Supreme Court Justices

Supreme Court Justices, It remains unclear whether cameras and recording devices could be used in Knox County courtrooms soon. The Illinois Supreme Court approved a pilot project Tuesday that allows news agencies to use cameras and electronic recording devices in trial courtrooms.

 The chief justice of each judicial circuit may ask to participate in the program and if approved, media outlets could electronically report on cases.

Ninth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Gregory McClintock said he is meeting with other judges in the area Friday, which is when they will likely discuss the issue. He said they need to review the policy before determining whether they will apply to participate in the program. If McClintock applies for the project, then cases in Knox, Fulton, Henderson, Warren, Hancock and McDonough counties could be reported on electronically.

“I need to see the Illinois Supreme Court policy and what’s involved. I don’t think any of the judges had a knee-jerk response to be opposed to it,” McClintock said.

He said he personally has some competing concerns about allowing cameras in courtrooms. He said although the measure would allow the public to see how the judicial system works, there is also a possibility that attorneys and witnesses will play to the cameras. Additionally, it may increase the amount of coverage in a case, which in turn may make it more difficult to find a fair jury.

Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, Illinois was one of 14 states that prohibited or seriously restricted cameras and recording devices in trial courtrooms. Since 1983, news cameras have been allowed in the Illinois Supreme Court and Illinois Appellate Court.

Anita Hill

Anita Hill, Envision a shock Anita Hill when she checked her voice mail last weekend and found a message from a Virginia Thomas. As in, the wife of Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, the man she accused of sexual harassment in 1991. The New York Times reports that Thomas has confirmed that she made the call off the blue as a way of “extending an olive branch.” It is more accurate to say that it extended. . Demand an apology. The message went like this:
Hello, Anita Hill, that Ginny Thomas. I just wanted to reach through the airwaves and years and you demand to think about something. I love you to consider an apology for a moment and an explanation of why you did what you did with my husband. So think about it and certainly pray about it and come to understand why you did what you did. Well have a good day. Uh, the 90s of the appellant and she wants her back sex scandal, apparently.

Virginia Thomas

Virginia Thomas, Virginia Thomas, Lady of Supreme Court Clarence Thomas, calling for the repeal of President Barack Obama “law unconstitutional” health insurance regulation, an issue that may be decided by the High Court.

“With the United States Constitution on our side and the hearts and minds of the American people with us, freedom will prevail,” said a position paper on the website of Liberty plant, the group formed by Virginia Thomas earlier this year to promote conservative principles and candidates.

Justice Thomas, a staunch Conservative, could provide a key vote to invalidate the law.

Virginia Thomas, who goes by Ginni, made headlines on Tuesday when she admitted she had recently called Anita Hill, seeking an apology from the woman who almost 20 years ago accused her husband of making sexually inappropriate comments in the workplace. Hill, who received a message on his answering Thomas Force, said that no excuses would be provided.

But Virginia Thomas has had to face many tests before they reached out to his former accuser of justice. A longtime conservative activist in Washington, Thomas has recently raised its profile and become a regular speaker at the “tea party” gatherings and conferences-conservative movement, as she promotes her new online project.

Thomas’s commitment in partisan politics through Liberty Central is unprecedented for a spouse of a judge of the Supreme Court, lawyers say. Donors that are not disclosed to the public, fueling fears that private donors could fund secretly Liberty Central to curry favor with her husband, fund his group.

Thomas did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. In the past, she described her work as separate from her husband and passionately defended his right to express his opinions, a point of legal ethics experts do not refute.

“As a matter of ethics formal legal advice from a spouse on a constitutional issue, even if widely disseminated, does not require disqualification of a judge,” said Northwestern University law professor Steven Lubet. “His wisdom or the decision is not something I can comment.”

However, Stephen Gillers, a legal ethicist at New York University, said Virginia Thomas advocacy threaten to tarnish the appearance of impartiality of the court.

“I had hoped for self-restraint more respect for the court. It undermines the institution,” he said. “But this is only my concern. The rules do not stop it. Ms. Thomas has a First Amendment right to take a leading position in public on any legal or political issue it chooses. The conflict and the rules governing the disqualification of Judge Thomas, not his wife. ”

Gillers said he was also concerned by a report that the justices Thomas and Antonin Scalia were featured speakers during private meetings held by billionaire Charles and David Koch, rich tea party supporters. ThinkProgress website published a memo calling on the Koch brothers and wealthy conservatives for a private meeting in Palm Springs, Calif., Jan. 30. The invitation noted that Scalia and Thomas had appeared in the past.

“At the very least Koch should not use their name to increase attendance,” said Gillers.

In speeches and interviews, Virginia Thomas repeatedly called for the repeal of “Obamacare,” which argued its site requires binding rules for doctors.

“Never before has the federal government dictates how physicians treat patients with private insurance, except for specific issues such as drug safety. The Constitution does not allow it,” said a post signed by Liberty Central Editor Brian Faughnan.

Liberty Central has signed a coalition of conservative groups that the removal rate invoice health cares his top priority.

Website links to another Liberty Central website that lists the many legal challenges to the law. He expressed his support for Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who brought one of the greatest legal challenges. It is likely that the Supreme Court will ultimately decide the constitutionality of the law.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg,

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Thursday after becoming ill in her office at the court.

A statement from the court said the 76-year-old justice was taken to Washington Hospital Center at 7:45 p.m. EDT as a precaution. The statement said Ginsburg had received an iron sucrose infusion at 4:50 p.m. to treat an iron deficiency that had been discovered in July.

About an hour later, she “developed lightheadedness and fatigue,” the statement said. She was found to have a slightly low blood pressure, which the court said can occur after the type of treatment she received.

Although an examination found her to be in stable health, she was given fluids and taken to the hospital as a precaution, the court said.

The July evaluation found “that she was in completely normal health with the exception of a low red blood cell count caused by deficiency of iron. Intravenous iron therapy was administered in a standard fashion,” the court statement said.

Ginsburg underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer in February but returned to work quickly.

Two months after her surgery, Ginsburg told law students at a symposium at Ohio State University that serving on the Supreme Court was “the best and the hardest job I’ve ever had.” She said at the time that she wanted to match the tenure of Justice Louis Brandeis, who served for more than two decades and retired at age 82.

After the retirement in January 2006 of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Ginsburg was the only woman on the nine-member court until Sonia Sotomayor joined the court last August.

Nominated by President Bill Clinton, Ginsburg took her seat on the Supreme Court on Aug. 10, 1993. She had been a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since 1980.

Source : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/24/ruth-bader-ginsburg-hospi_n_299317.html