#Judicial Department

[sw5w]

We're Keepers of the Peace, Not Soldiers

STAR WARS EPISODE II: Attack of the Clones 00:04:49

[jangillman]

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Lisa Needham at Public Notice:

It’s been barely a week since conservatives on the US Supreme Court radically upended the balance of power between the branches of government, giving the federal courts the exclusive power to interpret statutes rather than deferring to agency experts. And we’re already seeing impacts on the ground. Right-wingers have been in the habit of running to their preferred courts to get regulations overturned, but the decision in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, which officially destroyed agency deference, will make it easier — even routine — to block every Biden administration rule they don’t like.  Lawsuits to invalidate specific rules had been proceeding through the federal courts before Loper Bright, generally arguing that agencies exceeded their authority in promulgating a rule. These lawsuits exist in no small part because the Supreme Court made it clear they would destroy Chevron deference for years now, with Justice Neil Gorsuch having led the way well before his appointment to the Court. 

Trump appointee Sean Jordan, who sits in the reliably hard-right Eastern District of Texas, was so eager to block a Biden administration’s overtime rule that he dropped his decision the same day Loper Bright came out. It runs 36 pages and mentions Loper Bright multiple times, which means either Jordan was so confident of the Supreme Court decision that he either wrote it in advance or he hurried to stuff Loper Bright into his already-written opinion. Jordan’s opinion also rests heavily on dictionary definitions rather than expertise from the Department of Labor, which issued the rule. So now, the rule that would have made 4 million more Texas workers eligible for overtime, and thus more pay, is blocked thanks to a hurried read of a SCOTUS opinion and Webster’s Dictionary. 

What this mean is that anytime a business doesn’t like a federal rule, it can just sue. It promises to be a free-for-all. Three hospitals in New Jersey sued HHS the day Loper Bright came down, saying the agency’s interpretation of a statute governing Medicare reimbursement is unlawful. In another case, filed before Loper Bright, a trucking company challenging the Biden administration’s rule that addressed misclassification of independent contractors filed a memorandum on July 2 arguing that Loper Bright means the court should not defer to the Department of Labor’s interpretation of the law. The next day, Trump appointee Ada Brown of the Northern District of Texas enjoined enforcement of the Biden administration’s rule prohibiting non-compete agreements but limited the injunction to the plaintiffs, which are various pro-business groups like the Chamber of Commerce. 

[...]

Bigotry from the bench

Unsurprisingly, much of the assault on administration rules relates to any regulation that would protect transgender people. Four days after Loper Bright was handed down, another Trump appointee, Judge John W. Broomes in Kansas, enjoined the Department of Education from enforcing its Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs rule in Kansas, Alaska, Utah, and Wyoming. The Department of Education spent two years finalizing the rule, which would have prohibited discrimination based on gender identity under Title IX.  The unofficial text of the rule, which runs 1,577 pages with supporting material, is jam-packed with legal analysis. Hundreds of pages are spent explaining how the DOE considered and addressed public comments and the document details the mental health impact of discrimination against LGBTQ students. 

Broomes’s expertise is in natural resource law, a background that does not lend itself to a detailed understanding of Title IX, sex discrimination, or gender identity. But none of that matters. His opinion sneers about “self-professed and potentially ever-changing gender identity” and insists that things like using correct pronouns for students and allowing them to use the bathroom that conforms with their gender identity is an issue of “vast economic” significance. Given that the only costs of the rule are things like updated administrative guidance and perhaps hiring additional Title IX staff, the idea it is a vast economic question is, to put it politely, a reach. Instead, Broomes sided with the conservative plaintiffs, including Moms for Liberty and an Oklahoma student who asserted that using the correct pronouns for other students violated her religious beliefs. Because of this mix of conservative state litigants, private anti-trans groups, and an Oklahoma student, the extent of Broomes’s injunction is even weirder than the patchwork blocking of the HHS rule.

Besides blocking the rule entirely in four states, the rule is also blocked for the schools attended by the members of two private plaintiffs, Young America’s Foundation and Female Athletes United, and all schools attended by the children of members of Moms for Liberty. So now, if you are a transgender student unlucky enough to attend school anywhere in the country where a child of a Moms for Liberty student also attends, you’re out of luck. If your school is free of children of book-banners, you get the protection of the federal rule — unless you live in Kansas, Alaska, Utah, and Wyoming, in which case it doesn’t matter what school you go to.  Over at Law Dork, Chris Geidner has a good rundown of not just how the courts are sledgehammering LGBTQ rights, but also how having courts, rather than regulators, make these decisions results in an uneven patchwork of rulings over a Health and Human Services rule that prohibited health care providers from discriminating based on gender identity. Only five days after Loper Bright was issued, three separate federal courts issued rulings blocking parts of the HHS rule. There’s no chance that William Jung, a Trump appointee to the federal district court for the Middle District of Florida, hadn’t already written most of his decision before Loper Bright was issued, but the case gave him far more ammunition. Fung’s ruling in Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services blocked part of the Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities rule from going into effect — but only in Florida. 

The Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo ruling by the judicial activist MAGA Majority on the Supreme Court is having devastating consequences.

[jangillman]

Go you good thang! Bring it on. 👏👏👏👏

[aanews69]

Biden's student loan cancellation Moving Forward. Wait Not so fast! #StudentLoanForgiveness #LoanForgiveness #EducationDebate #DebtReliefBlocked #biden #MOHELA Subscribe👇: https://vist.ly/3mhygpx Get Gear 👉: https://vist.ly/3mhygpw

[svalleynow]

Escapee Captured in Grundy County and Missing Fugitive from Mississippi Found Deceased on the Mountain

On Friday, September 20, 2024, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department was notified by the Lauderdale, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department requesting assistance in locating a missing individual, a fugitive wanted for sexual battery. Mississippi authorities advised the individual had been reported missing since September 11, 2024, and the individual’s vehicle had been towed by a Tennessee Highway…

[townpostin]

Kolhan Courts to Appoint 16 New Notaries

Jamshedpur Court receives approval for 9 positions, applications open July 1 Legal practitioners with 10 years of experience eligible to apply JAMSHEDPUR – The Kolhan region’s district and sub-divisional courts are set to appoint 16 new notaries, with the Jamshedpur Court receiving the lion’s share of 9 positions. Nlin Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Jharkhand Legal Department, outlined the…

[thetaxguyin]

Upholding Legal Rights: Gujarat High Court's Stance on Income Tax Department's Seizure

In a recent development at the Gujarat High Court, a division bench comprising Justices Bhargav Karia and Niral Mehta has taken a firm stance regarding the seizure of “non-incriminating” data from a lawyer’s office by the Income Tax department. Refusing to accept the department’s undertaking on sealing the data, the bench has decided to delve into the matter on its merits. The petition before…

[panamagreg]

Is there violent crime in Panama?

Jen and I went to dinner with our good friends, Mike and Diane, to celebrate one last meal with them at one of our favorite places in the community. They were returning to the States after concluding the sale of their condo. They decided to downsize to only one home and simplify their life. After settling into our seats, we enjoyed our meals and relaxed in great conversation about some of the…

[sw5w]

...Has Saved...

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 02:06:15

The "Fake Windu" in this scene might be Samuel L. Jackson's stunt double Oliver Wilson. Can anyone confirm?

[jangillman]

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[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #30

August 2-9 2024

The Department of Interior announced the largest investment since 1979 in outdoor recreation and conservation projects. The $325 million will go to support State, territorial, DC, and tribal governments in buying new land for parks and outdoor recreation sites. It also supports expansion and refurbishment of existing sites.

The EPA announced that Birmingham Alabama will get $171 million to update and replace its water system. The city of Birmingham is 70% black and like many black majority cities as struggled with aging water systems and lead pipes causing dangerous drinking water conditions. This investment is part of the Biden-Harris administrations plan to replace all of the nation's lead pipes.

The Department of Energy announced $2.2 billion in investments in the national power grid to help boost resiliency in the face of extreme weather. The projects will add 13 gigawatts of capacity, support 5,000 new jobs and upgrade 1,000 miles of transmission. Major projects will cut power outages in the west, drive down energy prices in New England, add off shore wind, and enable the development of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s wind resources.

The Justice Department won its massive anti-trust case against Google. A federal judge ruled that Google was an illegal monopoly. The DOJ has an ongoing antitrust suit against Apple, while the Federal Trade Commission is suing Facebook and Amazon for their monopolist practices

The US Government announced $3.9 billion in direct aid to Ukraine. The money will help the Government of Ukraine make up for massive budget short falls caused by the war with Russia. It'll help pay the salaries of teachers, emergency workers, and other public employees, as well helping displaced persons, low-income families and people with disabilities.

The Department of Energy announced $190 million to improve air quality and energy upgrades in K-12 schools. The grants to 320 schools across 25 states will impact 123,000 students, 94% of these schools service student bodies where over half the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. In the face of climate change more schools have been forced to close for extreme heat. These grants will help schools with everything from air filtration, to AC, to more robust energy systems, to replacing lighting.

USAID announced $424 million in additional humanitarian aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Due to ongoing conflict and food insecurity, 25 million Congolese are in need of humanitarian aid. This year alone the US has sent close to a billion dollars in aid to the DRC, making it the single largest donor to the crisis.

The Senate approved President Biden's appointment of Stacey Neumann of Maine, Meredith Vacca of New York, and Joseph Saporito Jr. of Pennsylvania to life time federal Judgeships. This brings the total of judges appointed by President Biden to 205. President Biden is the first President who's judicial nominations have not been majority white men, Judge Vacca is the first Asian American to serve in her district court. President Biden has also focused on former public defenders, like Judge Saporito, and former labor lawyers like Judge Neumann, as well as civil rights lawyers.

[jangillman]

He should be jailed and sacked. Traiterous piece of garbage 👹👹🤬🤬

[wilwheaton]

The Court’s decision to hear the Trump immunity case was outrageous, legally indefensible, and handled procedurally in a way that made it clear they were no longer acting as a court, but rather as the judicial arm of the Republican Party. They took a case they should not have accepted, agreeing to hear arguments that were already rejected in an expertly argued appeals court decision. Just as damagingly, they did so in a way that—regardless of their final ruling—would mean American voters would likely not hear a verdict before November’s election. It is a dark irony. They have chosen to hear the Department of Justice’s case against Donald Trump for election interference in a way that is itself election interference.

Supreme Court Picks Up Where Jan. 6 Mob Left Off

It’s so important to understand that, at a minimum, Thomas and Kavanaugh are not jurists who fairly interpret law according to Constitutional principles.

They are political activists and operatives who are abusing the power granted to them by the Constitution they will not uphold to force upon a nation that did not elect them a set of rules and conditions that are overwhelmingly -- overwhelmingly -- opposed by Americans.

I do not respect them. They have no credibility. They are Fascists who are taking apart the entire 20th century of American Democracy as quickly as they can.

If America survives this election, SCOTUS must be reformed immediately. The Trump justices must be removed, and Thomas must be impeached, then face a trial for his bottomless corruption.

[svalleynow]

Whitwell Man Arrested on Drugs and Weapon Charges

On August 16, agents with the 12th Judicial Drug Task Force assisted Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives after Dwight Daniel Stockwell had fled from deputies on August 15 at 496 Mountain Cove Rd. in Whitwell. A search of a wooded area where Stockwell had fled revealed a backpack and a large metal pipe that was found to contain components of a red phosphorus methamphetamine…

[kentoxo]

friction | reader(f) x crush!nanami pt.12

pairing: reader (f) x crush!nanami

synopsis: [AU] you have always had a crush on nanami. since the day you were hired as his personal assistant, you've been right at his side combating numbers and making money within the finance department for the company you two worked for. but, things take a turn when nanami catches wind of your feelings, and rejects you. little did he know the weight of his mistake.

warnings: angst, heartbreak, sexual tension, jealousy (future smut)

a/n: thank you all so much for your patience with me. this is definitely a weaker part of mine, but please do not worry. a lengthy, more fun part awaits, pinky promise. and again, if i forgot to tag you, please forgive me and remind me! i will absolutely add u to the taglist <3

all parts: pt.1, pt.2, pt.3, pt.4, pt.5, pt.6, pt.7, pt.8, pt.9, pt.10, pt.11,

December | Tokyo, Japan | Monday

You were uncomfortable, to say the least. 

You walked down your fellow colleagues, who eyed you in adoration while simultaneously whispering praise to one another. You were surrounded by all your previous bosses, your current boss, and Haibara. It felt somewhat relieving to see Haibara, but even he could not soothe the difference in the air. You could only remain stiff as your mind intoxicated you with present worries. 

It was only minutes ago that you were shaking hands with Takada, the immense pride in his smile unable to relieve the anxiety that sauntered through your veins. You were not sure if you were competent enough to be an Office Manager. No, actually, you weren’t sure if you were competent enough to be Nanami’s potential boss. 

As you all walked into the cafe, you noticed that Nanami immediately shot his neck towards the baristas. You weren’t sure why, but his usual calm demeanor suddenly became defensive, as he took out both of his hands from his pockets. You noticed after almost a year working with him, that he could rub the rim of his watch whenever he had something on his mind. It was a habit that Nanami was aware of, and claims it simply helps with processing. 

But in reality, it was a small bit of anxiety. Though you are constantly reminded and spoken of in such high regard, it is your own insecurities that won’t allow you to relish in such compliments. As you all sat in a booth, you slid in first, with Nanami and Geto eyeing one another. Haibara quickly tries to make the judicial decision and sit beside you for moral support, but Nanami was quick to give him a glare before sliding next to you at your left. Geto joins you at your right side, with Shoko beside him and Haibara lamentably sitting beside Nanami. 

There you were, at the center of your previous higher ups. It was the full circle you never anticipated, nor asked for. Because truthfully, you were fine with staying in your position, being Nanami’s assistant. You could have been transferred to be someone else's assistant in the future if you could no longer bear being under the blond-haired Head. But, you’d be damned to reject a promotion, especially one that skips 3-4 positions that you never got into before. 

Your fingers felt cold, tapping your tips away against the table as you spotted Tae from a distance. He was wearing a black hoodie instead of his usual crewneck. The reason? It was still in your possession, as he lent it the day you started your cold. 

“Ah, Y/N, it’s so good to see you’ve been well.” Shoko breaks the silence, her rare smile forcing your heart to skip a beat. She leans in, her long hair coating the table space behind her. “I was worried they’d mistreat you down here in F.” 

“‘F?’” Nanami questioned, unable to understand her slang. 

Shoko rolls her eyes, “of course you don’t know, Nana. Finance.” Nanami could only scoff, a weak and annoyed smile playing at his lips. “Anyways, despite that, I knew my girl would be able to handle it. After all, she takes from the best.” 

“Quite the ego you’ve developed there, Shoko,” Geto teases, “considering you were the last of us to become Head. Well, besides Haibara over there.” 

Haibara crosses his arms, huffing away from everyone. “Not my fault that Nanami and I both studied business. If I was the one choosing between the both of us, I’d choose Nanami as Head of Finance, too.” 

You eye them all curiously, lost in their words. But Nanami quickly took note and took out his phone. Silently while they all continue to converse, Nanami taps away at his phone before sliding it over to you, his eyes looking elsewhere. Your eyes look down to see a photo of all of them, from when they were much younger, on what looks like their graduation day. A smile could not be stopped when you noticed Nanami at the far end. 

He gives the exact same expression as he does now, either strict or bored, not even bothering to look at the camera. But his blonde hair was… significantly longer before, with a side swept bang. You let out the quietest snort, which Nanami noticed and looked over. He traced your eyes, found what it was looking at, and immediately snatched the phone back. As you chuckled silently to yourself, Nanami resigned his face into his hand, a noticeable pink hue at the side of his face. 

Cute, you thought to yourself. You watched as he sunk into his hand, unable to contain the embarrassment. 

“Everything alright there, Kento?” Geto hums, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Looks like you’re going through something,” Shoko hums, a curious smirk working her lips when Nanami lifts his head to reveal his rosy cheeks. 

“‘m always going through something,” he lets out quietly. He then turns to you, and gives you a gentle pat on the shoulder, “but let's not talk about me. Today is Y/N’s day, as she is now our new Office Manager.” 

Geto smiles warmly at you, “truly, you are still as impressive as the day I met you. I’m not surprised you got yourself such a fantastic promotion, Y/N. A million congratulations to you.” 

You blush, “a-ah, it wouldn’t have been possible if you didn’t hire me, Geto kacho! It was your recruiting decision that got me here.” 

“Feel free to call me Suguru,” Geto hums, “we’ve known each other for so long now, I think I can do without the honorifics.” 

Nanami felt his left eye twitch. What was this feeling exactly? It didn’t matter, because Nanami did not like it. He did not want to hear Geto’s name come out of your mouth. His hazel eyes bore a flame, an endless ember of a feeling he couldn’t quite coin. 

“A-as much as I’d like to,” you begin shyly, nervously tapping down on the table. Your nails would sound with each tap, your anxiety never missing a beat. “I think it would be a bit too sudden for me… considering I’m not in my new role as of yet.” 

“Well, my offer still stands,” Geto continues in a warm voice. He looks over at the baristas, his gaze ever so intimidating. You notice the cafe quickly tap at Tae and point him towards your table. You let out a sheepish sigh for them. Geto was quite the personality, a bit too intense for most people. 

Tae quickly walks up, lending you a gleeful smile before giving an eye to everyone else. “Good morning all,” he greets with a curt bow. “Apologies for the delayed service. Have we taken a look at the drink menu yet?” 

You quickly nod, “we’re all ready, Tae.” 

Shoko looks over at you, shooting you a curious glance. “Oh, are you two familiar?” 

You nod, “he is the barista that Nanami kacho hired for the cafe. Tae here makes his coffee the best, so he offered him a position in this floor cafe.” 

“Seems we both have a keen eye for talent, huh, Nanami?” Geto gives him a dangerous smirk. Nanami rolls his eyes before looking up at Tae, his expression not any softer. He quickly offers his hand. 

“I don’t believe we’ve met properly since your hiring,” Nanami begins quickly, “I’m Kento Nanami, the Head of Finance.” 

Tae quickly shakes his hand. “Tae, j-just Tae.” You felt his nerves, finding yourself tapping on the table even more. “I just… thank you so much for hiring me. It has been wonderful to join the cafe team, and serve you all.” 

“I’m glad the offer was to your standards,” Nanami begins to talk all professional, adjusting his tie a bit. “We only accept the best here, so I’m glad to have you on board.” 

“I feel like challenging the kid now, if that’s alright,” Geto begins with a sly smile. He looks up at Tae, his eyes amused, “can you make me a double ristretto with whole milk?” 

Shoko looks at him with curious eyes, “this would be your third cup of coffee. Why do you want such a strong cup at this time? It’s only…” she looks down at her watch, “10 A.M.” 

“Have you been demoted to coffee police?” Geto toys with her before looking back at Tae and nodding to confirm his desired drink. Haibara and Shoko follow his order, with Tae giving Nanami a nod when it was his turn. Tae long mentally noted what Nanami would like. His usual. When it was you, your anxious tapping increased. 

Everyone else ordered ‘sophisticated’ coffee drinks, whereas you had hot chocolate in mind. The office was cold, even colder with the unforgiving winter outside the building.  But now that you were coming into a better position, you weren’t sure how to behave. You didn’t want to seem like a pushover, but you also never imagined you’d be in a position above all of your higher ups. These are the people you’ve looked up to in your career, and you never imagined you’d meet them eye to eye. 

Letting out a shaky sigh, you prepare to answer. But before then, Nanami slides a napkin right under your fingers, creating a silencer to your constant tapping. He looks over at Tae, “I’d actually like a cup of hot chocolate, if that’s alright.” 

Your eyes widened, looking over at Nanami, who thought nothing of his order changed. But, you quickly take the opportunity, “can you make those two, actually?” You add softly. Tae nods, smiling at you before crossing out something and writing into his notepad. 

“I’ll get those started for ya.” He pulls out the menus under his arm and passes them around the table. “This is a new menu for today, so please feel free to browse it. I’ll return to take your orders then.” 

Everyone nods and thanks Tae before he rushes back to the cafe to start the drinks. You feel your face go hot, as you tap shyly down against the napkin. But it was much gentler, both in sound and feeling. But, maybe Nanami did this because he was annoyed by the incessant sound. As Shoko, Geto, and Haibara get into conversation, you look over at Nanami with worried eyes. 

“I apologize if the sound became annoying,” you say quietly. Nanami looked over confused, and you gestured down to your hands on the napkin. 

“Oh, no,” Nanami hums, “I was worried for your nails, so I figured the napkin would keep them from potentially chipping.” 

That’s… very sweet of him. 

“O-oh, thank you,” you say while narrowing your eyes down on the napkin. 

“Anytime, Y/N kacho,” Nanami hums beside you. 

You felt his words crawl up your spine. It was weird to hear Nanami say your name with such high regard. You knew he always respected you, even before this promotion. But hearing ‘kacho’ beside your name, especially after his upset, made your heart skip a beat or two. 

“And what about the comradery between us?” You whispered, humoring Nanami’s annoyance. The blonde man looks over at you, his jaw slightly low with his mouth agape. 

“Are you… making fun of me right now, Y/N?” Nanami looks over at you, with a surprised expression. But, you found solace in the small crack of a smile at the corner of his lips. 

“Mmm, I might be,” you say slowly, hoping you were approaching this joke well. “Nanami.”

Suddenly, Nanami bursts out in quiet chuckles. It completely eradicated the conversation being had at the rest of the table. Shoko and Geto were in shock, while Haibara looked at you over Nanami’s shoulder. He was silently rooting for you in his eyes. But you could care less regarding all these other eyes. At this moment, you were reminded why you had a crush on him. His soft laughter was honey, his smile just as sweet. 

“Y/N kacho, you must be the funniest person in the world,” Geto commented, a truly playful smile on his face. “I’ve never heard Nanami laugh like this.” 

“Ditto,” Shoko comments, fake fear laced in her words. 

Nanami was fickle, this was true. But Nanami was also very, very human. And as hesitant as you remain,  you couldn’t help but want to stay here, in this moment, forever, as he chuckles and reveals that lightly dented dimple at the end of his smile. You didn’t want to admit it right then, but he was winning you over without even trying. 

Taglist (OPEN)

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