It looks like filling the next Supreme Court vacancy is yet another area in which I disagree with the Obama administration. CBS News's Jan Crawford says Obama wants "a sparkling intellectual who could go toe to toe with Roberts and Antonin Scalia," but I'd much rather have Scott Greenfield. … [Read more...] about If Not Now, When?
Legal
What Might Have Been…
Well, with Justice Stevens retiring from the Supreme Court, it's time to start another round of speculation and wishful thinking about who will get the job this time. I have no idea who the mainstream pundits are pushing for, but I'm always partial to Wise County Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Ken Lammers. He has more criminal law experience than the entire current court … [Read more...] about What Might Have Been…
Jurors’ Presumptions
As a non-lawyer, and as a generally law-abiding citizen, my main interaction with the criminal justice system is going to be as a juror. But over at a public defender, Gideon is saying that jurors don't really understand the presumption of innocence: I have come to believe that that is hogwash. Jurors are smart enough to know what to say. They've also been reading the … [Read more...] about Jurors’ Presumptions
My New Extreme Project
I've been blogging about legal issues for several years now, and I've learned a lot about lawyers and law firms and legal marketing, and I've earned the trust and respect of the legal blogging community. Now it's time to leverage that for my benefit. To that end, I've joined as a silent partner on a new extreme project. Update: For those of you reading this out of context: It's … [Read more...] about My New Extreme Project
So What If You Might Be Innocent?
I was reading Mark Bennett's account of the long and winding road that lead to the U.S. Supreme Court granting a stay of execution for Hank Skinner, a Texas man who's claiming that some untested DNA evidence might prove him innocent. It's a fascinating procedural tale, if you're into that sort of thing, which I'm not. But one thing Bennett wrote really sticks out: If the … [Read more...] about So What If You Might Be Innocent?