Connecticut Judge Allows Sandy Hook Gun Lawsuit To Proceed, For Now

A Connecticut Judge has allowed a lawsuit against the manufacturer and seller of the weapons used in the Sandy Hook Shootings to go forward, but a Federal Law appears to make dismissal inevitable.

Cruz Likeliest Winner in Contested GOP Convention

The second place finisher in the Republican primaries is looking like the first loser.

New England Patriots Fans File Frivolous Lawsuit Against N.F.L. Over Deflategate Sanctions

A group of New England Patriots fans are providing us with the latest example of stupid lawsuits that don’t belong in Court at all.

Supreme Court Rejects Effort To Narrow Meaning Of ‘One Person, One Vote’

With surprising unanimity, the Supreme Court rejected an effort to restrict the meaning of ‘one person, one vote’ in legislative redistricting.

Delayed – OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Delayed “J” Is For Jumparound Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Supreme Court Rules Against Seizure of Property Needed To Pay For Defense Counsel

A victory in the fight to reform civil asset forfeiture laws.

Justices Sharply Divided In Latest Obamacare Birth Control Mandate Case

The Supreme Court appeared deadlocked during oral argument in the latest case dealing with the PPACA’s contraceptive coverage mandates.

Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Against Legal Pot In Colorado

The Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by Nebraska and Oklahoma against Colorado’s decision to legalize marijuana.

Mitt Romney Denounces Donald Trump, But It’s Likely To Amount To Much Ado About Nothing

Mitt Romney came out with a blistering speech denouncing Donald Trump, but it’s unlikely to have much of an impact on the race.

Divided Supreme Court Hears Argument In Texas Abortion Case

The Supreme Court seems as closely divided as ever on an issue that has divided the nation for forty years, but the implications of Justice Scalia’s death were quite apparent during oral argument in the Texas Abortion Law case.

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Federal Judge Denies Request To Force Apple To Extract Data From iPhones In Drug Case

A Federal Judge in New York has denied an F.B.I. request to force Apple to extract data from iPhones involved in a Federal drug case.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Heart Bern Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Supreme Court Appears Poised To Hand Major Defeat To Public Employee Unions

After oral argument today in a high profile case, it appears likely that public employee unions are likely to suffer a major legal defeat later this year.

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore Declares War On The Constitution

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore tells Probate Judges they should not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, in clear defiance of the law and his duties as an officer of the Court.

Tamir Rice And The Question Of How The Law Should Handle Officer-Involved Shootings

The decision by a Cleveland Grand Jury to decline to indict a police officer in the shooting of 12 year old Tamir Rice raises once again questions about how the law handles shootings involving police officers.

The Quixotic Quest for the Radical Center

Americans don’t trust their government or each other. There’s no reason to hope it’ll get better.

Federal Appeals Court Ruling Raises Doubts About Rulings Against Redskins Trademarks

A ruling in an unrelated case raises serious doubts about the law used to revoke the Washington Redskins trademarks because they are allegedly ‘disparaging.’

Are Polls Overstating Donald Trump’s Real Level Of Support, Or Understating It?

There have been many arguments that polling has over-stated Donald Trump’s actual level of support among likely Republican voters, but there’s also a good argument that they are understating it and that Trump may do better when people start voting than many think.

Pete Rose’s Lifetime Ban Will Remain In Effect, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rules

The Commissioner of Major League Baseball has ruled that the lifetime ban issued against Pete Rose for betting on baseball will remain in effect.

Trump and Fascism

Should Donald Trump be classified as a fascist?

New York Judge Upholds Injunction Shutting Down Draft Kings And Fan Duel In New York

A New York Judge has upheld an injunction against Draft Kings and Fan Duel. It’s probably correct under New York law, but that just means the law needs to be changed.

Divided Supreme Court Hears Arguments On Affirmative Action In University Admissions

A divided Supreme Court heard argument today in a case involving affirmative action in college admissions that is before the Court for the second time in two years.

Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument On Meaning Of ‘One Person, One Vote’ In Redistricting

The Supreme Court heard oral argument today in a case that could have big implications for redistricting, and the make-up of state legislatures and the House of Representatives.

Some Thoughts on the Pending One Person, One Vote Case

I am having a hard time seeing a system of districts based on eligible voters and not simply population.

Court Declines To Hear Case Involving Chicago Suburb’s Assault Weapons Ban

The Supreme Court has declined to accept an appeal challenging a law barring certain types of so-called ‘assault weapons’ in a Chicago suburb.

Top Republican Adviser Tries To Help Down Ballot Candidates Prepare For Trump As Nominee

A leaked memo from a top Republican adviser tries to tell vulnerable Senate candidates how to deal with the possibility that they’ll be stuck with Trump on the top of the ticket.

Yes, Trump is the Frontrunner, but…

Polls are quite useful in the right circumstances, but knowledge, complexity, and timing all have to be taken into account in determining what they are telling us.

Former Benghazi Committee Staffer Sues Committee, And Rep. Trey Gowdy

A former staffer for the House Select Committee investigation the attack in Benghazi is suing the Committee for improper employment practices, and Chairman Trey Gowdy for defamation.

Federal Judge Rules N.S.A. Mass Data Collection Unconstitutional

A Federal Judge has ruled that the N.S.A. metadata collection program is unconstitutional, but it’s unclear if the ruling will have much of an impact.

University Of Virginia Fraternity Files Defamation Suit Against Rolling Stone Over Campus Rape Story

Rolling Stone faces yet another legal headache over last year’s story about a campus rape that never took place.

Jeb Bush Wants You To Know He’s In Favor of Killing Baby Hitler

Give Jeb Bush a DeLorean or a TARDIS and he’ll be traveling back in time to Hitler in no time!

Obama Administration’s Immigration Executive Action Suffers Another Court Defeat

President Obama’s executive action on immigration suffered another setback in court late yesterday.

Department Of Justice Finds No Basis For Criminal Charges In I.R.S. Scrutiny Of Tea Party Groups

The Department of Justice has informed Congress that its investigation has found no basis for criminal charges arising out of the targeting of conservative organizations by IRS officials evaluating applications for tax-exempt status.

Nurse Kaci Hickcox Sues Chris Christie For Civil Liberties Violations During Ebola Quarantine

The nurse who was detained by New Jersey officials in a quarantine despite not displaying any symptoms of Ebola is suing Chris Christie and others for civil liberties violations.

Malaysian Air Flight 17 Inquiry Finds Plane Most Likely Taken Down By Russian Missile

A Dutch inquiry has largely confirmed what was widely believed about the fate of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17.

Ben Carson, Political Ignoramus

While a brilliant and accomplished man, he’s absolutely clueless about politics and world affairs.

Federal Judge Rules ‘Happy Birthday To You’ Copyright Invalid

A Federal Judge has ruled that the copyright to ‘Happy Birthday To You’ has been invalid for at least the past eighty years.

Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis May Be Interfering With Issuance Of Marriage Licenses Again

A lawyer for one of the Deputy Clerks working for Kim Davis raises the concern that she is once again interfering with the issuance of marriage licenses in violation of a Federal Court Order.

Federal Judge Allows Part Of House Lawsuit Against Obama Administration To Proceed

A Federal Judge has ruled that part of a lawsuit filed by the House of Representatives can go forward, but the legal battle is far from over.

Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis Released From Jail, But She May Not Be Free For Long

Rowan County, Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis is being released from jail, but it may end up being a very short reprieve.

OTB Caption Contest Winners

The Thick and The Dead Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over.

Federal Judge Overturns Tom Brady’s Deflategate Suspension

A massive defeat in Court for the National Football League.

Appeals Court Upholds Law Barring Protests On Supreme Court Building Property

A Federal Appeals Court has upheld a 1949 law that bars protesters from the property around the Supreme Court building. This seems inconsistent with the Court’s recent First Amendment jurisprudence.

N.L.R.B. Denies Student Athletes’ Bid To Unionize

The National Labor Relations Board refused to certify an effort by athletes at Northwestern University to unionize.

Defying A Court Order, Kentucky Clerk Refuses To Issue Marriage Licenses To Gay Couples

A Clerk in Kentucky appears to be headed for a showdown with a Federal District Court Judge that she is destined to lose.

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law

A Federal Appeals Court has dealt a setback to Texas in the battle over its Voter ID Law.

Roger Goodell Upholds Tom Brady’s Deflategate Suspension

Not surprisingly, Tom Brady’s appeal of his Deflategate suspension was not successful.