Links of Interest
What we read this week, March 19-23, 2012
Judicial Elections and Judiciary Reform:
- There have been a number of good pieces on PAC money in elections and the Citizens United decision lately. In case you missed it, back in December, Montana’s Supreme Court upheld (.pdf) Montana’s ban on political expenditures made from the general treasury of a corporation, a part of its anticorruption laws. The ruling is directly contrary to Citizens United. Last month, the Supreme Court of the US stayed the Montana Supreme Court’s ruling, while it considers whether to review the case.
Criminal Justice Reform:
- Foreign Policy wrote about ending the drug war.
- The American Civil Liberties Union of California issued a report on realignment in the California prison system, which examines jail overcrowding and how to fix it, the state’s bail system, and surveys effective alternatives to incarceration. Silicon Valley’s Mercury News, the California Watch, and San Diego’s KPBS discuss the report.
Other Links of Interest:
- Thursday, March 22, was World Water Day. Water, from the Atlantic’s In Focus photo series.
- A trial court in New York dismissed a case filed by former law students claiming employment statistics published by school is misleading and fraudulent. Despite dismissing the Complaint, in part because the damages were too speculative, the Court noted the collective responsibility the profession has toward new lawyers and those considering going to law school.
- Speaking of the responsibility the profession has toward young lawyers and persons considering becoming lawyers, Indian Tech University has been given approval for a law school. The school “will place a heavy emphasis on practical experience, and the on-campus location will facilitate the establishment of legal clinics to serve the Indiana Tech community”. A system of legal education focused primarily on practical coursework and clinical experience would change the dynamic between new graduates and the legal community.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone who attended our Spring Fundraiser at the Paris Club, and thanks again to our honorees for all the work they do: