May It Please The Court: Weblog of legal news and observations, including a quote of the day and daily updates

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Will Accused Boston Marathon Bomber Get the Death Penalty?

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Returns

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving brother of the accused for the Boston marathon bombings, has become a face of the media lately. His prosecution and potential sentence raises many questions for both the public and the legal world. Attorneys and co-hosts J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi join Attorney Jack Cunha and Professor Douglas Berman to discuss the prosecution and trial of the suspect.

• Jack Cunha, of Cunha & Holcomb, is a practicing criminal attorney based in Boston, Massachusetts. A former instructor at Suffolk and Harvard Law Schools, Cunha lectures nationally for various associations and schools such as The National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, Harvard Law, and CLE Programs mainly on criminal defense.

• Douglas Berman, Professor of Law at The Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, has taught a myriad of courses at Ohio State including criminal law, criminal punishment and sentencing, and the death penalty. He is co-author of a casebook, Sentencing Law and Policy: Cases, Statutes, and Guidelines. He also writes a popular blog titled Sentencing Law and Policy.

Tune in to hear what these experienced professionals have to say as they answer questions such as: Although Massachusetts outlawed the death penalty in 1984, will prosecutors use federal law to seek the death penalty for Tsarnaev? Will the fact that the suspect is only 19 call for mitigation? and more.

Legal Crackdown on Human Trafficking

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

Human trafficking is "modern-day slavery." And if you think it isn't happening near you, think again. The United Nations estimates nearly 2.4 million people may be the victims of this crime.  Please join me and my fellow Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney, Bob Ambrogi, as we take a legal look at this troubling issue with Professor Bridgette Carr from the University of Michigan Law School, Attorney Ann Johnson from Houston, Texas and Mary C. Ellison, Director of Policy for Polaris Project.

Click on the link below and give a listen!

How Congress Takes A Congressional Junket Without Letting Anyone Know

Members of Congress and their staffers who travel at the expense of private organizations must follow a long list of legal restrictions and requirements.  However, there is a little known exemption that allows the same federal employees to travel with virtually no accountability and very little transparency.  Please join me and my fellow Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney, Bob Ambrogi, as we welome ProPublica.org reporter Justin Elliott and Washington University Law Professor Kathleen Clark to examine the ethics, legalities and secrecy of these Congressional trips abroad.

Women's Rights: Who Gets To Decide What Happens To Women's Bodies? Your Favorite Government?

From the Obama Administration's decision on female contraception coverage, to the Congressional hearing on women's health featuring an all-male panel of witnesses, to the Rush Limbaugh/Sandra Fluke firestorm, legislation targeting women's health is causing quite the political controversy across the country. Please join me as I welcome Attorney Shari Rendall, Director of Legislation and Public Policy for Concerned Women for America and Attorney Gretchen Borchelt, Senior Counsel for Health and Reproductive Rights for the National Women's Law Center, to discuss current legislation aimed at women's issues, reaction from women's groups and the present state of women's rights.

Women's Rights: Who Gets To Decide What Happens To Women's Bodies? Your Favorite Government?

From the Obama Administration's decision on female contraception coverage, to the Congressional hearing on women's health featuring an all-male panel of witnesses, to the Rush Limbaugh/Sandra Fluke firestorm, legislation targeting women's health is causing quite the political controversy across the country. Please join me as I welcome Attorney Shari Rendall, Director of Legislation and Public Policy for Concerned Women for America and Attorney Gretchen Borchelt, Senior Counsel for Health and Reproductive Rights for the National Women's Law Center, to discuss current legislation aimed at women's issues, reaction from women's groups and the present state of women's rights.

What Are The Hottest Legal Trends For 2012?

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio

Decriminalizing medical marijuana, fighting to repeal healthcare reform and using social media as evidence are just a few of the topics trending in the legal industry in 2012.  My co-host, Bob Ambrogi, is off today, so please join me as I discuss the hottest trends currently transforming the legal world with attorney and legal trend-watcher Danny Cevallos, the founding partner of Cevallos & Wong, L.L.P.  

Predictions For 2012 And Grades For Last Year's Predictions

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

From the spectacle of the Casey Anthony trial, to the great debate over the health care law, to the controversial immigration law in Arizona, 2011 was a big year in the law.  Please join me and my fellow Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney, Robert Ambrogi as we welcome our returning guest, Stephen L. Kaplan from the firm Hicks, Mims, Kaplan & Burns, to review his 2011 predictions and look ahead to a brand new year, 2012!

The Fight For Legal Rights Of War Dogs

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

War dogs serve bravely alongside the men and women of the U.S. Military.  Their handlers consider them heroes, but the military still classifies military working dogs as equipment.  Up until recently, these canine soldiers were left behind or even euthanized after the fighting stopped.  Please join me and my fellow Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney Robert Ambrogi as we welcome Ron Aiello, the president and co-founder of The United States War Dogs Association, and Carter Dillard, the director of litigation for the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and discuss what laws need to change so that war dogs get the respect that they deserve from the U.S. military.

The PeaceTones Legal Empowerment Project & the Power of Music

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

Music makes the world go ‘round and on this holiday edition of Lawyer2Lawyer, please join me and my fellow co-host and attorney Bob Ambrogi as we celebrate with a music themed show!  First up, Bob and I welcome Attorney Jeffrey M. Aresty, founder and current President of Internetbar.org and Attorney Ruha Devanesan, the Executive Director & Vice President of IBO, to talk about the mission of the Internet Bar's PeaceTones Legal Empowerment project. Later in the program, we share a holiday treat from a great songwriter and longtime friend of our extended family, Attorney Larry Savell!

Happy Holidays!

Should Cameras Cover Supreme Court Arguments?

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

Should the U.S. Supreme Court broadcast its sessions to the American public or should cameras be kept out of the SCOTUS chamber? Proponents of cameras say they are needed for transparency.  Opponents call the idea potentially unconstitutional and harmful.  Please join me and my fellow Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney Bob Ambrogi as we welcome Nancy Marder, Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law and Eric P. Robinson, Deputy Director of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Courts and Media at the University of Nevada in Reno, for an in depth discussion on both sides of this very important issue.

How to Help Veterans

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

With two wars winding down, there are great efforts in the legal community to help returning troops, their families and all other veterans with the many legal issues they face back home.  Please join me and my fellow Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney, Bob Ambrogi, as we hear from Attorney Nan Heald, the Executive Director of Pine Tree Legal Assistance and Jim Strickland, a nationally recognized expert on disability benefits, to discuss their personal missions to assist our service members with disability benefits and the Service Members Civil Relief Act.  They also talk about the role of the VA and how lawyers can help these brave men and women who serve our country.

The Legal Battle Against Drunk Driving

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio

The fight against drunk driving has been going on for more than a century.  On this week's Lawyer2Lawyer, please join my co-host Bob Ambrogi as he welcomes Atlanta DUI Defense Attorney, George Stein and the author of One for the Road: Drunk Driving since 1900, Dr. Barron Lerner of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, for an in-depth discussion on the history, laws, initiatives, and successes and failures surrounding drunk driving.

The Impact Of Budget Cuts On The Court System

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

With court closings, dismissal of cases, and giant backlogs, the American court system is in crisis.  In this edition of Lawyer2Lawyer, please join me and my fellow co-host and attorney, Bob Ambrogi, as we are joined by Attorney Laura Abel from the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and Attorney Stephen N. Zack, former President of the American Bar Association, to take a look at the impact of massive budget cuts on our courts, the cases, the staff and just how long this shortfall will all last.

The Penn State Football Scandal

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

With former defensive football coach Jerry Sandusky accused of raping children and university officials charged with covering up the crimes,  the Penn State child sex abuse scandal raises countless legal questions.  Could the university be held liable? Could other university officials, including legendary coach Joe Paterno face criminal charges? What laws need to be changed to prevent this from happening again? In this edition of Lawyer2Lawyer, please join me and my fellow co-host and attorney, Bob Ambrogi, along with Professor Marci Hamilton of the Cardozo School of Law and Attorney Philip Masorti, Senior Partner at Masorti-Sullivan P.C. discuss the complexities of this growing scandal.

The Case Against Mob Boss Whitey Bulger

Lawyer2Lawyer Internet Radio Podcast

One of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted and infamous Boston gangster, James "Whitey" Bulger, has been captured.  Now the epic legal case begins. Please join me and my guests, F. Lee Bailey, famed defense attorney and best-selling author, Dan Rea, long-time TV and radio journalist and lawyer from Boston and David E. Frank, Managing Editor of the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly newspaper, to get inside this incredible story and unfolding legal case.  We discuss the prosecution's case against 81-year old Whitey Bulger and his long-time girlfriend, Catherine Greig, who eluded capture for more than 16 years, as well as the type of defense we should expect to see and the ultimate fate of the notorious crime boss.  Give a click on the podcast icon below and hear all about this fascinating story.