Bullied by Dozier, ISPs took down customer’s sites

Waving threats of “contributory trademark infringement” and the like, Virginia lawyer and emerging Overlawyered favorite John Dozier has gotten more than one hosting intermediary to yank the Dozier-critical websites of opponent Ronald Riley. (Paul Alan Levy, Consumer Law & Policy, Oct. 3). “Unfortunately, when faced with a legal threat, many hosting sites will sacrifice your freedom of speech and send you looking for a new home on the Internet.” (David Ardia, Citizen Media Law Project, Oct. 9)(earlier). More: Ryan Gile, Las Vegas Trademark Attorney (via Ron Coleman).

Artist detained at border over sketch of SUV

From J-Walk Blog:

Keene Valley resident Jerilea Zempel was detained at the U.S. border this summer because she had a drawing of a sport-utility vehicle in her sketchbook.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers told Zempel they suspected her of copyright infringement.

She was released after more than an hour in custody at the Houlton, Maine, port of entry from New Brunswick, Canada.

Her release came only after she persuaded border guards she was an artist doing a project that involved a crocheted SUV as a statement against America’s dependence on oil and love for big vehicles.

(Lohr McKinstry, “Keene artist had hard time getting back into US”, Plattsburgh (N.Y.) Press-Republican, Oct. 4).

Microblog 2008-10-09

Bounteous bankruptcies: Lehman Brothers

Fueled by Weil Gotshal & Manges partner rates in the $950/hour vicinity, “fees for lawyers, accountants and financial advisers in the Lehman case may reach $906 million, according to [bankruptcy lawprof] Lynn LoPucki”. (Bloomberg, Oct. 9). Elie Mystal at Above the Law notes a recent fee survey and concludes that “Lehman is getting the most expensive bankruptcy money can buy”.

Actually, bankruptcy professionals might earn even a very rich keep if they provided a quick and decisive way to allocate losses from the failure, move Lehman assets to their most productive uses and bring relative certainty to all parties. The prospect instead of slow, chancy, and hard-fought wrangling is one major reason why the administratively assisted “speed bankruptcy” model of financial institution reorganization, seen in the Washington Mutual case, has been winning praise from knowledgeable observers (e.g. Alex Tabarrok). If speed bankruptcy seems well suited to the crisis, one reason is that conventional, protracted, lawyer-run bankruptcy seems so ill-suited. More: Roger Parloff, Fortune “Legal Pad”, American Lawyer.

U.K.: Great moments in international human rights law

Fowzi Badavi Nejad, the only survivor among six terrorists who seized the Iranian Embassy and 26 hostages in London 28 years ago, “has reportedly been assured he will not be deported back to his native Iran because of human rights laws, and will instead stay in Britain at taxpayers’ expense.” (Chris Irvine, “Iranian Embassy terrorist to be freed this month can claim benefits”, Daily Telegraph, Oct. 9).

End of an error?

Ralph Nader’s “big campaign stop at Dartmouth College on Monday drew an audience of eight. The Connecticut Valley Spectator reported the news on its obituaries page.” (Mark Steyn, NRO “Corner”, Oct. 9). But note: other coverage of what was presumably the same event gives the total attendance at 40, specifying that under ten persons “appeared to be Dartmouth students”, which may be where the “eight” came from.

October 9 roundup

  • Appeals court upholds Ted Roberts “sextortion” conviction [Bashman with lots of links, San Antonio Express-News]
  • Alito incredulous at FTC: you guys have failed to raise a peep about bogus tar & nicotine numbers for how long? [PoL]
  • Please, Mr. Pandit, do the country a favor and don’t litigate Citigroup’s rights to the utmost in the Wachovia-Wells Fargo affair [Jenkins, WSJ]
  • Docblogger Westby Fisher, hit with expensive subpoena over contents of his comments section, wonders whether it’s worth it to go on blogging [Dr. Wes, earlier]
  • “Title IX and Athletics: A Primer”, critical study for Independent Women’s Forum [Kasic/Schuld, PDF; my two cents]
  • Case of whale-bothering Navy sonar, often covered in this space, argued before high court [FoxNews.com]
  • More on Kentucky’s efforts to seize Internet domain names of online gambling providers [WaPo, earlier]
  • Exposure to pigeon droppings at Iraq ammo warehouse doesn’t seem to have affected worker’s health, but it was disgusting and she’s filed a False Claims Act lawsuit against private contractor for big bucks [St. Petersburg Times, Patricia Howard, USA Environmental; but see comment taking issue]

Microblog 2008-10-08

  • “Just once I’d like to see a candidate respond: ‘Sorry but that’s not a legitimate function of the federal govt.'” [@radleybalko] #
  • Pete Warden on reasons to be cheerful [PeteSearch] #
  • Ribstein: Where was SOx in all this? [Ideoblog] #
  • Top banks in Russia already govt-owned, hasn’t spared them in crisis [Pierre Briançon, Breaking Views] #
  • Ed Glaeser: don’t try to prop up housing prices [NYT “Economix”; related, Salmon] #
  • Yes, co-blogger Ted is now on Twitter and I think he needs more followers [@tedfrank] #