Abortion

Anonymous Justices Say Supreme Court Collegiality Will Return in the Fall

Updated: The Supreme Court’s divisions over the Obama administration’s health care law aren’t likely to last into the next term, according to justices who spoke to a legal publication. The justices spoke to the National Law Journal on condition of anonymity. One justice said the term was “certainly hard,” but…

Jul 16, 2012 2:27 PM CDT

‘Preglimony’ Would Make Men Financially Responsible for Pregnancies or Abortions, Law Prof Says

Developments in technology that make it possible to identify prospective fathers during pregnancy call for a change in thinking about their responsibility to help pay—for pregnancy or for an abortion, a law professor says. A prenatal blood test makes it possible to link a woman’s partner to her pregnancy, according…

Jul 10, 2012 10:40 AM CDT

Supreme Court Stats Show ‘Surprising Alliances,’ Roberts’ Efforts to Unite the Court

At first glance, the statistic shows the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decisions this term were no different than in previous years. According to the New York Times, “The court was united during the term 44 percent of the time, which is not unusual. But it worked as one in major…

Jul 2, 2012 1:15 PM CDT

SCOTUS Notebook: Anticipation Is Off the Charts for Final Decisions of the Term

So this is the week, right? Anticipation is off the charts for the U.S. Supreme Court’s final decisions of the term, especially on the Arizona immigration law and the federal Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration is bracing for defeat in one or both of those cases, news reports say.…

Jun 25, 2012 1:57 PM CDT

Lawyer Who Pressed Birther Case Is Elected to California Judgeship

A conservative lawyer who represented “birthers” challenging President Obama’s birth certificate has won a California judgeship. Gary Kreep’s election lead widened to 1,569 votes on Tuesday with just 1,000 ballots left to count, according to U-T San Diego. He defeated a deputy district attorney for a spot on the San…

Jun 20, 2012 6:38 PM CDT

Bankruptcy Filing Shows Gibson Dunn Superstar Makes $1,800 an Hour

A partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher who challenged a California initiative banning gay marriages is back in the limelight, this time for his pricey fees. Bankruptcy filings reveal that former Solicitor General Ted Olson charges $1,800 an hour, the Wall Street Journal Law Blog reports. It’s the highest rate…

Jun 7, 2012 11:00 AM CDT

5 Kansas Supreme Court Justices Recuse Themselves From Ex-AG’s Ethics Case

Five of Kansas’ seven supreme court justices have recused themselves from a pending disciplinary case against former state Attorney General Phill Kline. The five justices voluntarily stepped aside, citing a Kansas Code of Judicial Conduct rule that requires recusal when a judge previously presided as a judge over the matter…

May 22, 2012 8:22 PM CDT

Escaped Chinese Dissident Lawyer Is Reportedly Under Protection of US Embassy in Beijing

A Chinese dissident lawyer who escaped from house arrest is reportedly in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing where he may be protected by United States diplomats. The Washington Post and the New York Times have stories on Chen Guangcheng, a blind human rights lawyer known for his opposition to forced…

Apr 27, 2012 3:43 PM CDT

Is Legal Profession Shakeout Long Overdue? Ratio of Lawyers to Americans Is 1 to 257

The legal profession may be a victim of its own success. From 1940 to 1960, lawyers were losing ground as their inflation-adjusted income eroded, Bloomberg News reports, citing information from an upcoming book on law firm economics. The situation changed in recent years, with revenues at large firms outpacing inflation,…

Apr 19, 2012 1:11 PM CDT

The Prosecutor on Trial: Ex-Maricopa County Attorney Faces Disbarment for Political Acts

Updated: On April 10, 2012, an Arizona Supreme Court disciplinary panel disbarred Andrew Thomas and his former deputy Lisa Aubuchon. Nothing was usual when Colorado bar discipline prosecutors John Gleason and James Sudler flew into Maricopa County, Ariz., in March 2010. For security reasons, they used assumed names and stayed…

Apr 1, 2012 11:00 AM CDT

Prosecutor Calls Courthouse Pamphleteer’s Message a ‘Significant Threat’ in Jury Nullification Case

Pamphlets distributed by an 80-year-old retired chemistry professor outside a federal courthouse that inform passers-by about jury nullification do not represent a serious threat to the integrity of the justice system, a public defender this week told a federal judge in Manhattan. But U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood disagreed, citing…

Mar 22, 2012 9:32 PM CDT

Protesters at Scalia Speech Fling Condoms, Unfurl ‘Court of the Conqueror’ Banner

Justice Antonin Scalia encountered protesters in Connecticut on Thursday when he gave a speech for Wesleyan University’s annual Hugo Black Lecture on Freedom of Expression. Outside the school’s Memorial Chapel, a group of about 50 protesters calling itself the Scalia Welcoming Committee chanted slogans to protest the Citizens United decision…

Mar 9, 2012 12:47 PM CST

At Catholic Conference, Scalia Talks About Possibility of Miracles

Justice Antonin Scalia told a Catholic conference on Saturday that Christian beliefs may be derided by pundits and the media who wouldn’t believe a miracle if it happened under their noses. Speaking in Denver at a Living the Catholic Faith Conference, Scalia told the crowd to have “the courage to…

Mar 5, 2012 12:33 PM CST

Scalia Explains Stance on Abortion, GPS Ruling

Justice Antonin Scalia doesn’t shy away from controversy, even before a large crowd of ABA members at the midyear meeting in New Orleans. Scalia didn’t hesitate when an audience member asked him whether his Catholic religion influenced his opposition to Roe v. Wade. The answer, Scalia said, is no. If…

Mar 1, 2012 7:30 AM CST

Justice Thomas Is More Conservative Than 97 Percent of the Population, Researchers Say

The U.S. Supreme Court “is quite representative of mass opinion,” though some justices are outside the mainstream, according to two professors who surveyed the public on recent decisions. According to the professors, Justice Clarence Thomas is more conservative than 97 percent of the population and 93 percent of Republicans. Justice…

Feb 27, 2012 2:22 PM CST