Counting the weight of water in reaching for maximum penalties: “The Minnesota Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, has now ruled that Bong Water (water which had been used in a water pipe) was a ‘mixture’ of ’25 grams or more’ supporting a criminal conviction for Controlled Substance crime in the first degree.” [Minneapolis Criminal Lawyer via Greenfield] More: Sullum.
Archive for October, 2009
“Quick Work: First Lawsuit Hits Over Friday’s Explosion in P.R.”
A plaintiff’s lawyer offers reasons (or rationalizations) for his ultra-speedy filing of a putative class action following an industrial explosion at the Caribbean Petroleum Corp. in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Only minor injuries were reported, but the blast blew out windows and forced evacuations. [WSJ Law Blog, New York Times]
“Lawyers warn: Bosses who ‘friend’ are begging to be sued”
“Bosses who ‘friend’ their subordinates on social networking sites may seem warm and harmless, but they’ve got liability risk written all over them. So warn employment lawyers.” [Tresa Baldas, National Law Journal]
Blawg Review #234
It’s hosted by Victoria Pynchon, who’s guestblogged in this space, at her site Settle It Now.
“Just say no to blasphemy laws”
“Perhaps in an effort to rehabilitate the United States’ image in the Muslim world, the Obama administration has joined a U.N. effort to restrict religious speech. This country should never sacrifice freedom of expression on the altar of religion.” [Jonathan Turley, USA Today via Balko; & welcome Above the Law readers]
Claim: Facebook infringes our patent
“Phoenix Media/Communications, which owns The Boston Phoenix and other local alternative weeklies and websites, is suing popular social networking site Facebook for allegedly violating a patent related to setting up online personal profile pages.” [Boston Globe]
Do not let kids climb onto them
“Jury clears companies in lawn mower lawsuit” [Eugene, Oregon, Register-Guard]
U.K.: Children seized from obese parents
A remarkable story of government power from Dundee, Scotland [Daily Mail via Steyn/NRO, earlier]
Food safety law expansion barreling through Congress
And per this L.A. Times account, business — at least business with an organized Washington, D.C. presence — is on board, just as it was when CPSIA passed. So what could go wrong?
Reporters and victim stories
Jack Shafer has some thoughts about the soft center of the supposedly hard-boiled press when it comes to stories like that of Megan Williams of Charleston, W.V., who has just recanted some elements of a sensational 2007 kidnap/assault story that sent six accused persons to prison for long terms.