Category Archives: Court Rulings

Judge: Prosecution CAN mention Stacy Peterson’s disappearance when Drew Peterson stands trial for Kathleen Savio’s murder, but…

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Will County (Illinois) Judge Edward Burmila ruled today that the prosecuction can mention that Drew Peterson’s fourth wife Stacy is missing, but can’t suggest that she’s dead or presumed dead or that Drew Peterson was responsible for her disappearance. This is a logical ruling for two reasons: it’s virtually certain … Continue reading →

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Sydney Spies, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Violence on College Campuses, and Teachers and Students Online

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Bill Bickel

The first update is a non-update: Remember Sydney Spies, the Colorado high school senior who was going to sue her school (or the school board, or somebody) because the yearbook wouldn’t run any of her racy photos as her official graduation photo? With just a bit over three weeks remaining … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, Lawsuits, News, Polls | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Mixed Ruling for Actress Suing IMDb For Revealing Her Age

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Huang Hoang’s attorneys have amended their complaint against IMDb, essentially trying to reinstate the claim Judge Pechman threw out last month by saying the same thing in a different way. Your interpretation may differ. The details are here. Really a non-update for now, but it could become meaningful if Judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, Lawsuits, News, Polls | Tagged , , , | 41 Comments

Is Banning Pork in Prisons Unconstitutional?

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Plaintiff alleges that Muslim inmates sued the ODRC seeking accommodation of their religious dietary restrictions. He contends Gary Mohr issued a statement on May 1, 2011 indicating the ODRC settled this lawsuit, and as part of the settlement, agreed to eliminate pork from all meals served to Ohio prison inmates. … Continue reading →

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Janet Jackson’s Wardrobe Malfunction Headed For Supreme Court

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Bill Bickel

The U.S. Department of Justice is asking the Supreme Court to review November’s appeals court ruling deny the FCC’s right to fine CBS for Janet Jackson’s too-quick-to-be-seen-by-the-naked-eye naked nipple during the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show. To put this in perspective: they’re still litigating over an incident that occurred (for … Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrities, Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

Murder Trial Ends in Mistrial After Reporter Accidentally Tweets Photo of Juror

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Bill Bickel

In Topeka, Kansas, the judge presiding over the murder trial of Austin Tabor permitted cellphone cameras in the courtroom — with the condition that Kansas law, prohibiting close-ups that identify individual jurors, be adhered to. During opening statements last Tuesday (April 10), Ann Marie Bush, a reporter for a local … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Bickel, Managing Editor, Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, Editorials, News, Polls | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Ronald McDonald 1, Wimpy Mom 0 (and more Wednesday Morning Miscellany)

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Ronald McDonald 1, Wimpy Mom 0: Last week, a San Francisco judge threw out a lawsuit by a mother who claimed their “unfair, unlawful, deceptive and fraudulent” advertising campaigns made it impossible for her not to buy Happy Meals for her daughter, thereby undermining her authority over her daughter and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Bickel, Managing Editor, Court Rulings, Editorials, Lawsuits, Polls | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Arkansas Supreme Court Okays Teacher-Student Sex

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Bill Bickel

It’s illegal for adults to have sex with anybody below the legal age of consent. Well, that’s true by definition. But in about half the states, it’s also specifically a felony — not just unethical, not just a firing offense — for a teacher to have sex with a student … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News, Polls | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Arizona Supreme Court Strikes Down Killer’s Death Sentence Because the Murders Weren’t Heinous Enough

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Tuesday (March 27), in an example of how legal language often conflicts with real-world language, the Arizona Supreme Court unanimously threw out James Granvil Wallace’s death sentences for the 1984 murders of Gabriel and Anna Insalaco, aged 12 and 16 respectively. The children were both bludgeoned to death, hit at … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News, Polls | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

British Student Jailed For Posting Racist Tweets

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Bill Bickel

It was racist abuse via a social networking site instigated as a result of a vile and abhorrent comment about a young footballer who was fighting for his life… I have no choice but to impose an immediate custodial sentence to reflect the public outrage at what you have done … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News | Tagged , , | 10 Comments