Franklin Zimring cited by VICE News, Dec. 31, 2017
Lethal injection was originally adopted because it seemed “medical,” University of California, Berkeley Law professor Franklin Zimring explained to VICE News earlier this year.
Crowded West Bank refugee camp is the most tear-gassed place in the world — Berkeley Law School study
Andrea Lampros study cited by Mondoweiss, Dec. 30, 2017
“Residents have alleged that tear gas utilization by [Israeli forces] is not directly correlated to political tensions, non-violent or violent protests, or stone throwing incidents,” states the Berkeley study, which is entitled, “No Safe Space: Health Consequences of Tear Gas Exposure Among Palestine Refugees.”
Outgoing labor board chairman leaves with gun blazing
Catherine Fisk quoted by Daily Journal (registration required), Dec. 29, 2017
“We now seem to have settled into a pattern in which Republican-majority boards overrule any decisions on issues that are highly salient to the Chamber of Commerce and business groups,” stated Catherine Fisk. … “And Democratic-majority boards then overrule those decisions on issues salient to labor, and back again.”
Military use of space is coming, Trump can help America prepare
John Yoo writes for The Hill, Dec. 28, 2017
While the Trump NSS is a document, but not an operating strategy, it shows that the administration is making the right moves in rejecting utopian visions of space as conflict-free zone. The great powers have already carefully crafted treaties to limit a nuclear arms race in outer space. But at the same time they have left open significant routes for other military uses of space.
What can be done when a federal judge shouldn’t be on the bench?
Erwin Chemerinsky writes for The Sacramento Bee, Dec. 27, 2017
Judicial independence comes at a cost: the lack of checks on federal judges who behave badly or simply no longer should be on the bench. The reality is that there are federal judges who are widely regarded as no longer able to handle the position.
Brown elevates two judges to the appellate bench while adding 33 superior court judges
Erwin Chemerinsky cited by Daily Journal (registration required), Dec. 26, 2017
Erwin Chemerinsky, now dean of UC Berkeley School of Law, represented Orange County Superior Court in its defense against that petition. He told a gathering of Orange County judges and lawyers in October that the case is his proudest.
Sexual harassment victims want assurances Capitol investigations will be independent
Barbara Bryant quoted by The Sacramento Bee, Dec. 26, 2017
“One of the final steps has to be that it’s not kept secret,” she said. “If it’s just going to stay quiet … we really lose at the end all benefit that would have been done.”
4 proven ways to influence your organization from the outside
Olga Mack writes for Above the Law, December 26, 2017
When seeking to influence organizations, most people begin by influencing from the inside. But what’s an influencer to do when this traditional approach falls flat?
Where did all the patent trolls go?
Robert Merges cited by Daily Journal (registration required), Dec. 20, 2017
Robert Merges … started arguing in late 2015 that there had been enough patent reform to address the existing problems, and that we needed to pause to let the changes take effect.
Getting rid of predatory judges
Catherine Crump writes for The New York Times, Dec. 19, 2017
The judiciary should make clear, to clerks and judges alike, that a judge’s inappropriate sexual conduct and comments are not covered by the job’s confidentiality obligations. It should also provide better complaint mechanisms for federal clerks, about half of whom are women.