Indiana grandmother prosecuted for buying cold medicine

Sally Harpold was cuffed and arrested for buying two packages of cold medicine within a week in violation of Indiana law, though no one contends she or anyone she knew intended to cook them down into methamphetamine [Terre Haute Tribune-Star] Harpold’s story has been racing around blogs well known to our readers: Radley Balko/Reason “Hit and Run”, Ken at Popehat, Amy Alkon (with bonus kind words for @walterolson), Legal Blog Watch, BoingBoing. The Vermillion County, Indiana prosecutor is offering no apologies.

P.S. A Popehat commenter finds new reason to doubt those reassurances on CPSIA enforcement along the lines of “don’t be silly, they’d never go after grandmothers over rummage sales or homemade crafts“.

Filed under: CPSIA, illegal drugs, Indiana, prosecution

Financial woes at AAJ?

According to the Washington Times, a decline in membership dues and the collapse of a real estate deal are causing difficulties for the American Association for Justice, the trial lawyers’ lobby. [typo fixed now, h/t John H.] (& welcome Above the Law, ABA Journal, WSJ OneSpot readers).

P.S. Lawrence Powell at RiskProf finds irony in the courtroom loss that followed the group’s real estate foulup: “AAJ was unable to collect [from its lender, Wachovia] the $120 million it sought in the lawsuit.” It’s always that way, the cobbler’s children going barefoot.

Filed under: AAJ

Class action press releases

Paul Karlsgodt wonders how to separate the news value from the hype, and hears about some of the purposes they may serve for the lawyers.

Filed under: class actions

France to regulate Photoshopped pics?

Barb Dybwad, Mashable: “The proposed law comes from French MP Valerie Boyer and is inspired by a recent report she authored on anorexia and bulemia. She points to the detrimental effect that unrealistic body images can have on adolescents.” More: Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica; Ken at Popehat (UK’s Liberal Democrats promote similar ban for some ads).

Filed under: advertising, France, photography, United Kingdom

Looking after neighbor kids for free at bus stop

The Michigan Department of Human Services says Centerville mother Lisa Snyder needs to get a license as a child care provider. [WZZM via Balko; related story now ongoing in Britain, BBC] And an update on the latter story from the BBC: “Review of babysitting ban ordered“.

Filed under: child protection, Michigan, United Kingdom

September 28 roundup

Massachusetts: “New Law to ‘Protect’ Kids from Germs Would Kill Band Program” [Free Range Kids]
ACORN lawsuit against videomakers analyzed [Above the Law, Ken at Popehat and more] More: Andrew Moshirnia, Citizen Media Law.
“The Remoras Are Loose Again”: judge vs. opportunistic class action objectors [WSJ Law Blog, CL&P, 10b-5 Daily]
How ill-considered FAR (floor area requirement) zoning regulations can uglify new houses [Fountain]
Doctor wins $10 million libel award against St. Petersburg Times, deceased reporter’s notes not allowed into evidence [St. P. Times, ABA Journal]
Norm Pattis vs. Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College, cont’d [Connecticut Law Tribune]
“Mother’s Suit Over Tot’s Injury is a Real Hot Potato” [OnPoint News, Massachusetts Dunkin’ Donuts]
Remembering Barack Obama’s days as a class action lawyer [Mark Tapscott, Washington Examiner]

Filed under: Barack Obama, class action settlements, Florida, land use and zoning, libel slander and defamation, Massachusetts, newspapers, privacy, restaurants, schools

“Explaining the Unpopularity of Lawyers”

Missed this Volokh.com thread from a month ago on the subject. My explanation (summed up in a speech ten years ago) overlaps but does not exactly duplicate Orin Kerr’s; a wide variety of opinions get aired in the comments.

Filed under: lawyers, on other blogs

“The Cy Pres Racket”

Karen Lee Torre, in the Sep. 28 Connecticut Law Tribune, hates cy pres even more than I do. See also Peggy Little at Point of Law.

Filed under: class action settlements, class actions, cy pres

Nassau D.A. won’t charge false Hofstra accuser

And Scott Greenfield has a word or two to pick with District Attorney Kathleen Rice:

Allowing a woman who lied about a heinous crime being committed against her to avoid prosecution, causing four men who committed no crime to be arrested, smeared throughout the media, sit in jail and have their names perpetually tied to a gang rape, has no rational connection whatsoever to encouraging real victims to come forward. It does, however, have a strong connection to encouraging false accusations, since the conditions of counseling and community services offer little disincentive to not take the risk.

Filed under: Long Island, prosecution

“Police in South Carolina Town Not Allowed to Chase Suspects”

Not even on foot, announced Wellford, S.C. mayor Sallie Peake: “As of this date, there are to be no more foot chases when a suspect runs. I do not want anyone chasing after any suspects whatsoever.” She was tired of all the insurance premiums and workers’ comp claims: “The officers are costing us more money on insurance than most citizens here in the city of Wellford are even earning.“ [Lowering the Bar, WSPA] She’s now revoked the policy. [AP/Charleston Post and Courier] Commentary: Officer.com.

Filed under: chases, South Carolina