(Washington, D.C.) - In a shocking turn of events, the Supreme Court (in an opinion written by Clarence Thomas - widely believed to be the first majority opinion of his tenure) has overruled McCullough v. Maryland.
Thomas is quoted as saying "Man! Fuck stare decisis! It's all about states rights. You better let Washington D.C. know, Missouri is on its way, and it is pissed off."
Interestingly, Justice Thomas also did not take part in the decision - thats just how he rolls.
In other news, the Federal Government has been reduced to 535 bored legislators, a "confused-looking" executive, and 9 throughly amused Supreme Court Justices.
President Bush spoke with reports this afternoon. He had these remarks to share with the country at this pivotal moment:
"MCCullogh? I'm white. Are you blind?"
Dick Cheney quickly stepped in:
"This is a difficult time for us here at the White House. We were throughly prepared to eliminate states rights all together, but our unquestioned, absolute omnipotence has been interupted by the activists over at the Supreme Court."
"Once States rights were out of the way, we were prepared to take away the rest of the individual rights. I guess it is finally time to bring the troops home."
When questioned about why the troops would be brought home now, Cheney added:
"Someone's got to take this country by force, and you know damned well Dubya and I aren't the fighting type."
More to come on this breaking story.
Stay Tuned...
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Cited!
Not a big deal, but exciting just the same.
My article from last week, How I "Do" Law School Exams, was cited on Connie Crosby's Blawg Review.
The second review says:
Hooray!
Stay Tuned...
My article from last week, How I "Do" Law School Exams, was cited on Connie Crosby's Blawg Review.
The second review says:
K100 - Legal education
J. Louis May discusses his method of preparing for exams in his post How I "Do" Law School Exams: at The Legal Scoop. Preparation and organization are key!
Hooray!
Stay Tuned...
Sunday, April 22, 2007
May v. Apple (follow-up)
Apple was great about responding. I heard from them within 2 hours.
There was no error.
They wait until a few purchases had been made before they send an invoice, thus reflecting a number of purchases on a single invoice.
The problem is just that PayPal does not provide an itemized receipt, so that was not clear.
Kudos to Apple, again showing that they are a dominant corporation with superb customer service.
Stay Tuned...
There was no error.
They wait until a few purchases had been made before they send an invoice, thus reflecting a number of purchases on a single invoice.
The problem is just that PayPal does not provide an itemized receipt, so that was not clear.
Kudos to Apple, again showing that they are a dominant corporation with superb customer service.
Stay Tuned...
May v. Apple, 58 U.S. 845 (2011).
Today I fired the first shots in what may be my first "plaintiff experience".
I sent the following letter to PayPal and iTunes (Apple):
I won't stand for this kind of abuse!
Okay, thats a touch dramatic...
But still, I wanted to make sure they understand that I will do whatever is necessary to get a refund for the more than $47 they owe me.
Its in their best interest to settle out of court though - the last thing they want is a chance for me to get up and cry in front of a jury.
Hello Punitives!
Stay Tuned...
I sent the following letter to PayPal and iTunes (Apple):
Dear Apple and PayPal:
There was not category for my question that said "I'm being screwed by PayPal and iTunes every time I buy music", so I just picked one. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Every-time I make a purchase, Paypal double charges me!
I don't understand.
I just purchased Weeds Season 2 for $23.95 and was charged $33.95.
Every $.99 song I purchase has cost me $1.99
I'd request at this time a refund of all double charges incurred since my account became active. I would also request a prompt reply and explanation for this occurrence.
A copy of this email has been saved for my records, should further action become necessary.
I will be awaiting your response.
Sincerely,
Jonathan May
jmay11@gmail.com
I won't stand for this kind of abuse!
Okay, thats a touch dramatic...
But still, I wanted to make sure they understand that I will do whatever is necessary to get a refund for the more than $47 they owe me.
Its in their best interest to settle out of court though - the last thing they want is a chance for me to get up and cry in front of a jury.
Hello Punitives!
Stay Tuned...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
How I "Do" Law School Exams:
This is a post I wrote for "The Legal Scoop" - where I have been a contributor all semester. It's not really that interesting, but I thought I'd post it here anyways. Enjoy
So, in the spirit of Law School Exams, I thought I'd share my approach to exam preparation.
Remember, everyone works differently, so don't think that my method will necessarily work for you, but here it is.
The first thing I do is make my semesterly STAPLES run (this is not an endorsement of STAPLES, by the way). My key to exams is being organized. I buy a 1.5 inch binder (with the clear fronts so I can put the syllabus or something in front) for each course, as well as one for miscellaneous materials. I also buy 2 packages of .05 Pilot G2 (the pack that has 4 colors - you have NO idea how helpful a red pen is). I also buy dividers. Somewhere between 5 and 10 per class, depending on how much I think I need to organize. I also buy a large pack of legal pads. A few packs of Tabs (the larger ones are ideal) and I'm set.
After creating the "skeleton" of each notebook (aka putting the dividers in each notebook, and the blank legal pad in the back) I separate all the papers I've accumulated over the semester into courses. I also stop by the law school to take advantage of that print quota I never touch and I print a .pdf of all my class notes from each class. I gather all the outlines I've collected (some my own, others from friends and former students) I hole punch everything and I begin to assemble the "exam notebooks".
Now these notebooks are the key to preparing for exams for me. Its especially helpful if you can use notes on the exam, as you have gathered everything together.
The next thing I do is take the syllabus from each class and I make a list on the legal pads of everything I need to read.
Here is where my method might seem extreme, or not something you're interested in.
I stop reading for daily classes about 3 weeks before exams start. I figure the material we cover at the end - I'll get to it at the end. I don't have time to read for class and study. I'll get to this material, just not for another few weeks.
How do I prepare? I re-read the entire syllabus. Yeah, I know. Its a lot of reading. As I do this, I tab the book to let me know where each section begins, where each case is, and where supplemental materials are in the back (i.e. U.S. Constitution, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, whatever).
I use the legal pad in the back of the textbook to note things as I read. For example:
Of course there are other things you will want to add too. Sometimes a brief recitation of the facts will help you remember what the case was about. Some professors want you to talk about "which justice wrote the opinion" so maybe you want to include that.
I try to use my reading of the case as a platform to "create my own document". I don't want to call it an "outline" per se because it isn't really an outline. Its more of an expanded syllabus that includes substance and tells me where to go for more information.
Next, I work out my calendar.
I look at how many days I have between now and my first exam, how many I have between each exam, and what order the exams are in. I then review my materials in reverse order. Let me illustrate:
Lets say the order of my exams is thus:
Lets additionally say I have 3.5 weeks (25 days) before my torts exam. I would study like so:
That way I've spent 5 days on each subject and also gotten a running start for my Torts Exam. Then, after each exam I have 3 days to prepare for the next test.
After torts, I can spend 3 days working on Civ Pro before that exam.
After Civ Pro, I can spend 4 days working on Contracts before that exam.
After Contracts, I can spend 3 days working on Crim before that exam.
After Crim, I go out and party really hard.
Now - how do I use those days? I tend to have a very weird schedule. I work from 5pm until 8am every day. That's right. I work overnight. I sleep during the day. Less distractions for me = more productive hours. At 4am, there is only so much you can do other than study. It seems crazy, but it works.
Additionally, my exams tend to be in the morning, so the night before the exam, I'll wake up at 5pm, and review until the 8am exam. I find I test better "at the end of the day" than when I first wake up, therefore having my body feel like 8am is actually the afternoon/evening is better for me.
It won't work for everyone.
I'll tell you this much - there is no more peaceful, mellow place than the law school at 4am.
There you have it. How to organize, how to read, how to schedule your way to exam success. I hope you've found this helpful, and if not - sorry, I tried.
Stay Tuned...
So, in the spirit of Law School Exams, I thought I'd share my approach to exam preparation.
Remember, everyone works differently, so don't think that my method will necessarily work for you, but here it is.
The first thing I do is make my semesterly STAPLES run (this is not an endorsement of STAPLES, by the way). My key to exams is being organized. I buy a 1.5 inch binder (with the clear fronts so I can put the syllabus or something in front) for each course, as well as one for miscellaneous materials. I also buy 2 packages of .05 Pilot G2 (the pack that has 4 colors - you have NO idea how helpful a red pen is). I also buy dividers. Somewhere between 5 and 10 per class, depending on how much I think I need to organize. I also buy a large pack of legal pads. A few packs of Tabs (the larger ones are ideal) and I'm set.
After creating the "skeleton" of each notebook (aka putting the dividers in each notebook, and the blank legal pad in the back) I separate all the papers I've accumulated over the semester into courses. I also stop by the law school to take advantage of that print quota I never touch and I print a .pdf of all my class notes from each class. I gather all the outlines I've collected (some my own, others from friends and former students) I hole punch everything and I begin to assemble the "exam notebooks".
Now these notebooks are the key to preparing for exams for me. Its especially helpful if you can use notes on the exam, as you have gathered everything together.
The next thing I do is take the syllabus from each class and I make a list on the legal pads of everything I need to read.
Here is where my method might seem extreme, or not something you're interested in.
I stop reading for daily classes about 3 weeks before exams start. I figure the material we cover at the end - I'll get to it at the end. I don't have time to read for class and study. I'll get to this material, just not for another few weeks.
How do I prepare? I re-read the entire syllabus. Yeah, I know. Its a lot of reading. As I do this, I tab the book to let me know where each section begins, where each case is, and where supplemental materials are in the back (i.e. U.S. Constitution, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, whatever).
I use the legal pad in the back of the textbook to note things as I read. For example:
1. What page the case begin on...
2. What year the case was decided...
3. If it is still controlling...
4. Does this represent a minority rule? (especially in Property)
5. What cases need to be considered in conjunction with this case.
Of course there are other things you will want to add too. Sometimes a brief recitation of the facts will help you remember what the case was about. Some professors want you to talk about "which justice wrote the opinion" so maybe you want to include that.
I try to use my reading of the case as a platform to "create my own document". I don't want to call it an "outline" per se because it isn't really an outline. Its more of an expanded syllabus that includes substance and tells me where to go for more information.
Next, I work out my calendar.
I look at how many days I have between now and my first exam, how many I have between each exam, and what order the exams are in. I then review my materials in reverse order. Let me illustrate:
Lets say the order of my exams is thus:
Week 1:
Mon - Torts
Thurs - Civ Pro
Week 2:
Mon - Contracts
Thurs - Crim
Lets additionally say I have 3.5 weeks (25 days) before my torts exam. I would study like so:
Day 1-5:Torts
Day 6-10: Crim
Day 11-15: Contracts
Day 16-20: Civ Pro
Day 21-25: Torts
That way I've spent 5 days on each subject and also gotten a running start for my Torts Exam. Then, after each exam I have 3 days to prepare for the next test.
After torts, I can spend 3 days working on Civ Pro before that exam.
After Civ Pro, I can spend 4 days working on Contracts before that exam.
After Contracts, I can spend 3 days working on Crim before that exam.
After Crim, I go out and party really hard.
Now - how do I use those days? I tend to have a very weird schedule. I work from 5pm until 8am every day. That's right. I work overnight. I sleep during the day. Less distractions for me = more productive hours. At 4am, there is only so much you can do other than study. It seems crazy, but it works.
Additionally, my exams tend to be in the morning, so the night before the exam, I'll wake up at 5pm, and review until the 8am exam. I find I test better "at the end of the day" than when I first wake up, therefore having my body feel like 8am is actually the afternoon/evening is better for me.
It won't work for everyone.
I'll tell you this much - there is no more peaceful, mellow place than the law school at 4am.
There you have it. How to organize, how to read, how to schedule your way to exam success. I hope you've found this helpful, and if not - sorry, I tried.
Stay Tuned...
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Eisenhower said it all:
As Ike said in his Farewell Address to the Nation on January 17, 1961:
"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction...
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defence with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together."
We ought have listened.
Notice he was in military dress...
Stay Tuned...
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