wisconsin. At Fastcase we're excited to welcome our newest member state and we would encourage all Wisconsin lawyers to sign up for Fastcase Webinar trainings that will go over the member benefit and how to conduct legal research using Fastcase...
Michigan Legalizes Medicinal Marijuana
Posted on December 05, 2008A recently-approved Michigan law allows patients with HIV, AIDS, cancer, glaucoma and other diseases to use marijuana for medicinal purposes on a doctor's recommendation. Once registered with the state, qualifying patients will receive ID cards, which will allow them to legally acquire, possess, transport and even grow up to 2...
Bush's End-of-Term Rule-Making: Immigration and E-Verify
Posted on December 04, 2008In its final days, the Bush Administration is pushing out new regulations which will mean fines ($500-$1000 per unverified employee) for companies that contract with the U.S. Government. The rule is designed to ensure that all companies contracting with the U...
Bank Failure, the FDIC, and your IOLTA Account
Posted on December 02, 2008The Texas Bar homepage is linking to a memo about the heightened and ongoing importance of monitoring client trust accounts. Check it out for a refresher on how your clients' individual accounts relate to their money in your trust account under FDIC federal insurance rules...
Lawdable Quotes: Abraham Lincoln
Posted on November 30, 2008Let every man remember that to violate the law is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear that charter of his own and his children's liberty. ~Abraham Lincoln
Lawdable Quotes: Sophocles
Posted on November 29, 2008Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law than those who make the law. ~ Sophocles
Lawable Quotes: Clarence Darrow
Posted on November 27, 2008There is no such thing as justice - in or out of court. ~ Clarence Darrow (1936)
Detroit County Brings Ex-Acorn Worker to Justice
Posted on November 26, 2008Jemar Barksdale will serve between six and twenty-three months of home confinement following his guilty plea - he was one of the ACORN workers who falsified voter registration cards in Pennsylvania. He will also need to pay ACORN $574 in restitution because he forged the registration cards...
Question Presented: May an officer pat down a passenger in a routine traffic stop?
Posted on November 26, 2008On December 9, 2008, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Arizona v. Johnson - the case about whether an articulable suspicion is enough to allow a police officer to pat down a passanger. The Petitioner will argue that, under Terry, pat downs are reasonable whenever an officer lawfully seizes a person and has a resonable belief that the person is dangerous, the officer may pat that person down ...
Market Trends: Lawyers Looking for Work Overseas
Posted on November 25, 2008Even as they close offices in the United States, large firms continue to open new offices in far away lands. For example, last February, Latham & Watkins opened offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha. Dewey closed US offices in Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas - but opened offices in Doha and Abu Dhabi...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on November 25, 2008More Americans serving as their own lawyers. ~ The Associated Press Bigger Isn't Always Better... But in This Case, We Believe It Is. ~ Youtube European online library crashes. ~ BBC News Web suicide watchers tough to prosecute. ~ CNET
Scentific American Podcast: Broken Windows Crime Theory
Posted on November 25, 2008Scientific American has an interesting podcast discussion on the effectiveness of the broken windows crime theory. Check out the full transcript below or listen to the podcast here. Full Text: It?s called the "broken windows" theory and it says that in a neighborhood where buildings have broken windows, people are more likely to engage in bad behavior...
Jury Will Hear Closing Arguments in MySpace Case
Posted on November 24, 2008The jury will return at 4pm CST today to hear closing arguments in the case of Lori Drew, the woman charged harassing a teen girl over MySpace. The teen, Megan Meier, committed suicide. Judge Wu may still rule that the prosecution's charges in this federal case are insufficent...
Lawdable Quotes: Gore Vidal
Posted on November 23, 2008For certain people, after fifty, litigation takes the place of sex. ~ Gore Vidal
Lawdable Quotes: Jeremy Bentham
Posted on November 22, 2008Lawyers are the only persons in whom ignorance of the law is not punished. ~ Jeremy Bentham
"Read the Handbook or Read Your Summons"
Posted on November 21, 2008The Florida Bar News recently reported that hearing impaired and deaf Florida citizens are having a difficult time securing legal representation. One study found that attorneys more often threatened to withdraw and acted with hostility toward deaf clients...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on November 21, 2008U.S. contractors to lose immunity from Iraqi law. ~ The International Herald Tribune Some See Big Problem in Wisconsin Drinking. ~ The New York Times Juror Defies Russian Court's Attempts to Close Trial ~ The Washington Post iPhone 2.2 firmware update available now, Google Street View and plenty more ~ Engadget
What's Going on at The Supreme Court of the United States?
Posted on November 21, 2008For those who love to follow the goings on at the Supreme Court, we love these links for information and analysis. Please feel free to share your favorite sources in the comment section.ScotusWiki: Schedule of Arguments for 2008 ArgumentsSCOTUS Blog: Up to the hour news on what's going on in the Court...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on November 20, 2008Britain's bribery laws to be overhauled. ~ The Associated Press State law allows hearsay evidence from murder victims. ~ Chicago Tribune eHarmony Settles With NJ AG; Will Offer Matching Service for Gays. ~ WSJ Law Blog Family law in line for revamp by Rudd Government...
Planet Money Podcast: Why Government Purchase of Troubled Assets Might Work
Posted on November 19, 2008We like NPR's Planet Money because it breaks complicated economic issues into podcasts we can understand. Check out this edition by David Kestenbaum called "Study Suggests Buying Toxic Assets Could Work." Listen Here.
Naked Bicycling Ruled Protected Speech in Portland
Posted on November 18, 2008A Portland man was cleared of indecent exposure charges last Wednesday. Michael "Bobby" Hammond, 21, was participating in Portland's World Naked Bike Ride (1200 people took part this June 14), a clothing optional event where riders look to make the point that only the human body is necessary to power a bicycle...
Evidence in the MySpace Trial : Suicide Comes In
Posted on November 17, 2008U.S. District Court Judge George Wu will allow the jury to hear that Megan Meier committed suicide. Blog watchers will recall that the defendant in this case is Lori Drew - a woman charged with violating the MySpace terms of service with the intent to do harm...
Lawdable Quotes: Washington Irving
Posted on November 16, 2008Young lawyers attend the courts not because they have business there but because they have no business anywhere else. ~ Washington Irving
Lawdable Quotes: Louis Nizer
Posted on November 15, 2008In cross-examination, as in fishing, nothing is more ungainly than a fisherman pulled into the water by his catch. ~ Louis Nizer
Lawdable Quotes: Heraclitus of Ephesus
Posted on November 14, 2008Abundance of knowledge does not teach men to be wise. ~ Heraclitus of Ephesus
Lawdable Quotes: Sophocles
Posted on November 13, 2008There is a point at which even justice does injury. ~ Sophocles
Child Support in Brazil: Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Posted on November 12, 2008Under a new law in Brazil, the supposed father of an unborn child must pay child support during pregnancy. He must also help fund special diets and medical expenses incurred due to the pregnancy. Until now, a man was not forced to pay child support until after the child was born and DNA proved paternity...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on November 12, 2008Role of Ex-NFL Lobbyist in Push to Curb Online Gambling Faulted ~ The Washington Post Say hello to Gmail voice and video chat ~ Official Gmail Blog Taiwan ex-president arrested in graft probe ~ Reuters Russia's corruption rate in law enforcement up 35% ~ RIA Novosti
Ancient Documents: The Athenian Constitution
Posted on November 11, 2008Source: The Athenian Constitution via the Avalon Project
Try Fastcase for Free!
Posted on November 11, 2008Try Fastcase for 24 hours - it's easy to sign up, completely user-friendly, and free! Do it in three easy steps: 1. Enter your name and email address here. 2. Follow the link to create a password.3. Check your email and follow the link back to Fastcase...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on November 10, 2008China's Huge Stimulus Package - Financial Time's Alphaville Judge Orders Apple Executives To Stop Work - Reuters Citing Workload, Public Lawyers Reject New Cases - New York Times Harvard Law Professor, Sues RIAA - The Harvard Crimson Gorbachev calls on Obama to carry out 'perestroika' in the U...
Free Book of the Month: The Spirit of Laws
Posted on November 10, 2008Download: The Spirit of Laws by Montesquieu (via Google Books ) or read it online here.
Ancient Codes: The Twelve Tables
Posted on November 10, 2008(Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons ... learn more about creative commons licensing here ) Source: The Twelve Tables via The Avalon Project
Highlights From Medvedev's State of the Nation Address
Posted on November 09, 2008The Russian president said in his address:- proposed extending the presidential and parliamentary terms of office from the current four years to six and five years respectively- Russia will deploy short-range Iskander missiles in its exclave of Kaliningrad next to Poland in response to U...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on November 04, 2008Stevens Juror Admits She Lied About Her Fathers Death, Actually Went to CA For a Horse Race - WSJ BlogSarah Palin Cleared of Any Wrongdoing in "Troopergate" - The GuardianVA, PA, CO and 2008 - NPRThis Election For Statisticians - www.fivethirtyeight.comStarbucks, Ben & Jerry's, Krispy Kreme Will Not Limit Freebies to Voters - One News Now
Supreme Court Denies CSPAN Access to Oral Arguments in FCC v. FOX
Posted on November 03, 2008The "fleeting expletives" case is due for argument in the Supreme Court next Tuesday, and the tapes will not be released to C-SPAN until next year. Usually, the Court grants C-SPAN's request to make audio tapes public immediately after a hearing, but this time, without explanation, the Court refuses to do so...
Notable Morning Stories...
Posted on November 03, 2008Terrorism Financing Meets Judicial Review - The Conglomerate Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Ben & Jerrys May Be Breaking Federal Law Offering Freebies For Voters on Election Day - Election Law BlogCircuit City Closing 252 Stores - The Consumerist Bogus Robocalls Tell Voters They Can Vote By Phone - Wired Blog
Add The Fastcase Blog To Your RSS Readers
Posted on November 02, 2008Interested in having the easiest access to the Fastcase blog as possible? Now you can link the Fastcase blog to your RSS feed and view you it anytime you like from your favorite webpage or RSS Reader. Just click on any of the links below to add the blog to your RSS feed now...
Lawdable Quotes:Marcus Tallius Cicero
Posted on November 01, 2008The safety of the people shall be the highest law.~ Marcus Tallius Cicero
Countdown to November 4: Voting on the "Master Plan" in New Orleans
Posted on October 30, 2008The team of consultants that the New Orleans City Planning Commission hired to complete a "master plan" for economic development, better housing, improved infrastructure. After Katrina, the plan was introduced and repeatedly stalled. Whether to give this plan the force of law goes to vote on November 4th...
Thursday Tips: Tips for Election Day!
Posted on October 30, 2008You know the basics of voting - be 18, be a citizen, hope the chads don't hang. But, in our first week of "Thursday Tips," we want to bring some other other considerations to your attention. 1. Avoid the crowds. Mid-morning to early afternoon is the best time to go...
Twitter for Terrorists
Posted on October 29, 2008Anti-terrorism authorities in both the US and the UK are becoming increasingly worried about the role of Twitter in "extremist groups." Twitter is a free social networking site which allows users to post "tweets" to update their networks. Additionally, large businesses like Cisco Systems, Jet Blue, and Whole Foods Market use Twitter to disseminate product information...
Sites We Like: The Avalon Project at Yale Law School
Posted on October 28, 2008Yale's Lillian Goldman Law Library hosts an online component known as the Avalon Project. This initiative aims to provide access to source materials in the fields of law, diplomacy and history. Our favorite segment consists of ancient documents where you can read the text of some of the very first written laws...
Notable Morning Stories ...
Posted on October 28, 2008Have we learned enough from the Crash of 1929? - The Conglomerate Corporate Law BlogAlaska Senator Ted Stevens, 84, Convicted - Blog of Legal Times With One Week to Go, Palm Beach County (Florida) Nervous About Counting Votes - NPR
Worse than 2000? How About a 269-269 Electoral Tie?
Posted on October 28, 2008As with most Presidential elections, the 2008 election has tightened up with about one week remaining. If Democratic Sen. Barack Obama fares better (but not much better) than Sen. John Kerry did in 2004, the electoral vote count could end up in a deadlocked tie 269 to 269...
Rehnquist Family Donating Papers to Stanford
Posted on October 27, 2008Justice William Rehnquist was on the Supreme Court for thirty three years before his death in 2005. Interestingly, only papers relating to decisions made between 1972, when Rehnquist joined the Court, and 1975, when John Paul Stevens joined the Court, will be made public...
Lawdable Quotes:Hart Pomerantz
Posted on October 26, 2008Law school taught me one thing: how to take two situations that are exactly the same and show how they are different.~ Hart Pomerantz
Lawdable Quotes: Albert Einstein
Posted on October 25, 2008As long as I have any choice, I will stay only in a county where political liberty, toleration, and equality of all citizens before the law are the rule. ~ Albert Einstein
Greenspan's Written Testimony Received in Congress
Posted on October 24, 2008The House Goverment Oversight and Reform Committee received Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan's testimony which opened by calling the economic downturn a "tsunami." The 1033 word document summarizes Greenspan's take on the source of the crisis, policies for going forward, expectations for the future, as well as lessons learned...
Tax I.Q. Test
Posted on October 23, 2008"I have a Ph.D. from an Ivy League university and my wife is a CPA and we are still incapable of doing our own taxes." -Political Science Professor, University of Wisconsin, 2004 According to that professor, you cannot expect to be able to do your own taxes just because you're smart...
Proposition K Could Legalize Prostitution in San Francisco
Posted on October 22, 2008If Proposition K passes this November, San Francisco could certain sections of Nevada and Rhode Island where prostitution is legal behind closed doors Proponents say that if prostitution is legalized, sex workers will be able to organize for rights and safety...
MIT OpenCourseWare: The Law of Corporate Finance and Financial Markets
Posted on October 22, 2008MIT OpenCourseWare15.617 The Law of Corporate Finance and Financial MarketsInterested in learning more about the law and how it relates to corporate finance? MIT is offering class materials to allow you to self study how the law interplays with financial markets and corporate finance...
New Gmail Labs Feature: Canned Responses
Posted on October 22, 2008Gmail Labs is a fun playground for using features that haven't made it yet as a standard Gmail. Earlier this month they launched Mail Goggles which caused much fervor and debate in the Fastcase office over the utility of such a feature...
Supreme Court To Hear Arguments On Identity Theft and Illegal Immigration
Posted on October 21, 2008The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Ignacio Flores-Figueroa, an illegal immigrant who used a fake ID to get a job at a plant in Illinois. At issue is who has the burden of proof in showing whether an illegal immigrant knew his documents were stolen from real person...
Today Is Global Anti-Piracy Day: View An Interactive Map of Legal Action Across The Globe
Posted on October 21, 2008Microsoft has launched a coordinated global effort against piracy today with legal action commencing across 49 separate countries to help stem the distribution of counterfeit software. They've also set up an interactive world display where you can view the individual actions being taken in each country...
Expect Long Lines On Election Day
Posted on October 20, 2008An estimated two million new voters registered to vote in the 2008 presidential election and a record turnout is expected. Many worry about voter fraud, but Nate Persily, a Columbia University law professor, warns that the bigger danger for November 4th is going to be managing the election day crowds and technology...
Lawdable Quotes:J. William Fulbright
Posted on October 19, 2008Law is the essential foundation of stability and order both within societies and in international relations.~ J. William Fulbright
Lawdable Quotes: B.R. Ambedkar
Posted on October 18, 2008Law and order are the medicine of the body politic and when the body politic gets sick, medicine must be administered.~ B.R. Ambedkar
Stumped by Technology?
Posted on October 17, 2008Ever worry that your computer can do things that you have no clue how to ask it to do? Me too. That's why I love David Pogue's article in the NY Times today entitled "Tech Tips for the Basic Computer User."Here are a couple of things this blog contributor learned:1...
Lawdable Quotes: Will Rogers
Posted on October 16, 2008The minute you read something that you cannot understand, you can almost be sure that it was drawn up by a lawyer.~Will Rogers
Dallas Lawyer and Firm Respond to "Out of Context" Letter by Houston Lawyer
Posted on October 15, 2008Last week, we brought you this letter from a Houston hurricane victim/lawyer to a Dallas attorney. In this letter, the Houston lawyer rants about all the reasons he could not make it to a deposition scheduled by the Dallas lawyer and states that the Dallas lawyer completely failed to be sensitive to the logistical challenges in light of the hurricane...
Preparing for Liability on Wall Street
Posted on October 13, 2008Anyone who spent more than 45 seconds on Capitol Hill over the last two weeks can attest to the fact that even the minority of consituents who called their representatives to support the bailout want the corporate officers "responsible for this mess" brought to justice...
Lawdable Quotes: Oliver Wendell Holmes
Posted on October 12, 2008This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice.~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Lawdable Quotes: Ronald D. Dworkin
Posted on October 11, 2008Integrity is the key to understanding legal practice. Law?s empire is defined by attitude, not territory or power or process.~ Ronald D. Dworkin
Tech Rumor: Affordable MacBooks Coming Next Week!
Posted on October 11, 2008Rumors are flying that Apple is about to introduce a $799 MacBook this year. Currently, you cannot get out of an Apple Store with a computer costing less than $1099. Apparently, Apple plans to increase its line to 12 different laptops (currently there are only 8)...
As Roberts Warned, "Underpaid" Federal Judges Are Leaving...
Posted on October 10, 2008Senior U.S. District Judge James T. Giles is leaving the bench for a law firm, and he is citing "financial reasons" as the reason. He told reporters that he does not see Congress giving federal judges a "meaningful raise" in the near future. So, he's going back to the job at Pepper Hamilton that he left in 1979...
Attorney Spotlight: David Boies
Posted on October 09, 2008Representing Wachovia in its battle with Citigroup, David Boies reports that for the first 48 hours he spent working on the case, the only time he saw daylight was when he walked to court. As the American Lawyer Litigation Daily tells it, Mr. Boies was in his office drafting Congressional testimony for former AIG CEO Maurice "Hank" Greenberg when the call from Wachovia came in...
Free Podcasts Explaining the Financial Crisis and Rescue Package
Posted on October 09, 2008No one is going to disagree that the financial world is changing. But, where does a busy person turn for a basic AND in-depth explanation? We like the October 4 broadcast of This American Life. Download the podcast at itunes.com or at NPR...
A Democratic Duty to Learn About Technology?
Posted on October 08, 2008In a poll by The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, researchers found that half of Americans know nothing about nanotechnology or synthetic biology. This report concerns policy experts because this technology will be breaking onto the scene in the next administration, and the public has not even begun to discuss the benefits and risks of the technology...
Ex-Detainees to be Released in US
Posted on October 08, 2008On Friday, 17 Chinese Muslim detainees are scheduled to be released from Guantanamo Bay and delivered to the DC Court which ordered their release on Tuesday. In an emergency motion, the Department of Justice argues that only the executive branch may decide whether to admit an alien to the United States...
Free Book of the Month: Aristophanes's The Wasps
Posted on October 07, 2008This month the Fastcase Blog is bringing you Aristophanes's The Wasps for your reading pleasure. This witty satire of the Athenian Law-courts is a must read. If you are feeling adventurous and still remember your ancient Greek, check out the original text of the play here...
Iceland May Go Bankrupt
Posted on October 07, 2008Iceland is experiencing an economic nightmare due to the global instability in the financial markets. Their currency, the krona, has dropped 45% against the euro and according to their prime minister; Geir Haarde, the country may be on the verge of a "national bankruptcy...
Gmail Labs Launches Mail Goggles
Posted on October 07, 2008Most employees here at Fastcase use Gmail as their personal webmail service. One of the more interesting aspects of Gmail is the Labs playground where Google posts new projects before their release -- you can add and test out features that appeal to you...
Beards at the DC Fire Department
Posted on October 07, 2008Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals of the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments in a case about whether DC Fire Departments are violating the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in requiring firefighters to shave their beards. DC argued that facial hair interferes with the mask's seal and increases exposure to toxic air...
Nobel Peace Prizes in Medicine Announced
Posted on October 06, 2008Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier of France will be honored for discoverying the human immunodeficiency virus.Harald zur Hausen of Germany will also be honored for discovering the human papilloma virus which leads to cervical cancer. The winners will split a 1...
Join the Fastcase Newsletter!
Posted on October 06, 2008Sign up, and you can have Fastcase updates and legal news delivered weekly right to your email! The Fastcase newsletter is a great way to stay in the know about new features, upcoming Fastcase webinars and news in the fields of technology and law. To register, simply click below:Sign Up Today!
Lawdable Quotes:John Arbuthnot
Posted on October 04, 2008Law is a bottomless pit.(Cover of a Pamphlet c. 1700) ~ John Arbuthnot
Tips for the Online Job Search
Posted on October 03, 2008Above the Law, the self proclaimed "legal gossip" blog, recently reported a survey finding that 45% of law firm associates are at some stage of looking for a new job. Maybe that's part of the reason why the most popular NY Times business article today is about how the internet has changed (but not really changed) ways people find new jobs...
California Dreamin: Gang Mom Denies Misconduct
Posted on October 02, 2008Eva Daley, a California woman who drove her son and his friends to fight a rival gang where a 13 year old boy was killed, claims she did nothing wrong. Daley is charged with the murder of Jose "Bobby" Cano, though she states she did not know the boy died until the next day and that she did not know that Cano stabbed her son months prior to the attack...
Democratizing Healthcare: Online Communities
Posted on October 01, 2008"Patients aren't learning from Web sites - they're learning from each other," observes Dr. Ted Eytan at Permanente Federation. Almost everyone uses the internet to research health. In fact, 75% of patients who are online told researchers that the last online health search they did affected a decision on how to treat an illness...
Lawdable Quotes: Martin Luther King Jr.
Posted on October 01, 2008Morality cannot be legislated but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Firms React to "Global Economic Crisis"
Posted on October 01, 2008In response to the sliding market and the failure of Congress to pass the $700 billion bailout plan, law firms with financial practices have had to revamp their business and begin to target those with a credit crisis. Groups have been formed throughout the past month in hopes of educating clients on the bailout plan and helping those who want to buy or sell assets to the government...
Supreme Court Justices Consider Whether to Reconsider Landmark Death Penalty Decision
Posted on September 30, 2008Last term, the Supreme Court decided that it is unconstitutional to apply the death penalty to a person convicted of raping a child. The opinion stated that there is a national consensus against using the death penalty for the rape of a child. However, the opinion overlooked legislation making the death penalty available in child rape cases under military law...
Articles You Like
Posted on September 29, 2008The Fastcase blog wants to know what you are reading! We are passionate about legal and technology news but we'd like to open up our comment board for any article that you find interesting and that you'd like to share with others. Have you stumbled on article that gives a unique perspective on the $700 billion government bailout in the financial markets or an interesting article on the netbook trend ? Let us know! We'd love to read them all...
Live Coverage! House Vote on Bailout
Posted on September 29, 2008Live Blog:2:27 - The vote for the $700 billion bailout vailed in the House. The Dow Jones immediately dropped as much as 700 points. Only 60% of Democrats and 33% of Republicans backed the bill. (CNN Video Stream)2:44 - All the major indexes are posting large declines...
Another ?Made-in-China? Scare
Posted on September 27, 2008The EU has ordered that all imports containing at least 15% milk powder be tested for melamine, a chemical that has left more than 50,000 Chinese children sick and four dead. Officials are mainly worried about cookies, toffees and chocolates.It is illegal to import Chinese dairy products into the European Union, but many countries import food containing milk powder outside of Europe...
Minnesota Judge Wants a Do-Over in Piracy Case
Posted on September 26, 2008U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis granted a new trial to Jammie Thomas, a woman convicted for illegal file-sharing, citing he made a mistake in her trial. Last October, Thomas was found guilty of copyright infringement and was ordered to pay $222,000 to six record companies for the 24 songs she shared on the Kazaa file sharing network...
US Releases Detained Canadian Television Reporter
Posted on September 25, 2008Lawyers negotiated the release of a twenty-two year old journalist after he was held without charge for 11 months at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. US officials suspected that he had contacts with local Taliban members and thought he could be in possession of a video about the Taliban...
Four Law Firms Make the Cut for Working Mother(s)
Posted on September 25, 2008Law firms are beginning to help balance the scale between work and motherhood for employees. Working Mother magazine has tracked this progress and ranked four law firms on their list of 100 Best Companies of 2008.Those that made the list include Arnold & Porter and Covington & Burling both in Washington, DC, Katten, Muchin, Rosenman in Chicago, and Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman in New York...
Sites We Like: Engadget
Posted on September 24, 2008The Fastcase blog focuses most of its attention to interesting legal news items but we also have a passion for keeping up with the latest technology. One of our favorite blogs is Engadget, a blog that is devoted to consumer electronics and general technology news...
Google Claims Its Floating Data Center Will Save the World, Skeptics Disagree
Posted on September 23, 2008That?s right. Google applied for a patent to protect its idea for a ?water-based data center? between 3 and 7 miles off the coast. The New York Times Technology blog calls it ?Google?s data navy.? Why is Google doing this? It depends on who you ask. Of course, there are those who argue (jokingly?) it?s just another stop on the road toward the search engine/advertiser?s quest for global domination...
Google and T-Mobile Launching First Android Phone Today
Posted on September 23, 2008T-Mobile is launching the first cell phone that uses Google's Android operating system. Dubbed G1, the phone has 3G functionality, will come preloaded with apps (such as Amazon's MP3 store), GPS and a 3.1 megapixel camera. Will Google's first foray into the cell phone market tempt you to switch from your iphones or blackberrys?If you are interested in learning more, The Boy Genius Report is conducting a live blog at 10:00 a...
Lawdable Quotes: Jean de la Bruyere
Posted on September 21, 2008The court is like a palace of marble; it's composed of people very hard and very polished.~ Jean de la Bruyere
Facebook an Invasion of Privacy, Eh?
Posted on June 13, 2008The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, a group of pro-privacy advocates, has filed a complaint with the Canadian Office of the Privacy Commissioner against the Facebook, arguing that the website violates Canada's privacy laws. The group has lodged its complaint publicly, arguing that in past interactions with the Facebook, little progress had been made in private...
US Loses Track and Field Star to Anti-Doping Charges
Posted on June 12, 2008Appealing his doping charges to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Olympian Justin Gatlin was again found guilty last Tuesday thus ending his hopes for Olympic gold once again. Declared the ?fastest man in the world?, after taking the gold in the 100 meter sprint in 2004, Gatlin is now facing 4 years of probation from Track and Field...
Free MP3 Download of the Week: Double Concerto by Johannes Brahm
Posted on June 12, 2008Conducting legal research can be a bit taxing at times. With so many boolean queries to create and countless cases to read through, its nice to have a distraction now and then. That is why we feature public domain courtesy of Musopen every week. Take a moment today to sit back and enjoy Brahms's 'Double Concerto'! Concerto in A Minor, Op...
The Law Goes Open Source: Forbes
Posted on June 12, 2008An article in the June 30 issue of Forbes (released online yesterday) profiles Fastcase as part of a new vanguard disrupting the market for legal research:"Disruption is in the air, however. Fastcase sells bulk memberships to state bar associations, ...
DOJ Sued for Discrimination
Posted on June 11, 2008Joi Hyatte, a paralegal in the Department of Justice?s Civil Rights division, has filed suit against the DOJ, alleging that she has been passed over for promotions because she is African-American. Hyatte claims that although she enjoyed excellent reviews and served the department for 13 years, the department, in violation of typical hiring procedures, chose instead to hire whites and Hispanics from the outside for higher-paying positions...
Big Brother On Campus?
Posted on June 11, 2008Researchers at Northeastern University overstepped their experimental boundaries, or they would have had their project taken place in the United States. Over the past six months, the University has been collecting data regarding the movement of cell phone users in relation to their homes...
Is America Really Ready for Digital Television?
Posted on June 11, 2008Nearly 70 million Americans are still watching TV via an analogue signal and the GAO estimates that 35 million of them will be out of luck, and television programs, come winter. After an extensive survey, the GAO has discovered that an alarming amount of Americans have no clue when it comes to the conversion of the old analogue signal to a digital one that is scheduled to occur this February...
Unveiling of New, Touchable Microsoft Product
Posted on June 10, 2008Last week at the, ?D: All Things Digital? conference, sponsored by the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft introduced its latest project, a touch-screen computer that will effectively rid of the mouse. While it was first introduced last year at the same conference in a coffee table form, the computer giant has changed its product to service the business world more appropriately...
N.Y. Court Rules in Favor of Warrantless GPS
Posted on June 10, 2008The New York Appellate Court, 3rd division, ruled last week that the warrantless use of a GPS device to track a suspect is not a violation of that person's right to privacy guaranteed by the U.S. or New York constitutions. Because expectations of privacy tend to be lower within vehicles than in the home, and also because the GPS devices "surveil (sp) that which is already public," the court ruled 4-1 that the decision of the lower court to deny the appellant's motion for the suppression of evidence obtained using the GPS device should stand...
Take All the Time You Need, or at Least 8 weeks
Posted on June 10, 2008The Federal government is taking steps to become more similar to its European counterparts by introducing legislation for standardized parental leave. This motion comes after California introduced a policy that provides for employees to be paid 55% of their full salary for a period of up to six weeks while out of the office caring for newborns or sick family members...
Sign Up Today For Our Public Records Webinar With Choicepoint (June 19th from 12:00 -1:00 Eastern Time)
Posted on June 10, 2008Fastcase offers public records searching through Choicepoint! Join us to learn the accreditation process and how to conduct public record searches for both individuals and businesses.Public Records Overview With ChoicePoint Register at: https://www1...
Sandra Day O'Connor: Professional Gamer?
Posted on June 10, 2008That's right. Last Wednesday, Sandra Day O'Connor unveiled a video game she is helping to design at a conference dubbed Games for Change, which promotes "social issue" gaming. O'Connor conceived of the free game, to be released in 2009, for the Our Courts project, an initiative to encourage civic education and engagement...
Halliburton Suit Returns to District Court
Posted on June 09, 2008The Federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decided this week to reverse and remand the Houston district court's decision to throw out the case Fisher v. Halliburton in 2006. The decision was appealed by the families of several Halliburton workers who were wounded and killed in Iraq, arguing that Halliburton and its former partner KBR unnecessarily put the group in harm's way...
Lawdable Quotes: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Posted on June 08, 2008My mother told me two things constantly. One was to be a lady and the other was to be independent, and the law was something most unusual for those times because for most girls growing up in the '40s, the most important degree was not your B.A. but your M...
Lawdable Quotes: Judge Jack Weinstein
Posted on June 07, 2008The city of New York has filed suit against Jay Wallace, the owner of a gun shop in Georgia, accusing him of selling guns to New York residents, and thus making the streets of the city less safe. Mayor Michael Bloomberg's involvement in the case has been somewhat controversial, dubbed by the New York Times a struggle between David (small time shop owner Wallace) and Goliath, the city's "billionaire mayor...
Listen Up! 5th Circuit Now Posting Recordings
Posted on June 07, 2008The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has recently started to post recordings of its oral arguments at the court's website. The court will post arguments towards the end of the day they are heard, and individuals can search the recordings by docket number, date, title, or attorney...
Need Privacy? Just "Google" it.
Posted on June 06, 2008Google finds themselves in trouble once again as they are currently targeted for not being in compliance with privacy policy posting regulations. A number of privacy agencies have accused Google of making it exceptionally difficult to find and read the policies that they have constructed...
This Day in Legal History: June 6
Posted on June 06, 2008On this day in legal history, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 into law. Part of his New Deal legislation to regulate the markets, the Act founded the Securities and Exchange Commission and put curbs on indiscriminate or criminal trading by brokers...
This Summer Expect Delays
Posted on June 06, 2008Fewer passengers, increasing fuel prices and tighter inspection regulations put in place by the FAA, have all contributed to more flight cancellations and delays than ever. After Jet Blue?s introduction of a Customer Bill of Rights last spring, it has become standard procedure for all airlines to refund ticket prices when flights are cancelled and another cannot be rescheduled in a reasonable amount of time, typically two hours...
Internet Start-Up Builds Bridges in Middle East
Posted on June 05, 2008The New York Times this week followed a budding internet start-up company, G.ho.st, that is trying to found an innovate web product in spite of the major divides, physical and cultural, across Israel and Palestine. The firm employs both Israelis and Palestinians, separated by checkpoints and fences, who can meet once in awhile in neutral zones and coffee shops...
Working it Out Never Felt So Good...
Posted on June 05, 2008This week a New York courtroom acquitted Christopher Carter, a member of an Equinox gym in the city, of assaulting a neighbor during a spin class. Stuart Sugarman had been grunting and shouting out things like "You go girl!" throughout the spin session, and Carter, to no avail, repeatedly entreated the Equinox staff to quiet him down...
US Provides Upset in International Law Competition
Posted on June 05, 2008Every year at this time, the International Law Students Association sponsors the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. For almost fifty years, this competition has offered law students from around the globe the opportunity to show what skills they have developed in a mock, yet highly realistic, manner alongside and against their peers...
This Week's Blog-Worthy Cases
Posted on June 05, 2008Want to learn more about those cases you have read about in the news? Below are links to some notable (and notorious!) opinions that have recently been in the public eye. In re Steed, et al. Court of Appeals of TexasThe Texas court ruled that the children removed from the polygamist compound by child protection authorities in Eldorado, TX, must be returned to their families...
Decreasing Cancellation Fees: Necessary and Proper?
Posted on June 04, 2008A ruling over cell phone cancellation fees could bring the argument of state versus federal powers back to the courts. Since the arrival of cell phones on the market, there have been outrageous fees associated with cancelling service plans. While consumers view the fees as a way for companies to trap you into paying for years of what may be less than adequate service, the companies defend their right to charge the fees as a way to offset costs...
UN Points Fingers in Global Food Crisis
Posted on June 04, 2008The Food and Agriculture subset of the UN called for summit recently to address the increasing problems of the food crisis occurring around the globe. The FAO accounts more than just a few nations as being problematic for reasons including placing bans on exports, overspending and other excesses causing the price of food to skyrocket around the world...
An Honorable Blogger
Posted on June 03, 2008There is no question that the face of the blogger is changing and the newest addition may be the most surprising yet. Judge Nancy Gertner, who sits for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, is rather progressive in her belief that blogging is nothing more than a vehicle for publishing thoughts once only shared in books...
Free Book of the Month: The Future of the Internet and How To Stop It
Posted on June 02, 2008Each month Fastcase hosts a book (as a PDF document) that has fallen out of copyright for your legal reading delight. This month we bring you Jonathan Zittrain's The Future of the Internet and How To Stop It. Book Description (excerpt taken from http://futureoftheinternet...
Lawdable Quotes: Immanuel Kant
Posted on June 01, 2008So act that your principle of action might safely be made a law for the whole world. ~ Immanuel Kant
Lawdable Quotes: Walt Whitman
Posted on May 31, 2008The shallow consider liberty a release from all law, from every constraint. The wise man sees in it, on the contrary, the potent Law of Laws. -Walt Whitman
Free Download of the Week: Chopin's Nocturne No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op. 9
Posted on May 30, 2008In the mood for a more melancholy tune? Take advantage of music in the public domain and download this beautiful piece by Chopin, courtesy of Musopen.com.Click to download Chopin's Nocturne No.1 in B Flat Minor, Op.9For this song and more (free!) music, visit Musopen.
Russian Prosecutor-General Speaks Out
Posted on May 29, 2008This week Yury Chaika, Russia's Prosecutor-General, has announced that a total of 5,265 individuals were acquitted of false charges last year. Mr. Chaika vows to reform the system to prevent such staggering numbers in the future, and has proposed compensation for those wrongly accused...
This Day in Legal History: May 29
Posted on May 29, 2008In 1915, the Baltimore Terrapins, a team in the smaller and younger Federal League, sued the American and National baseball leagues for unfair practices in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. The legislation, passed in 1890, was meant to curb monopolies in inter-state commerce...
?Just Say No??to Telemarketers that is
Posted on May 28, 2008After a long series of phone scams cheating Americans out of nearly $100 million, the Federal Trade Commission has begun cracking down on several perpetrators. Several companies are currently under investigation including groups claiming to be non-profit organizations for the disabled and low cost prescription drug providers...
Governor Ryan May Request Presidential Pardon
Posted on May 28, 2008This week the Supreme Court refused without comment to hear the appeal of former Illinois governor George Ryan and co-defendant Larry Warner. The defendants claimed that they had suffered an unfair trial, arguing that the replacement of several jurors during deliberation created chaos in the courtroom...
AOL in Hot Water Once More...
Posted on May 27, 2008This week the S.E.C. charged eight former AOL executives for ad-revenue fraud, accusing the men of exaggerating online advertising revenue during the company's merger with Time-Warner in 2000. The case will go forward in the Southern District Court of New York, where four of the defendants will contest the charges...
Go Green to Make Green
Posted on May 27, 2008Going green has changed from a fad to a lifestyle in just a matter of years leaving many wondering if, and when, they should jump on the bandwagon. While the transition first began in homes, businesses are starting to see the benefits as well. For the consumer, going green is a matter of protecting the environment and padding their pockets, but for businesses it is getting more complicated...
Broadening Legal Horizons: An Introduction to the Virtual World
Posted on May 26, 2008Ever-growing virtual environments are opening the eyes of many to a whole new legal frontier. As the field expands from solely entertaining purposes to a more practical approach, lawyers are realizing the potential for protection regarding intellectual property...
Lawdable Quotes: Alexis de Tocqueville
Posted on May 25, 2008"There is one universal law that has been formed, or at least adopted...by the majority of mankind. That law is justice. Justice forms the cornerstone of each nation's law." ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
Lawdable Quotes: Publilius Syrus
Posted on May 24, 2008The judge is condemned when the guilty is absolved.~Publilius Syrus
Explosion in Global Cyber Crime
Posted on May 23, 2008According to the BBC, organized cyber crimes such as credit card or banking fraud are increasing at a rate of 40% per year, making this sector of crime the fastest growing in the world. Big and small time hackers worldwide are staking a claim to this 100 billion dollar industry...
Going for Gold: The Battle Over Swimsuits
Posted on May 22, 2008It looks as if the competition in Olympic Swimming will not be remaining in the water this year. Just a few months before the kickoff of the Summer 2008 Olympic games, swimsuit manufacturers including TYR, Nike, Arena, Diane and Speedo are fighting for the top spot with swimmers...
Get Fastcase the Fast Way
Posted on May 22, 2008Interested in having the easiest access to the Fastcase blog as possible? Now you can link the Fastcase blog to your RSS feed and view you it anytime you like from your favorite webpage or RSS Reader. Just click on any of the links below to add the blog to your RSS feed now...
FTC Proposes Limits to "Behavioral Targeting"
Posted on May 22, 2008The advent of the internet has raised some harrowing questions regarding the interplay between privacy and free content. In an attempt to address this new frontier, the FTC recently proposed a new set of guidelines, developed with the input of town hall meetings, regulating the tracking of internet usage history...
Camille Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1 (Free Mp3!)
Posted on May 21, 2008Our spotlight on public domain music this week is focused on Camille Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1. This piece is hosted by Musopen, a website dedicated to distributing works that have lost their copyright to the general public.You can download the mp3s here or through the direct links below:Cello Concerto No...
A Justice Like We've Never Seen Before
Posted on May 21, 2008A handful of lawyers were lucky enough to receive the advice of one of our country?s most prominent judges. Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia was present at a dinner for the 7th Circuit Bar Association earlier this week and was heard giving a few rare and valuable tips...
Libel Lawsuit Tourism?
Posted on May 20, 2008The English judicial system, with its notable reputation for its strict libel law, has become a tourist attraction for upper-class victims of defamation. This week's Economist follows the suit of a Ukrainian English-language newspaper, which printed a questionable article about Rinat Akhmetov, one of the countries wealthiest individuals...
Destination Asia for Investment Banking
Posted on May 20, 2008As the credit crisis has deepened in the U.S., major players in investment banking are making plans to expand their operations to the Asian markets, which have held steadier than their Western counterparts. Big firms in the United States and Europe have grown more wary of large takeovers, whereas the number of acquisitions in East Asia has risen by 15% so far this year...
Sometimes Honesty Is The Best Policy ....
Posted on May 20, 2008In terms of medical malpractice, a trend is starting to develop among doctors to start apologizing to the patient before bringing in the lawyers. This movement towards patient disclosure is an effort to increase trust in patient-doctor relationships and decrease the number of accidents that occur in the future...
Sign Up Today For Our Public Records Webinar With Choicepoint (June 19th from 12:00 -1:00 Eastern Time)
Posted on May 20, 2008Fastcase offers public records searching through Choicepoint! Join us to learn the accreditation process and how to conduct public record searches for both individuals and businesses.Public Records Overview With ChoicePoint Register at: https://www1...
Civil Rights In Cyberspace
Posted on May 19, 2008A nationwide class action suit being filed by the National Federation for the Blind could eventually change the design of most websites running today. The NFB has filed suit against Target for a lack of compliance with certain protocol that provide access to websites for the blind...
Lawdable Quotes: Bell Hooks
Posted on May 18, 2008Justice demands integrity. It?s to have a moral universe ? not only know what is right or wrong but to put things in perspective, weigh things. Justice is different from violence and retribution; it requires complex accounting. ~Bell Hooks
Microsoft Teams Up with One Laptop Per Child
Posted on May 18, 2008The One Laptop Per Child iniative, led by computer researcher Nicholas Negroponte, has a proud history of pioneering open source technology with the Linux operating system. This week, however, OLPC and Microsoft announced an agreement to begin selling the laptops, specially designed for education in poor classrooms, with Windows XP operability...
Lawdable Quotes: Lucretia Mott
Posted on May 17, 2008We too often bind ourselves by authorities rather than by the truth. ~Lucretia Mott
Writing Skills Gone Bad
Posted on May 16, 2008The legal world is facing a different kind of accusation as of late. Many scholars suggest that the writing skills of old have disappeared with the presence of new technology. Despite distractions in the past, the increasing prevalence of gadgets in the workplace and at home are making it harder than ever to reach the concentration level necessary to complete a successful piece of prose...
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Free Mp3!)
Posted on May 15, 2008At Fastcase we're excited to begin offering a weekly feature focusing on copyright free music. This week we are bringing you Beethoven Moonlight Sonata courtesy of Musopen. Many works exisit in the public domain but finding copyright free performances can be quite the arduous task...
Trial By Webcam?
Posted on May 15, 2008A Spanish judge is poised to make law-technology history by agreeing to hear testimony via webcam in an upcoming trial of a gang of robbers. Members of the Romanian gang posed as police officers to trick and rob tourists in Barcelona. The 24 (mostly elderly) victims identified the perpetrators by video, and will testify over the internet in the upcoming trial...
Webinar For The Florida Bar at Noon Today!
Posted on May 15, 2008Come learn about your member benefit, how to use Fastcase and some tips and tricks!Fastcase Overview for The Florida BarThursday, May 15, 2008 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDTRegister here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/295322942Fastcase, in partnership with The Florida Bar, offers this course for CLER credit...
Conflicts of Interest Prevent Supreme Court from Hearing Apartheid Case
Posted on May 14, 2008On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it could not hear the appeal of American Isuzu Motors v. Ntsebeza from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, with 4 judges recusing themselves due to a conflict of interest. The case involves a variety of companies which did business in South Africa during apartheid, and with whom the 4 justices had either stock or personal connections...
Link Between Autism and Vaccines Tested in Court
Posted on May 13, 2008The U.S. Court of Claims has begun hearing arguments on behalf of 4,900 families with autistic children who claim that a chemical found in many children's vaccines is a trigger for the disease. The court will hear the stories of two ten year old boys, whose families claim that they were developing normally until exposed to thimerosal, a mercury based compound that may cause brain inflammation, through vaccines...
Lawdable Quotes: Robert F. Kennedy
Posted on May 12, 2008"Whenever men take the law into their own hands, the loser is the law. And when the law loses, freedom languishes."~ Robert F. Kennedy
Lawdable Quotes: Justice Warren E. Burger
Posted on May 11, 2008"Concepts of justice must have hands and feet?to carry out justice in every case in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible cost. This is the challenge to every lawyer and judge in America." ~ Justice Warren E. Burger
Lawdable Quotes: Janet Reno
Posted on May 10, 2008"The good lawyer is the great salesman." ~ Janet Reno
Lawdable Quotes: Lawrence M. Friedman
Posted on May 09, 2008The public seems, in fact, to have a love-hate relationship with law.It sees law as a bag of tricks, a bottomless pit of artifice and legalism; but it also sees law as a shining sword of justice, a powerful weapon of public purpose.Law is, indeed, one of the very foundation stones of liberty...
Patent Law in an Uproar Over Constitutional Mishap
Posted on May 08, 2008John F. Duffy, a law professor at George Washington University, has recently released a controversial paper that calls into question thousands of decisions made by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences since 2000. According to Duffy, the appointment process used to select judges for the panel has been unconstitutional since 1999, when a law was passed that gave the power of appointment, once enjoyed by the Secretary of Commerce, to the director of the Patent and Trademark Office...
Lawdable Quotes: Carrie Chapman Catt
Posted on May 07, 2008No written law has been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion.~ Carrie Chapman Catt
Lawdable Quotes: Sandra Day O'Connor
Posted on May 06, 2008Yes, I will bring the understanding of a woman to the Court, but I doubt that alone will affect my decisions. I think the important thing about my appointment is not that I will decide cases as a woman, but that I am a woman who will get to decide cases...
Consumer Bankruptcies Dramatically Rise In April
Posted on May 06, 2008Americans filing for bankruptcy rose nearly 50% in April compared to year ago numbers. At this rate of increase, the number of bankruptcies might match the percentage of Americans declaring bankruptcy before the Bankruptcy Reform Act(PDF) took effect in 2005...
Free Book of the Month: Albert Kocourek's Sources of Ancient and Primitive Law
Posted on May 05, 2008Each month Fastcase hosts a book (as a PDF document) that has fallen out of copyright for your legal reading delight. This month we bring you Albert Kocourek's Sources of Ancient and Primitive Law.Read the entire publication below:Albert Kocourek's Sources of Ancient and Primitive Law (PDF)
This Day in Legal History ? May 4th
Posted on May 04, 2008On May 4th, 1989, the the District Court of D.C. convicted Oliver North of obstructing the congressional Iran-Contra investigation and the destruction of government documents. While North was eventually acquitted of all 3 counts, the publicity of the case and the ensuing political polarization ensured that this day would go down in legal history...
New Diet Craze: Prison?
Posted on May 03, 2008Broderick Lloyd Laswell, an inmate in an Arkansas county prison, has filed a lawsuit alleging that the Benton County Jail starves its inmates, serving only tiny portions of cold food. Laswell, who is charged with capital murder, weighed 413 pounds before his incarceration, and has dropped 105 pounds in the last eight months...
Lawdable Quotes: Plato
Posted on May 03, 2008No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding. ~ Plato
Despite DNA Proof, Kentucky Strikes Down Paternity Claim
Posted on May 02, 2008On April 24th, the Supreme Court of Kentucky decided in favor of a couple who had appealed a family court's decision to consider the petition for paternity of a third party who claimed to be the biological father of their child ("J.A.R."). The child's mother, referred to as J...
May 1st is Law Day!
Posted on May 01, 2008May 1st is Law Day! Reflect on what brought you into the legal profession and read President Bush's proclamation below:Law Day is defined as follows in 36 U.S.C. § 113: (a) Designation.? May 1 is Law Day, U.S.A.(b) Purpose.? Law Day, U.S.A., is a special day of celebration by the people of the United States? (1) in appreciation of their liberties and the reaffirmation of their loyalty to the United States and of their rededication to the ideals of equality and justice under law in their relations with each other and with other countries; and(2) for the cultivation of the respect for law that is so vital to the democratic way of life...
Interview with the Inventor of the World Wide Web
Posted on May 01, 2008In commemoration of the world wide web's 15 year anniversary, its inventor, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, recently discussed the birth of the internet and his vision for its future with the BBC. While young people today may take the internet for granted, Sir Tim points out that its creation and dissemination were plagued by uncertainty and controversial decisions...
Millionaire's Amendment Goes Before the Supreme Court
Posted on April 29, 2008This week the Supreme Court began hearing the oral argument for the case Davis v. Federal Election Commission, a case that may decide the constitutionality of the Millionaire's Amendment included in the McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act. This amendment, intended to level the playing field for races in which wealthy candidates make use of their own funds, loosens the restrictions on campaign financing for opponents to those who put $350,000 or more of their personal wealth towards their run for office...
Fastcase Webinars Scheduled for SFVBA Members
Posted on April 29, 2008Members of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association can sign up for a free one-hour webinar training to learn about the newest member benefit, Fastcase, a comprehensive online law library. Launched by the SFVBA April 1, Fastcase provides SFVBA members free access to Court Opinions from all 50 states, the U...
Tips for Setting Up Your Firm in The New China
Posted on April 29, 2008This week, Peter A. Neumann, who recently assisted the U.S. based firm Greenberg Traurig in setting up its new Shanghai office, provided some incite into establishing a business in China at a Georgia Tech conference. Neumann, who has been living and working in China since 1993, had both words of caution and encouragement for those hoping to expand their company to this economic powerhouse...
Upcoming Fastcase Webinars
Posted on April 28, 2008Click on one of the dates below to get the registration link for one of our upcoming Fastcase overview webinars.
Lawdable Quotes: Edmund Burke
Posted on April 27, 2008People crushed by laws, have no hope but to evade power. If the laws are their enemies, they will be enemies to the law; and those who have most to hope and nothing to lose will always be dangerous. ~ Edmund Burke
Lawdable Quotes: Martin Luther King, Jr.
Posted on April 26, 2008Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Lawdable Quotes: Woodrow Wilson
Posted on April 24, 2008What we seek is the reign of law, based upon the consent of the governed and sustained by the organized opinion of mankind. -Woodrow Wilson
Supreme Court to Review Anti-Dumping Petition
Posted on April 23, 2008The Supreme Court plans to consider a petition, signed by the Solicitor General and several high-profile lawyers in the US Departments of State, Commerce, and Energy, to review the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's decision United States v...
Lawdable Quotes: Publilius Syrus
Posted on April 22, 2008Pardon one offense and you encourage the commission of many.~Publilius Syrus
Wikicrimes: The New Wave of Law Enforcement
Posted on April 22, 2008A Brazilian professor has recently launched the newest effort to tackle his country's soaring crime rate: a website, dubbed "Wikicrimes," where victims may post the details of the crimes they have experienced, including the time, place, and profile of the attacker...
Poll Results: How Often Do You Conduct Legal Research?
Posted on April 21, 2008How Often Do You Conduct Legal Research? From our poll it appears most of our readers conduct legal research daily. Laywers who conduct weekly legal research were tied with the individuals who don't even know how they came upon on blog.Thanks to all who participated!
Bored In Class? For UC Law Students, No More Internet Diversions
Posted on April 21, 2008The National Law Journal reports that Dean Saul Levmore of the University Chicago Law School has announced a policy of blocking internet use in classroom buildings. As he began to notice students surfing the web during class, Dean Levmore innocently requested that his students keep better focus...
Lawdable Quotes: Theodore Roosevelt
Posted on April 20, 2008No man is above the law, and no man is below it.~ Theodore Roosevelt
Lawdable Quotes: Mohandas Gandhi
Posted on April 19, 2008There is an orderliness in the universe, there is an unalterable law governing everything and every being that exists or lives. It is no blind law; for no blind law can govern the conduct of living beings.~ Mohandas Gandhi
Is The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act A Lightning Rod For Class Act Lawsuits?
Posted on April 18, 2008According to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog, around 300 class action lawsuits have been filed since the passage of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA). However, several corporations have been challenging these suits, citing the "annihilation defense"; according to some of the defendants, the suits have put their businesses in serious peril...
Text To Free Tibet?
Posted on April 17, 2008Text messaging was the main weapon in the arsenal of the "Free Tibet" and "Save Darfur" activists who attempted to disrupt the San Francisco Olympic Torch Relay last week. While the relay organizers were constantly changing the route of the flame to bypass large crowds and protestors, activists used text messaging to alert each other of the new plans so they could keep up...
Fastcase Launches A Public Forum!
Posted on April 16, 2008Join the Fastcase forum to discuss legal news, best practices for conduction legal research practices and more!Register here!
British Court Issues Blow to "No Torture Guarantee" Policy
Posted on April 15, 2008A British appeal court ruled last week against the deportation of several suspected terrorists to their home countries, arguing that the men would be vulnerable to torture and unfair trials outside of the UK.One of the suspects, Abu Qatada, was to be deported to Jordan under the policy of the "no torture guarantee...
Fastcase's Knowledge Depository
Posted on April 14, 2008Fastcase now has a centralized page where you can access all our documents, powerpoints and tutorials that pertain to your specific community. Whether your are a general Fastcase user or if you come in from one of our bar partnerships; you'll be able to locate and find relevant documents on this catch all site...
Lawdable Quotes: William Shakespeare
Posted on April 13, 2008Lawless are they that make their wills their law. ~ William Shakespeare
Lawdable Quotes: Henry David Thoreau
Posted on April 12, 2008It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. ~ Henry David Thoreau
Live Coverage! Law School Rankings Defended by Robert Morse
Posted on April 11, 2008Starting at 3 PM today, Fastcase will be hosting live coverage of the U.S. News and World Report's head of law school rankings, Robert Morse, and his online discussion with deans and students at the ABA Journal's website. In an effort to make peace with the disgruntled, and to shed light on the meaning behind his rankings, Morse will take questions and feedback from participants...
Notable Legal Minds: Mohandas Gandhi
Posted on April 11, 2008The Fastcase Law Blog is introducing a new series: Notable Legal Minds in History. Our first installment will be a look at the life, and legal practice, of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.Gandhi left India when he was 18, bound for England to study law at the University College London, where he did well in his studies...
Free Book of the Month: Henry Sumner Maine's Ancient Law
Posted on April 10, 2008Each month Fastcase hosts a book (as a PDF document) that has fallen out of copyright for your legal reading delight. This month we bring you Henry Sumner Maine's Ancient Law. Below are some quotes taken from the text:"Law is stable; the societies we are speaking of are progressive...
This Day in Legal History: April 9th
Posted on April 09, 2008On April 9th, 1952, President Harry Truman made a momentous decision. In the preceding weeks, steel workers across the country had been threatening to go on strike, despite the desperate need for steel created by the Korean War. President Truman, worried that mill-owners would use the strike as leverage to hike their prices, ordered that the government take over the mills before the strike could wreak havoc...
Class Notes and Copyright
Posted on April 08, 2008Michael Moulton, a professor at the University of Florida, has filed suit against Einstein's Notes, a company that hires students to record lectures to be sold on its website in class "study kits," resources for truants, nappers, and the average college kid who wants to give his or her GPA a little boost...
Bloggers: Uncle Sam Wants YOU!
Posted on April 07, 2008A controversial article written for the U.S. Special Forces Command in 2006, which recommends that the military co-opt the blogosphere in a number of ways to improve its public image, has surfaced this week. Both the authors and DoD spokespeople assert that the article was more of "an academic exercise," and it is unclear whether military has acted upon the methods the study advocates...
Quotable Quotes: Publius Syrus
Posted on April 06, 2008No one should be judge in his own cause.~ Publius Syrus
Quotable Quotes: William O. Douglas
Posted on April 05, 2008Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us? ~ William O. Douglas
Webinar Schedule for the State Bar of Arizona!
Posted on April 04, 2008Fastcase would like to welcome its newest state bar partner, the State Bar of Arizona! Fastcase now offers free caselaw to all members of the State Bar of Arizona. Come learn about your member benefit, how to use Fastcase and some tips for conducting an effective search of our database...
The University of San Francisco Starts Filesharing Legal Aid Clinic
Posted on April 03, 2008Law professor Robert Talbot at USF has created a program that helps law students gain experience in real court cases by assisting individuals who've received notices from the RIAA that they are suspected of downloading/sharing music illegally. The Internet and Intellectual Property Justice Project will give legal counsel to people who have received pre-litigation settlement letters, without incurring legal fees in excess of the RIAA's settlement offer.
A Bill of Rights .... For Scientists?
Posted on April 02, 2008Scientific American is hosting a podcast discussion on the merits of having legislation to protect federal scientists. Listen to Francesca Grifo who is the Senior Scientist and Director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists speak on the issue here.
Can You Hear Me Now? - UK To Allow Cell Phones on Planes
Posted on April 02, 2008OfCom, a British regulatory body, has declared legal the use of "mobiles" on UK registered planes flying over Europe. It would be up to the airlines, however, to purchase and implement the technology necessary for providing cell-phone service in-flight...
The Fastcase Blog Is Sponsored Today By The Offices of Bob Loblaw
Posted on April 01, 2008Like many things that are informative and free on the Web, the Fastcase Legal Research Blog is advertising supported. The Law Blog is sponsored by the Law Offices of Bob Loblaw. Although many firms make promotional videos, Bob Loblaw has set a new standard for honesty, ethics, and vigorous defense...
The Economist Podcast: Larry Lessig On Creative Commons
Posted on March 31, 2008Late last week Larry Lessig spoke with the Economist on copyright laws and his role in starting up the creative commons licensing program.Check our his podcast here or review other programs from the Economist Podcasts directory in iTunes.Due to feedback (thanks anonymous!) that not all of you use iTunes, we are hosting the podcast for a limited time on speedyshare...
Free Book of the Month: Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy In America
Posted on March 31, 2008Each month Fastcase hosts a book (as a PDF document) that has fallen out of copyright for your legal reading delight. This month we bring you Alexis de Tocqueville, a French observer and critic of American democracy. Below are some quotes taken from the text:"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults...
Quotable Quotes: Abraham Lincoln
Posted on March 30, 2008?The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.?Abraham Lincoln
World of Warcraft Takes the Battle to the Courtroom
Posted on March 30, 2008Blizzard Entertainment, the maker of the infamously addictive online gaming universe, The World of Warcraft, is suing a man who created a Bot, known as the MMO Glider, which can automate gameplay in the program. According to the BBC, Blizzard has accused the MMO Glider program of violating WoW's terms of service disrupting gameplay for actual human users...
Brighter Days Ahead for Judges in Pakistan
Posted on March 28, 2008The newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gillani, has already taken steps to liberalize the government's treatment of Pakistan's lawyers and judges, despite the fact that he has not yet been sworn into power. Gillani, a member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was a strong supporter of Benazir Bhutto and is a leader in the political opposition to President Pervez Musharraf...
Court Dismisses Soldier's Appeal over Fahrenheit 9/11
Posted on March 27, 2008The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled this week to dismiss the appeal (Fastcase users click for case) of Peter Damon, a former sergeant in the U.S. Army who had sued Michael Moore for libel after Moore used an interview that Damon gave to NBC in the anti-war documentary Fahrenheit 9/11...
?Au Clair de la Lune? ... Listen To The Oldest Recorded Song
Posted on March 27, 2008Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville invented the original method of phonographic recording in 1860, almost a full two decades before Edision had his patent established for the Phonograph. The machine was dubbed the phonautograph and could record sounds but was not intended to play them back...
Policing Good Manners in Japan
Posted on March 26, 2008In the Japanese city of Yokohama, having bad manners will land you more than a scolding from your mother; the city is currently recuiting police to patrol the the its public transportation system to enforce polite behavior. The dichotomy between Japan's traditional values and the wilder younger generations has grown greater, from refusals to give up seats for the elderly to poor cell phone etiquette...
NY Passenger Bill of Rights Struck Down
Posted on March 26, 2008As if weary travelers needed more bad news: the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled this week that New York's Airline Passenger Bill of Rights (PBR) violates the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, reversing an earlier decision against the ATA...
Lawyer Hornswoggled Twice By His Paralegals
Posted on March 25, 2008To say Charles Jay Zuckerman has had bad luck with hiring paralegals is an understatement. Two of his paralegals, working at different times, have stolen money from his clients unbeknownst to him. The combined theft totals over$300,000 dollars. Zuckerman has personally repaid all the stolen money back to his clients but this last theft has led to his second suspension from the bar and an end to Zuckerman's private practice...
Podcast Discussion On Paralegals
Posted on March 24, 2008The Legal Talk Network has an interesting podcast on the essential work carried out by paralegals and legal assistants for attorneys. Featured in the discussion are Tita A. Brewster, Current President of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and Chere Estrin, CEO of Estrin LegalEd with hosts J...
Court Rules DNC Off the Hook for Florida (For Now...)
Posted on March 21, 2008The 11th Circuit US Court of Appeals has dismissed a suit brought by Victor DiMaio, a Florida Democrat, against the Democratic National Committee for barring the Florida delegates from the upcoming national convention. The court argued that DiMaio had no standing to sue since the suit was filed in 2007, before primary voting had even taken place, and wrote:"Since DiMaio's complaint does not allege any actual or imminent injury, nor suggest in any way how that 'injury' could be redressed by a favorable judgment, we are without jurisdiction to entertain the appeal...
Judge Demands Explanation on White House Emails
Posted on March 19, 2008Judge John Facciola ruled in a federal court this week that the White house must provide an official argument explaining why the White House should not have to keep a record of all emails for the Executive Office of the President. A previous court order revealed that the White House routinely recycles the tapes used for storing emails, indicating that years of records may now be irretrievable...
Live Audio: Supreme Court Arguments On Right To Bear Arms
Posted on March 18, 2008For those of you interested in hearing live proceedings of the Supreme Court arguments on the right to bear arms (District of Columbia v. Heller), click on this live audio broadcast brought to you by CNN. (Live as of 1:30 p.m. eastern time). Or check out this live blogging summary of arguments.
Vote Like An Athenian
Posted on March 18, 2008Congress wannabes, here's your chance! A new site allows you to make your voice heard on every piece legislation brought forth by Congress. E-VotingBooth.com allows you to freely view, comment and vote on the current bills up before Congress. The results of the vote are then sent to every legislator and the President before the final vote...
With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?
Posted on March 18, 2008On March 17, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an antitrust lawsuit brought by Novell in 2004 against Microsoft may go forward, once again putting the corporation in the glare of antitrust scrutiny. Microsoft had challenged the suit, claiming that the statute of limitations for Novell's complaint had expired...
Client Interaction and Billable Hours ... The New Law School Curriculum?
Posted on March 17, 2008Washington and Lee School of Law has announced a sweeping overhaul of their curriculum which will replace all academic classes with experimental learning during students third year . Some of the revisions include teaching students billable hours, client interaction and other non standard courses...
Musicians Demand Their Fair Share
Posted on March 17, 20082007 was the year of copyright-infringement lawsuits for the music business. Universal Music, Warner Music, and EMI all settled with popular music sharing websites for huge sums of money. But, says John Brance, a lawyer for several musical groups:"Artist managers and lawyers have been wondering for months when their artists will see money from the copyright settlements and how it will be accounted for...
Legal Ethics v. Moral Obligations
Posted on March 13, 2008While all lawyers must grapple with the delicate balance between their ethical, professional obligations and their moral values, two lawyers, Dale Coventry and Jamie Kunz, have recently revealed how grave the consequences of this choice can be. The two have recently brought to light information exonerating Alton Logan, a man who has spent the last 26 years in prison for a murder at a Southside Chicago McDonalds that he did not commit...
Free Fastcase Overview Webinars for The Maryland State Bar Association
Posted on March 09, 2008Fastcase Training Webinars For MSBA Members The Maryland State Bar Association and Fastcase are offering online webinars to help MSBA Members boost their online legal research skills on Fastcase. The webinars are free to attend but your normal long distance charge will apply...
Test for Malingering Creating Controversy in the Courtroom
Posted on March 06, 2008The Fake Bad Scale, developed by psychologists to weed out so-called malingerers in personal injury suits, has recently earned credibility, and greater popularity in the court room, with an endorsement from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory...
Justice Scalia on the Constitution
Posted on March 06, 2008Speaking at the University of Central Missouri this week, Justice Antonin Scalia spoke out against what he believes to be an increasingly popular trend of treating the Constitution like a "living" document. Scalia stressed that judges should search for orginial intent in the Constitution and curb their appetites for policy-making...
Spam Conviction Upheld by Virginia Supreme Court
Posted on March 05, 2008Last week?s Virginia Supreme Court decision (Jaynes v. Commonwealth) to uphold the conviction of Jeremy Jaynes, a North Carolina man arrested for a major spam campaign in 2003, is the first felony conviction for spamming in the United States. Jaynes appealed the decision of the lower court (Fastcase Subscription Required), citing his right to anonymous free speech under the First Amendment and the US Constitution?s section on inter-state commerce (Jaynes committed his crime in North Carolina, but his spam emails disseminated through a server in Virginia)...
Supreme Court Rules In Age Discrimination Case
Posted on February 29, 2008This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard Sprint/United Management Co. vs. Mendelsohn, a suit brought by a former Sprint employee alleging that her termination resulted from age discrimination. The justices ruled unanimously to vacate the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision, which had overturned the District Court's decision in favor of Sprint...
EU Fines Microsoft Over Antitrust Violation
Posted on February 27, 2008While the European Union has fined Microsoft in the past for non-compliance with its competition laws, this fine of 1.4 billion dollars will be the largest yet levied against the corporation by Europe. The fine comes after a 2004 investigation that found Microsoft guilty of unfairly linking its Internet Explorer program to Windows...
Public Library of Law: How to Find a Case
Posted on February 25, 2008New from the Public Library of Law, a quick and straight-forward tutorial about how to pull up a particular case.Watch and learn!
Armed University
Posted on February 22, 2008Are armed people safer? Gun advocates often argue that they are -- even in light of recent shootings on college campuses. But we don't need to lecture the state of Utah about this: Utah is the only state where it is legal to carry a concealed weapon on a college campus...
Alcoholic Energy Drinks on the Defensive
Posted on February 21, 2008While Red Bull and vodkas are growing more popular in bars around the country, attorneys general in several states this week have subpoenaed Miller Brewing Co. and Anheuser-Busch for documents related to the sale of their canned alcoholic energy drinks...
Do Not Call Registry Extended Indefinitely
Posted on February 20, 2008Good news for those who no longer wish to be called by telemarketers: on Feb. 15, President Bush signed into law H.R. 3541, the "Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007.The law will ensure that, once your number is on the National Do Not Call List, it will remain there in perpetuity...
Supreme Court Won't Hear Warrantless Wiretaps Case
Posted on February 20, 2008On Feb. 19, the the U.S. Supreme Court without opinion declined to review an appeal submitted by the ACLU over the legality of warrantless wiretaps. The ACLU had appealed a divided decision of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, holding that, because the ACLU could not show that its calls were tapped, it suffered no injury in fact and therefore did not have standing to sue...
More Than 36,000 Legal Forms - Now On Fastcase!
Posted on February 19, 2008At Fastcase, we're always listening to your requests for new kinds of information to add to our online library. One of the most popular requests has been for us to add legal forms to the database, such as contracts, wills, and other routine filings. In that spirit, we're happy to announce that, in conjunction with U...
Is the Profession's Image Problem the Result of TV?
Posted on February 19, 2008Tired of being stereotyped as unscrupulous, lawyers are taking aim at the television industry that portrays them as such. Michael Asimow, a professor emeritus at the UCLA School of Law recently moderated a panel discussion with television writers at an American Bar Association meeting...
Fastcase's Public Library of Law, the Web's Largest Free Law Library, Opens to the Public
Posted on February 13, 2008The Public Library of Law (www.plol.org) is the world?s largest online database of free law. Our library brings free materials from across the Web together in one place, and adds hundreds of volumes of law that has previously only been available with a subscription...
World's "Greenest" City
Posted on February 12, 2008The United Arab Emirates has done it again! Despite its history as an oil exporter, the UAE is proceeding to build the world's first zero emissions city. The development, dubbed Masdar, will be located on the outskirts of the capital city, Abu Dhabi...
If saying "bomb" in an airport is suspicious...
Posted on February 08, 2008...You would certainly think wearing one would be. An MIT student recently walked into Logan International Airport in Boston wearing a device resembling a bomb over her t-shirt, and (shockingly!) she was arrested at gun-point for the stunt. The student's lawyer, Tom Dwyer, is arguing that her right to free-speech has been violated, and that the circuit board she had created did not alarm anyone at MIT's campus when she wore it on campus...
Sharia Law in Great Britain?
Posted on February 07, 2008The Archbishop of Canterbury has recently come out in favor of allowing Muslims to settle disputes in courts of Sharia law. The religious leader states that a movement in this direction "seems unavoidable," arguing that providing access to religious courts for members of minority faiths, including Muslims, would relieve tensions between ethnic and religious communities...
For One Lawyer, Groundhog Day Never Ends...
Posted on February 04, 2008Yes, Punxsatawney Phil did see his shadow last weekend, meaning weeks of bleak and bitter winter to come. However, one man happy to see Phil keep coming back to his shadow is his lawyer, Jeff Lundy. The Wall Street Journal recently conducted an interview with Jeff, who claims that the celebrity groundhog is his "most demanding client...
Network With Other Fastcase Users
Posted on February 01, 2008Are you on Facebook? If so join the Fastcase Group or Fastcase Fan page! Network with other legal professionals and stay updated with Fastcase news and events. To sign up, click the links below and then sign in with your Facebook Username/Password!Fastcase GroupBecome a Fan of Fastcase!
Pop Quiz - The US Citizenship Test
Posted on January 29, 2008Many of the questions on the United States Citizenship Test are basics of American history and government, but there are some curveballs that may throw off even the most patriotic aspiring Americans.Think you've got what it takes to be an American citizen? See for yourself! Take the US Citizenship Test.
New Values for New Lawyer Moms
Posted on January 22, 2008Debra Bruno of the Legal Times has documented a recent shift in the attitudes of younger women towards balancing their legal careers and motherhood. While a prior generation of women blazed the trail raising children without sacrificing billable hours, younger lawyers seem to be moving in a different direction...
Who Owns the Moon?
Posted on January 22, 2008Companies (including Virgin Galactic) and private investors alike are lining up at the next frontier -- profits in lunar travel and commerce. As discussed in a recent Salon article by Elizabeth Svoboda, space travel and lunar exploration, once the exclusive domain of a few countries, is increasingly within the reach of enterprising companies and individuals...
Law School Enrollment for Minorities on the Decline
Posted on January 18, 2008According to Columbia Law School, law school enrollment of African Americans and Hispanics has decreased by about 9 percent in the last 15 years. The factors behind this trend are not well understood, but some speculate that declining support for affirmative actionprograms nationwide may be partly to blame...
Nigeria Takes on Big Tobacco
Posted on January 14, 2008The Nigerian government has announced a suit against 3 major tobacco companies, claiming that they are directly and intentionally targetting Nigerian children in their cigarette ad campaigns. Now that populations in developed countries are better educated about the risks of cigarette smoking, the tobacco giants are aiming to expand their markets in the developing world...
"Guantanamo Prisoners" Get Their Day in Court....
Posted on January 14, 200881 protestors wearing orange jumpsuits and posing as prisoners of Guantanamo Bay were arrested outside the Supreme Court on Friday, as the justices began hearing arguments regarding the constitutionality of detaining suspected terrorists at the infamous prison...
Cybersquatting and Intellectual Property Laws
Posted on January 12, 2008Domain name litigation may have fallen out of the headlines since the heyday of Pets.com, but the number of disputes has actually reached an all-time high. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, the number of disputes in 2007 was 2,156, as compared to 1,824 in 2006...
New York Judge Quits Due To Lack Of Competitive Salary
Posted on January 12, 2008Supreme Court Justice Robert F. Julian of Oneida County New York plans to quit after not receiving a raise in seven years. Justice Julian, who earns $136,700 a year, stated that "I am unwilling to further deplete my savings and reduce my lifestyle to continue in office...
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Did I harass someone?
Oh, yes. This can be taken in as so many things, especially since you had testif...
How to evict a roommate?
First, in most jurisdictions "self-help" is not a remedy available to any party ...
I have worked for this employer for only three weeks. The employer makes up his own rules as to what he chooses to report for the purpose of property taxes. He tells me to "let them come after us". He defines Entertain
He arrogantly insists, "let them come after us." Well, if you are invo...
How do you recover money from a stop payment placed on a personal check given to you?
you can always take them to small claims court and sure them for 3 times the amo...
The company I worked for forced me to quit instead of dealing with someone harassing me, what can I do?
Look up CONSTRUCTIVE DISCHARGE...................this looks like what happened t...
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