This Saturday at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, near L.A., the Federalist Society will be holding its all-day third annual Western Conference. This time the theme is the law of American Indians and Indian tribes, a topic of immense intellectual interest and also of much practical importance to non-Indians through much of the rural West, in localities nationwide where casino development rouses controversy, and even, as I have pointed out in a couple of articles, to complete bystanders in the East who have found their land title suddenly thrown into doubt by the revival of antiquated tribal land claims. I’m going to be a participant on one of the panels, which will feature a distinguished assemblage of law professors and others; another reason for my interest in the topic is that a chapter on Indian law figures in my book in progress on the influence of law schools on American law. More details here.
Ohio homebuilder vs. gripe site
The lawsuit was eventually dismissed, but “at a high cost”: “Even if you are only making innocent comments on a blog,” said the defendant, “you can wake up one day and find out you are being sued simply because someone didn’t like what you wrote, and the nightmare begins.” [“Anonymous Gripe Site Wins Legal Battle With Ohio Homebuilder Powermark Homes”, Ardia, Citizen Media Law].
Class action law firm announces “investigation”
Why would the Stamford, Ct. Advocate treat a press release like Keller Rohrback’s as an actual news story as opposed to an effort to scrounge up clients? “That’s what you’re reduced to when you fire all your reporters”. [Christopher Fountain].
Super Bowl Time
Ricochet off low granite tee marker
The golf accident in Hillsborough County, Florida resulted in a $1 million payout. Several legal bloggers discussed the case on Twitter and Nicole Black picked us up on her compilation site, LegalTweets (which is worth checking out generally).
Schrenker’s fender-bender splendor
After your low-speed accident outside New York City’s Port Authority, you suspect there’s something a tad suspicious about the resulting $15 million neck-and-back-injury claim against you by the occupant of the limo you hit, a man named Marcus Schrenker. And then one day he turns up on all the front pages…
Inaugural as federal “emergency”
The declaring of a federal “emergency” because of the long-anticipated event, writes Mark Steyn, is “almost too perfect an emblem of American government today”.
Law firm website disclaimer
Shoplifter steals shark
The Long Island man smuggled it out of a pet store under his jacket and used credit card fraud for another aquarium acquisition, notes Lowering the Bar. When the next fish you steal/Is a dangerous eel/That’s a moray….
CSPI: “Vitamin Water” not good for you
Mike Cernovich thinks the plaintiff suing over the sugar-laden beverage might have spared himself a lot of trouble by, you know, reading the label.