Their Honors will hear argument on October 9 in Stoneridge Investment v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., No. 06-43 (U.S.). The case concerns whether securities fraud liability reaches silent collaborators. "Questions Presented" here.
Blawgletter talked in August about the Solicitor General’s split-the-baby approach to the Stoneridge questions and the possible effect of Stoneridge on a Fifth
In Catch-22 (1955), Joseph Heller put this bit of dialogue in the mouths of B-25 bombardier Yossarian and squadron physician Doc Daneeka:
"Sure there’s a catch," Doc Daneeka replied. "Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn’t really crazy."
* * * *
"That’s some catch, that Catch-22," he [Yossarian] observed.
Time to wake up, little one.
The D.C. Circuit today issued its first opinion in more than a month. The judicial hiatus started on August 24, 2007. Blawgletter still has no idea what caused it.
Strangely, the parties argued the appeal during the decision drought. Did the court really have no backlog?
The case involved
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson devotes his space today to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — and particularly His Honor’s dislike of affirmative action.
A shocker for Blawgletter: The justice keeps his Yale law degree in the basement — with a "15 cents" sticker on the frame. Yikes!
Barry Barnett
Builders risk insurance evolved from
maritime cargo coverage. Who knew?
The Seventh Circuit held yesterday that a "builders risk" policy doesn’t constitute "fire insurance" under Michigan law. Hunt Construction Group, Inc. v. Allianz Global Risks U.S. Ins. Co., No. 06-4335 (7th Cir. Oct. 1, 2007). The distinction mattered because claims under a fire insurance
John Marshall (1755-1835).
The great Supreme Court justice said:
The acme of judicial distinction means the ability to look a lawyer straight in the eyes for two hours and not hear a damned word he says.
Barry Barnett
Our feed appears before only the pinnacle of judicial distinction.
Saddam Hussein knew Oscar Wyatt Jr.
The WSJ reports that octogenarian Oscar Wyatt Jr. pleaded guilty today to paying surcharges in return for contracts to buy Iraqi oil under the United Nations’s oil-for-food program. The deal calls for the oilman from Houston to spend 18 to 24 months in prison and forfeit $11 million.
The Eleventh Circuit today upheld dismissal of a qui tam case. United States ex rel. McElmurray v. Consolidated Gov’t of Augusta-Richmond County, No. 06-16493 (11th Cir. Oct. 1, 2007).
The relators alleged that a municipal wastewater plant in Augusta, Georgia, violated its permits by discharging filthy effluent onto their neighboring land. As the relators
The Supreme Court of the United States of America issued an 83-page "Order List" today.
In those 83 pages, the Court granted several odd motions, vacated a few decisions, and invited the Solicitor General to file briefs but added zero cases to its docket for the 2007 Term.
The WSJ explains it all
The U.S. Supreme Court starts its 2007 Term tomorrow. Linda Greenhouse at the NYT provides an overview. Jess Bravin at the WSJ does likewise. Both focus on Justice Kennedy’s pivotal vote.
Ms. Greenhouse and Mr. Bravin don’t highlight the bidness cases before the Court. But Blawgletter did and even updated the list.
