WJI's daily reads for Nov. 12, 2021

The New York Times: Key strategy in big opioid lawsuits may be faltering.
​
The opinions could prod cities and counties, many of which have been equivocal about settlement deals brokered by states, to capitulate, he said. They could also fuel the resolve of pharmacy chains, like Walmart, Walgreens and CVS, the cluster of defendants most resistant to talks, to fight even harder.

Reuters: No more "black pastors" wanted in courtroom where trial in Arbery murder case is going on, defense lawyer says.

​Reuters: Harvard gets $10 million for animal law program.

Protocol: Child sexual abuse is exploding online.

The report also points to an increase in "self-generated" sexual material over the last year. That includes imagery and videos that young people capture themselves, either because they were coerced, or because they voluntarily shared it with someone their own age, who then shared it more broadly without their consent. According to the Internet Watch Foundation, a UK-based non-profit that also works to stop child abuse online, there was a 77% increase between 2019 and 2020 in reports of self-generated material, a category of content that can be particularly difficult to police.

Governing: Some judges hear cases despite conflicts of interest.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine has sat out some lawsuits against his father, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. In August, for example, the justice recused himself from a case involving unemployment benefits “to avoid any appearance of impropriety that might result from my father’s public involvement in this matter.” The Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct specifically lists cases involving relatives as an example of those requiring recusal, and that includes nieces and cousins, not just immediate family.

So observers were surprised a month later when Justice DeWine announced that he wouldn’t recuse himself from redistricting lawsuits filed against his father, who had recently signed off on new election districts that favor Republican candidates; Gov. DeWine is even expected to testify as a witness.

​More links and stories on our Facebook page!