What is UP With Michael Jackson's Face????

This article about Michael Jackson testifying in California today about some concerts that never happened is not particularly interesting, but the picture of him is horrifying! He looks like a cross between Planet of the Apes and Laura Flynn Boyle! Jesus! (WARNING! If you click on the picture, it gets BIGGER!!!)

UPDATE: Here's a frightening website chronicling the HiStory of Jackson's face. Pretty funny.

The Sex Offender Next Door

Read Slate columnist Dahlia Lithwick's report of the oral argument in the Megan's Law cases today at the Supreme Court (includes snarking on TWO of the lawyers' hairdos).

Justice Kozinski, Smart Alec

Fellow bloggers are discussing an apparent barb against Bill Clinton inserted into yesterday's Gennifer Flowers opinion by Reagan-appointee Kozinski. Read all about it at Cooped Up.

Crooked Frat Boys Busted for Pony Fix

Crime doesn't pay.

Brief's Footnote Earns Indiana Lawyer One Month Suspension

This seems like an overreaction to me. The footnote was critical of the court, but arguably not particularly disrespectful. And if lawyers can't criticize courts, who can? Read all about it here.

Ninth Circuit Says Gennifer Flowers' Suit Can Proceed

She can still go after Carville and Stephanopolous, but her claims against Hillary Clinton are barred by the 2-year statute of limitations in Nevada, where Flowers now lives and where she sued. Kozinski authored the opinion, and it is somewhat snarky regarding Flowers' claims, noting that she "faces an uphill battle." Nevertheless, the case goes forward, at least in part. You can read the opinion (it's an Adobe Acrobat file) here.

Update: Court Hears Argument in "Victor's Little Secret" Case

Read about today's Supreme Court oral argument in the case discussed below here. UPDATE: There's a more comprehensive discussion of the oral argument on SCOTUSBlog. More UPDATE: Read Slate columnist Dahlia Lithwick's amusing rant on the case (including today's oral argument), entitled Thong of the South.

The Evil Billable Hour

I could not agree with this article more.

Tuesday at the U.S. Supreme Court: Is "Victor's Little Secret" a Trademark Violation?

Retail giant Victoria's Secret argues that an adult store in a Kentucky strip mall called "Victor's Little Secret" (owned and run by Victor Moseley) violates its trademark. Victor's little case has potentially far-reaching implications for trademark law.

Doh! Firm Mistakenly Subpoenas Its Own Client

Note to self: Try not to repeat Pepper Hamilton's mistake.

The Jurisprudence of Bob Dylan

New York Law School professor Michael Perlin says "that Dylan's songs lay out an entire system of legal philosophy�a jurisprudence of Bob Dylan, if you will," in this article in the New Yorker. (Thanks to Howard Bashman at How Appealing for the link.)

Lawrence Lessig: Rock Star of the Information Age

"LAW professors rarely boast an army of �fans�, but Lawrence Lessig is no run-of-the-mill academic. Now at Stanford University, formerly at Harvard, Mr Lessig has become a rock star of the information age, mixing scholarly inquiry with barnstorming activism on many issues. A Ralph Nader of the Internet, he fights against the mighty corporations that want to squeeze the vitality out of the web, trampling consumers in the name of Mammon. Were his target a cigarette company, say, Hollywood would already be making �Lessig, the movie�. Instead, it has branded him a cultural anarchist bent on justifying the rampant theft of others' property in the name of �openness��ie, a direct threat to its bottom line. This week, Mr Lessig landed another blow, arguing his case before America's Supreme Court."

Read the rest here, again from The Economist.

And I Thought My Life Was Complicated . . . .

Although this has nothing to do with the purported topic of this blog . . . . Here's an interesting recent obituary of a Hungarian Countess who was Queen of Albania for 354 days -- until the Nazis drove her out. From The Economist.

Lyon & Lyon -- Controlled Flight Into Terrain

The 100 year old LA law firm Lyon & Lyon recently dissolved. Read all about what happened here.

Fractious Factions at Law Firms

If you work at a large law firm (or are thinking of doing so), here's a sarcastic (though basically accurate) view of your world. It's not new, but it's funny. (Thanks to excited utterances for the link.)