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• Tuesday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: The police are at my house because my husband claims I kicked him. I only did that because he was trying to grab my neck. The police asked me to give them a demonstration of what my husband did — should I go along with that request and show them? Answer: Sure, but don’t get too animated in your demonstration or you’ll be arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer. (The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Port Orange police charge woman after she re-enacts domestic abuse claim on cop) 2) Question: We are half-finished building our new dream house and we just discovered we built it 3.5 inches too close to a neighboring property. No big deal, right? Answer: Sorry, but you are going to need to either pay about $25,000 to correct the error or buy more property to render it moot. (UPI, 3.5 inch home error costs $24,850 to repair) 3) Question: My spouse is in the D.C. jail and he is depressed. When do I get to visit him and give him a big hug? Answer: Never — all inmate visits…
• Olympic Lawyers Shadow Torch’s Every Move to Prevent ‘Ambush Marketing’
  Via Lowering the Bar, I see the latest bit of evidence in support of those who argue "you can do anything with a law degree." As discussed here, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games has been notoriously strict about the use by non-sponsors of items such as the Olympic rings, the word "Olympics," and even the use of certain words in advertising. And it appears LOCOG was equally zealous in its efforts to prevent non-sponsors from engaging in any "ambush marketing" to shoehorn their brand into the festivities that surrounded the running of the Olympic torch. By way of background, ambush marketing occurs when companies try to benefit from an event without actually paying for advertising. One famous example of ambush marketing took place during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when police arrested 36 blonde women dressed in skimpy orange mini-dresses who were allegedly hired by the Dutch brewery Bavaria to attract media attention in the stands (see the video here). According to The Guardian, LOCOG sought to prevent any similar stunts during the Olympic torch run by assigning two LOCOG lawyers the task of "shadowing the torch on every step of its journey across the…

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• Olympic Squares? Condom Rings? Non-Sponsors of Olympics Get Creative
  The Olympics are about to begin, and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games has been notoriously strict about the use by non-sponsors of items such as the Olympic rings, the word "Olympics," and even the use of certain words in advertising. Indeed, as discussed here on Forbes.com, Using two of the following words "games," "two thousand and twelve," "2012," or "twenty twelve" together, or combining one of those with "gold," "silver," "bronze," "London," "medals," "sponsor," or "summer" is prohibited in advertising (by non-sponsors) or on products/merchandise when used in a context that could suggest an association with the 2012 Olympic Games. Of course, not all non-sponsors are willing to completely shy away from the lure of the Olympic games, and several have come up with creative ways to circumvent LOCOG’s rules — sometimes, it seems, just to thumb their noses at LOCOG. By canvasing Twitter, CBC News has collected several amusing photos of businesses and billboards in London that are doing just that. Olympic Rings? No, Squares! (plus bonus points for "Lodnon 2102 Oimplycs" reference): (source: @tompsk) Olympic Rings? No, just some condoms. (source: @benjamint) Read the CBC article here to see the full array of "non-Olympic" ads,…
• Friday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I’ve been in jail at the county detention center for a couple months. The deputy is telling me that I am free to go but I don’t have a ride and I’m not walking home. What if I just tell the deputy I’m not leaving until one of the officers agrees to provide me with a ride? Answer: You’ll probably be arrested again, for trespassing, and put right back in jail. (CBS News, Man refuses to leave NC jail, gets rearrested) 2) Question: My lady and I would like to get married but we don’t have a car and we only have $100 between us. What are our options in the Las Vegas area? Answer: You are in luck– the Las Vegas Wedding Wagon will drive to you and perform a 10-minute, curbside wedding for only $99. (UPI, Las Vegas Wedding Wagon delivers nuptials) 3) Question: Can I get in trouble for emailing a picture of a cartoon villain to a school administrator? Answer: If it is a picture of the Joker from Batman, you can be charged with making a terroristic threat….

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• Thursday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I’m a weatherman in the Netherlands, and people get completely bent out of shape when I get the forecast wrong. Hey, I’m doing my best! What are they going to do about it, throw me in jail? Answer: No jail, but weather forecasters who get the forecast wrong in the Netherlands may soon face fines. (CBC News, Faulty weather forecasts could lead to fines in Netherlands) 2) Question: I am the mayor of a small town, but the town’s police are trying to arrest me for entering an office that is off-limits to me. Can I simply fire the officers who are trying to arrest me? Answer: Nope! (Seattle Weekly, The Terminator: Pink-Slip-Happy Mayor Cy Tries to Fire Cops As They’re Arresting Him) 3) Question: I’m a civilian contractor doing some painting work on a nuclear-powered attack submarine. I don’t feel like working today, and was thinking about starting a small fire to get out of work early. Do you see any "cons" associated with this plan? Answer: You could end up causing $400 million in damage to the submarine and face up…

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• Robert Scoble’s Visit With Kevin O’Keefe and LexBlog
  On Tuesday, LexBlog CEO Kevin O’Keefe wrote on "Real Lawyers Have Blogs" about a visit he received at his Seattle office from Robert Scoble. Scoble is a well-known "technologist," author and innovator in the area of blogging and social media, who O’Keefe credits with making his company possible. One of the lasting impressions Scoble made on O’Keefe came in 2005, when Scoble explained that "if you don’t talk about me in your blogging, I can’t hear you." Scoble wasn’t being egotistical with this point, but was rather expressing the view that if a blogger is not engaging with others, they may never hear or notice what the blogger has to say. Scoble interviewed O’Keefe and recorded the nearly 30-minute interview on Soundcloud. Highlights of their conversation include: According to O’Keefe, 30 percent of lawyers now use iPads; O’Keefe works with lawyers who are making seven-figure incomes based on relationships they have developed online as thought leaders; Scoble and O’Keefe agreed that 10 years ago, lawyers believed it was in their interest to hoard information. Today, however, that idea has been flipped on its head, and lawyers are learning to profit from sharing information; O’Keefe believes that the price of engaging…

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• Tuesday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I work at a jail. An arrestee who is being bailed out by some of his supposed buddies says he doesn’t want to be bailed out by those guys, but won’t explain why. Ideas? Answer: Sometimes people bail other people out of jail so that they can kidnap them. Maybe that is what is going on. (Anchorage Daily News, Anchorage man kidnapped by 4 people who bailed him out of jail) 2) Question: I am at the public library. Why is that man using a computer with a plastic hood on it? Answer: That is one of the new library terminals for people to watch pornography on in private. (The New York Times, (He’s Watching That, in Public? Pornography Takes Next Seat) 3) Question: I bought a gun on the streets. I was testing it out when it discharged, and I shot myself in the genitals. How can things get worse? Answer: Depending on what you tell the emergency room doctor, you may also be charged with possession of a firearm. (UPI, Man shoots his own genitals, goes to jail)

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• Things That Exist, Vol. 4: ‘Law School Death List’
  I feel like I’m on my computer constantly, poring through hundreds of feeds and stories daily, spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of legal blogs and information you deserve. But I definitely miss a lot of things that everyone else seems to know about — the type of things where I can only scratch my head and say, "Really?!? They have that? Never heard of it." Today’s thing I never knew existed: Law School Death Lists Courtesy of the "scambloggers" — the army of young lawyers who have taken to the blogosphere with the mission of alerting wannabe lawyers to the futility of such a decision — comes "The Law School Death List." As explained by the But I Did Everything Right! blog earlier this month, Every year, there’s some sickos on the web that predict which celebrities will die in the coming year…. Anyhow, based on this concept, unperson came up with a completely fabulous idea and I am going to push it as hard as my broke ass can: by starting The Law School Death List. …. [T]he question is (drumroll please) which school is next? Whoever correctly guesses the next law school to fold…

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• Friday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I hate the mug shot the police took of me. Uggghhh!! How do I complain about it — by calling 911? Answer: No, that will get you charged with misusing the 911 system. On the other hand, it could give you another opportunity for a mug shot. (The Smoking Gun, Cops: Woman Dialed 911 With Mug Shot Beef) 2) Question: I hacked in to the school’s computer system and changed my son’s grade from a 98 percent to a 99 percent. Obviously I barely changed it, so if I get caught, will that just be a misdemeanor in Pennsylvania? Answer: One percent change or not, that still constitutes unlawful use of a computer and computer trespassing, a third-degree felony in Pennsylvania. (The Consumerist, Is It Worth Hacking Into A School’s System To Change Your Kid’s Grade By 1 Percent?) 3) Question: I work for an airline. We accidentally sold seats on an expensive international flight for four frequent flier miles. Four! Do we have to honor this? Answer: It looks like you might. A new Department of Transportation rule states that once a…

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• Baseball Law: Are Teams Negligent for Not Having More Netting to Protect Fans?
  A sad accident at an Atlanta Braves game in 2010 has led to the latest "fan vs. team" lawsuit for injuries resulting from a foul ball. In this case, the fan was a 6-year-old child who was hit by a ball in the head, resulting in a fractured skull and damage to her brain. The family is suing the owner of the Braves and Major League Baseball, claiming that the defendants were negligent in their protection of fans such as the injured child. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the plaintiffs claim that the Braves and MLB were particularly aware of the dangers given that one of their minor league managers, Luis Salazar, actually lost an eye when he was hit in the face by a foul ball at a spring training game. The family’s lawyer, Mike Moran, argues that the danger to fans can be easily remedied by putting up more netting in front of the closer seats. The AJC notes that many fans object to teams adding netting around the first- and third-base lines because it can obstruct their views, but Moran counters that the most expensive seats at ballparks are usually directly behind home plate — and a…

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• Thursday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I am trying to get my lawn to look nice, but we are in the middle of a Stage 1 drought and it has brown spots. Any advice? Answer: You should consult with Lawn Care Blog Watch on this one, but one thing you may need to do is get your checkbook out and stroke a $200 check to your homeowners’ association. HOAs will fine you for brown spots on your lawn, drought or no drought. (UPI, Woman fined $200 for dry grass in drought) 2) Question: I am a 71-year-old man. Two guys at the Internet cafe I’m seated in just pulled out a gun to rob the place and ordered everyone to lie on the ground. Will I get charged with anything if I open fire on the robbers with my own weapon? Answer: Are you in Florida? If so, you may avoid any charges. (Daily Mail, Stop or the senior citizen will shoot!) 3) Question: I am an 82-year-old man. Will I get in any trouble if I point my fingers like a gun and threaten bank employees? Answer: Oh…
• ‘Breastaurant’ Buys Deserted Town, Changes Name to ‘Bikinis, Texas’
  There’s not a beach for hundreds of miles, but so what? If you buy a deserted town on Craigslist, you can call it whatever you darn well please — including naming it after your booming "breastaurant" business. Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill ("Americas Only Sports Breastaurant!") started in Austin, Texas, and now has another 10 locations in Texas and beyond. For those of you who do not get out much, restaurants in the so-called breastaurant business (e.g., Hooters, Twin Peaks, Tilted Kilt, Bikinis), feature scantily clad waitresses and, well, scantily clad waitresses. This week, Doug Guller, the founder and CEO of Bikinis, announced that he had purchased the abandoned Texas town/railroad stop known as Bankersmith, Texas, on Craigslist and renamed it "Bikinis, Texas." There is nothing there presently, but Guller says that will soon change. "Bikinis, TX will be a world-class destination, and I am thrilled to expand the Bikinis brand to include town ownership," he said. "There could not be a better way to put Bikinis on the map … literally." On BikinisTexas.com, an article notes that The [Bikinis] website has few details about how, specifically, Guller plans to make the mostly uninhabited stretch of Hill Country "world class,"…

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• Wednesday’s Three Burning Legal Questions
  Here are today’s three burning legal questions, along with the answers provided by the blogosphere. 1) Question: I work for the TSA. This man has a "very noticeable" bulge in his pants that does not set off the metal detector — could this be a biological threat? Answer: It could be. But it could also just be a part of the man with the largest penis in the world. (The Huffington Post, Jonah Falcon, Man With World’s Largest Penis, Frisked By TSA At California Airport) 2) Question: The judge gave me probation on a car burglary conviction, but I still couldn’t resist smashing her car window on my way out of court. Is this going to affect my sentence? Answer: That will probably get your sentence bumped up to three years in jail, revocation of your probation and restitution of $250 for smashing the car window. (ABA Journal, Convicted Car Burglar Gets 3-Year Max for Breaking Into Judge’s Car Near Courthouse) 3) Question: My son is five years old and he is a terrific soccer player. Can I place a legally binding bet somewhere that he will play for the English national team when he grows up? Answer: Of course….
• Internet Defense League, ‘Cat Signal’ to Launch This Week
  On July 19, the new Batman movie will open at midnight. Don’t be surprised if you happen to see a spotlight in your city that evening that is blasting a beam of light and displaying the cat signal on a neighboring building. That’s right — the cat signal, not the bat signal, as July 19 is also the launch of the Internet Defense League. The IDL describes itself as "a network of people and sites who use their massive combined reach to defend the open internet and make it better. Because it can sound the alarm quickly to millions of users, people are calling it ‘a bat-signal for the Internet.’" The driving force behind the IDL is a group called Fight for the Future, a nonprofit organization that helped organize the protests against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) back in late 2011. More than 115,000 websites, including sites such as Wikipedia, went "dark" for a day to help defeat those bills. IDL says that it wants to take the tactic that killed SOPA and PIPA and turn it into a permanent force for defending the Internet — "like the internet’s Emergency Broadcast…

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