Category «Courts»

Biden to nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

SCOTUS Blog: “President Joe Biden has selected Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer, according to multiple news reports. If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson would be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Read our profile of Jackson.” AP: “Jackson would replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, …

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

A Cheese by Any Other Name: The Legal Challenge over “Gruyere”

In Custodia Legis: “On December 15, 2021, the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia upheld an administrative decision finding that, in the United States, “gruyere” is a generic term for a type of cheese, and therefore ineligible for legal protection through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Gruyère is a geographic …

Subjects: Courts, Intellectual Property, Legal Research

Court Blocks Maryland’s Library E-book Law

Publishers Weekly: “In a rebuke to Maryland state legislators, a federal judge has granted the Association of American Publishers’ motion for a preliminary injunction, blocking Maryland officials from enforcing the state’s new library e-book law. “It is clear the Maryland Act likely stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment of the purposes and objectives of …

Subjects: Copyright, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research, Libraries

The Federal Circuit Helps a Patent Troll Block Public Access to Court Records

“For more than three years, EFF has been fighting for public access to court records in a patent case between Uniloc, one of the world’s most prolific patent trolls, and Apple, one of the world’s biggest tech companies. The district court has ruled three different times that the public has a strong presumption of access …

Subjects: Courts, E-Government, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Deepfakes on Trial: a Call to Expand the Trial Judge’S Gatekeeping Role to Protect Legal Proceedings from Technological Fakery

Delfino, Rebecca, Deepfakes on Trial: a Call to Expand the Trial Judge’S Gatekeeping Role to Protect Legal Proceedings from Technological Fakery (February 10, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4032094 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4032094 “Picture this: You are arrested and accused of a serious crime, like carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, or child abuse. The only evidence against …

Subjects: AI, Civil Liberties, Courts, Education, Government Documents, Internet, Legal Research

Voting Laws Roundup: February 2022

Brennan Center for Justice: “As the 2022 state legislative sessions begin, lawmakers have already introduced more new restrictive voting legislation than at this time last year. They have also continued to introduce bills designed to undermine the electoral process. With the 2022 regular legislative sessions starting in all but 15 states as of January 14, …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

UK Supreme Court has launched its first, free, online course for the public

Paul Sandles, Librarian and Departmental Records Officer: “The Supreme Court has launched its first, free, online course for the public. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/inside-the-supreme-court. We have worked in partnership with Royal Holloway, University of London, to create the course.  Our aim is to give people a behind the scenes look at the work of the Supreme Court and …

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

Legislative and Judicial Developments Affecting Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)

CRS Legal Sidebar, Legislative and Judicial Developments Affecting Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) Updated February 1, 2022: “The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER)system is the U.S. Court’s web-based service that gives registered users electronic access to documents filed in the U.S. Courts via the online Case Management/Electronic Case Files system, known …

Subjects: Courts, E-Government, E-Records, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Supreme Court Appointment Process: President’s Selection of a Nominee

CRS Report – Supreme Court Appointment Process: President’s Selection of a Nominee, Updated January 28, 2022: “The appointment of a Supreme Court Justice is an event of major significance in American politics. Each appointment is of consequence because of the enormous judicial power the Supreme Court exercises as the highest appellate court in the federal …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research

How Trump’s flirtation with an anti-insurrection law inspired Jan. 6 insurrection

Washington Post: “Within days of President Donald Trump’s election defeat, Stewart Rhodes began talking about the Insurrection Act as critical to the country’s future. The bombastic founder of the extremist group Oath Keepers told followers that the obscure, rarely used law would allow Trump to declare a national emergency so dire that the military, militias …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, Defense, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation