News & Media
Bernie Sanders v. DNC
Bernie Sanders sues the Democratic National Committee and the complaint is here. The legal issues are less exciting than Bernie’s hair style. What is more exciting is that Bernie Sanders isn’t taking this shit from the DNC. The DNC is playing the part of Roger Goodell in the 2016 election cycle. See Former NFL VP Of Officiating: “Looks Like The
Circuit Split Over Cybersquatting Act – 11th Circuit Rejects GoPets in Jysk v. Roy
The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), 15 U.S.C. § 1125(d), provides: “A person shall be liable . . . by the owner of a mark . . . if . . . that person . . . has a bad faith intent to profit from that mark . . .; and . . . registers, traffics in, or uses a
Bernie Sanders v. DNC
Bernie Sanders sues the Democratic National Committee and the complaint is here. The legal issues are less exciting than Bernie’s hair style. What is more exciting is that Bernie Sanders isn’t taking this shit from the DNC. The DNC is playing the part of Roger Goodell in the 2016 election cycle. See Former NFL VP Of Officiating: “Looks Like The
Circuit Split Over Cybersquatting Act – 11th Circuit Rejects GoPets in Jysk v. Roy
The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), 15 U.S.C. § 1125(d), provides: “A person shall be liable . . . by the owner of a mark . . . if . . . that person . . . has a bad faith intent to profit from that mark . . .; and . . . registers, traffics in, or uses a
The First Amendment is not a free pass to harass
A charter school in Washington DC is suing abortion protesters. (source) Why? Because Planned Parenthood is opening next to the school, so the abortion protesters have decided to focus their protests on the children, parents, and employees of the school. Nobody ever said that abortion protesters were required to use logic. Although one might say it is logical. The protesters
The First Amendment is not a free pass to harass
A charter school in Washington DC is suing abortion protesters. (source) Why? Because Planned Parenthood is opening next to the school, so the abortion protesters have decided to focus their protests on the children, parents, and employees of the school. Nobody ever said that abortion protesters were required to use logic. Although one might say it is logical. The protesters
Good First Amendment Case – Biro v. Conde Nast
Peter Biro was the subject of a 2010 article in The New Yorker. Biro sued the publisher and other defendants who allegedly republished statements from the original article. Since Biro was deemed to be a limited purpose public figure, the court dismissed the claims against him because he did not allege sufficient facts to plausibly support an eventual finding of
Revisiting Prostitution
by Jay Marshall Wolman My recent post on the Ninth Amendment got me thinking about Griswold v. Connecticut, and its progeny, including Lawrence v. Texas. Although the latter explicitly stated it wasn’t ruling on prostitution, it didn’t say it wasn’t protected. Assuming a logical thread from Griswold, the case law is that, basically, whatever two consenting adults choose to do in private is private
Happy 5/6 Bill of Rights Day
by Jay Marshall Wolman We here at the Legal Satyricon are big fans of the Bill of Rights. Over at the Runt Piglet Squeals, the official blog of the Third Amendment Lawyers Association, I have a post discussing the less commonly understood history of the proposal and ratification of the Bill of Rights. The tl;dr version: it was originally 12 articles and
Good First Amendment Case – Biro v. Conde Nast
Peter Biro was the subject of a 2010 article in The New Yorker. Biro sued the publisher and other defendants who allegedly republished statements from the original article. Since Biro was deemed to be a limited purpose public figure, the court dismissed the claims against him because he did not allege sufficient facts to plausibly support an eventual finding of
She’s/He’s Got The Jack, Do You Got a Case?
A guy went on Tinder, picked up a woman, and got herpes from her. Yeah? Why is that news? Well, the guy sued her for giving her the as-of-today incurable disease. (source) The woman knew that she had herpes, but she lied to the guy about her condition. She claims that she only thought it would be contagious during an
She’s/He’s Got The Jack, Do You Got a Case?
A guy went on Tinder, picked up a woman, and got herpes from her. Yeah? Why is that news? Well, the guy sued her for giving her the as-of-today incurable disease. (source) The woman knew that she had herpes, but she lied to the guy about her condition. She claims that she only thought it would be contagious during an
The Man in the High Castle in Albany and The First Amendment
The Man in the High Castle is a piece of alternative history fiction, which imagines an alternate future in which fascist forces won World War II. The Nazis occupy the eastern part of the United States, while the Japanese take up residence in the west. The Italians are non-existent in the series. You would think that they would get Rhode
Revolution Number 9
by Jay Marshall Wolman As previously discussed, reader Angie NK asked for a post about the Ninth Amendment. I digressed to the Fourth Amendment as I had some thoughts already percolating on it. [Side note: turns out people still actually make and sell percolators.] But, ask and thou shalt receive. The Ninth Amendment reads: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain
Randazza: The Man in the High Castle in Albany and The First Amendment
The Man in the High Castle is a piece of alternative history fiction, which imagines an alternate future in which fascist forces won World War II. The Nazis occupy the eastern part of the United States, while the Japanese take up residence in the west. The Italians are non-existent in the series. You would think that they would get Rhode
Prosecuting Police for Trespass
by Jay Marshall Wolman In a comment to my post announcing the formation of the Third Amendment Lawyers Association, reader Angie NK asked for some Ninth Amendment love. I’ll get there, Angie, I promise. But, before I do, I had some questions and thoughts about #3’s neighbor, the Fourth Amendment. The Third Amendment protects the home from a chronic invasion–the
Why this Liberal is Writing a Check to the Rubio Campaign
Yes, I’m planning to vote for Bernie Sanders, but I’m going to cut the Rubio campaign a check just the same. It won’t be much, but, as the Supreme Court said, “money equals speech.” Citizens United v. F.E.C., 558 U.S. 310 (2010). So I’m going to speak in favor of Rubio, even though I am a Liberal. Don’t have a
No "safe spaces" for Conservatives
Madison Gesiotto is a law student at Ohio State, and is also the author of the “Millennial Mindset” column at the Washington Times. (Pause for laughter at the thought of “Millenial Mindset”) She recently wrote a column called “The number one killer of black Americans.” What is this killer? According to Gesiotto, the number one killer of Black Americans is abortion.
Trump Cybersquats on Jeb – The Legal Analysis
Type in jebbush.com to your browser. If you would rather not, I can just tell you what happens. It brings you to the Trump campaign website. There are plenty of news sites reporting this, but we at Popehat, we’re the only ones to give you the hot and bothered legal analysis. Someone at the Bush campaign is about to get
Some Peace of Mind for Free Speech in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has given the world its fair share of musical greatness. From the Dropkick Murphys back to Jonathan Richman, The Cars to the Pixies, Aerosmith to Mission of Burma. Bim Skala Bim to the Lemonheads. The Unband to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Lets put it this way, your musical life would suck without the 617/413 and later fragmented area codes.
