Supreme Court

Literalism vs. lenity in a case on the scope of federal identity theft

Literalism vs. lenity in a case on the scope of federal identity theft

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The federal aggravated identity theft statute imposes a two-year sentence for any person who, “during and in relation to” certain enumerated felonies, “knowingly transfers, possesses, or uses without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person.” On Monday, the Supreme Court will consider the reach of this statute in Dubin v. United States.

As background, petitioner David Dubin was convicted of health care fraud — an enumerated felony. Dubin was the managing partner of a psychological services … Read the rest

Circuit Courts

Federal Courts Offer Law Day Resources on Civility and Decision-Making

Civility in the law and in life is the focus of the Judiciary’s 2023 Law Day resources for teachers, judges, and the legal community. Courtroom and classroom activities that give students real-life experience with civil discourse and solid decision-making skills are at the heart of the Judiciary’s national initiative Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices request federal government’s views on Texas and Florida social-media laws

Justices request federal government’s views on Texas and Florida social-media laws

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The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Biden administration for its views on a pair of controversial social-media laws enacted in Texas and Florida. Passed in response to beliefs that social-media platforms were censoring their users, particularly those expressing conservative political views, both states’ laws seek to regulate the content-moderation policies of social-media companies like Facebook and Twitter.

The justices asked the solicitor general to weigh in on NetChoice v. Paxton (a pending petition on the Texas law) and … Read the rest

Civil Law

Federal meat inspection has failed to adapt to operational environment

Editor’s note: This is the first of a four-part series.

I had two simultaneous careers: the U.S. Army Reserve and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). I graduated from the U.S. Army War College (USAWC) with a masters degree in Strategic Studies. I earned a bachelors of science, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and masters in Veterinary Pathology with a minor in Meat Science. I participated in strategic planning on two general staffs. I was an Inspector-in-Charge in slaughter … Read the rest

Civil Law

The federal agency won’t say if it sent a warning letter to makers of Jif peanut butter

The FDA won’t comment on a key element in its investigation into the conditions at a peanut butter plant linked to an outbreak of infections from Salmonella Senftenberg.

Warning letters are routinely sent to companies after inspections turn up deficiencies or illegal conditions at food facilities, especially if the problems are so severe that they result in the issuance of a 483 Form. The warning letters detail problems found at food facilities.

However, the Food and Drug Administration will not … Read the rest

Circuit Courts

The Judicial Conference: A Century of Service to the Federal Judiciary

While meetings of judges to discuss policy are routine today, that first Judicial Conference was a unique milestone in the Judiciary’s history. Chief Justice William Howard Taft had a vision that federal judges could chart their own path as an efficient and independent branch of government. It would begin with judges working together on issues of common interest. Fast forward 100 years; what Taft envisioned has evolved into the Judicial Conference of the United States, a body that is central … Read the rest

Circuit Courts

Federal Judges Support Civics Education Through Summer Teachers Institutes

At court-sponsored institutes across the country, classroom teachers are hearing first-person experiences on topics ranging from judges’ perspectives on judicial independence in their decision-making, to lawyers’ insights into Constitutional tensions between the First Amendment and national security concerns.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest