Death row inmate’s attorneys called sentence ‘justifiable lynching’ in 1999 hearing

More than 23 years after a Black man was sentenced to death for the killings of three White youths in Texas, his new attorneys have revealed evidence that his past counsel and members of an all-White jury expressed a racist animus against him.  File Photo courtesy of Florida Department of Corrections

More than 23 years after a Black man was sentenced to death for the killings of three White youths in Texas, his new attorneys have revealed evidence that his past counsel and members of an all-White jury expressed a racist animus against him. File Photo courtesy of Florida Department of Corrections

Feb. 5 (UPI) — More than 23 years after a Black man was sentenced to death for the killings of three White youths in Texas, his attorneys have revealed evidence that his past counsel and members of an all-White jury were motivated by racism.

John Balentine was 28 years

MA Land Court Interprets Overlapping Zoning Definitions for Hot Tubs and Swimming Pools

This post was authored by Amy Lavine, Esq.

A Massachusetts case decided in August considered the Town of Nantucket’s zoning definitions for “hot tub/spa” and “swimming pool.” Specifically, the zoning code defined a “hot tub/spa” as a structure with less than 150 square feet of surface area and more than two feet of depth, while a “swimming pool” was defined as a structure either with more than 150 square feet of surface area or containing more than 1,000 gallons of water. The definition created a dilemma because of the structure “could at the same time have less than 150 square

Meulemans – Spring 2022 – MJEAL

EV Tax Credits and the Shift Towards Electrification

Kate Meulemans


As Americans begin to shift toward cleaner energy, the demand for electric vehicles has skyrocketed, but not without a similar spike in the political attitude surrounding electric cars. Switching from gas to electric cars is no longer just a fad among progressive elites and is in fact becoming embedded into the mainstream vernacular. But even so, buying a new car solely for fuel efficiency is not something that most people are financially stable enough to do. In this respect, it is important not only to prioritize a political push that

Elfarissi – Spring 2022 – MJEAL

Walmart’s Liabilities Under the HWCL: A California Case Study

Rita Elfarisi


In December 2021, the California Attorney General along with approximately a dozen district attorneys filed a lawsuit against Walmart.[1] The complaint alleges Walmart dumped nearly 80 tons of hazardous waste from more than 300 stores in California landfills throughout the state every year over the past five years.[2] More specifically, the complaint alleges Walmart violated several provisions of California Health and Safety Code section 25189, among other things.[3] The statute subjects individuals and entities who do not comply with the Hazardous Waste and Control Law (“HWCL”) to civil penalties.[4]

Noem taps impeachment prosecutor to replace attorney general

PIERRE, SD (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has appointed the lead prosecutor in the Senate impeachment trial of former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg to fill the remainder of Ravnsborg’s term.

Noem’s interim appointment of Pennington County State’s Attorney Mark Vargo was effective Tuesday.

She pushed for Ravnsborg, a first-term fellow Republican, to step down days after he was struck and killed a pedestrian with his car in 2020, and later pushed for his impeachment. Ravnsborg was ultimately successful last week of two impeachment counts and was removed from the office.

“Mark Vargo returns integrity, experience and stability to

TX Court of Appeals Finds Alleged Violations of the Texas Public Information Act were Sufficient to Survive Summary Judgment

This post was authored by Matthew Loescher, Esq.

Groba owned property within the City of Gelena Park and applied for a permit to build a quadruplex on that property. The City rejected his application, and Groba was advised that a new City ordinance prevented him from building a multi-family unit on his property. Groba’s attorneys filed an “open records request” with the City seeking “production of all ordinances relevant to the location, placement, and general existence of duplexes within the City of Galena Park.” In October 2019, Groba’s attorneys sent a letter to the Texas Attorney General complaining about the

How Ace Attorney spawned one of the most enduring character ships ever

“The entire game revolves around these two men dancing around each other. The courtroom battles are like a tango, a back-and-forth exchange.”

That’s how Claire Stenger, senior narrative designer at Gameloft, describes the relationship between Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth. But anyone that’s played Capcom’s Ace Attorney games probably already knew that.

The relationship between the upbeat defense attorney and the aloof prosecutor has become one of the most popular character “ships” in video game fandom. (Shipping has been around since the ’60s heyday of Kirk and Spock, and usually refers to fans’ use of artwork, fanfiction, or memes to

AL Supreme Court Finds Boat-Launch Project was a Governmental Function, Rather than a Proprietary One Making Town Immune from Zoning Ordinance Set-Back

This post was authored by Matthew Loescher, Esq.

The Chandlers and Barnes had sought an injunction to prevent the Town Council of Perdido Beach from constructing a public boat launch and pier at the end of State Street on the western shore of Soldier’s Creek. – adjacent to their properties. In this case, the property appealed from a judgment entered by the Baldwin Circuit Court after a bench trial in favor of the Town Council.

Upon review of the record, the court noted that the proposed boat launch would be placed where State Street ends at the edge of Soldier’s