Category «Courts»

DOJ, Federal and State Partners Secure Record $13 Billion Global Settlement with JPMorgan

DOJ news release: “The Justice Department, along with federal and state partners, today announced a $13 billion settlement with JPMorgan – the largest settlement with a single entity in American history – to resolve federal and state civil claims arising out of the packaging, marketing, sale and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) by JPMorgan, …

Subjects: Courts, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legal Research

New on LLRX – A Good Day at the Googleplex

Via LLRX.com – A Good Day at the Googleplex – Prof. Annemarie Bridy reviews the facts related to fair use and copyright in the long awaited decision delivered in the Google Book Search case on November 14, 2013 by Judge Chin. She focuses on the court’s deliberation of statutory requirements for the fair use defense to a claim of …

Subjects: Copyright, Courts, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries

Government to Release More NSA Documents and FISA Court Opinions in Response to EFF Lawsuit

“On Monday, the US Department of Justice will release to the public hundreds of additional pages of government documents concerning its use of Section 215 of the Patriot Act, the provision of law the NSA relies on to collect the call records of millions of Americans. The disclosures will follow closely on the heels of yesterday’s reports in …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Courts, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research, Patriot Act, Privacy

EFF – Court Upholds Legality of Google Books

“It’s a good day for fair use and sane copyright law.  After years of litigation, Judge Denny Chin has ruled that the Google Books project does not infringe copyright.  Readers, authors, librarians and future fair users can rejoice. For years, Google has been cooperating with libraries to digitize books and create massive, publicly available and searchable books database. …

Subjects: Copyright, Courts, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries

64 Federal Courts Now Publish Opinions on FDsys

News release: “A project providing free online access to federal court opinions has expanded to include 64 courts. The federal Judiciary and the Government Printing Office partner through the GPO’s Federal Digital System, FDsys, to provide public access to more than 750,000 opinions, many dating back to 2004. The Judicial Conference approved national implementation of the project in September 2012, …

Subjects: Courts, E-Government, Internet, Legal Research

Interim Crediting Report – A Report from the Monitor of the National Mortgage Settlement

Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight – John A. Smith Jr. – “This report to the public summarizes the official reports I have filed with the United States District Court for the District of  Columbia. It discusses consumer relief and refinancing assistance the servicers extended to distressed borrowers under the National Mortgage Settlement through December 31, 2012, …

Subjects: Courts, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

Introducing a Public Advocate into the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Courts

Introducing a Public Advocate into the  Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Courts:  – Select Legal Issues. Andrew Nolan , Legislative Attorney; Richard M. Thompson II , Legislative Attorney; Vivian S. Chu, Legislative Attorney, October 25, 2013. “Recent revelations about the size and scope of government foreign surveillance efforts have prompted some to criticize the level of scrutiny that the courts – established under the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Legal Research, Legislation, Patriot Act, Privacy

Oversight Board Adopts EPIC’s Recommendations in New FOIA Rule

“In response to extensive comments submitted by EPIC, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has issued a final rule that will govern its Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act, and Sunshine Act practices. The Board’s initial draft of the rule allowed the agency to encourage other agencies to classify information, reserved the Board’s right to terminate public participation in Board meetings “at …

Subjects: Courts, E-Government, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research, Patriot Act, Privacy

Senate Intelligence Committee Approves FISA Improvements Act

Increases privacy protections, oversight, transparency of critical intelligence programs: The Senate Intelligence Committee [October 31, 2013] approved the FISA Improvements Act by a vote of 11-4. The bipartisan legislation increases privacy protections and public transparency of the National Security Agency call-records program in several ways, while preserving the operational effectiveness and flexibility of this vital …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Courts, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Patriot Act, Privacy

The Relationship of the Court and Defense Counsel

The Relationship of the Court and Defense Counsel: The Impact on Competent Representation and Proposals for Reform – Richard Daniel Klein 29 Boston College Law Review 531 (1988), Touro Law Center Legal Studies Research Paper “This Article examines the impact of the trial court upon the quality of legal assistance provided the indigent criminal defendant. …

Subjects: Courts, Legal Research

EPIC – Leahy and Sensenbrenner Introduce USA FREEDOM Act

“The Democratic Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Republican author of the Patriot Act have introduced the USA FREEDOM Act, which would reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and limit NSA surveillance activities. A bi-partisan coalition, including 17 Senators and 70 Members of Congress, have joined as original co-sponsors. Key provisions of the FREEDOM …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, E-Government, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation, Patriot Act, Privacy