Ignorantia Juris

The Center for Science in the Public Interest apparently intends to sue Anheuser Busch. Among the alleged wrongdoing, selling caffeinated alcoholic beverages.

Link to the list.

My personal favorite:
lulu.com v. hulu.com — Not sure if you remember Hulu it it was sued by Lulu. Lulu lets your print and sell your own books. Hulu is a site that shows video from Fox. You decide if Lulu = Hulu in your spare time. I’m not giving this any more brain cycles.

This article is the worst case scenario, scorched-earth situation that results from posting information on the web, living in the data age. There is a trend in my generational counter-parts to post anything to the internet, no matter how invective-laden, stream of consciousness, or embarrassing. And inevitably that has legal consequences.It shouldn’t come as a surprise that anything posted on the internet can be used to your detriment, be it a denial of insurance or a criminal prosecution. The entire concept of posting something is at odds with privacy, anyone looking hard enough can find anything.

But … Continue Reading

Following “infuriating” conduct, a judge overturned a jury verdict (for $51 million) and ordered the offending lawyers to pay opposing counsel’s fees.

More of a law link, really.  But a doozy.

From Tort Deform, and article on how the real issue behind tort reform:
The debate about tort reform is largely cast in terms of corporations versus trial lawyers, so it fails to capture what is really at issue: Are citizens in a democracy entitled to make decisions, or must they defer to elites at every turn?

. . .

We continue to value the jury in the criminal context, but we belittle it in the civil context.
In contrast, there is this suggestion for drastic reform of med mal suits, from doctor in the pacific Northwest, via Point of Law:
 Judges … Continue Reading

Should campaign contributions go to legal defense? A NYT Op Ed.

Metadata and the law.

Bill to raise pain and suffering caps in med mal cases passes first hurdle. Via The Pop Tort, who calls it “Hitching a Ride on the Justice Train.”

“As you may not be aware, we are both lawyers and both litigators, for whom the barriers to litigation are minimal.”  An article on how some apartment owners and co-ops are reluctant to rent to lawyers.  Via Overlawyered, who predictability focus on the petty bullying and not the fact that the … Continue Reading

White Shoe, Black Hat: Michael Clayton’s Devastating Critique of the Legal Profession (Slate).

A man, on trial for drunk driving, raised the defense that he failed the breathalyzer because of his unique condition, a sack in his throat that stored alcohol. The defense was unsuccessful.

Via BoingBoing.

Robert Novak pens an attack on House Democrats for their actions regarding proposed changes to FISA, more specifically extension of amnesty to Telecom companies.  Via Point of Law.

He places the blame at the feet of trial lawyers, which he imply are salivating at the prospect of getting some of that sweet class-action suit action.  Novak roundly dismisses the possibility that this was because of concerns about civil liberties.

Surely there is no sign that Americans are upset by this attack on the rule of law.  None at all.

In the spirit of the holiday . . .

Radio Station Giving Away a Divorce on Valentine’s Day.