It was a chapter in American history that every decent person wishes had never been written. Slavery was legal — at least in some parts of the country. Slaves were viewed as […]
The Unlikely Lawyer Who Represented a Slave Owner
Law & Order – Hammurabi’s Code Division
In Babylon’s criminal justice system, the people were governed by a code of justice and the king who wrote that code. These are their stories. Welcome to Law and Order: Hammurabi’s Code […]
Addressing the Ancient Problem of Lawyers Talking Too Long
At the time of this writing, much of the attention of U.S. legal scholars is directed at the televised trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. This article does not address the merits of either […]
What is the Difference Between a Judge and a Law Student?
The first Monday of October is the traditional beginning of the U.S. Supreme Court’s term. In honor of the occasion and with all due respect to the nine justices who are about […]
Mayor LaGuardia and Justice for a Stolen Loaf of Bread
The bleak, dreary years of the Great Depression brought an energetic, ambitious, and unconventional mayor to the city of New York. Fiorello H. LaGuardia (1882-1947) swept into office, following successive mayors who […]
The Chief Justice Who Had All of His Trial Cases Reversed on Appeal
As noted in this article, there is no requirement that a person has prior judicial experience to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court (or any real requirements, for that matter). While there […]
Writers of Law Sentence You to Read Sentences
Lawyers are expected to use long, complicated sentences. Many attorneys pride themselves on their ability to use unnecessarily-complicated words and phrases. Sometimes, however, even those within the profession will cry foul at […]
The Case of the Surprise Witnesses
In the early years of the 20th century, John T. Bevins, an attorney from Pearsall, Texas, asked a judge to continue his case, due to the fact that two vital witnesses were […]
May it Please the Court…
Attorneys have a long tradition of beginning arguments before a judge by saying, “May it please the court.” When one particularly troublesome case was settled without a trial, the judge was not […]
The Shady History of Sunglasses
Sunglasses can make the wearer look cool, and they certainly can help on sunny days, but that was not their original intent when they were invented.
Judge Rules on Lawsuit 26 Years Late, After Finding File in His Attic
As far as landmark judicial decisions go, the mineral rights case of Ayers v Rubow is hardly a candidate to change the face of established jurisprudence. When Toole County, Montana Judge Ronald McPhillips […]
Springtime at the Gallows
Justice in the Old West was quick, decisive, and occasionally poetic. Witness this colorful death sentence issued in United States v Gonzales (1881), U.S. District Court, New Mexico Territory. Jose Manuel Miguel Xavier Gonzales, […]
Never Argue With a Judge — Even When He Calls Himself an Idiot
When Tristan Ellis, a notorious burglar, showed up in front of Australian Judge Dean Mildren on March 29, 2004, it was the third time that year he had been arrested. The judge […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 