When Should Lay Voters Defer to the Views of Scientists?
My 2015 post on this subject includes points relevant to our current situation.
Volokh Conspiracy
"It's Only Quarantine If It's in the Quarante Province of France."
"Otherwise it's just Sparkling Isolation."
Best Configuration for Hanging out with Friends by Video?
What would you recommend?
Religion, Law, and Coronavirus
An interesting site, run out of the University of Pisa, covering breaking developments in many countries with many articles in English.
Champaign (Ill.) Emergency Order Doesn't Ban Guns, But Does Authorize (Likely Unconstitutional) Emergency Gun Bans
The order activates a pre-existing ordinance, which authorizes a wide range of actions, including curfews, alcohol sales, gun sales, property seizures, and more.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Flight paths, multitudinous grievances, and loitering plus.
Force Mineure and Contracts That Aren't Performed Because of Epidemics
I can't give a substantive legal analysis, but I dibs the label.
Court Rules Mostly for Catholic Nurse Who Objected to Newly Imposed Birth-Control and Abortion-Referral Duties
The Illinois Appellate Court's decision interprets the Illinois version of the RFRA, and the separate Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act (which bans all discrimination "because of [a] person's conscientious refusal to receive, obtain, accept, perform, assist, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer or participate in any way in any particular form of health care services contrary to his or her conscience").
U.S. Soccer's Offensive Defense of the Women's National Team Equal Pay Lawsuit
The President of U.S. Soccer resigns last night--in no small part because of bad lawyering.
Prizes for Progress Against Coronavirus
The Mercatus Center Emergent Ventures Project is awarding prizes for important Coronavirus-related work
The Most Important Coronavirus-and-the-Law Issues
... have to do, I think, with business insurance law (and in particular with the interpretation of business insurance contracts).
Judges Thapar and Kethledge Call for SCOTUS to Reconsider TWA v. Hardison (1977)
"The irony (and tragedy) of decisions like Hardison is that they most often harm religious minorities—people who seek to worship their own God, in their own way, and on their own time."
Do Pandemics Strengthen the Case for Restricting Immigration? [updated with response to Jason Richwine]
Temporary quarantines and other targeted restrictions might be justified. But pandemics do not justify more general migration restrictions. Indeed, the latter often actually imperil health.
Now There's a Real Royal Family Dispute for You
English courts rule in child custody case against the Sheikh of Dubai, and in favor of his sixth wife Princess Haya, who is also the sister of the King of Jordan.
The Supreme Court Will Close to the Public
Social Distancing not enough for SCOTUS
Thoughts and Tips on Teaching with Zoom
My reactions from, and recommendations for, distance learning
Sealing Court Filings Drawn from Discovery Requires More Than Just General Assertions of Confidentiality
A case decided Monday reaffirms this principle, especially in the Seventh Circuit.
The European "Schengen Area" Travel Ban and Trump v. Hawaii
CJ Roberts: According to the Plaintiffs' theory, the President could not "suspend entry from particular foreign states in response to an epidemic confined to a single region"
Flashback to 2005: Judicial Conduct of the 2nd Circuit Opinion concerning Judge Calabresi's Political Comments
Judge Calabresi apologized. And so should Judge Adelman.
Accusations of Trying to "Hit on Underage Girls" Aren't Defamatory Without Proof of Actual Damage,
at least under the Illinois "innocent construction" rule, under which "a nondefamatory interpretation must be adopted if it is reasonable"—"a reasonable reading of Lorenz's article is that although Wedgewood communicated with underage girls, he never meant to take things further."
Oral Arguments at the Supreme Court with no spectators
Will SCOTUS adopt "social distancing"?
Judge Adelman defends his criticism of Chief Justice Roberts and President Trump (Updated)
"Judges are encouraged to comment on the law because we have a particular interest, knowledge and familiarity."
Can Law Ban False Reporting About Coronavirus?
Probably, if it's limited to knowing falsehoods (or perhaps statements where the speaker knows they are probably false).
NSA's call detail records program
Episode 305 of the Cyberlaw Podcast -- an interview withTravis LeBlanc of the PCLOB
SCOTUS Grants Cert in the Catholic Adoption Services Case
The Court looks ready to make a major change in its free exercise jurisprudence
My Daughter / My Sister / My Daughter / My Sister
OK, the backstory isn't as grim as in Chinatown, but it's an interesting case.
Coronavirus Concerns (I Presume) Lead to Postponing of Fourth Circuit Oral Argument Next Week
Just happened this morning.
Quarterbacking a Card Game
Plus, away from the mixed metaphor: "As judges know, it costs almost nothing to begin a marriage .... The court system should seek ways to shrink the cost of ending a failed marriage."
