Mostly Plants

Yesterday was our Final Trial for Public Defender training, and I got a not guilty on all charges!  Even though the jury was loaded with public defender staffers, not guilties are not guaranteed–several of my colleagues’ clients got convicted, at least on the trespass (in park after hours) charge.
An object lesson learned during the trial: [...]

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Announcing the new Unofficial CPCS Public Defender Blog, Incorrigible Dicta!
Dicta was conceived during New Lawyer training this year and carried to term by new lawyers Alejandro Ramos (Springfield DCU) and Andy Cowan (Lowell DCU). The blog will be serving sentences (as well as paragraphs, phrases, and even articles) at http://www.dictablog.net.
Dicta is intended to have a [...]

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This November, Massachusetts voters will have the opportunity to vote for a referendum to decriminalize possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana.  Voting YES will keep casual users out of jail, save the state millions of dollars, and free up space in the jails.
Please allow me to address some common arguments from opponents of [...]

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From Second Circuit Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs:
Pro bono work primarily is an “antisocial” and self-serving activity lawyers use to develop their skills, firms use to recruit and “give solace” to associates, and nonprofits use to further a political agenda, Judge Jacobs argued.
In particular, litigation against the government and government officials and impact litigation are attempts [...]

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In case you were wondering: the Florida 4th District Court of Appeal announced yesterday that a newspaper cannot be barred from covering its own trial.
The Orange County Register is being sued by 6,000 current and former newspaper carriers on some labor law issues that are not all that interesting.  What is interesting is the two [...]

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Overheard in court today:
["Victim" testifies that she was out riding her bike during an ice storm in December when she suddenly saw headlights, heading straight for her.  She blacked out, and the next thing she remembers, she's on the ground with her bicycle on top of her. She has trouble getting up, due to "all [...]

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RHRealityCheck makes some more specific critiques of the proposed Physician Conscience reg, which I respond to.  Many of the critiques are based on incorrect statements of existing law.

Share and Enjoy:

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If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past month, you’ve heard the rumors–and seen calls to action all over the internet–about a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that the Department of Health and Human Services has released on “Physician Conscience.” The calls to action range from the specific (and false) allegation that the [...]

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While we were waiting to have our exams collected and inventoried, and all blatantly disregarding the repeated, but not particularly emphatic instructions not to speak, a member of the Board of Bar Examiners stepped up to the rostrum and announced:

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From the MA bar review course, guaranteed to amuse those in other states as well as the rising 2Ls and 3Ls.
Those who have never studied law may find some of these funny, but I make no warranties.
Best wishes to all who must endure what this week brings–and if anybody reading this took the Louisiana bar, [...]

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