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When news first came out about Yosemite “losing” its trademark rights to a greedy Madison Ave. company, people predictably started foaming at the mouth. But it turns out that it’s a little more nuanced than that. In the end, it could be a case of “big bad corporate America against Park Service” turned on its head. Welcome to IP meets National Parks. It’s tempting to believe that the National Park Service was dragooned into giving up its trademark rights to corporate interests, but that’s not what happened....

One lawyer in Connecticut is learning a harsh lesson as a result of not learning that same lesson from Frank Drebin back in 1988. While wearing a lapel mic, the lawyer, commenting to their client, presumably privately, dropped the f-bomb twice: “F— him,” she said. Which was then followed by the following comment: “I am going to give him such a f—ing hard time.” As the court noted, whether the attorney was referring to the judge or opposing counsel was ambiguous and pretty much irrelevant....

An Ohio man has been ordered to remove a Zombie nativity scene from his front yard by township officials. Jasen Dixon built the homemade 10-by-10-foot structure three weeks ago, reports The Columbus Dispatch. Inside, life-size figures including a zombie Jesus and skeletal wise men re-enact a zombified version of the typical Christmas nativity scene. But officials in Sycamore Township, near Cincinnati, are threatening Dixon with legal action if he doesn’t remove the scene by Friday....

If you haven’t heard, Shonda Rhimes, the artist behind “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” and “Scandal,” just came out with a law school/legal defense drama: “How To Get Away With Murder.” It was the most intrigiuing of our Fall TV/Legal Drama Preview. It’s 1L year. Professor Kingsfield Keating is teaching Criminal Law, or as she likes to call it, “How To Get Away With Murder”! And instead of sticking to the boring Socratic Method, she’s going for experiential learning....

“Michelle Obama, our beloved first lady who I care so much about, said, ‘When they go low, we go high,’ and I went as high as I could.” That was the plan for activist Therese Patricia Okoumou, who scaled the base of the Statue of Liberty on Independence Day. Okoumou, a Congolese immigrant who became an American citizen, was protesting President Trump’s immigration policies with her 100-foot climb, along with other activists who unfurled an “Abolish ICE” banner nearby....

Miami Heat star Chris Bosh was surprised on his 29th birthday – less by a lavish Moroccan-themed bash and more by his home being burglarized. The birthday boy had about $479,000 worth of watches, rings, purses and cash stolen from his home, The Miami Herald reports. Bosh was out celebrating at the time. Several media outlets are referring to the incident as a “robbery,” which is legally inaccurate. Here’s why the theft constitutes burglary, and not robbery – or possibly neither:...

If at first you don’t succeed, add more plaintiffs? That’s apparently part of the strategy in re-filing a class action against CNN for racial discrimination. Atlanta lawyer Daniel R. Meachum sued the broadcast company earlier this year, only to have a federal judge dismiss it. Meachum says he has 30 more plaintiffs to add to the original 175. But the judge didn’t say it was about the numbers. Conclusory Claims U....

Trial court’s denial of petition for writ of mandate to require defendants to abide by the No Child Left Behind Act requisites for assessing limited English proficient students is affirmed where: 1) the NCLBA gives to participating states the discretion to devise an appropriate assessment plan for LEP students; 2) the State Board of Education’s testing purpose to measure LEP students’ mastery of academic content standards in English is not incompatible with the NCLBA; and 3) the State Board did not abuse its discretion in deciding to test LEP students in English, with accommodations....

Only in Louisiana. If a coconut falls from the sky, does it make a sound? Yes! says Daisy Johnson Palmer, a retired teacher who was allegedly struck in the head by a coconut at Mardi Gras in 2006. She is appealing her negligence claim to the Louisiana Supreme Court, challenging the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal’s dismissal of her coconut lawsuit against the alleged coconut thrower. This bizarre legal drama began in 2006 at the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club parade....

For 17 years, two companies – one American, the other Cuban – have fought over who owns the U.S. trademark to the venerable Cohiba cigar brand. Both Cubatabaco, the original Cuban manufacturer of Cohiba cigars, and the U.S.-based General Cigar Co. claim a right to the trademark. Last year, the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) granted summary judgment in favor of General Cigar on the issue of Cubatabaco’s standing to General Cigar’s trademark....

Apparently, some law school deans have better job security than federal court justices. Last year, a former dean at UC Berkeley School of Law stepped down during a sexual harassment scandal, but continued on as a professor. The former Dean, Sujit Choudhry, settled the case and managed to stay on the payroll. Now comes – after going – the former dean of Northern Kentucky University’s law school. Jeffrey Standen quit amidst sexual misconduct complaints, but is coming right back as a professor at the same school....

In Wolf v. CDS Devco, No. D055034, the Fourth District faced a challenge to the trial court’s judgment sustaining defendants’ demurrers without leave to amend in plaintiff’s suit seeking enforcement of the “absolute” rights of a director to inspect corporate books. In affirming the judgment, the court held that the trial court did not abuse its discretion by determining that plaintiff, as a former director, had no statutory standing as a director to pursue his demands for inspection of the company records, and he had not presented any sufficient basis to create any exceptions to the rule....

We all know we are not supposed to drive drunk anymore, as Helen Mirren’s Super Bowl ad for Budweiser reminded us in no uncertain terms. “The collective we are dumbfounded that people still drive drunk,” Mirren said. But what should the “collective we” make of a Wisconsin couple that allowed their 9-year-old-daughter to drive them and an 11-month-old baby because they were too drunk to drive? The couple pled not guilty to charges of reckless endangerment of a child last week, Reuters reports, and indeed no one was hurt....

Chances are, if you break your hand, it’s probably not a million-dollar injury. On the other hand (pun intended), if you’re a Major-League Baseball pitcher, it could be worth a lot more than that. One jury in California has decided that a former MLB pitcher deserves a $2.3 million award after he broke his hand during a dangerous – and odd – altercation with a stranger. Naked and High Former MLB pitcher, Greg Reynolds, pitched for the Colorado Rockies in 2008 and 2011, the Texas Rangers in 2012, and the Cincinnati Reds in 2013....

When the going gets tough, some law schools close. As the death toll of law schools continues, it’s clear the post-recession blues are not over. In case you didn’t hear it, the funeral march began a few years ago. The trend continues this year, with some law schools hanging on by their fingernails. May they succeed or forever rest in peace. Thomas Jefferson Law School The rumors of its death are slightly exaggerated....

A group of kids in Montgomery County, Maryland had wonderful intentions when they opened their U.S. Open lemonade stand this week outside the country club where the major golf tournament is taking place. They were going to sell lemonade and donate half the proceeds to charity. Too bad Montgomery County authorities shut them down. The U.S. Open draws thousands of spectators to Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, which in turn causes hundreds of vendors to try and capitalize on the event....

It’s no secret that the legal profession, like every other industry, has not rid itself of the invidious scourge of sexism and discrimination. In fact, a recent study revealed that the not-so mythological “old boys club” plays a significant part in why female partners are selected less often than male partners by clients. According to a recent study, the numbers are rather jarring. Male clients will choose a female partner to handle their matter only 17 percent of the time....

Juvenile court’s true finding that defendant violated the San Diego curfew ordinance is reversed as, although a more narrowly tailored curfew ordinance is within the legislative prerogative, the present ordinance sweeps too broadly and includes within its ambit otherwise innocent and legal conduct by minors even when they have the permission of their parents, and as such, the ordinance is unconstitutional. Read In re A.G., No. D053991 [HTML] Read In re A....

Tragedy struck the city of St. Paul, Minnesota last week. Chase Passauer worked as a law clerk at the small criminal defense firm, North Star Criminal Defense, until he was shot dead last Thursday when a disgruntled client mistook him for his lawyer. The young clerk was considering eventually becoming a lawyer. This is a reminder to all attorneys that they must practice vigilance, particularly when practicing law in emotionally-charged legal areas like criminal and family law....

Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig is pondering a run for president, with the intention of resigning soon after he takes office. Lessig is thinking of running for one reason: electoral reform. Should he win, he’ll work to pass a single set of electoral reforms and then immediately resign. He promises. Why doesn’t he just announce his candidacy? This anti-big money, anti-gerrymandering, anti-Citizens United pseudo-candidate wants to makes sure there’s enough support....