Legal History

1298 ABA Journal Legal History articles.

Judge Barefoot Sanders, Civil Rights Icon, Dies at Age 83

A “larger than life” federal judge who oversaw desegregation of Dallas schools has died at the age of 83. U.S. District Judge Barefoot Sanders died Sunday at his Dallas home after battling an infection, the Dallas Morning News reports. He once identified the highlight of his career as helping pass…

Sep 22, 2008 12:06 PM CDT

Trailblazing Oregon Judge Fought ‘Shockingly Overt Sexism’—and Won

When Betty Roberts attended her first judicial conference, a male judge groped her breast. And that was just one of a number of instances of what a newspaper reviewing an autobiography of Oregon’s first female supreme court justice describes as the “shockingly overt sexism she faced as recently as the…

Sep 15, 2008 10:39 PM CDT

At Age 91, Convicted Spy Figure Admits Guilt, Implicates Julius Rosenberg

Convicted espionage figure Morton Sobell has admitted his guilt for the first time in a New York Times interview and implicated his fellow defendant Julius Rosenberg. Sobell, now 91, was convicted on espionage charges along with Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and served more than 18 years in prison for the…

Sep 12, 2008 2:10 PM CDT

Did Lady Jane Douglas Lie in High-Profile 1700s Inheritance Case?

The lawsuit took about 10 years to resolve, at a cost of around $18 million in today’s dollars, and the winner inherited the riches of a man reputed to be the wealthiest in Scotland. At issue was whether the twins claimed by Lady Jane Douglas as her own biological children,…

Sep 3, 2008 5:22 PM CDT

September 15, 1963

Church Bombing Kills Four

Sep 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

Did Judge Refer Cases to Lawyer in Exchange for a Cut-Rate Divorce?

A Minnesota judge has been accused by a state disciplinary body of referring at least 19 divorce mediation cases to his personal attorney, in exchange for a $64,000 discount on the legal bill for his own divorce. His ex-wife then reportedly dropped the dime on his alleged misconduct. “In 2004,…

Aug 28, 2008 10:53 PM CDT

Alleged Knights Templar Heirs Pursue Pope Benedict XVI for $150B

A powerful secret group of wealthy warrior monks active in the Middle Ages had been maligned for centuries, remembered for accusations of heresy and sexual misconduct. But last year the Vatican published long-lost trial documents showing that the Knights Templar actually had been absolved of heresy by Pope Clement V,…

Aug 18, 2008 6:25 PM CDT

Why NBC’s Legal Reporter is Feuding With Karl Rove

From his perch as chief legal correspondent for NBC News, Dan Abrams has developed opinions on everything from the politicization of the Justice Department to news coverage of Barack Obama. At a luncheon speech at the ABA Annual Meeting on Friday, he was happy to share. Abrams began with criticism…

Aug 8, 2008 7:11 PM CDT

August 2, 1921

Baseball’s ‘Black Sox’ Acquitted

Aug 1, 2008 8:48 PM CDT

Qualms Over the Cover

Your June cover photo is, to say the least, in very poor taste. No matter how one feels about the action (or inaction) of the other branches of the federal government regarding appointment of federal judges, your use of the milk carton to make any point does a disservice to…

Aug 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

The History Boys

In the term’s biggest cases, the justices offer lessons on English kings and courts

Aug 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

President OKs 1st Military Execution Since 1961

President George W. Bush has approved an Army request to put a private to death, giving the go-ahead to what would be the first execution by the U.S. military in nearly 50 years. However, further appeals are expected. The defendant, Ronald Gray, was convicted by a military court in 1988…

Jul 29, 2008 8:11 PM CDT

Cleared 64 Years Later, 2 of 28 Black Soldiers Hear of Apology

It took 64 years, and only two of 28 African-American soldiers wrongfully convicted of rioting charges connected with the lynching of an Italian prisoner of war in 1944, in the midst of World War II, were still alive to hear of the apology. But on Saturday, at the Ft. Lawton…

Jul 28, 2008 10:34 PM CDT

Accused Ringleader in 1979 Murder of Federal Judge Dies of Cancer

A convicted drug dealer who was accused but acquitted of most charges in the 1979 assassination of a federal judge has died. Jamiel Alexander “Jimmy” Chagra, 63, died Friday of cancer in Mesa, Ariz., where he was reportedly living with his wife under an assumed name. Acquitted on murder charges,…

Jul 28, 2008 7:02 PM CDT

Law Prof Wants to Make Animated Case Book for YouTube

An innovative law professor at California Western in San Diego wants to make an animated case book to help make the law more accessible. Professor and assistant dean James Cooper sketched his idea on Thursday at a comic book convention, the Daily Journal reports (sub. req.). “I’d take the top…

Jul 25, 2008 12:50 PM CDT

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Legal History

Judge Barefoot Sanders, Civil Rights Icon, Dies at Age 83

Trailblazing Oregon Judge Fought ‘Shockingly Overt Sexism’—and Won

At Age 91, Convicted Spy Figure Admits Guilt, Implicates Julius Rosenberg

Did Lady Jane Douglas Lie in High-Profile 1700s Inheritance Case?

September 15, 1963

Did Judge Refer Cases to Lawyer in Exchange for a Cut-Rate Divorce?

Alleged Knights Templar Heirs Pursue Pope Benedict XVI for $150B

Why NBC’s Legal Reporter is Feuding With Karl Rove

August 2, 1921

Qualms Over the Cover

The History Boys

President OKs 1st Military Execution Since 1961

Cleared 64 Years Later, 2 of 28 Black Soldiers Hear of Apology

Accused Ringleader in 1979 Murder of Federal Judge Dies of Cancer

Law Prof Wants to Make Animated Case Book for YouTube

Topics: Career & Practice

Penn Law prof gets half-pay suspension for 'discriminatory and disparaging statements'

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Lawyers must lead in efforts to preserve accessible, equitable and transparent rule-of-law system

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Legal History

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