As tensions continue between protesters and federal officers in Portland, Ore., mothers have taken to the front lines to face tear gas. Three Portland moms talk about the “Wall of Moms” demonstrations and why they think they’re needed to protect protesters from federal agents.
Law
America, Equality, History, John Lewis, Justice, Law, Liberty, Race
Wake up!
by JOHN ADAMS •
Courts, Federal Government, Law, Laws/Regulations
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on DACA in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program allows certain persons who arrived in the United States as children to apply for a forbearance of removal. Today, a five-person majority of the nation’s high court ruled in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California that the Trump Administration violated the Administrative…
Babbittry, City, Corruption, Federal Government, Law, Local Government, Official Misconduct, Open Government, Police, Politics, State Government
Cameras, Not Committees
by JOHN ADAMS •
Recent protests across America against excessive and biased use of police force began after ordinary people in those communities recorded official (to the point of murderous) actions, and then shared their recordings with others. It was not government – local, state, or federal – that promptly shared these recordings of excessive force; it was ordinary…
America, Bigotry, Culture, Law, Race
Trevor Noah on Racial Injustice
by JOHN ADAMS •
I received a recommendation of these insightful, compelling remarks from Trevor Noah, and am happy to post the full video (originally recorded on 5.29.20).
Authoritarianism, Freedom of Speech, Law, Liberty, Social Media, Trump, Twitter
Twitter’s (Perhaps Momentary) Advantage Over Trump
by JOHN ADAMS •
Trump, furious at a private company for exercising its right under the law to establish and enforce terms of service, now finds that Twitter has again placed warnings on another of his tweets, and also on his attempt to retweet that same message from the White House account. The recent Twitter response to a Trump…
Authoritarianism, Law, Trump, Unfit
He Thinks He’s a King
by JOHN ADAMS •
Coronavirus, Courts, Federal Government, Law, Local Government, Public Health, State Government, Trump
Practical Implications After Wisconsin v. Palm: The Divide over the Novel Coronavirus
by JOHN ADAMS •
On March 24th, I first began a draft of this post. It seemed to probable then – and it is true now – that Trump would effectually abandon a social distancing or stay-at-home approach, and encourage business as usual to resume promptly. The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling in Wisconsin v. Palm has brought that abandonment to Wisconsin…
Courts, Law, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Supreme Court: Wisconsin Legislature v. Palm
by JOHN ADAMS •
Embedded below is the decision of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Wisconsin Legislature v. Palm. On a 4-3 decision, Wisconsin’s highest court has ruled that the Safer at Home order is unenforceable. (Readers have asked me via email me over the last week how the court might rule. I have replied to each message that…
Congress, Courts, Law, Litigation
Supreme Court Oral Arguments in Trump Financial Records Cases
by JOHN ADAMS •
Updated, 5.12.20: Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP (consolidated with Trump v. Deutsche Bank AG) and Trump v. Vance overviews from SCOTUSblog (a privately-published blog about the U.S. Supreme Court). Transcripts of the 5.12.20 oral argument: 19-715 Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP & Trump v. Deutsche Bank AG and 19-635 Trump v. Vance.
Law, Litigation, Newspapers
Demand Letters
by JOHN ADAMS •
A demand letter is an attorney’s formal request on behalf of a client for either money or action from a third party. Demand letters can be sent before or after a lawsuit is filed. Although these letters typically demand an amount of money, they can also ask for actions including apologies or retractions for a…
Horde, Law, Laws/Regulations, Police
The Horde
by JOHN ADAMS •
Embed from Getty Images Over these many years, legitimate critics of law enforcement have been wrongly accused of radicalism. Defenders of the most mediocre – let alone wrongful – practices have insisted hysterically that their critics are extremists, fanatics, blacks, browns, ‘soft’ whites, liberals, members of the ACLU, libertarians, Rastafarians, whatever. In a place like…
Courts, Elections, Law, Legislature, Politics, Public Health, Wisconsin
‘This Principle Is More Important Than Winning’
by JOHN ADAMS •
In the New York Times, Justice-elect Jill Karofsky writes I’m the Judge Who Won in Wisconsin. This Principle Is More Important Than Winning (‘We must get away from a partisan view of the law‘): In cities like Milwaukee and Green Bay, the wait [to vote] ended up being as long as three hours. And because the…
Corruption, Courts, Elections, Law
Judge Jill Karofsky’s Commitment to Stop Corruption
by JOHN ADAMS •
Jill Karofsky believes in protecting our environment from corporate polluters, protecting women’s health care, and holding corrupt politicians accountable. As your Supreme Court Justice, she’ll make decisions based on the law.