Zimmerman's Bond Revoked

This is why you don't lie to Judges.

Senator Schumer Tackles Serious Problem: Grill Brushes

So, let's say you're a United States Senator. Maybe you're from the great state of New York. The economy is stagnant, unemployment is high, the US doesn't have a budget, and Europe is imploding. What important topic should you address first?

George Bush Returns to White House

Today, George W. Bush will be heading back to the White House for his portrait unveiling. Since President Obama has blamed President Bush for the unemployment rate, the housing market crash, the pollution levels, Iraq, Iran, Russia, terrorism in general, mosquitos, sunburns, and pretty much everything wrong in the world, I'm sure that this day won't be awkward at all.

I'm sure they'll play nice today. Right?

Caption This

Six More Family Court Judges On the Way

Normally, I view additional government spending with a healthy dose of skepticism. However, even as someone who extols the virtues of fiscal restraint, I can absolutely say that we need more judges here in South Carolina.

Finally, the State Legislature has realized that South Carolina needs more judges to help manage the rising caseload here in the Palmetto State. Today, the SC Senate passed a bill approving the creation of six new family court judges and three new circuit court judges; nine in total.

This has been long overdue. South Carolina has the fewest number of judges per population and more than twice the national average of case filings per judge. Each year, Justice Toal tells the legislature these facts in her State of the Judiciary Report.

As a practicing lawyer here in South Carolina, I can tell you that wait times for hearings are longer than they need to be. I do a fair amount of family court work, and I do it throughout the state. Some counties run a tight ship, and others are an absolute nightmare.

In a certain county, in family court, just to get a hearing scheduled, not heard, can take up to six months. That's insane. I know the wheels of justice are slow, but six months to get a hearing scheduled means the wheels of justice have fallen off. If you want to get the dockets moving, you have to have more people available to get the cases disposed of. Alternative dispute resolution (mediation) has taken some pressure off the court, but you cannot force people to agree. Sometimes, especially in family court, you have to have an adjudication.

These new judges need to be assigned to the counties in South Carolina that have seen the population grow the most since the last judges were added. As a conservative, I am normally loathe to grow the size of government, but this is actually a legitimate need. I applaud the move to add new judges. The judiciary we have is comprised of some great people, but they're downing in the current workload.

Now, the next step is to get the South Carolina state courts to go to an e-filing system modeled after the Federal System. Automatic discovery and scheduling orders to push parties along is what keeps the Federal Court system moving. Time to get modern, South Carolina.

College World Series Field of 64 Released

The NCAA released the field of 64 for the 2012 College World Series. The full .PDF bracket is here, and the interactive, updating bracket is here. The South Carolina Gamecocks are one of the top eight national seeds, so they can host a Super-Regional if they survive and advance out of the Columbia Regional. To do so, they will need to get past Manhattan, Coastal Carolina, and Clemson.

A few friends of mine were moping around when they found out that Clemson was in our Regional. They are so worried that Clemson is going to come into Carolina Stadium and stop the Gamecocks from advancing to the Super-Regional. They are worried that Clemson will be looking for revenge, and will be too much to handle.

Hey y'all...the games are being played here in Columbia. We're the #1 seed. We haven't lost to Clemson in the post-season in years. We have Clemson worried. They don't want to see us. The Clemson fans should be the ones thinking "Oh crap, we have to go to Columbia and play the Gamecocks." Stop all this negativity; it's crap.

Let the Clemson fans worry about us.

Via @JustinKing224:

I will be in Alabama helping my in-laws move this weekend, but thankfully the games will be on ESPNU.

Memorial Day: Pointe-Du-Hoc

This is probably one of the most moving speeches that President Reagan ever gave. In the Normandy invasion, a group of US Army Rangers scaled sheer cliffs under merciless enemy fire from above. Today, we remember their sacrifice, and the sacrifice of all those both before and after them. If you haven't heard this speech, you need to make some time. If you have, you'll probably want to hear it again today.

These are the boys of Pointe-du-Hoc:

Clemson to Offer Swinney a Six-Year Deal

Per ESPN's Joe Shad, it looks like the Clemson Tigers are going to go "All In" for Dabo Swinney and give him a six year deal. Even with Clemson's ACC title last year, I'm a little surprised that Clemson is giving him six years.

Swinney has a record of 25-10 over three full seasons, and he's had some big wins (and a title), but I'm just not sold on him. I also know plenty of Tiger fans who aren't 100% sold on Swinney.

But hey, I'm a Gamecock Fan, so if Clemson wants to roll the dice and write a big check for six years...that's cool with me. I love that he gets really fired up when Spurrier whoops his team's ass, and I'm looking forward to year number four and the ensuing Swinney press conference.

Oh, and just for fun, let's listen to this again (skip to 1:50 mark):

Oh, Dabo...I hope you never leave Clemson.

Memorial Day 2012: Arlington National Cemetery

If you haven't been to Arlington National Cemetery, it's something you should put on your to-do list. The property was confiscated by the United States during the Civil War when Robert E. Lee (the owner) didn't show up in person to pay his property taxes. (I think he was otherwise occupied)

Since then, Arlington National Cemetery has become one of the most hallowed places in the United States. When you visit, the tone is much more somber and subdued than even the other war memorials around the DC area.

The Tomb of the Unknowns is probably the most famous area, but there is much more to Arlington. Kennedy's gravesite, with the eternal flame is there, and there is also a plethora of monuments and memorials to battles and other events. Arlington National Cemetery captures a truly special note of the history of the United States.

However, the Tomb of the Unknowns is famous for a reason. It is guarded 24 hours a day, every day, all year, no matter what. During the fall and winters the guard is changed every hour. In the spring and summer, they change the guard every half hour. From the official website:

The Tomb Guard marches 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb, turns, faces east for 21 seconds, turns and faces north for 21 seconds, then takes 21 steps down the mat and repeats the process. After the turn, the sentinel executes a sharp "shoulder-arms" movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors to signify that the sentinel stands between the Tomb and any possible threat. Twenty-one was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed -- the 21-gun salute.

Here's the full ceremony:

Professor Walter Edgar Retires

Professor Walter Edgar is retiring.

History has always been one of my favorite subjects. Its like listening to story-time. Edgar was one of the best story-tellers around. He was the kind of Professor who really makes the past come alive, and he had the amazing ability to go over even the most well-trod paths and find something new.

His final public lecture before he becomes professor emeritus will be delivered on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in USC’s Belk Auditorium to the national meeting of The Historical Society, a Boston University organization. The title of his talk, appropriately enough, is a subject near to Edgar’s heart: “Whose History is it Anyway? Reaching Real People.”

You know the people that have forgotten more about a subject that most people will ever know? That's Professor Edgar. He's one of the best. Hopefully, his retirement is simply the end of a chapter, and his story isn't over.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/05/27/2291753/at-usc-edgar-is-history.html#storylink=cpy

Alleged Rape Victim Admits to Lying

The intrepid Will Vereen brings this story to our attention. It's a classic story: Boy meets girl. Girl accuses boy of rape. He's charged and pleads guilty to avoid what would have been a "he said - she said" rape trial, where if convicted, he would have faced up to 41 years.

So, after the boy spends five years in jail, the girl gets $1.5 Million in a civil suit. THEN the girl admits to making the whole thing up. Pretty good deal for the girl, especially considering that she didn't actually get raped. Not so great for the boy, though. He spent five years in jail, misses out on his college football career, and oh yeah, HE SPENT FIVE YEARS IN JAIL.

Oh, and by the way, there's no charges pending against the lying liar of a girl who started this whole process in motion. Tar and feathers would be too good for her.

Piracy Law Update: 4th Circuit Decision on "Piracy"

Ahoy, me hearties! The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has just released an opinion defining "piracy". It includes acts of violence even if there is no robbery. Full opinion here.

According to the defendants, the crime of piracy has been narrowly defined for purposes of § 1651 as robbery at sea, i.e., seizing or otherwise robbing a vessel. Because they boarded the Nicholas only as captives and indisputably took no property, the defendants contest their convictions on Count One, as well as the affixed life sentences.

The Court didn't buy it, holding:

We also agree with the district court that the definition of piracy under the law of nations, at the time of the defendants’ attack on the USS Nicholas and continuing today, had for decades encompassed their violent conduct.

That means you can't just attack someone's vessel, run them through with your cutlass (or shoot them with your AK-47), and then hope to go free just because you didn't steal anything.

Shiver me timbers!

New Gamecock Football Video for 2012

What Happens After History?

If this doesn't get you excited for college football, you don't like football.

New Credit Card Parking Meters Coming to Columbia

PROGRESS: Columbia to get new credit-card parking meters. I'm pleasantly surprised that Columbia will be taking a step forward with getting these new meters. It will make it more convenient for people like me who rarely carry around rolls of quarters.

War on Women...By Other Women

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Honestly, this kind of gave me the creeps to watch. There are certainly people I don't like, but I'm never going to hit a pinata with their face on it. I can't even fathom doing it. Can you imagine the stories if it had been a man hitting this?

But I guess this is the new civility we've been hearing so much about, right?

College World Series Field Projection 5/21/12

The NCAA Men's College World Series gets underway on June 15, 2012. The only thing left between the start of the Regionals (the first round) are the individual conference tournaments. If you're interested in seeing who's in and who's out, check out Chasing Omaha. They do a great job at breaking down all the teams.

To sum it up for those too lazy to click the link, South Carolina is on the bubble for being a top eight national seed, which would guarantee home field advantage all the way to Omaha. Also of note, my law school alma mater, Valparaiso, looks like they may make the tourney.

Notre Dame Files Suit Against HHS Regulation

The University of Notre Dame has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Obama Administration's Department of Health and Human Services. The University claims that the federal government of the United States does not have the power to force it to provide for or pay for services (birth control) that violates its own conscience.

“We do not seek to impose our religious beliefs on others; we simply ask that the government not impose its values on the university when those values conflict with our religious teachings,” University of Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., said in a May 21 letter.

I'm honestly surprised that Obama is fighting this battle. I know he is going to try and spin this as a "war on women" but the funny thing about Court is that Judges don't really put up with "spin". They kind of have this hang-up for legal arguments. HHS is going to lose this suit. They cannot force a religious group to violate their beliefs. It doesn't matter what those beliefs are. If you doubt me, I would refer you to this.

Talk about shaking down the thunder. Notre Dame is stepping right into the center of what is going to be a very controversial issue, but that's what people do over matters of conscience and principle.

I wonder how Notre Dame is feeling about awarding Obama that honorary degree now.

Thanks for the degree, suckers. 

New Week: Still Smelling Fresh

It's Monday! Welcome back from the weekend. The week is so new, it still has the classic "new week" smell to it - is smells like a man. Or maybe it's the new candle line from Yankee Candle Company, with new "men" smells.

It may come as a shock to some of y'all, but I'm not really into candles. Apparently, in an effort to break into the demographic of 18-35 (which I still am a member of), the Yankee Candle Company is trying to come up with manly candles. Newsflash to candle manufactures: all candles are kind of girly.

Oh, and if you name your candle "Man Town" I think you're going to get an altogether different demographic. Just sayin'.

Enjoy Your Weekend

Open blog all weekend. I'll be back on Monday. Cheers!

Great Southern Men

Some cool old photos.

The Importance of the Rose Bowl

Rachel Bachman likes the Rose Bowl. How much does she like it? Apparently, she likes the Rose Bow so much that she is advocating for the Big Ten and the Pac 12 to secede from the NCAA (and form their own little football league) in the face of a playoff system, because a playoff system might hurt the prestige of the Rose Bowl. How quaint.

I like the Rose Bowl, too. It has a great tradition. But let's be serious here. If the Big Ten and the Pac 12 decided to leave the rest of the college football world, literally taking their ball and going home, they're going to be missed. But not that much.

They need to renew their vows and pledge themselves to serve the greater glory of the best thing about college football: the Rose Bowl.

The Rose Bowl is great, but it isn't the "best thing about college football". It's one piece of the puzzle. There's so much that's great about college football, you could abolish the Rose Bowl today, and college football would survive. You would still have Army/Navy game, Notre Dame's Irish Guard, Alabama would still have the Bear, Florida would still have memories of Spurrier, Clemson and Carolina would still be feuding, Texas would still have Bevo and huge egos, Ole Miss would still have the Grove, and that's just to name a few. I could go on all day. College football is bigger than one bowl game: even the Rose.

So what would happen if the Big Ten and the Pac 12 packed it in to save their precious Rose Bowl?

The Rose Bowl would become a joke. It would be HEY THERE'S A PLAYOFF SYSTEM, and "Oh yeah, they still have the Rose Bowl". Rather than be part of the system, the Rose would be all alone. The Big Ten and the Pac 12 can say goodbye to getting any good recruits, they can say goodbye to the millions of dollars that come from the TV deals revolving around the new playoff system, and they can say goodbye to legitimacy in the college football world. This may be news to Ms. Bachman, but the TV networks don't care about basking in the greater glory of the Rose Bowl. They care about basking in the greater glory of MONEY. It's all about the money.

Also, I don't accept the premise that the playoff system would diminish the Rose Bowl. I went to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando last year to watch my Gamecocks trounce the Cornhuskers. It didn't bother me that there were other games to be played later that would determine the champion. Having a playoff system won't really marginalize any other bowls to the extent they aren't already marginal games anyway. In fact, we should probably eliminate some bowl games. (PapaJohns.com Bowl, I'm looking in your direction.)

I'm not sure what Ms. Bachman thinks she knows about college football, but she's seriously misguided. Seceding from the larger union of college football would have disastrous effects on the Big Ten, the Pac 12, and the Rose Bowl. Let's all get on the same page and get a playoff system. And maybe we can toss in relegation. That would be fun.

Lawyer Dog On Stand Your Ground Laws

Maybe we'll get into the Martin/Zimmerman case later. Lawyer dog has been busy researching the news, though. If you have any legal troubles, feel free to write in to Lawyer Dog. He's always looking for new clients.