Professor David Harris discussed the nine counts of political corruption filed against PA Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin. The Supreme Court suspended her, with pay, and ordered her Pittsburgh office sealed and the equipment in the office secured. Professor Harris told KDKA TV that given the charges, which include an attempt to tamper with evidence, suspending her and sealing her office was "in every way appropriate."
See the KDKA story here; video link is embedded in the story.
Professor John Burkoff discussed the granting of a bail request by former state representative Bill DeWeese. DeWeese, a former speaker of the PA House, was convicted of multiple counts of corruption and had begun serving his sentence. He asked the trial judge in the case for bail pending the completion of his appeal, but the trial judge had not acted. DeWeese's attorney therefore asked an appellate court for bail, which was granted. DeWeese could be jailed again as early as today if the trial court takes up the matter and denies bail.
See the Tribune-Review story here.
On May 17, 2012, Professor Ronald Brand spoke on “International Law, Diplomacy, and National Politics: Reflections on the Negotiation and Implementation of the 2005 Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements” to a combined meeting of the Honorable Amy Reynolds Hay Chapter and the W. Edward Sell Chapter of The American Inns of Court.
On May 17, 2012, Professor Ronald Brand gave a presentation on U.S. Legal Education and Pitt Law Programs with Law Schools in the Middle East to a group of education professionals from Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the UAE, and Yemen at the offices of GlobalPittsburgh. The group is participating in an “Alternatives in Higher Education” project sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Professor John Burkoff said that it is likely that a grand jury will soon charge Justice Joan Orie Melvin with crimes in relation to her use of staff in her political campaign. According to Professor Burkoff, "[b]ased on everything contained in the presentment relating to her sister, Janine, it's surprising she hasn't been indicted already."
See the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story here.
Professor Michael Madison published "Madisonian Fair Use" at 30 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 38 (2012). The piece comments on the impact that two of Professor Madison's earlier fair use articles have had on the law and practice of copyright. The article was part of the journal's 30th anniversary issue, in which the editors invited new contributions from some of Journal’s most cited authors in the past decade.
On May 11 and 12, 2012, Professor Michael Madison co-hosted the Tenth Annual Cyberlaw Colloquium, a gathering of 15 or so cyberlaw scholars who engage in searching critiques of the participants' new work. This year's Colloquium was held at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.
Professor Michael Madison commented on the lawsuit filed by The Temptations against UMG Recordings. The suit alleges that UMG treats downloads as sales rather than as licenses, depriving the musicians of royalties they would otherwise earn. Professor Madison told the Westlaw journal Computer and Internet that while there is a difference between sales and royalties, "at the end of the day, this really is a fight over money."
Pitt Law Professor Doug Branson talks with the Washington Post about the difficulties women find when balancing raising a larger family with successfully executing an executive-level job. Branson, author of “The Last Male Bastion” said he said he’s never seen a senior-level woman with four or more children.
Read the full article here.
On Thursday and Friday, May 10-11, 2012, Professor Deborah Brake was a featured speaker at the inaugural conference, “Title IX at 40,” at the new SHARP Center at the University of Michigan (SHARP stands for the Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy Center for Women and Girls). Professor Brake’s talk was titled, “Masculinities in Sport and in Relation to Gender Equality.” On Monday, April 23, 2012, Professor Brake delivered the Tucker Center Distinguished Lecture at the University of Minnesota. The topic was “Title IX at 40: Changes, Challenges and Champions.” On Tuesday, April 24, 2012, Professor Brake gave a recap of her remarks at a VIP breakfast hosted by the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota.
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