In Today's News

Most times when I read the newspaper, I see maybe one or two articles dealing with things legal or solid blog worthy articles.  Today, they're all over the place.  For example...

In the Los Angeles Daily Journal is an article: SCOTUS union dues case affected.  Apparently, a case was brought to determine if public employees can be compelled to pay union dues.  Because the obama administration has deemed this a requirement (I suspect because the unions donated to his campaign), his pocket judges think so too.  As such, the case is headed for a 4-4 tie (now that Justice Scalia is no more) and will be deferred to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal (and other branch of the Obama Administration) with will uphold the requirement that public employees must pay union dues.

The legal research tie-in here is, of course, the U.S. Constitution (specificially the sections that deal with the separation of powers).  See I have a silly belief that just because the POTUS says one thing, that the SCOTUS does not have to follow suit.  The SCOUTS can have a mind of it's own.  In fact, it should be illegal for the POTUS to ever schedule private meetings or lunch appointments with any sitting justice on the SCOTUS for fear (yes, fear) that the POTUS will try to persuade a judge to side with an issues promulgated by the POTUS.

In other news,both the Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times devote front page space to the story that: Apple to fight FBI in terror probe.  Apparently, the FBI has hold of the I-phone belonging to one of the shooters of the San Bernardino massacre.  Apparently, this is data on that phone that the FBI really, REALLY wants and apparently, the FBI got a court order to force Apple to unlock said I-phone so it can get at said data.  Apparently, however, Apple is saying to the FBI and the federal court system: Nuts.

The legal research tie-in here is a number of resources relating to PRIVACY:

• Libel and Privacy (Prentice Hall)
• Your Right to Privacy (ACLU)
• The Law of Torts (West)
• Privacy and Freedom (Atheneum New York)

The problem with government and law "enforcement" is that it doesn't know when to quit.  They already know who did it but, I suspect, the FBI is looking for opportunities to harass anyone the shooter called (guilt by association).  What it comes down to, I suspect, is what are we the people willing to give up to apprehend the "bad guys?"  Then, when all the "bad guys" are apprehended, who will the feds go after to justify their budget?  You and me, that's who!

Finally, in the Riverside Business Journal we find the article dealing with St. Joseph Health System Medical Information Cases: Judge grants final approval to $39M data breach deal.  

Here's the fun part.  Run a search in Google.com and you'll find that $39 million is not so unique since Target was also ordered to pay $39 million for its data breach.  The problem with the St. Joseph case is that the 31,000 Californian's who had data stolen will receive a whopping $242.  Compare that with the $7.42 million the lawyers get and the $50,000 the class representatives received.  Yeah, that's fair.

It's like that one movie, Bruce Almighty, where he grants everyone their wish to win the lottery.  Followed by the following dialog between Bruce and God:

Bruce Nolan:  There were so many.  I just gave them all what they want.God: Yeah.  But since when does anyone have a clue about what they want?

See, the problem is because winning the lottery is everyone's wish, the payout to each person was $1.  Yeah, thanks for that.

Anyway, the legal research tie-in to this story is:

• Newberg on Class Actions (Thomson Reuters)
• Individual Justice in Mass Tort Litigation (NUP)
• Class Actions and other Multi-Party Litigation in a Nutshell (West)

Who knew so much was happening around the nation/world. Heck, who knew so much would relate to the legal resources at your local county law library.  Turns out, THIS local county law Librarian did and brings it to you in his weekly blog.  

You're welcome.