Appeals Pick:Obama is expected to name his first appeals court judge pick this week, according to the NYT. David Hamilton, a federal trial court judge from Indiana, will reportedly be tapped as a candidate for an appeals court seat in Chicago. Lawyers say Hamilton is a moderate, and an administration official says his nomination would have the support of both of Indiana's senators, Evan Bayh (D) and Richard Lugar (R).
Energized: Because the federal stimulus bill allocated$3.4 billion to carbon capture and sequestration (a.k.a. clean coal technology), the NYT reports that clean coal projects are getting fast-tracked. Until now, clean coal projects have only been attempted on a small scale, but Duke Energy and other companies are now considering launching full scale endeavors.
Death Penalty: Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler said yesterday that a state bill to raise the bar for evidence in death penalty cases was constructed in a "clumsy" way and should be reworked or abandoned, reports the WaPo. Gansler said he supports the objectives of the bill-- which would restrict capital punishment cases to those with DNA or biological evidence, videotape linking a defendant to the crime, or a videotaped confession-- but indicated the restrictions on evidence were too narrow.
Rates: The Fulton County Daily Report says billable hour rates at law firms are under siege thanks to the recession. Clients are demanding less expensive rates, and some firms are even openly touting rate freezes.
R.I.P. Seattle P-I:Today is the last day that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, one of the city's two daily newspapers, will be publishing a print edition. The P-I takes a look back at what led to its demise. The journey to the end included run-ins with the Justice Department and court battles over the joint operating agreement that was implemented between the P-I and the Seattle Times.
Comments