Legal
Sonia Sotomayor Communicates Without Doubt
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is not afraid of running a "hot bench" and routinely asks many questions of lawyers who come before the Supreme Court. That was certainly true in November when Carter G. Phillips represented the State of California a… more »
Guardianships: Cases of Financial Exploitation, Neglect, and Abuse of Seniors
In 20 selected closed cases, GAO found that guardians stole or otherwise improperly obtained $5.4 million in assets from 158 incapacitated victims, many of whom were seniors. In some instances, guardians also physically neglected and abused their victims. In 6 of 20 cases, the courts failed to adequately screen potential guardians, appointing individuals with criminal convictions or significant financial problems to manage high-dollar estates. more »
The Supreme Court Oral Arguments Now Available Each Friday
A case selected for argument usually involves interpretations of the US Constitution or federal law. At least four Justices have selected the case as being of such importance that the Supreme Court must resolve the legal issues. During an argument week, the Justices meet in a private conference, closed even to staff, to discuss the cases and to take a preliminary vote on each case. If the Chief Justice is in the majority on a case decision, he decides who will write the opinion. more »
FindLaw's Googling Potential Jurors: The Legal and Ethical Issues Arising from the Use of the Internet in Voir Dire
"Many lawyers and jury-selection experts recommend that attorneys ask each jury panelist (that is, each potential juror) about blogging, use of social-networking sites, use of microblogging services, exposure to news-media content on the Internet, and the like." more »
