Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Judge denies motion to change venue in Waukesha Christmas parade case.
Instead of moving the trial, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow said the jury pool would be expanded and both parties would have additional strikes and time for questioning jurors to ensure a fair trial. The jury will be sequestered at the courthouse during the day, but allowed to return home at night. Politico: U.S. Supreme Court strikes Maine's bar on parents and students using public subsidies for tuition at religious schools. In what is one of his final dissenting opinions before his planned retirement, Justice Stephen Breyer said the court seems to have lost all interest in enforcing the Constitution’s prohibition on establishment of religion. Politico: Watching John Roberts for an unlikely compromise on Roe v. Wade. The Hill: Ron Johnson's office responds to evidence at Jan. 6 committee hearing. A spokesperson for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) claimed that the Wisconsin Republican was not involved in a fake elector scheme and “had no foreknowledge” the electors would be sent to their office, responding to a revelation from the Tuesday hearing of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Miami Herald: Police officer investigated for allegedly telling a Black man he’d pulled over that “this is how you guys get killed out here.”
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"Evers' judges" is our effort to present information about Gov. Tony Evers' appointees to the bench. The information is taken from the appointees' own judgeship applications. Italics indicate direct quotes from the application. Typos, including punctuation errors, come from the original application even though we have not inserted “(sic)” after each one. WJI has left them as is. ![]() Name: Ashley J. Morse Appointed to: Rock County Circuit Court Appointment date: March 25, 2022 Education: Law School – University of Wisconsin Undergraduate – University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, Illinois High School – Prophetstown, Illinois Recent legal employment: 2010-present – Attorney with Trial Division, Wisconsin State Public Defender, Madison January 2009-May 2009 – Extern with Wisconsin Department of Justice Litigation Unit Bar and Administrative Memberships: Wisconsin State Bar U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin Illinois State Bar General character of practice: I represent children between age 10 and 17 in delinquency and JIPS (juvenile in need of protection or services) proceedings as well as children over the age of 12 in CHIPS (child in need of protection or services) proceedings. I represent parents facing Termination of Parental Right. I also represent individuals subject to civil commitments under Ch. 51 and protective placements under Ch. 55. I represent children and adults over the age of 17 in all types of criminal felony and misdemeanor cases ranging from First Degree intentional Homicide to disorderly conduct. Additionally, I represent individuals under the supervision of the Department of corrections in administrative proceedings. I also sometimes represent parents facing contempt for non-payment of child support obligations. Describe typical clients: My clients are typically children and indigent adults. Many have experienced significant trauma both in childhood and as adults. Many struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues. Many also believe that because of their race or income level they will not be treated fairly in by the justice system. Number of cases tried to verdict: 9 jury trials, numerous court trials List up to three significant trials, appeals, or other legal matters in which you participated as a judge or lawyer in the past seven years: I have not included client information to maintain confidentiality. A review my bar number in CCAP will further demonstrate the variety of cases I have handled. Rock County 2018 Felony In 2018 I represented a young black man facing multiple felony charge. After investigating the case I was able to negotiate a plea agreement for probation consistent with my clients express wishes, Although the hearing was not contested, what still sticks out in my mind the most is the argument the state made in support of our joint probation recommendation, When addressing the court, the ADA described my young black clients pretrial detention as a "taste of the lash", I was completely taken aback that anyone would find this language acceptable speech in a courtroom in 2018, but no one else seemed to bat an eye. This was an acceptable reasonable argument to make in Rock County. Some people describe our criminal justice system as modern day slavery and in that moment it had never felt more true, I believe Judges have an obligation to ensure that everyone that walks into their courtroom is treated with dignity and respect. That day my client received neither. If this culture does not change, Wisconsin will continue to consistently rank at the top of lists as having some of the worst racial disparity in this country. In the seven years I have lived and worked in this county I have also had the fortune of working with a number of community members and justice system stakeholders that have demonstrated a genuine commitment to address the racial disparity that is present in Rock County that want to see this culture change. I hope to continue to engage in that important work if selected for this appointment. Rock County 2016 Felony sex assault In 2016 I represented a 15 year old who I later learned had agreed to be waived into Adult court. He had no history in the juvenile system. He was small for 15 and hardly spoke. After a few meetings with him an article I had recently read by Michele LaVigne about the prevalence of language disorders in the prison population came to mind and I decided to send her an email. That led to a connection with a UW professor and eventually receiving a report from an evaluation that showed this child had significant language deficits. That then led to a competency evaluation and another report later I had a better picture of the little boy who hardly spoke. By that point in the case I had significant doubts this child made a free, knowing, and voluntary decision to agree to be waived into adult court but my research indicated that there was very little I could do at that stage of the proceedings. I remember very vividly the sounds of his mother's sobs behind me when the State referred to her quite boy as a monster. Children and especially children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable in our justice system, They are bombarded with huge quantities of information and forced to make complicated decisions that can have life long consequence, It is so critically important that we have well trained, culturally competent attorneys handling Juvenile cases in this state, This case reminds me how truly unfortunate it is that we remain one of only three states in this country that continue to prosecute17 year olds as adults. It also illustrates to me how critically important it is for a Judge to take time and engage with children to ensure their actual level of understanding. Experience in adversary proceedings before administrative bodies: As a public defender I would routinely represent individuals facing revocation of their probation or extended supervision. The hearing would be conducted in local jails or virtually and presided over by administrative law judges with the Division of Hearings and Appeals. Describe your non-litigation experience (e.g., arbitration, mediation): None listed Position or involvement in judicial, non-partisan, or partisan political campaign, committee, or organization: None listed Previous runs for public office: None listed All judicial or non-partisan candidates endorsed in the last ten years: Jane Bucher, Green County Circuit Court judge, 2021 Professional or civic and charitable organizations: NLADA (likely National Legal Aid & Defender Association), 2020 to present BPDA (likely Black Public Defender Association), 2021 to present NAPD (likely National Association for Public Defense), 2020 to present Significant pro bono legal work or volunteer service: As a public defender much of my volunteer service has focused on education. I have worked extensively with the National Juvenile Defender center (now the Gault Center) to enhance the practice of juvenile defense at both the State and national level. My work as an ambassador for racial justice as well as the agency racial and ethic disparity practice coordinator has included educating attorneys on the impact of racial bias at the systemic level but also how it can impact defense attorney's implicitly in the way we prepare and evaluate cases and interact with clients. I very much enjoy working with children and served as a coach for the Turner High School Mock Trial Team in 2018. Also, as a member of the Rock County Trauma Task force I share space and collaborate with a variety of stakeholder groups to provide information on childhood trauma to community members and also provide some fun entertainment for kids with bubbles and face paint during the annual national night out event. Quotes: Why I want to be a judge -- As a child I remember feeling like the ''justice system" was something that just happened to families like mine. My father struggled with addiction until his death and like many black fathers in the 1980's was swept away to prison for most of my life as America got tough on crime. Years later my little brother born. I remember thinking how sad it was that his dad was gone too. He also lost his father to the justice system but in a very different way. His father was a young black man who died on duty as a police officer. I didn't know much about this system then but I didn't think it was fair. Decades later as I write this I believe we can still do better for the people in this State. I remember watching movies as a child and seeing a white judge and a white lawyer and a white jury and a guy on trial that looked a lot like my Dad. I remember thinking that system didn't really seem fair but at the time I didn't see a role for myself in it. Over the years I've heard defense attorneys refer to Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird as someone that inspired their decision to become a defense attorney. I never felt inspired by that movie. I mostly just felt sad. Even as a child I felt a duty to try to fix things that seemed unfair and that path led me to the Public Defender's Office. It is that same sense of duty combined with a belief that this system can be fairer and more just that I seek this appointment. I've seen that trial scene from To Kill a Mockingbird play out in courtrooms all over this state and each time I think it still doesn't quite fair. In my twelve years as a defense attorney I have represented hundreds of clients of all different races in about 7 different counties across this state and never once have I appeared before a Judge that was a person of color or tired a case to a jury that wasn't all white. Continuous police killings of black men and women have put our courtrooms on TV screens again and consistent public demands for change have followed. I hope as a Judge I can continue to be part of that change. Describe which case in the past 25 years by the Wisconsin Supreme Court or U.S. Supreme Court you believe had a significant positive or negative impact on the people of Wisconsin. Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health 0rganization – pending SCOTUS As more states follow Texas and Mississippi, I believe many women in this State are waiting in terror wondering if Wisconsin will be next. Forty-eight years later a court that is majority male are again debating what women can and can't do with their bodies. I join Justice Sonia Sotomayor and ask, what has changed other than the makeup of the court that we now wonder if Roe v. Wade will survive? To quote Justice Sotomayor, "Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?" I fear the answer to that question and the impact it may have on the people in this state. I fear the impact it will have on the public faith that is necessary for our institutions and democracy to survive. State v. Stephen I Roberson – SCOW 2019 In Roberson the Supreme Court abrogated State v. Dubose, 285 Wis.2d 143, 699 N.W.2d 582 which had held in part that evidence obtained from an out-of-court show up is inherently suggestive and will not be admissible unless, based on the totality of the circumstances, the procedure was necessary. Misidentification is a serious issue that results in wrongful convictions and disproportionally impacts people of color. This has been researched, tested, and demonstrated using reliable social science. This branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies is an important tool to aid our understanding of how inequality happens and how we can fix it. It helps us figure out why people do the things they do which is an important consideration in almost every aspect of our justice system. The Dubose decision resulted in many law enforcement agencies adopting better policies and procedures to reduce creating unnecessary risk of misidentification. For a case about show up identifications there is a long discussion of landmark civil rights cases Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education. The Majority opinion attributes the decision to uphold segregation in Plessy to a misguided reliance on what they concede was bad social science. They suggest Brown, which relied heavily on social science, is still good law but only because it was in response to the bad science in Plessy. There is no claim that the science relied on in Dubose was inaccurate or unreliable in anyway but overturn it anyway simply because it was used. It's important to note the opinion makes no mention of the history race has played in the formation of this county or the racism that was readily apparent in our justice system at the time, or that for years the judiciary consisted entirely of rich white men. Instead, they expose "social science" as the true villain. Its concerning this may be an emerging trend of utilizing social science as a scapegoat to roll back constitutional protections. Two or three judges whom I admire and why: Everett Mitchel (Dane County, WI) – As someone who has spent a lot of time focusing on juvenile defense his reputation precedes him. He is a great example of the impact one Judge can have disrupting the status quo. His position on Juvenile shackling reignited a much-needed conversation throughout the entire state about the way we treat children in court. Mark Bennett (U.S. District, Northern District of Iowa) – Judge Bennett's understanding of the impact implicit racial bias has in our jury system resulted in him developing an instruction on implicit racial bias that he incorporated into his standard instructions. His progressive approach to that issue has resulted in Judges across the country adopting similar instructions. Molly GaleWyrick (Polk County, WI, retired) – When I began my legal career with the Wisconsin State Public Defender I was 25 years old and nervous as heck to begin working in rural and sparsely populated Polk county. There I quickly learned I had quite the good fortune to practice in front of Molly Galewyrick. One of the first things I learned was that her last name was a combination of her maiden name Gale and her husbands name Wyrick. They broke with tradition, lost the hyphen, and created something that was new and equal and that was something that I admired. In the five years I appeared before her … Molly consistently proved to be a creative problem solver who valued fairness and equality and was never afraid to try something new just because in hadn't been done before. With great leadership and perseverance, she was able to start a drug court program and develop a CJCC in a very conservative part of the state. I believe it was sometime in those first couple years I had my first client get sentenced to prison. I think it was an OWI 10th so not exactly a shocking outcome but I remember walking out of that court and I just started crying. It really hit me how much impact three random people just had on a person's life and what a tremendous responsibility that was. The deep sense of care and compassion Molly brought to her role as a Judge made that easy to see very early on. Depriving a person of their liberty was not something she ever approached lightly or with callousness. Removing a person from a family and community has an impact with ripples that flow out and touch many lives. Maybe that is something that is easier to see in a small town. Molly showed me that there is always room for kindness and compassion in our courtrooms and I am so grateful for that. The proper role of a judge: Judges must be impartial and strive to properly interpret the meaning, significance, and implications of the law. Judges must also recognize that justice means more than just interpreting the law, they must also show compassion and understanding for the people on both sides of the case. Many people say a Judge must be unbiased and claim to be free of bias. We are human and exist in a society full of bias and stereotypical messaging across all types of media. Whether we endorse the belief or not those implicit associations are being made in our brains. We all have bias. That's just how our brains work. I believe a Judge has a special responsibility to investigate themselves and ensure they are aware of what their biases are and work extra hard to keep them from inappropriately impacting their decision making. They must remain vigilant, commit to continuous education, and practice cultural humility. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Another departure from the City Attorney's Office with claim of sex discrimination.
In a resignation document dated May 31, then-Assistant City Attorney Elleny Christopoulos said she was leaving because of the "toxic work environment with unethical, incompetent, and sexist management." She added: "The city has utterly failed to protect the brave women who spoke out against illegal discrimination. Do. Better. For. Women." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Juneteenth highlights need to end the exception that allows slavery and involuntary servitude for those in prison. Three states have amended their constitutions in the past four years to change wording that advocates say allows a form of slavery through unpaid or low-paid work requirements for incarcerated people. Similar campaigns are underway in over a dozen states, with the resolution on the ballot this year in six states and a federal-level resolution introduced last year. Vera Institute of Justice: More on the movement to end the exception that allows slavery in prisons. Every day, incarcerated people work—under threat of additional punishment—for little to no pay. Estimates suggest that a minimum of $2 billion and as much as $14 billion a year in wages is stolen from incarcerated people, to the enrichment of private companies, state-owned entities, and correctional agencies. In five states—Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas—incarcerated people can be forced to work for nothing. Even in more “liberal” states, incarcerated people work for pennies a day. The people who bottled and labeled “NYS Clean” hand sanitizer in New York’s prisons during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, earned wages that started at $0.16 per hour. In California, incarcerated people who battled fires in 24-hour shifts earned as little as $2.90 per day. Even when work is supposed to be voluntary, incarcerated people who have refused to work report being beaten, denied visits and family phone calls, and placed in solitary confinement. Courthouse News Service: Freedom Riders' 1947 convictions vacated. The men boarded buses in Washington, D.C., setting out on a two-week route that included stops in Durham, Chapel Hill and Greensboro, North Carolina. As the riders attempted to board the bus in Chapel Hill, several of them were removed by force and attacked by a group of angry cab drivers. Four of the so-called Freedom Riders — Andrew Johnson, James Felmet, Bayard Rustin, and Igal Roodenko — were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for refusing to move from the front of the bus. After a trial in Orange County, the four men were convicted and sentenced to serve on a chain gang. Rustin later published writings about being imprisoned and subjected to hard labor for taking part in the first freedom ride, which was also known as the Journey of Reconciliation. CNN: Iowa Supreme Court reverses course and now says state constitution does not protect right to an abortion. The court's decision is a reversal of its 2018 ruling, in which it found that the Iowa constitution's due process clause protected abortion as a fundamental right. In its 2018 decision -- issued before the state's Republican governor appointed four of the seven current justices -- the high court struck down a state law that required a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion as unconstitutional. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Shortage of court reporters halts hearings in Milwaukee County Circuit Court while night court starts.
Post Crescent: Man sues Winnebago deputies over arrest without probable cause. Reuters: Ginni Thomas says she looks forward to talking with the House Jan. 6 committee. The Washington Post: 50th anniversary of Watergate. The Hollywood Reporter: Growing challenges to Major League Baseball's antitrust exemption. In a filing siding with three former minor league teams suing the MLB, the Department of Justice on Wednesday urged a federal court to limit the scope of the baseball’s carveout to “conduct that is central to the offering of professional baseball exhibitions.” The Justice Department called the exemption “aberrational,” claiming it “does not rest on any substantive policy interests that justify players and fans losing out on the benefits of competition.” Marijuana Moment: Justice department examining federal marijuana policy. (U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland) also reiterated that he feels that federal “enforcement resources are not put to their best use prosecuting nonviolent, low-level marijuana offenses, even in jurisdictions where marijuana use remains illegal.” Reuters: Dentons law firm asks Ohio Supreme Court to review $32 million malpractice verdict. Associated Press: Dane County judge fines Michael Gableman $2000 per day for contempt and will refer him for discipline.
(Circuit Judge Frank) Remington chided Gableman for what he called his “unprofessional conduct” and for launching into “an irrelevant diatribe” at last week’s hearing. Remington forwarded the order to the office that hands down disciplinary actions against attorneys and judges in Wisconsin. Gableman could face additional sanctions that include suspension or revocation of his license to practice law. His order cites comments Gableman made that were captured by the microphone while the court was in recess where he made sarcastic comments about the judge and the ability of American Oversight’s attorney Christa Westerberg to do her job without the help of the judge. Slate: National coverage of Gableman's courtroom behavior. It is hard to see how (Michael) Gableman’s investigation can continue after this mortifying episode. As recently as Tuesday, Trump cited the Wisconsin audit as the one that was going to vindicate his lies about the 2020 election. Yet the public has no reason to trust the probe and every reason to dismiss it as an assault on free and fair elections in Wisconsin. Rather than root out nonexistent fraud, Gableman is fighting to save what’s left of his legal career. Courthouse News Service: Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals vacates District Judge William Griesbach's decision upholding school ban on gun t-shirts. Courthouse News Service: Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds blood test of man arrested for driving drunk while parked in his driveway. The defendant argued the blood draw after his arrest was unlawful because the warrant allowing it did not prove he committed a crime, something the judge who issued the warrant admitted might be true. The New York Times: Lawyer helping Donald Trump talked of pressuring Supreme Court justices with idea of "chaos" on Jan. 6, 2020. “So the odds are not based on the legal merits but an assessment of the justices’ spines, and I understand that there is a heated fight underway,” Mr. (John) Eastman wrote, according to the people briefed on the contents of the email. Referring to the process by which at least four justices are needed to take up a case, he added, “For those willing to do their duty, we should help them by giving them a Wisconsin cert petition to add into the mix.” The pro-Trump lawyer, Kenneth Chesebro, replied that the “odds of action before Jan. 6 will become more favorable if the justices start to fear that there will be ‘wild’ chaos on Jan. 6 unless they rule by then, either way.” Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service: Milwaukee Municipal Judge Derek Mosley receiving social-justice award from Milwaukee Jewish Federation council.
WPR: Federal agencies appeal court order blocking transmission line across Mississippi River from Wisconsin to Iowa. The U.S. DOJ filed the appeal June 8 on behalf of federal agencies that granted approvals for the 345-kilovolt Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line. American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative are building the line that would run 101 miles from Dane County to Dubuque County in Iowa. The U.S. DOJ joins utilities in their appeal of a ruling by U.S. District Judge William Conley, who sided with conservation groups that are challenging the project’s approvals. Those groups include the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. The New York Times: Bipartisan work on gun control. The proposal, which still has a long way to go before becoming law, focuses less on the “gun” part of gun control and more on other factors, such as a buyer’s mental health or violent tendencies, in a concession to Republican hesitation and the hard political reality that tough limits on sales, let alone outright bans on firearms, are far out of reach. Though it would not raise the age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, the plan would enhance background checks on those under 21 before they could take possession of a gun — perhaps the most significant element of the emerging measure. Ed Markey: U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) renews investigation into Ring doorbell surveillance. Marijuana Moment: Environmental Protection Agency reminds employees that regardless of state law they are prohibited from using marijuana or investing in the industry. WPR (Associated Press): "Dead-suspect loophole" in Texas open-records law may prevent victims' families from obtaining info on police actions at Uvalde school. Huff Post: Spokane County prosecutor pressing to keep black man in prison notwithstanding statutory reforms. (Thomas) Butler, who is Black, was convicted in Spokane County, which is 2% Black. His case falls under the jurisdiction of Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Haskell, who is married to a woman who has publicly described herself as a “proud white nationalist.” Last month, Butler’s lawyer asked Superior Court Judge Julie McKay to remove Haskell’s office from the case, citing concerns that Butler would be treated more harshly because of his race. In Buffalo County, bail jumping turns potential six months for pot into possible six years6/15/2022 To study bail jumping in Wisconsin, WJI and the Mastantuono Coffee & Thomas law firm are looking county by county at 2021 bail-jumping charges. Which counties are charging bail jumping the most? Who are some of the defendants? What happens to those cases? We'll report the statistics from individual counties and tell you the stories from randomly chosen cases. Buffalo County Total number of cases with bail-jumping charges: 25 Total number of misdemeanor and felony cases: 290 Percent of misdemeanor and felony cases that include bail-jumping charges: 12% Total number of felony cases with bail-jumping charges: 17* Total number of all felony cases: 153 Percent of felony cases that include bail-jumping charges: 11% Total number of misdemeanor cases with bail-jumping charges: 8 Total number of all misdemeanor cases: 137 Percent of misdemeanor cases that include bail-jumping charges: 6% Largest number of bail-jumping charges issued in a single case: 5 Number of felony bail-jumping charges issued: 26 Number of misdemeanor bail-jumping charges issued: 14 *Felony cases can include felony or misdemeanor bail-jumping charges or both; misdemeanor cases can include only misdemeanor bail-jumping charges. Case counts reported as of January 2022. Case file
Scott's first arrest for having methamphetamine residue in his bedroom meant he faced an additional six years in prison when he was picked up less than two months later with .12 ounce of marijuana and two pipes. As a bonus, prosecutors issued separate complaints for each charge in the two arrests. Most prosecutors in similar circumstances file a single complaint that includes all the relevant charges. In Scott's case, though, there was one criminal complaint alleging felony possession of methamphetamine related to the March 12, 2021 search of Scott's home and a separate complaint alleging misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia stemming from the same search, which turned up a bong and scale. Both those items field-tested positive for meth. The complaints were filed on the same day. The facts cited in the complaints are identical. Scott faced 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the meth charge and a month in jail and a $500 fine on the paraphernalia charge. Buffalo County Circuit Judge Thomas Clark set a $1,000 signature bond. Scott was busted again on May 1, 2021. Police stopped the car he was in because it had a cracked windshield and faulty light. The officer eventually had a K-9 sniff around, and the dog alerted, according to the criminal complaint. The officer searched the car and found the cannabis and pipes wrapped in a sweatshirt. Scott was charged in one complaint with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, in a second complaint with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and in a third complaint with felony bail jumping. Clark set a $200 cash bond, according to online court records. The misdemeanor cases carried a total potential maximum penalty of seven months in jail and $1,500 in fines. The felony bail-jumping charge carried a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. In October, the two charges in the meth cases were dismissed on the prosecutor's motion. That same day, Scott pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and was ordered to pay $430. The related paraphernalia charge was dismissed, again on the prosecutor's motion. That left the felony bail-jumping charge. Scott entered into a deferred prosecution agreement. The charge will be dismissed if Scott stays out of trouble for two years. If he messes up though, he faces up to six years in prison for bail jumping — more than the time he faced on the four drug-related charges combined. Did you miss Wisconsin Justice Initiative's May 19 event featuring Mark Joseph Stern from Slate discussing the current U.S. Supreme Court and its decisions? Or did you attend and now want to hear him again? Then take a listen, and recommend the recording to your friends and family, too.
WQOW: Former Eau Claire County district attorney Gary King responds to claims in disciplinary proceeding.
The Hill: Mitch McConnell thinks court staff don't merit security. (Senate Minority Leader Mitch) McConnell said he had informed House leaders Monday that if they pass a different version of the bill that provides bodyguards for Supreme Court justices and their clerks, it won’t make it to President Biden’s desk. ... “The security issue is related to Supreme Court justices, not nameless staff that no one knows,” he added. The New York Times: U.S. Supreme Court holds that federal law does not require bond hearings for detained immigrants. The ruling will affect thousands of immigrants detained for many months while their cases are decided by immigration courts facing long backlogs. Seven justices joined Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s majority opinion, which was tightly focused on the words of the relevant statute. Justice Stephen G. Breyer issued a partial dissent. The court did not consider what the Constitution has to say about the extended detentions of immigrants, leaving that question for another day. Slate: Discussing William Barr's deposition testimony at the Jan. 6 hearings. Slate: Lower court judges successfully defy the U.S. Supreme Court without consequence. There are favored and disfavored constitutional rights at this Supreme Court. Litigants claiming persecution on the basis of their Christian faith get special treatment while those languishing in prison after receiving unconstitutional trials get nothing. Madison.com: Wisconsin Parole Commission chair resigns at governor's request
“In my time as Chair-designee, I have given my best effort to be fair, just, and understanding,” Tate said in his resignation letter. “Fair, in working to ensure that everyone who has a voice in the parole process is equally heard. Just, in adhering to the statutory and administrative guidelines of parole, and using evidence-based practices; not being driven by politics or public perception. And understanding that everyone has a unique perspective and a personal experience that matters.” Politico: Upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision is expected to overhaul regulatory authority. The upcoming decision on the Environmental Protection Agency’s climate oversight offers the conservative justices an opportunity to undermine federal regulations on a host of issues, from drug pricing and financial regulations to net neutrality. Critics of the EPA have clamored for the high court to do just that, by declaring it unlawful for federal agencies to make “major” decisions without clear authorization from Congress. Courthouse News Service: U.S. Supreme Court justices make bank with book deals. New financial discourse reports show the justices of the Supreme Court earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2021 on lucrative book deals that do not count toward limits on extra income regulated by ethics rules. The Los Angeles Times: Sentence disparities for Jan. 6 rioters. (U.S. District Judge Tanya) Chutkan, a former assistant public defender who was nominated to the bench by President Obama, has consistently taken the hardest line against Jan. 6 defendants of any judge serving on Washington’s federal trial court, which is handling the more than 800 cases brought so far in the largest prosecution in Justice Department history. . . . The Jan. 6 cases pose a unique challenge for judges in that even though the riot was unlike anything the country has seen before, hundreds of people were charged only with misdemeanors such as illegal entry that typically do not land first-time offenders behind bars. CNN: Oklahoma attorney general seeks to set 25 executions. Four days after a federal court ruled against death row inmates arguing Oklahoma's lethal injection protocol is cruel and unusual, the state's attorney general asked for more than two dozen executions to be scheduled. Executions in Oklahoma are scheduled by the state Court of Criminal Appeals. The motion from Attorney General John O'Connor requests executions take place every four weeks, starting no earlier than late August in order to give the Department of Corrections time to prepare. Daily Dot: Proposed New York legislation would ban police from using fake social media accounts to track people. The legislation sponsors accelerated the introduction of the bill after the leak of a Supreme Court decision that would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision, “fearing that police will increasingly use fake accounts to target pregnant people seeking abortion care.” “It’s bad enough when the courts repeal rights, but no one should be tricked into clicking away the Constitution,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn in the release. “Even if abortion is legal under New York law, pregnant people will still be prosecuted for seeking care when they travel from out of state. We can’t allow police to set up accounts for fake abortion clinics and health centers, tricking pregnant people into waiving their privacy.” WAFB9: Orleans Parish sheriff pulls deputies from court-security posts, forcing court to go virtual. |
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