MetaFilter posts tagged with USlaw

Told you so

Smedleyman — Tue, 28 Dec 2004 23:10:12 -0800

I hate people who say I told you so... But.... Edgar Morales shot a little girl, does that make him a terrorist? Other gang members were prosecuted before this for terrorism, other groups who maybe should have haven't - so what's the new law for? Is this the first of many prosecutions under new laws which some said would do one thing but are actually doing something else?

Queueing up - against the law?

kristin — Wed, 07 Jan 2004 09:13:15 -0800

The United States of America bans urination. "The U.S. Transport Security Administration are now requiring that passengers on flights to the U.S. are not to congregate in groups in any areas of the aircraft, especially around the lavatories..." When did America become one big Onion article? More importantly, why does the American public let their government *do* this kind of thing? And what are you doing to make things better? You know - other than complaining about it in your weblog.

Shrinkwrap, Software, EULAs and Reverse Engineering

ed — Mon, 10 Feb 2003 11:52:13 -0800

Another way around sneaky agreements: A Californian is suing (PDF) Microsoft and Symantec over shrink-wrapped agreements and EULAs that are only readable when you first install the software, making a return or refund absolutely impossible. Many courts have upheld shrinkwrap licenses. Conversely, reverse engineering has been determined to constitute fair use. If this case sets a precedent, could we see abridged legalese on the side of future boxes or a rethinking of software licensing trends? Or will the cluttered tower of consumer rights, protection for software companies and code evolution and innovation topple over?

Conservative Judge Joins Attack on Expanding Intellectual Property Rights

ajr — Thu, 21 Nov 2002 19:26:38 -0800

Left Gets Nod from Right on Copyright Law - A darling of the conservative movement, federal Judge Richard Posner criticizes the Sonny Bono Act and attacks the Patent and Trademark Office for granting "very questionable" business method patents at a lecture organized by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution. (via How Appealing)

LinemanBear — Wed, 17 Jul 2002 12:53:37 -0800

Massachusetts Legislature kills proposed amendment to ban gay marriage. Is this a breach of grass roots justice? or the majority's right to strip rights from a minority should not be put to a popular or legislative vote?

Ty Webb — Wed, 12 Jun 2002 09:49:15 -0800

God's Justice and Ours. Justice Antonin Scalia writes on capital punishment in First Things: "In my view, the major impetus behind modern aversion to the death penalty is the equation of private morality with governmental morality. This is a predictable (though I believe erroneous and regrettable) reaction to modern, democratic self–government."

junkbox — Wed, 01 May 2002 11:15:37 -0800

Deep linking banned by DallasNews.com. "ultimately... this is our content and we should have some control about where and in what way it is used. We'll see what happens in the law and in the courts to decide how to proceed." Has the law already clarified this issue, or does the newspaper still have room to make a case? (via The Morning News)

bump — Wed, 27 Feb 2002 09:19:07 -0800

Hacking could now lead to life in prison. Someone that kills someone you love would get less time in prison than what they are proposing for this hacker legislation. Is this punishment just for this crime?

Mack Twain — Mon, 04 Feb 2002 16:08:18 -0800

Oregon man says brain tumor caused him to jump in neighbor's bed Although Jackson County has paid nearly $150,000 for surgery and medical treatments, the Judge said "I do not find adequate evidence of mental defect," There are many examples of persons who may have acquired sociopathic personalities due to pathological brain lesions, such as tumors, yet no doctor testified to the tumor's effect at the trial. Poor lawyering?

suprfli — Thu, 24 Jan 2002 20:40:39 -0800

I'm fat and I'm suing Twinkies. Art imitating life? Who else saw this past Sunday's episode of The Simpson's? First a bus driver named Otto kidnapping children and now this.

badstone — Thu, 18 Oct 2001 13:46:10 -0800

Legal fun with SeanBaby - The Probe sinks its teeth into America's favorite pasttime - morons using the legal system to profit from their own idiocy.

mathowie — Thu, 26 Jul 2001 12:09:49 -0800

How often are legal threats used to silence Internet activity? Help us to find out and counter baseless threats with the "chilling effects clearinghouse." Harvard Cyber Law and the EFF combine forces to get a handle on over-zealous cease-and-desist orders issued over websites. Mattel has been so active in this area that they became the butt of jokes about it. Hopefully stupid stuff like this will start decreasing, or at least, there will be a group you can contact when you need support against these types of actions.

adnan — Fri, 29 Jun 2001 00:51:58 -0800

Court rules U.S. broke rights laws The world court has ruled the U.S. ignored the international legal rights of two German-born brothers who were executed for murder. More excecution controversy.

OneBallJay — Tue, 05 Jun 2001 15:43:03 -0800

Lon Horiuchi is a murderer (or at least a potential manslaughterer), says 9th circuit appeals court. His immunity from prosecution for killing Vicki Weaver while acting as a sniper for the FBI has been denied.

jameschandler — Mon, 21 May 2001 21:23:52 -0800

Danger! Idiot Judge Lives Here! In Corpus Christi, Texas, a judge has ordered 21 sex offenders to post signs in their yards that read "Danger! Registered Sex Offender Lives Here," and bumper stickers on their cars that read "Danger! Registered Sex Offender in Vehicle." Many people are reacting favorably, such as the person who believes "I think the judge is correct and he should make the signs bigger." But if these people are truly dangerous, why did they receive probation instead of jail time?

Mick — Mon, 22 May 2000 10:30:37 -0800

An interview with the lawyers from Napster and Metellica. Good points, both.

ambereden — Wed, 10 May 2000 13:37:17 -0800

Yet another threat to free speech under the guise of the War On Drugs. Not to mention wholesale Internet censorship. And I quote "It says Internet providers and hosting services must remove any website within 48 hours after the government objects to it -- and no court order is necessary. What's next, filtering software for all data entering the United States?

jedrek — Tue, 18 Apr 2000 01:35:35 -0800

Are americans really this stupid or does the rest of the world just have better things to do? TV owners are suing a company for running an ad with a CGI cockroach in it after destroying their TV's while trying to kill the roach. Will wonders never cease?

mathowie — Wed, 29 Dec 1999 19:25:24 -0800

Thank god, a judge was smart enough to throw out an injunction against all the web site owners that posted the DeCSS source code. This suit was completely pointless because DeCSS is used for *playback* of DVDs, not copying (which can be done bit-for-bit digitally). The people who should be punished for this are the dorks that came up with the weak encryption in the first place.