At a Glance

Applicants sought for federal court vacancies

The committee that will consider nominees for two open seats on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan is preparing to evaluate candidates, according to U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.

Procedures for the review will be established by the committee, which will provide the senators with their assessments of the candidates’ qualifications.

The committee will again be chaired by Eugene Driker.

Interested persons should contact Levin’s Detroit office to obtain an application. 

Applications, due on Monday, January 24, should be sent to:

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin
Att: Eastern District Court Vacancies
Room 1860
McNamara Building
477 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226-2576
Phone: 313.226.6020

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High court won’t take up NY lawyer ad fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will not get involved in a New York dispute over whether officials can curb some law firm television commercials.

The high court is refusing to hear an appeal from New York officials who passed rules that would curb some television commercials from local law firms.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down much of the state’s proposed regulations, which included bans on client testimonials or paid endorsements, and nicknames, mottos or trade names that suggest an ability to obtain results.

Personal injury firm Alexander & Catalano and advocacy group Public Citizen Inc. challenged the rules.

The firm wanted to be known as “The Heavy Hitters” but abandoned the motto for fear of running afoul of the new rules.

The case is Cahill v Alexander, 10-203.

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Getting used to being one of the 'Supremes'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan says she is facing a “steep learning curve” in her first months on the bench as she is drafting her first opinions and trying to acclimate to life as a judge.

In her first interview since joining the court in August, Kagan tells the C-SPAN cable network that there will not be many more cases that she has to sit out because of her previous work for the Obama administration.

Kagan has taken herself out of more than two dozen cases so far, but says the numbers are “definitely subsiding.”

She also says she reads Supreme Court briefs on a Kindle, in contrast to the iPad used by Justice Antonin Scalia.
 

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Court’s tie vote sustains ruling in watch case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has left in place a ruling that found discount retailer Costco violated U.S. copyright law by selling a line of Omega watches at cut-rate prices without the Swiss watch maker’s permission.

The court split 4-4 Monday on Costco’s appeal of a lower court ruling.

The tie vote upholds that ruling, but does not create a Supreme Court precedent on the issue.

New Justice Elena Kagan did not take part in the case because she worked on it while serving in the Justice Department before joining the court.

It is the first 4-4 vote in 20 cases the court has so far heard without Kagan. Only two of the others have been decided.

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