Frank Easterbrook, Chief Judge of the Seventh Circuit, revels in writing stream-of-consciousness opinions.  This chronic self-indulgence comes across nicely in his rejection today of a tax shelter scheme that led to the demise of the Jenkens & Gilchrist law firm (whose name he misspells as "Jenkins & Gilchrist").  The opinion makes its readers wait until page 4, for example, to learn the district court’s disposition.  The rest suggests disdain for helping readers understand, quickly, the significance of the decision. Cemco Investors, LLC v. United States, No. 07-2220 (7th Cir. Feb. 7, 2008).

Blawgletter wonders, at times, about the wisdom of insulating federal judges from the rough-and-tumble of real law practice, indeed of real life.  The Honorable Easterbrook provokes that wonderment more often than not.

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