I am a proud, self-proclaimed progressive feminist. What that means is that every day, I advocate for the safety, health and advancement of women and girls worldwide. I challenge pre-determined gender roles and support the right of individuals to live according to their own definition. At a more basic level, however, I believe in equality of the sexes. You know, “anything you can do, I can do better,” and all that jazz. So you’d think I’d be appalled at any law that fundamentally treats women differently from men. Uneasy, yes. …

According to the television news media, the internet and your momma, Steven Slater is a hero. You know him, he’s the career flight attendant who, after a confrontation with a passenger, basically gave his employer Jet Blue, the offending passenger and everyone else in the vicinity a fat middle finger when he grabbed two beers, popped the aircraft’s rear door, and evacuated the plane via the inflatable emergency slide. Slater then calmly took the AirTran shuttle home and chilled until the police yoked him up.
I’m rather annoyed at people referring …

I’m not going to talk about whether justice was done in the Oscar Grant case or go on about the larger issue of Black men, law enforcement and violence in America. There are plenty of folks online providing that kind of commentary and probably better than I could. Rather, I’m going to quickly touch upon a few points of law without contributing analysis of the case or speculating upon the outcome. I wouldn’t do that without having been in the courtroom or having read the transcripts. No promises, but maybe …

If you’ve been paying any attention to the news surrounding Elena Kagan’s possible confirmation to the Supreme Court, then you’re probably familiar with the “vapid and hollow charade” quote from “Confirmation Messes, Old and New,” Kagan’s essay for the University of Chicago Law Review commenting on SCOTUS confirmation hearings and questions asked of nominees to the Court. Here’s another quote you don’t see making the media rounds as much:
[F]ocusing the confirmation process on moral character (even in conjunction with legal ability) would prove a terrible error. For one thing, such …

Earlier this month, US District Court Judge Jacqueline Nguyen dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit (without prejudice) against the City of Los Angeles filed by Voletta Wallace, mother of Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G. In the lawsuit, Ms. Wallace blamed Los Angeles and the LAPD for her son’s death. The case contained allegations against police officers Rafael Perez and David Mack, claiming that they were in cahoots with Suge Knight to have Biggie murdered (allhiphop). This is the latest verdict in a string of similar suits brought by …

Sexting is the act of sending provocative or nude photos primarily via mobile phone. That’s your basic topless shot in the bathroom mirror and the faceless crotch pic in your inbox. Let me say that I hate the word “sexting.” I feel like it’s one of those words that sparks all kinds of inquiries and studies into the mind of the American teenager. Parents, educators, social workers, and others who have even the most remote connection to young people all want to know about the latest phenomenon taking over teens’ …

There are so many things that can be said about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. There are the negative things as Thomas is considered one of the most conservative judges on the bench, favoring a strict interpretation of the Constitution. There was that whole Anita Hill thing, too. That’s all for another time and post. No matter what, you cannot deny the positive things, like being the second Black man (after Thurgood Marshall) to be appointed to the highest court in the nation. When the Supreme Court speaks, the nation …

Ever heard of the “Zoloft Defense?” It’s an argument a defendant might employ that basically boils down to “the drugs made me do it.” The Zoloft Defense usually makes an appearance when a defendant is charged with some sort of violent crime like battery or murder. Before I get into what I think about this defense strategy, let’s be sure we understand the drug itself.
Zoloft is an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety manufactured by Pfizer. It belongs to a class of anti-depressants called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) which, among other things, may cause …

After a heads up from Feministing, I learned that the American Sociological Association put out the results of a recent study showing that about 70% of Americans believe that women should take their husband’s last names when they get married and 50% think it should be a legal requirement. Wow. Although I am not one to put too much stock into polls (I, nor anyone close to me has ever been polled about anything remotely significant so I have no idea where they get these people and their opinions), that’s …

Let me start by saying before Michael Vick’s legal troubles, I could probably count on my hands how many times I heard his name. Clearly, I am not an NFL fan or a big sports fanatic. My point is, I don’t really care about Michael Vick and am not invested in whether he plays or does not play football.
I went from barely noticing Michael Vick was alive to hearing about him constantly when he was brought up on charges and subsequently convicted of felony dogfighting charges. I had to witness …