Thomas O. Barnett will resign effective November 19 as the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division.
In his honor, Blawgletter reprises our September 12, 2007 post — Antitrust Division Disbands, Declares Competition Safe. Here goes:
The end for Rich Uncle Pennybags?
Packing up his desk today, Assistant Attorney General Thomas O. Barnett
The Supreme Court today granted certiorari to heal a circuit split over the question of whether the federal Arbitration Act allows strangers to a contract that contains an arbitration clause to appeal an order denying their motion to stay a federal court case pending arbitration. Arthur Andersen LLP v. Carlisle, No. 08-146 (U.S. Nov. 7, 2008)
Kilns like this one cook limestone and clay or shale into "clinker".
The European Commission announced yesterday that antitrust enforcers raided offices of the world's five largest cement makers. The Commission's press release said:
The European Commission can confirm that on the 4th and the 5th of November of 2008 Commission officials carried
A Stolt-Nielsen parcel tanker.
The Second Circuit today clarified that "manifest disregard of the law" doesn't provide a non-statutory ground for vacating arbitration awards under the federal Arbitration Act. The phrase instead signifies a "mechanism" for enforcement of arbitration agreements, which by operation of law incorporate the statutory grounds – such as corruption, evident partiality, and exceeding powers –
Do what the button says. Be a patriot.
Blawgletter exercised the old franchise last week. Right there in the Dallas County Records Building. A block from Dealey Plaza and catty-corner from the former Texas School Book Depository. Where you know what happened in November 1963.
It felt good to vote. Or, more accurately, to
The Washington Post reports today that questions from Supreme Court justices during oral argument in Wyeth v. Levine, No. 06-1249 (U.S.), suggest a narrow ruling on a broad question of federal preemption.
The case presents the sweeping issue of whether the Food and Drug Administration's "prescription drug labeling judgments" preempt state law claims for injuries that
Who will stay, and who will go?
The next president will appoint dozens of federal appellate judges during his four-year term – plus dozens more should he win re-election in 2012. What does that portend for the federal judiciary? Does it matter?
Let's start with the numbers. Not since 1971 have Democratic appointees formed a majority on the Court. On the current Roberts Court
Who'd want to patent this?
The Federal Circuit today upheld the affirmance by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences of a patent examiner's rejection of an application to patent a method of hedging risk in the field of commodities trading. In re Bilski, No. 07-1130 (Fed. Cir. Oct. 30, 2008) (en banc).
Got that?
Neither
Ahmad Chalabi — who some say played a crucial role in prompting the U.S. invasion of Iraq — today lost a legal battle against another Middle Eastern state, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Chalabi alleged that Jordan committed torts and violated the Racketeer-Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act when in 1989 the kingdom seized Petra Bank
Recovering lawyer and editor Dahlia Lithwick — currently of Slate and Newsweek — today explores the surging role of lawyers in keeping elections honest (or at least trying to):
Election litigation is a boom industry, even in a crumbling economy. [Loyola election law professor Richard L.] Hasen recently published a study indicating that the number of lawsuits