While Delaware has long been the favored state for the filing of corporate lawsuits, in 2017 it fell to 11th place. The Top 5 now: South Dakota; Vermont; Idaho; Minnesota; and New Hampshire. The ranking was compiled by the U.S. Chamber of … Continue reading
Category Archives: Legal Fact of the Week
Rhode Island was the only state that refused to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, a fact that goaded the usually-reserved George Washington into referring to the RI representatives’ actions as “impolitic, unjust, and….scandalous”. It was also the last state to ratify the … Continue reading
96% of pet-custody cases in divorces involves disputes over custody of dogs. Only 1% involve cats (not surprising to dog lovers!). The remaining 3% involve other domesticated animals, including birds, lizards, snakes and even 130-pound tortoises.
Courtesy of the History Office of the Federal Judicial Center: “The first mention of Santa Claus in a reported federal case came in a maritime case involving a ship of that name in 1846. The Santa Claus, 21 F. Cas. … Continue reading
Under the common law, a defendant who refused to enter a plea was considered to be contesting the court’s jurisdiction and was subjected to ‘peine fort et dure’ — pressing under heavy weights — until the defendant either consented to plead or … Continue reading
Despite what is popularly believed, the U.S. does not offer robust protection against child marriage. Twenty-five states do not have a legal minimum age for marriage, while 8 others set the age at under 16. New Hampshire, for example, sets … Continue reading
The 25th Amendment was ratified in 1965, prompted by ambiguity of Article II, s.1, clause 6 regarding Presidential incapacity and succession. This was an issue following the assassination of President Kennedy, as the office of Vice President remained vacant until a new … Continue reading
Among the many legal issues raised by ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft is personal violence: online tracker Who’s Driving You (which, it should be disclosed, is run by the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association), recorded more than 330 alleged … Continue reading
On November 6, 1872, prominent social activist Susan B. Anthony cast a vote for president. She was later found guilty of illegal voting and fined $100. At the time of her conviction in federal court, she stated “I shall never pay a penny of … Continue reading
In August 2016, MA became the first state to pass a law banning employers from requiring information on an applicant’s previous salary history. Designed to prevent pay discrimination based on gender, the law, An Act to Establish Pay Equity, requires ‘equal pay … Continue reading
Eight states still possess constitutional prohibitions against atheists from holding public office: Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. While these provisions still exist, they cannot be enforced under the 1961 decision of Torcaso v. Watkins, in which … Continue reading
In 1846 Congress established the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., eleven years after receiving a bequest from Englishman James Smithson. The charter established a seventeen-member board with representatives from all three branches (the Chief Justice, the Vice President, and six members … Continue reading