Legal History

Federal Judge Samuel Kent Resigns, as Senate Impeachment Trial Looms

After the Senate began gearing up yesterday for a historic impeachment trial of an imprisoned U.S. District Court judge, he had apparently already decided to throw in the towel. In a letter that he hand-delivered yesterday to two Senate officials who had come to serve him with a subpoena in…

Jun 25, 2009 10:05 PM CDT

US Senate Gears Up for Judge Kent’s Impeachment Trial

In a rarely seen legal ritual, the Senate received articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives today for the trial of U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent. The judge, who has been convicted of obstruction of justice concerning his initial testimony about nonconsensual sexual conduct with two female court employees…

Jun 24, 2009 7:13 PM CDT

DOJ Enters Fray Over Geronimo Skull Possibly Held By Yale Secret Society

In a filing on behalf of three high-level government officials—including President Barack Obama—who are named as defendants, the U.S. Department of Justice seeks to dismiss a federal lawsuit by descendants of the Apache warrior chieftan Geronimo that also names Yale University and a longtime secret society as defendants. The plaintiffs…

Jun 22, 2009 11:35 PM CDT

House Impeaches Judge Kent; Speedy Senate Trial Is Expected

Making legal history, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted today to impeach U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent. Not a single representative spoke on the imprisoned jurist’s behalf, and the vote on the first of four articles of impeachment was 389-0, reports the Houston Chronicle. All four were swiftly approved…

Jun 19, 2009 8:43 PM CDT

Justice Thomas’ Book Royalties Now Total $1.5M

Justice Clarence Thomas earned more last year in book royalties than he earned for his work on the U.S. Supreme Court. Thomas earned $300,000 last year in sales of his book, My Grandfather’s Son, boosting his total earnings from the memoir to $1.5 million, the Associated Press reports. Yet he…

Jun 8, 2009 2:24 PM CDT

5 Justices Quit Private Clubs; ‘Very Cool Graphic’ Shows Their Political Leanings

On a scale of deep blue (liberal) to dark red (conservative), U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is the reddest of the red and Justice John Paul Stevens is as blue as it gets. At least, that’s what a color-coded timeline described by the Washington Post as a “very cool…

Jun 5, 2009 10:51 PM CDT

Sotomayor’s Nomination: Today’s News

ABAJournal.com: “Anita Hill Talks About Sotomayor and Her Own Clarence Thomas Testimony” ABAJournal.com: “Sotomayor Used ‘Wise Latina’ Line More than Once” Associated Press: “GOP Leader Not Ruling Out Blocking Sotomayor” Blog of Legal Times: “GW Prof to Advise Cornyn on Sotomayor Nomination” Christian Science Monitor: “Sotomayor a racist? Hardly, South…

Jun 5, 2009 10:26 PM CDT

Anita Hill Talks About Sotomayor and Her Own Clarence Thomas Testimony

Seventeen years after she became a household name by testifying about alleged sexual harassment by then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill says she believes Obama administration nominee Sonia Sotomayor is a great choice because of her intellect, breadth of experience and respect for the rule of law. Hill,…

Jun 5, 2009 6:00 PM CDT

Pro Se Lawyer Wins Order to Depose Ex-President Bush in Property Dispute

Representing himself in a property dispute over the George W. Bush presidential library at Southern Methodist University, a Texas lawyer has won a highly unusual court order requiring a former president of the United States to appear for deposition. Lawyers for ex-president George W. Bush say they expect the order…

Jun 3, 2009 11:55 PM CDT

‘Prisoner’s Dilemma’ Put WolfBlock Out of Business

It was just after midnight on March 23 when 34-year-old Zachary Glaser got an unexpected text message from a friend as he was at work at WolfBlock, preparing for a closing argument. “Sorry to hear about your firm,” the friend said. Glaser responded: “I’m at my firm. What the hell…

Jun 2, 2009 8:56 PM CDT

A Supreme Case of Contempt

A tragic legal saga paved the way for civil rights protections and federal habeas actions

Jun 2, 2009 4:50 AM CDT

Last of the Old Guard

Souter is gone—so is moderate GOP

Jun 2, 2009 2:50 AM CDT

June 1, 1942

Eugenics Challenged in Skinner v. Oklahoma

Jun 2, 2009 12:40 AM CDT

Souter’s ‘Clerk Footprint’ Is Very Academic

Unlike four of his current colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice David Souter was never a law professor. Yet when he retires this summer, Souter’s legacy will live on through more than 70 former clerks. And a surprising number of them are academics: roughly half, reports the National Law…

May 12, 2009 6:57 PM CDT

Who Will Replace Souter? Today’s News: How to Pick a Strong Swing Justice

ABAJournal.com: “Few Zinger Quotes from Souter Reflect His Cautious Approach” Above the Law: “Supreme Speculation” Bloomberg: “Obama Court Decision Shaped by Years, Wife’s Advice “ Nation (editorial): “Following Souter” Los Angeles Times: “Supreme Court Watchers Eye Sonia Sotomayor” New York Times: “A Deep Bench” Washington Post: “N.Y. Federal Judge Likely…

May 7, 2009 9:30 PM CDT