At the Wisconsin State Journal, there’s a story about the Wisconsin Innocence Project’s work on behalf of an innocent man. Entitled, DNA project finally clears name of wrongly imprisoned man, the story shows the excellent work of Wisconsin’s Innocence Project: The state’s effort to collect thousands of missing DNA profiles has paid off for a…
Law
Free Markets, Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
CNN: Rights Groups Say They Will Challenge New Arizona Immigration Law
by JOHN ADAMS •
A legal challenge is right and inevitable: Arizona’s law will lead to abuse of citizens and non-citizens, and will inhibit a free market in labor, making Arizonans poorer and life there harsher. The law is destined for failure and obloquy, as were the restrictive efforts in California under Gov. Pete Wilson years ago. (That’s something…
Law, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
A Proper American Response
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at the Washington Post, columnist Michael Gerson summarizes nicely what’s wrong with Arizona’s anti-immigration law: This law creates a suspect class, based in part on ethnicity, considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent. It makes it harder for illegal immigrants to live without scrutiny — but it also makes it harder for some American…
Law, Police
Live Program on Policing for Profit: The Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture, 11 AM Central
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Cato Institute will hold a policy forum today, Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central on the Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture. The program will feature Scott Bullock, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice; and Marian R. Williams, Department of Government and Justice Studies, Appalachian State University; with comments by Scott Burns,…
Law, Libertarians
Vote for the Institute for Justice for a Webby Award
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Webby Awards are accepting votes, and the Institute for Justice – a libertarian, public interest law firm – is up for one of the awards. They’ve produced sharp and interesting presentations in support of their work on behalf of economic liberty and fundamental rights. I’ve been happy to post their some of their work.…
Law, Libertarians, Police
Institute for Justice Case on Civil Asset Forfeiture
by JOHN ADAMS •
I posted yesterday on the risk to communities of burdening law enforcement with a profit motive. Here’s an example, from Texas, of how distorted and unfair civil asset forfeiture can become. A news video describes the situation of a client of the Institute for Justice, Zaher El-Ali, whose Chevy Silverado was seized, even though he…
Law, Police
The Institute for Justice on “Policing for Profit.”
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve posted before on the work of the Institute for Justice, and readers can find their website on my blogroll, on the left side of this website. They’re a libertarian public interest law firm, and they sometimes produced videos describing cases and issues in their work. They have two that they’ve recently recorded, and I’ll…
Law
King Kong, YouTube, Universal Studios, and Publishing
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’m a fan of both the original King Kong (1933) and the Peter Jackson version (2005). They’re both astonishing, and among the finest American films I’ve ever seen. (I know Peter Jackson’s from New Zeland, but his film is American in scope, and deep in an understanding of this country. One of the reasons that…
City, Law, Laws/Regulations
On Whitewater’s Spring Election
by JOHN ADAMS •
Wisconsin’s spring election was yesterday, and there were few surprises in the races that involved the City of Whitewater. Common Council. In Whitewater’s municipal election, both of the unopposed incumbents on the ballot were returned to office. The total votes for the at-large seat (Stewart) were in between the numbers for the winning and defeated…
Freedom of Speech, Law, Liberty
Town of Whitewater Resident Challenges Wisconsin Campaign Finance Laws, Wins Federal Injunction
by JOHN ADAMS •
If a citizen and resident wants to mail postcards about an upcoming referendum in his town, must he register (as Wisconsin law requires) before doing so? If he doesn’t register, will he be prosecuted, as others have been in the past? Here’s a press release about the federal lawsuit against several defendants from the James…
Law, Public Meetings
Wisconsin State Journal — E-mails: Firing of Wis. Vets Secretary was Planned
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s Sunshine Week in America, a “national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.” Open government in Wisconsin includes open meetings, surely, and Wisconsin law has clear provisions for open meetings. See, WOML, Wisconsin Statutes, 19.81-19.98. Over at the Wisconsin State Journal, Mary Spicuzza has a story…
Law
On Fair Use
by JOHN ADAMS •
Most everyone is familiar with the idea of copyright, at least in the broadest way. Like so many matters, the particulars and details matter a great deal. Despite claims of a copyright in a work, § 107 of Title 17 of the U.S. Code limits the exclusive rights that a copyright holder might otherwise claim. …