Easier said than done, especially given the mandates of the Constitution about the structure of the judiciary, warns Brookings’s Russell Wheeler. Relatedly, Ed Whelan at NRO “Bench Memos” scrutinizes the ethics charges floated by some left-leaning groups against Justices Scalia and Thomas in recent weeks (parts one, two, three).
“Judge orders more money for New Jersey’s education industrial complex”
Writing on the latest usurpation of budgetary authority by a state judiciary, Hans Bader is kind enough to cite some of the related analysis in Schools for Misrule. [Examiner; Amanda Carey, Daily Caller; more on Abbott and on school finance litigation]
Law schools roundup
- ABA accreditors may tighten disclosure rules for law schools [TaxProf, Hoffman, Mystal]
- Did Chicago-Kent vault in rankings just by getting US News to present its name differently? [ATL] More on strangeness of rankings [Bernstein, Somin] Law schools ranked on “diversity,” coherence of concept questioned [John Gordon, Commentary]
- Update: charges pressed against Widener prof over hypotheticals in crim law class [Kerr and more, Thorne/NAS, Reynolds, earlier]
- Applications plunge, perhaps providing a good occasion for rethinking what law schools do [ABA Journal]
- “NLRB Chairman Joins St. John’s Conference on the Evils of Business” [ShopFloor]
- Why lawprofs’ daydreams of power differ from other academics’ [Jay Greene] And my law school travels continue as I discuss Schools for Misrule this week at Colorado, Wyoming, and McGeorge (University of the Pacific).
“Why Workplace Bullying Should Be Legal”
Evil HR Lady is being eeeevil again.
Bonuses for prosecutors, cont’d
More thoughts on why bonuses tied to prosecutors’ measured “accomplishments” — in this case, conviction rates at a Colorado prosecutor’s office — are such a bad idea. Very similar logic helps explain the historically prevailing ban on contingency fees for lawyers in most Western legal systems. [Tim Lynch, Cato; WSJ Law Blog; related earlier (Harris County, Tex.)](& welcome Above the Law, Truth on the Market visitors)
Radio and other book news
Last Thursday I was interviewed on one of the nation’s great radio shows, Milt Rosenberg’s extension 720. It was a wide-ranging discussion and host Milt Rosenberg had some generous words for the book; also participating by telephone for part of the show was Dan Polsby, dean at the George Mason University School of Law. WGN has now posted the podcast of the show here. I’ve been a guest on several other shows as well in recent days, including Brian Schimming (guest-hosting for Vicki McKenna), on Wisconsin’s WIBA, BlogTalkRadio “Patriot Games” with D.R. Tucker, and “Battle Line.”
Prominent NYU legal ethicist Stephen Gillers, with whose views I’ve not always seen eye to eye in the past, was in the audience at my NYC talk earlier this month and has written up some of his reactions here. (The speech by Justice Samuel Alito to which he refers is here.) Meanwhile, a letter-writer at the WSJ enjoyed John McGinnis’s review last week, and Elizabeth Wurtzel has been wanting to read the book since she heard about it.
March 28 roundup
- Maricopa-cabana: Sheriff Arpaio uses tank (with Steven Seagal along) to raid cockfight suspect [KPHO, Coyote, Greenfield, Balko]
- Malpractice reform in New York is about more than money (though it’s about that too) [Paul Rubin, TotM; NYDN]
- EEOC initiative combats alleged employer bias against unemployed job applicants [Bales/Workplace Prof, Hyman]
- After court rejection of Google Books settlement, where next? [Timothy Lee/ArsTechnica, David Post]
- When your lawyerly conduct has been eviscerated by Judge Easterbrook, you know it [Above the Law]
- Ninth Circuit rules on legality of keyword advertising using other firms’ trademarks [Coleman]
- Election showdown over future of Wisconsin Supreme Court [PoL, more, Esenberg, Althouse]
- Legal battle follows NYC’s attempted application of sidewalk bicycle ban to unicyclist [AP]
A right to pursue harassment complaints anonymously?
Scott Greenfield thinks some legal academics may stand in need of a civil liberties refresher course.
North Carolina’s throwback “heartbalm torts”
This time they’ve ensnared a judge accused of seducing another man’s wife. Maybe that will be enough to get the causes of action abolished at last. On John Edwards’s possible worries about legal liability, see this post from last year. [OnPoint]
Myhrvold’s patent-lobbying methods
A lawsuit by Washington figure Pat Choate provides a peek. [WSJ Law Blog]