In an important development in animal law, the Third Circuit issued its en banc ruling today on the case of US v. Stevens.  The court found a federal statute which criminalizes "the sale of creation, sale, or possession of depictions of animal cruelty" to be an unconstitutional infringement on speech.  The US Solicitor General is seeking certiorari and the case is expected to be heard by the SCOTUS.

En banc Third Circuit constitutionally distinguishes animal porn from child porn -- Sentencing Law and Policy

US v. Stevens (court opinion) -- US Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Dog fight videos called free speech -- Pittsburg Post-Gazette

By a vote of 10 to 3, the en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit holds unconstitutional a federal law criminalizing the sale of creation, sale, or possession of depictions of animal cruelty -- How Appealing (Howard Bashman)

The American Human Development Index announced its results today on the state of inequality in the United States and how it compares with other, industrialized, nations.  The report found that the United States currently ranks 42nd in the world in life expectancy, and 34th in infant mortality.  It also found that although the United States makes up but 5% of the world population, it comprises over 24% of the world's prisoners.  Perhaps most shocking, however, was the study's finding on the life expectancy gap.  It found that Asian-American men had the highest life expectancy, and African-American men the lowest.  The average difference in life expectancy between the two groups is a staggering 50-year difference.

American inequality highlighted by 30-year gap in life expectancy -- The Independent (UK)

The NY Times reports today on a story about a law librarian at Yale University who has uncovered new evidence that the Serenity Prayer, which has long thought to have been written by noted theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr, may have actually been written by a woman.  The prayer is well known particularly because of its adoption by Alcoholics Anonymous in the late 1940s.

Serenity Prayer Stirs Up Doubt: Who Wrote It? -- NY Times

The World Court ruled two days ago, acting on a request by the Mexican government, that five Mexicans nationals sentenced to be executed in Texas have not been given proper contact with consular authorities, which according to the court, violates treaty agreements.  Mexican national, Jose Ernesto Medellin Rojas, is the first scheduled to be executed on August 5.  The American member of the tribunal dissented on all points of the court's decision.  The issue involves a 2004 SCOTUS decision regarding the application of the Vienna Convention which is currently being considered in Congress (H.R. 6481).

World Court seeks to block 5 U.S. executions -- SCOTUS Blog

Mexico v. United States of America (court opinion) -- International Court of Justice

Press release -- International Court of Justice

A new article entitled, "How to Read a Legal Opinion : A Guide for New Law Students" has been posted to SSRN.  Written by noted legal scholar, Orin S. Kerr, from George Washington University, the articles introduces basic legal concepts needed to read a legal opinion and also offers advice on how to deal with your first few weeks of law school.  It is highly recommended for incoming 1Ls.

How to Read a Legal Opinion: A Guide for New Law Students -- SSRN

The WestLaw-affiliated blog, WestBlog.net, has recently released a podcast on the changing information needs of the "Google Generation" and how it is changing the ways in which legal research services are offered, and used.  The podcast is in mp3 format.

The Google Generation and Legal Research -- WestBlog.net

Podcast (mp3 format) -- WestBlog.net

A new survey among law-firm and law-school librarians has recently been published by Stanford Law.  The survey asked about preferences of Lexis v. WestLaw, and what services are being used in law firms.  They also list the resources, and services, they would like law students to learn before they begin to practice.

Law Librarians and LexisNexis vs. WestLaw : Survey Results -- Stanford Law

Congress today passed the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act which immunizes telecommunications companies of liability for eavesdropping on their customers, terminates pending lawsuits on this issue, and gives the administration new powers to eavesdrop within the United States.  The final vote was 69-28.  Presidential nominee Barrack Obama voted with the Republican senators, while former candidate Hillary Clinton voted against it.

Congress votes to immunize lawbreaking telecoms, legalize warrantless eavesdropping -- Salon.com (Glenn Greenwald)

Today's coverup of surveillance crimes and Barack Obama -- Salon.com (Glenn Greenwald)

Roll call vote -- US Senate

Senate Passes Unconstitutional Spying Bill And Grants Sweeping Immunity To Phone Companies -- ACLU

Information page on FISA -- ACLU

Listening to compromise -- NY Times (Morton H. Halperin)

The politics of FISA capitulation -- Simple Justice

The keynote address by Harvard's Jonathan Zittrain at the Personal Democracy Forum is now available online.  Zittrain, who founded Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, discusses the role of the Internet in civil involvement and how the "technologies of cooperation" which have contributed to the success of the Internet may now be threatened.  Zittrain is the author of the recent book, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop It.

Keynote address -- Personal Democracy Forum

For those interested in the legal issues of virtual worlds, Google yesterday announced its new online virtual world system called Lively.  Today, Google is permitting users to download this service via a browser plug-in.  The virtual world legal blog, Virtually Blind, has written a commentary on Google's terms of usage contract and how it differs, and compares, with other virtual worlds, and the ways it raises the same legal issues common in this area of law.

Commentary: Lively by Google's Beta Terms of Service Raise Predictable Legal Issues -- Virtually Blind

Lively: Legal Notices -- Google

• Legal Notices
• Privacy Policy
• Community Standards
• Terms of Service

Download Lively -- Google