• Schadenfreude overload: Eliot Spitzer fighting with Bill Lerach’s old law firm. You see, Spitzer returned Lerach firm’s money after the indictment (unlike many other Democrats); when Lerach left the firm, Spitzer hit them up for cash again; now, they’re the ones seeking money. [WSJ Law Blog; NY Sun]
• Breakthrough on Keisler nomination. [Levey]
• Sued for accurately saying government employee was a Mexican. [Volokh]
• Global warming lawsuit finds conspiracy in free speech. [Pero]
• Yet another free speech lawsuit: 50-Cent sued for “promoting gangsta lifestyle.” [Torts Prof]
• 3-2 decision in NY Appellate Division: Not a design defect for tobacco companies to sell cigarettes that aren’t light cigarettes. [Rose v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co.; NYLJ/law.com via Prince]
• Meanwhile, tobacco companies are also being sued over light cigarettes. Second Circuit tosses Judge Weinstein’s novel class certification (Point of Law); Supreme Court grants cert in Altria Group v. Good.
• Defensive medicine one of many reasons that health-care costs so much in US [New York Times]
• Eyewitness testimony: you can’t always believe your eyes. [Chapman]
• First-hand report on Obama’s views on guns. [Lott]
• Ethical problem for law firm to be representing judges in litigation seeking pay raise? [Turkewitz]

Filed under: Barack Obama, Bill Lerach, Coughlin Stoia, defensive medicine, Eliot Spitzer, eyewitness testimony, free speech, global warming, light cigarettes, roundups, tobacco