Sat.Jul 10, 2021 - Fri.Jul 16, 2021

article thumbnail

Text Analytics, Court Stats, and Privacy

CourtTechBulletin

A couple of weeks ago I shared some of “ my problems with pending case statistics ”. Before that, I posted another note regarding an alternative for analyzing criminal justice data. I generally try not to complain about things without having a solution in mind. In this article, I will share a solution using text analytics to work with a court’s largest data source, case documents, and reports.

Court 246
article thumbnail

Does ‘Overpolicing’ Social Media Threaten Free Speech?

The Crime Report

Illustration by Jon Bunge via Flickr. The over-policing of social media posts represents a threat to democratic debate, argues University of Florida journalism professor Frank LoMonte. . Judges and authorities have made social media a “First Amendment-free zone” where people — particularly students — face outsize repercussions for contextless and humorous statements, LoMonte wrote in a recently posted University of Memphis Law Review article.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Top 5 Tips: Taking Depositions in a Post-Pandemic World

Attorney at Work

While much of the world stopped last year, depositions didn’t. Cases forged ahead and lawyers scrambled to establish new ways of taking depositions and handling proceedings that, for decades, had been routine. As we emerge out of the pandemic, many of the pivots intended as bandages for uncertain times will become permanent changes to the way we conduct and prepare for depositions.

article thumbnail

UN report reveals increased human trafficking due to COVID-19

JURIST

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime released a report Thursday revealing the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on victims of human trafficking. As per the report, the pandemic has made it difficult to trace traffickers and has also enabled traffickers to find victims due to the increase in the use of online platforms. The report further stated: Women and girls have been recruited, often locally or online, for sexual exploitation, especially in private apartments.

Legal 276
article thumbnail

Recipe for a Failed CLM Implementation

Selecting and implementing CLM technology can be daunting, leading to underutilization or abandonment. Factors like provider differentiation, inadequate planning, and lack of user training contribute to these failures. Recognizing these pitfalls is crucial for successful adoption, ensuring organizations harness the full potential of CLM for streamlined contract management.

article thumbnail

Fastcase Names Its 11th Annual Class of Fastcase 50 Innovation Honorees

LawSites

If you are wondering where the innovators are in law, look no farther than the Fastcase 50, the annual award doled out by the legal intelligence company Fastcase that honors 50 of the law’s “smartest, most courageous, innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders.”. Fastcase today announced its 11th annual Fastcase 50 honorees, which adds up to 550 innovative leaders in law over the lifetime of the awards.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Clean Up Your Docs with Microsoft’s Document Inspector

LawTechnologyToday

A lot can happen when you mistakenly share information that is not meant to be shared. Identity theft , for example, is among the worst things that can happen. Before sharing the file with others, you must delete the hidden information first. Of course, you can hire a third-party cleaner for online security, but you can also utilize the ones already built-in on your computer, such as the Microsoft Office Word Document Inspector.

Metadata 140
article thumbnail

Fourth Circuit rules laws barring gun sales to persons under 21 unconstitutional

JURIST

In a split decision on Tuesday a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that federal statutes and regulations restricting gun sales to persons 21 years old and older are unconstitutional. The plaintiffs, Natalia Marshall and Tanner Hirschfeld, filed suit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) when they were turned down attempting to purchase handguns.

Laws 232
article thumbnail

Dutch Tax Probe into Nike to Continue, as Sportswear Titan Loses Latest Round in Court

The Fashion Law

An investigation into Nike’s tax activities in the Netherlands will go forward after a court in the European Union determined that Dutch tax authorities did not act improperly in initiating the probe into the Swoosh. In a decision on Wednesday, a panel for the European Union General Court held that the European Commission “complied with the procedural rules, and neither failed to fulfill its obligation to state reasons nor made manifest errors of assessment,” thereby, shutting down the the

Court 135
article thumbnail

Compassionate Release and the Pandemic: A Policy Failure?

The Crime Report

Tough-on-crime policies biased against racial minorities and the poor undercut efforts to release incarcerees on compassionate grounds during the pandemic, according to a forthcoming paper in the St. Thomas Journal of Law and Public Policy. “Early COVID-19 compassionate release decisions reveal that courts continue to base early release decisions primarily on an assessment of public safety risk from crime, not community impact, crime victim impact, or even prisoner health,” asserts Jennifer Brob

article thumbnail

Contract Lifecycle Management: A Business Enabler Exploring On-Ground Challenges

CLM tools have always strived to push contract management into the digital age for almost 30 years. But the complexities of digitising a legal document are numerous. The current scenarios in business development have shown that having a fully automated CLM has become a mandate for every law firm and in-house legal department. To determine if you need a CLM system, it's essential to clearly identify the on-ground business challenges you aim to solve.

article thumbnail

New ‘Legal News Hub’ Adds Breaking News In 76 Practice Areas To Lexis+

LawSites

Subscribers to Lexis+. the premium legal research platform that LexisNexis launched last year , will now have access to breaking legal news headlines across 76 practice areas with the introduction today of the Legal News Hub. The Legal News Hub provides subscribers with access to headlines and summaries of current news stories from the LexisNexis-owned Law360 and Law360 Pulse news services.

Legal 133
article thumbnail

Sudan militia leader committed to trial after ICC confirms charges

JURIST

The Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a decision on Friday, unanimously confirming all charges against Sudanese militia leader, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman. Consequently, Abd-Al-Rahman, who is also known as Ali Kushayb, was committed to trial before a trial chamber. Abd-Al-Rahman is considered a top commander of the Janjaweed militia and one of the most senior leaders in the tribal hierarchy in the Wadi Salih locality.

Court 232
article thumbnail

Lawsuit: Johnson & Johnson’s “OGX” Shampoos Cause Hair Loss

LegalReader

The lawsuit claims that Johnson & Johnson's "OGX" shampoos contained a carcinogenic chemical they had promised to eliminate from products by 2015.

article thumbnail

Is Anti-Vax Movement Gaining Traction Among Corrections Staff?

The Crime Report

Health experts had warned that getting sufficient vaccines to prisons would be a logistical challenge. But a new slate of difficulties — from a deadlier COVID-19 variant to anti-vax misinformation — has slowed vaccination rates in prisons, particularly among corrections staff. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports just 22 percent of Pennsylvania Department of Corrections guards were vaccinated as of mid-June, according to voluntary department reports.

Contract 145
article thumbnail

California Civil Discovery Act Undergoes Significant Overhaul

Short article looking at the new CCP 2016.

article thumbnail

Artesano Bread vs Artisan Bread

Patently O

Interesting pending civil action in Grupo Bimbo v. Hirshfeld (E.D.Va. 2021). The Mexican company Grupo Bimbo makes more bread than any other company — including Wonder Bread and Sara Lee brands in the USA. Bimbo is attempting to register a mark for its “ARTESANO” line of bread — after apparently selling more than $1 billion in pre-packaged sliced bread product.

Court 126
article thumbnail

Human rights groups call to stop Myanmar real estate project on military-owned land

JURIST

A number of human rights groups have pleaded to Japanese businesses and property developers to terminate a proposed real estate development in Myanmar. The proposed development is the Y-Complex , worth approximately $330 million and covering 92,000 square feet of land leased from the country’s military. It aims to build shopping malls, office buildings and a hotel from Japanese luxury hotel chain Okura.

article thumbnail

Ethics opinion gives NY attorneys green light to advise on, partake in cannabis

ABA Journal

The New York State Bar Association has announced in an ethics opinion that lawyers may provide legal services to clients in compliance with the state’s…

article thumbnail

DOJ Earmarks $7.65m for Rural Police Body Cams

The Crime Report

The Justice Department will allocate $7.65 million for the purchase of body-worn cameras by law enforcement agencies 50 or fewer full-time sworn personnel, including rural departments and federally recognized tribal agencies. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) program announced by Attorney General Merrick Garland will allow agencies to apply for special grants to purchase the cameras, pay for their implementation or expand existing programs.

Attorney 143
article thumbnail

Dangers of Digital "Reporting": Legal Risks and Unreliable Transcripts

In the world of legal proceedings, the choice between a certified stenographer and digital "reporting" holds significant implications. Certified stenographers go through rigorous training and testing and stand as the gold standard for accuracy in capturing every word. Their expertise ensures a reliable record, a crucial foundation for legal cases.

article thumbnail

Using Photos on Your Website – Court Decision Highlights Problems with a Creative Commons License and Other Copyright Issues

Broadcast Law Blog

We’ve written many times about the perils of posting a photo on your website without getting permission from the photo’s owner (see, for instance, our articles here and here ). Copyright protects photos, even when they are shared on the Internet. Just by posting a photo to some website does not mean that the owner has given up its copyright protections – and just because you can easily right-click on the image and paste it on your website doesn’t mean it is legal to do so.

article thumbnail

Spain court orders imprisonment of three men for fatal homophobic attack

JURIST

A Spanish Court of Instruction justice ordered three men to be held in custody on Friday for allegedly murdering a man during a brutal, homophobic attack. The three men, alongside three other attackers, are accused of beating Samuel Luiz to death while shouting homophobic slurs. The fatal attack occurred Saturday, July 3, as twenty-four-year-old Samuel Luiz and a friend were on a video call.

Court 223
article thumbnail

Pleading Infringement: Twombly does not Require Element-by-Element Infringement Pleading

Patently O

by Dennis Crouch. BOT M8 v. Sony ( Fed. Cir. 2021 ). Pleading Standards : The starting point of a civil lawsuit is the filing of the complaint that makes a claim for relief. FRCP 3. In order to properly state a claim, the rules require “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” FRCP 8. For many years, the rules included an Appendix of Form Complaints deemed legally sufficient to satisfy R. 8.

Court 124
article thumbnail

How Civil Asset Forfeiture Turns Authorities into ‘Bounty Hunters’

The Crime Report

Civil asset forfeiture gives police officers the right to seize cash, cars and homes from people who haven’t been convicted of a crime, which is why it’s time to end this exploitative practice by passing laws that prohibit it, argues the USA Today Editorial Board. Intended to reduce crime by seizing the profits of drug dealers, civil asset forfeiture has become a legal way for officers to pocket the property of mostly poor and innocent people, the editorial says.

Lawyer 140
article thumbnail

Optimizing Contract Management and Enhancing Team Collaboration: Insights from a Legal Operations Perspective

Speaker: Adina Marta Newman

Learn about a world of effective contract management and seamless teamwork across departments in this upcoming webinar from Cobblestone Software. You'll discover practical strategies and tips that legal professionals can use to streamline contract processes and enhance collaboration, making significant impact across legal and corporate departments. Join us as we show how you can supercharge contract processes, improve team communication, and take your contributions to the next level.

article thumbnail

A day in the life of a legal assistant

SimplyLawJobs

Introducing Samantha . We recently caught up with Samantha Evans, a legal assistant who kindly shared what she does on an average day, her hopes for the future and advice for those looking to join the legal industry. Career path . At college, I chose to study law as one of my subjects as I had a general interest from watching crime dramas on the television, reading John Grisham’s books, and obviously, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde!

article thumbnail

EU approves infrastructure strategy to rival China’s ‘Belt and Road’ plan

JURIST

The EU published conclusions on the new “Globally Connected Europe Strategy,” an infrastructure strategy set to rival China’s “Belt and Road” initiative on Monday. This came following a co-operation pledge between the EU G7 nations along with the rest of the elite forum’s members. These conclusions are set to build upon the 2018 Joint Communication and Council Conclusions, “Connecting Europe and Asia—Building Blocks for an EU Strategy,” and follow

Finance 211
article thumbnail

LawGeex Gets An Evangelist; Names Sameena Kluck To New Role

LawSites

The AI-driven contract review technology company LawGeex has named legal industry veteran Sameena Kluck to the newly created position of director of brand evangelism. Kluck, who has been with LawGeex since April 2020 as a strategic account executive, said that her new position is her dream job. “What I’ve been put in this position to do is to tell our story externally and internally,” Kluck said.

Contract 124
article thumbnail

Higher Money Bail Doesn’t Lead to Greater Public Safety: Study

The Crime Report

The U.S. bail system relies heavily on the imposition of cash bonds to secure the pretrial release of criminal defendants awaiting trial, despite widespread criticism that the state unfairly punishes indigent criminal defendants with pretrial jail confinement solely because of their inability to pay the cash bond. Stewart D’Allessio. Many large jurisdictions use a bond schedule to establish the amount of money a criminal defendant must pay to be released from jail pretrial.

Felony 140
article thumbnail

Visibility Into the Strategy & Supporting Documents of Major US Law Firms

Law Firm Intelligence by Trellis aggregates state trial court data across the Trellis platform enabling users to: look up a particular metric related to a specific law firm (such as, how many cases a law firm had or has against another law firm), and see the actual dockets and documents supporting the metric. Trellis data is maximized in a revolutionary and unique way to provide users an exclusive look into a law firm litigating in state trial courts.