Category «Courts»

A Good Quarrel. America's Top Legal Reporters Share Stories from Inside the Supreme Court

A Good Quarrel. America’s Top Legal Reporters Share Stories from Inside the Supreme Court — Timothy R. Johnson and Jerry Goldman (eds.) – Reviewed by Molly Selvin. Association of American Law Schools Journal of Legal Education, Volume 60, May 2011, Number 4 “This modest volume is as much an experience as a book. Envisioned as …

Subjects: Courts, Legal Research

Study on the Resolution of Financial Companies under the Bankruptcy Code

Study on the Resolution of Financial Companies under the Bankruptcy Code, July 2011 “Under section 216 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board), in consultation with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (the Administrative Office), …

Subjects: Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

FTC Returns Nearly $108M to 450,000 Homeowners Overcharged by Countrywide for Loan Servicing Fees

News release: “The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 450,177 refund checks worth almost $108 million to homeowners who were allegedly overcharged by Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. As part of the FTC’s efforts to protect financially distressed homeowners, the FTC reached a settlement with Countrywide last year over allegations that the company collected excessive fees from …

Subjects: Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

TRAC: Immigration Continues to Top Federal Prosecutio​ns

“A total of 15,173 Federal criminal prosecutions were recorded as being filed during April 2011, according to the most recent data released by the Department of Justice. Immigration charges again took the top two spots for the most frequent lead charges brought. Illegal entry — with 4,782 defendants charged, up sharply in April — was …

Subjects: Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

TRAC Defends Report on SSA Court Findings

“The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) critical response to a July 4 report by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) ignored the body of evidence presented by TRAC about systematic and hard-to-explain disparities within the SSA’s court system. A point-by-point refutation of the agency’s sweeping statement regarding TRAC’s report can be found here. Read TRAC’s original …

Subjects: Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

UK Prime Minister sets ambitious open data agenda

“The Prime Minister has today committed to publishing key data on the National Health Service, schools, criminal courts and transport. This represents the most ambitious open data agenda of any government anywhere in the world. The new data [see data.go.uk] will reveal clinical achievements and prescribing data by individual GP practices, the performance of hospital …

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

New on LLRX.com – Pretrial Detention, Bail and Due Process

Via LLRX.com: Pretrial Detention, Bail and Due Process – Ken Strutin’s guide comprises recent publications and other notable resources concerning the relationship between the administration of bail and the requirements of due process. Pretrial detention of suspects directly impacts the presumption of innocence. The cornerstone of the justice system is that no one will be …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Legal Research

2010 Wiretap Report Shows Increase in Authorized Intercepts

“Federal and state applications for orders authorizing or approving the interception of wire, oral or electronic communications increased 34 percent in 2010, compared to the number reported in 2009. The interceptions are reported in the 2010 Wiretap Report, released today by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AOUSC). The current report covers intercepts …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Legal Research, Privacy

Sentencing Commission Votes to Make New Crack Cocaine Guidelines Retroactive

Follow up to previous postings on sentencing guidelines, this ews release: “The United States Sentencing Commission voted unanimously today to give retroactive effect to its proposed permanent amendment to the federal sentencing guidelines that implements the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. Retroactivity of the amendment will become effective on November 1, 2011 – the same …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

EPIC: Supreme Court Strikes Down Prescription Privacy Law

“In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court struck down Vermont’s prescription privacy law. IMS Health, Inc. v. Sorrell held that the Vermont statute, which bars disclosure of prescription data for marketing purposes, violates data mining firms’ free speech rights. Vermont “burdened a form of protected expression that it found too persuasive. At the same time, …

Subjects: Courts, E-Records, Free Speech, Legal Research, Privacy