Legal History

Trump and his 3,500 suits: Prosecutor and author reveals in interview his portrait of ‘Plaintiff in Chief’

Former federal prosecutor and author James D. Zirin illuminates more than 45 years of Trump’s legal disputes in his new book, Plaintiff in Chief: A Portrait of Donald Trump in 3,500 Lawsuits. Zirin recently answered some questions from Robin Lindley, a Seattle-based writer and lawyer.

Apr 20, 2020 8:49 AM CDT

ABA and Law Library of Congress plan virtual Law Day celebration

To celebrate Law Day 2020, the ABA and Law Library of Congress plan to host a virtual panel discussion on April 30 that focuses on how the women’s suffrage movement and ratification of the 19th Amendment changed the United States.

Apr 13, 2020 10:22 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Chinese human rights lawyer released; AG Barr orders increased home confinement

Chinese human rights lawyer is released from prison Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang has been released from prison after nearly five years in custody, according to his wife, Li Wenzu. Wang had represented political activists, Falun Gong defendants and victims of land seizures. He was arrested in 2015 and…

Apr 6, 2020 4:24 PM CDT

May 14, 1969: The Spectacular Fall of Abe Fortas

By the time Lyndon Johnson named him to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1965, Abe Fortas was regarded—and at times reviled—as one of the best lawyers in Washington. Having worked in a range of posts across the federal government, he knew where the secrets were buried and who buried them.…

Apr 1, 2020 12:05 AM CDT

PBS series ‘A More or Less Perfect Union’ focuses on the Constitution

Concerned about the lack of civics education in schools, Judge Douglas Ginsburg is the latest jurist looking to teach the public what he believes it’s been missing. Ginsburg, a U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit judge on senior status and a onetime Supreme Court nominee, worked…

Mar 19, 2020 10:47 AM CDT

Outbreaks of disease have shuttered the Supreme Court going back more than 2 centuries

When the U.S. Supreme Court announced this week that its March sitting of oral arguments would be postponed “in keeping with public health precautions recommended in response to COVID-19,” the statement included some historical references for support—going back as far as 227 years ago.

Mar 19, 2020 9:10 AM CDT

How to achieve vocal power in and out of the courtroom

Public speaking is a crucial part of working as a lawyer. It is especially important for female lawyers who are claiming their vocal authority in speaking roles in courts.

Mar 11, 2020 9:32 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Jim Bakker warned about COVID-19 claims; Reed Smith widow loses in 7th Circuit

Televangelist told to stop peddling COVID-19 elixir Two state attorneys general and two federal agencies are trying to stop televangelist Jim Bakker from peddling a supplement called Silver Solution as a possible treatment for the COVID-19. The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S Food and Drug administration have sent warning…

Mar 10, 2020 4:35 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Some of Justice Scalia’s papers are now public; House lifts ERA deadline

Some of Justice Scalia’s papers are now publicly available The legal and academic papers of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia are now available for public viewing, at the Harvard Law School Library. The collection includes photos, postcards and notes, too. The library plans to release the collection…

Feb 13, 2020 3:27 PM CST

Prosecutors consider reviewing convictions in Malcolm X’s murder after documentary raises questions

The Manhattan district attorney’s office will conduct a preliminary review of the convictions in the case of Malcolm X’s 1965 murder, a first step in deciding whether to investigate further.

Feb 7, 2020 9:30 AM CST

How safe is your right to vote?

A book by a University of Baltimore law prof tells the story of historical efforts of voter suppression and the modern-day dangers that face voters now. In this new episode of the Modern Law Library, Gilda R. Daniels talks to Lee Rawles.

Feb 5, 2020 9:30 AM CST

March 9, 1916: Pancho Villa’s Battle of Columbus

In the early morning hours of March 9, 1916, a small cavalry of nearly 500 rogue Mexican soldiers from across the U.S.-Mexico border stormed into the sleepy desert town of Columbus, New Mexico. Sitting 80 miles west of El Paso, Texas, Columbus was little more than a railroad stop. Its…

Feb 1, 2020 12:15 AM CST

Fair Game: Does the fair use doctrine apply to Andy Warhol’s pop art?

The acclaimed “Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again” exhibit of more than 400 of Andy Warhol’s works has been making the rounds from New York to San Francisco to Chicago. Even casual observers have a sense of Warhol’s groundbreaking pop-art style. Yet there is one surprising legal question of fair use and transformative value that begs consideration: Just what is a “Warhol”?

Jan 9, 2020 6:00 AM CST

Take a gander at our favorite 2019 slideshow galleries

From famous celebrity prenups to groundbreaking black lawyers to First Amendment milestones, the ABA Journal presents our favorite slideshow galleries from this year. Which gallery was your favorite? Love Hurts: 13 Famous Prenups Kicking off 2019 was a gallery for Valentine’s Day about famous celebrity prenups, which are used to…

Dec 23, 2019 9:50 AM CST

‘Watchmen’ shows just how far policing police could go

“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” Although the Latin used by Juvenal in his ancient Roman Satires literally translates to “Who will guard the guards themselves?” comic book author Alan Moore transported the phrase to the dystopian future of his landmark twelve-issue comic book limited series Watchmen, which ran from 1986-1987. In…

Dec 19, 2019 3:25 PM CST