CourtArtist.com

The Lighter Side of a Mixed Case

Carolyn Kloeckner made a mistake navigating the labyrinth required to file a complaint against her former employer, the U.S. Department of Labor, alleging sex and age discrimination. Actually she filed two separate complaints with the EEOC, appealed to the MSPB and missed a deadline…it's complicated. 

But there were moments of levity as reflected in the arguments transcript and caught in my sketch : 

at 17:13

 Justice Kennedy, "I've probably led a charmed life, but I've never heard of a mixed case until this matter came before us" 

at 23:17

  Justice Kagan, "Mr. Schnapper, if I disagree with everything that you just said, I can still rule for you in this case, right?"

  Schnapper, "you can, and you don't need to address what I just said."

The case is Kloeckner v. Solis and the transcript is here.

First Monday . . .

...in October. As usual the Justices stood while the Marshal announced the beginning of the Court's new term. Justice Sotomayor had her large silver earings and bangle and Ginsburg wore one of her giant lace doily things. The only apparent difference this term, Scalia no longer wears eyeglasses.

The Clerk of the Court is standing on the left, while the foreground is occupied mostly by the press.

Huguely Sentenced

George Huguely V was yesterday sentenced to 23 years for the murder of his girlfriend Yeardley Love. Judge Hogshire reduced the jury's recommendation of 26 years. 

Huguely stood up and spoke briefly addressing the Love family, “I hope and pray that you may find peace.”

Posted below are all the sketches, rough and finished, produced during the hearing.

WaPo story here.

 

 

Texas Goes to Court Over Voter ID Law

After the Justice Department refused to clear Texas' new voter ID law, SB 14, the State went to court. These sketches are from yesterday, the final day of testimony. 

The three judge panel will hear closing arguments today. Next stop, the Supreme Court.

Read about it here.

The Supreme Court's Health Care Opinion

My sketches from the announcement of the Court's opinion, and dissents, on the Affordable Care Act. 

As they took their seats Justice Breyer was smiling; Sotomayor looked glum.

Justice Scalia was actually sitting as far back from Roberts as possible. Forgive the artistic license, but I wanted to get his expression in the frame.

Announcing the Court's Opinion on Arizona Immigration Law

Sketches of the Supreme Court announcing its opinion in Arizona v. U.S. The Court upheld in part and struck down in part Arizona's law, SB 1070, aimed at curtailing illegal immigration. Justice Kennedy wrote for the majority.....

.....and Justice Scalia dissented.
 

The Tucson Citizen has the story here.

 

 

Sandusky Verdict

The first three sketches were done as the verdict was read in the courtroom . . . . 
. . . . and are pretty sketchy. It was late and, apart from Sandusky, there was alot of emotion.
This last sketch is from earlier in the day when the jury asked to hear part of the the judge's instructions over again.

Reuters story here.

Sandusky Closing Arguments

Today the jury in the Sandusky trial heard closing arguments from the lawyers, and was charged by the judge. The sketches are below.

Reuters story here.

 

Defense Rests

After tesimony from four witnesses today defense attorney Joe Amendola announced, "the defense rests". Jerry Sandusky, who had been expected to testify, never took the stand.

Here are the rest of today's sketches:

Reuters story here.

Dottie Sandusky, Mental Health Experts and Troopers Testify

A very busy day at the Sandusky trial with much testimony from many witnesses, all of them eclipsed by Dottie Sandusky taking the stand at the end of the day.

Posted here are some of today's sketches in the order, more or less,  in which they were produced.

NYT story here.