Jeutner: The Aesthetic Authority of Law: Experiments with Legal Form

Charter Communications Inc. and Cox Communications Inc. have announced a plan to merge in a $34.5 billion deal. The transaction would create the nation’s largest cable operator, surpassing Comcast, with approximately 38 million subscribers across 46 states.  Predictably, the proposal triggered concerns about cable-industry consolidation. Yet the reflexive anxiety about “big cable getting bigger” misses the economic realities of today’s communications marketplace.  A regulatory review of this merger deserves a clear-eyed analysis based on sound economic principles, rather than outdated regulatory frameworks or political agendas. Today’s Multi-Platform Reality To understand this merger’s competitive significance, it should be noted that the term “cable operator” has become increasingly meaningless. Indeed, the communications landscape of 2025 bears little resemblance to the era when most regulatory frameworks governing the…

Telia Mary U. Williams (Northern Illinois University College of Law) has posted Sola Scriptura and the Magisterium: Reconciling Two Biblical Analogues of Constitutional Interpretation Through a Judicial Hermeneutic of Storytelling on SSRN. Here is the abstract: The validity of the two predominant methods of interpreting the U.S. Constitution has been long and hotly debated. Both of these methods— originalism and living constitutionalism—draw their force from hermeneutics, or methodological principles of interpretation that commonly assist readers of scriptural texts. These divergent constitutional hermeneutic approaches ultimately treat the Constitution as a civic scriptural or holy text, and the multiplicity of interpretations that result from them, largely derive from one of two principal scriptural or Biblical hermeneutical approaches. Indeed, the two principal approaches to constitutional interpretation map onto one of either “sola Scriptura” or…

The Trump administration notified the Supreme Court on Monday that it will not defend a federal campaign finance law that restricts the amount of money that political parties can spend in coordination with a candidate for office. In a brief responding to a petition for review filed by the NRSC, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the court that although the Department of Justice “has a longstanding policy of defending challenged federal statutes,” it has “determined that this is the rare case that warrants an exception to that general approach.” The justices are likely to act on the case before their summer recess. If, as seems likely, they grant the NRSC’s petition for review, they could hear argument in the case in the fall, with a decision to follow sometime in 2026. The lawsuit now before the court was filed in 2022 by then-Sen. (and now Vice President) J.D. Vance, along with former Rep. Steve Chabot, a Republican from Ohio.…

A serious collision in Stockton left five pedestrians injured when a vehicle struck them before crashing into a pole. The incident, which occurred Sunday afternoon around 4 p.m. along the 500 block of West Sonora Street, has raised concerns about driver impairment and pedestrian safety in the area. Details of the Incident According to the Stockton Police Department, the 62-year-old male driver was found unconscious in the vehicle following the collision. Emergency responders administered Narcan to the driver at the scene. Narcan (naloxone) is a medication commonly used to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, suggesting that potential substance use may have been involved. All five pedestrians who were struck sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Police have stated that while their investigation is ongoing, driving under the influence (DUI) is being considered as a possible factor in the collision. No Malicious Intent Suspected Authorities have clarified that, based on…

A fatal motorcycle collision occurred on U.S. Route 101 near the Interstate 280 connector in San Jose, resulting in the death of a motorcyclist early Saturday morning. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has confirmed that alcohol was a factor in this fatal collision, with the driver of the vehicle being arrested for driving under the influence. Collision Details According to CHP reports, the crash occurred at approximately 1:53 a.m. when a white Cadillac DeVille veered off the roadway and struck a stationary motorcycle on the highway’s right shoulder. The impact proved fatal for the motorcyclist. Following the initial collision, the Cadillac continued across all lanes of traffic before crashing into the center divider. Authorities have not yet determined the speed at which the Cadillac was traveling at the time of the incident. DUI Arrest and Injuries When CHP officers arrived at the scene, they found the driver of the Cadillac still present. After the assessment,…

As of May 19, 2025, a total of 26 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 15 states. Seven sick people reported taking a cruise during the seven days prior to becoming sick, all departing from locations in Florida. Sick people were aboard 5 different cruise ships that departed the United States between March 30 and April 12. Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 2, 2025, to April 28, 2025. Of 23 people with information available, 9 have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 13 people interviewed so far, 11 (85%) reported eating cucumbers. This percentage was significantly higher than the 50% of respondents who reported eating cucumbers in the FoodNet Population Survey—a survey that helps estimate how often people eat various foods linked to diarrheal illness. This difference…

HOUSTON – One person is dead and another hospitalized following a multi-vehicle crash involving a box truck. The incident happened on Monday afternoon. According to reports, the crash occurred near Beltway 8 when a box truck reportedly began experiencing engine trouble and slowed to approximately 15 miles per hour in a travel lane. As one vehicle attempted to maneuver around the slowing vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado was unable to avoid a collision and struck the rear of the box truck. The front-seat passenger in the Silverado was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was transported to a nearby hospital with undisclosed injuries. Trucks should be properly inspected and have routine maintenance before being on the roads This incident is very troubling. For one, a person died, and another suffered injuries in what should have been a regular commute. Second, this accident appears to be completely preventable. Why was a box truck with mechanical issues on the…

MONMOUTH, Ill. — A fatal crash involving a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck occurred Thursday afternoon on U.S. Highway 67. According to Illinois State Police, the collision took place near 185th Avenue. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the individual involved, and no further information on the circumstances surrounding the crash has been made public. Those affected by this crash deserve answers and accountability from those at fault While not enough details about this incident have been released to draw definitive conclusions, we know that most roadway accidents are entirely avoidable. Yet, these preventable accidents continue to happen. To find out all the factors that led to this incident, we must go beyond the initial police report. Dashcam footage and the truck’s speed and braking data from the black box will provide important information about the events leading up to the crash. Gathering all the…

I have previously written about another case that is very similar to Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s, and in some respects, even worse with respect to the government’s alleged violation of the law. The case is J.O.P. v. DHS, and the plaintiff, who goes under the pseudonym “Cristian,” is currently in CECOT prison due to the U.S. government violating a court-enforced settlement agreement prohibiting his removal from the United States. That’s according to District Court Judge Stephanie Gallagher, a Trump appointee, who like Judge Paul Xinis in the Abrego Garcia case, has now ordered the government to facilitate the release of “Cristian” from El Salvador. On Monday, the Fourth Circuit upheld Judge Gallagher’s decision, denying the government’s requested suspension of the district court order while the case is on appeal. What’s more, the Fourth Circuit made a point of the government’s failure to respond to the…

Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. For demoralized people stuck inside these firms, I think this is catharsis. I’ve always wondered, when pressed, would rich liberal lawyers choose to stay rich or liberal? Now we know. — Kevin Carroll, a Washington, D.C., lawyer formerly of Quinn Emanuel, in comments given to the New York Times, on the left-leaning law firms that appear on Above the Law’s Biglaw Spine Index, for “what they’re doing — or not — in the face of Trump’s attack” on the legal profession. Nine firms have cut deals with the Trump administration, including Kirkland & Ellis; Latham & Watkins; Skadden; Simpson Thacher; Paul Weiss; Milbank; Willkie Farr; A&O Shearman; and Cadwalader. Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions,…

Workers’ compensation provides financial assistance to people who are injured at work. This type of financial compensation, which is intended to compensate victims for losses incurred as a result of an accident, typically covers lost wages, medical expenses, and more. Unfortunately, however, workers’ compensation claims aren’t always approved. In this article, we discuss common reasons for workers’ compensation denials. You Failed to File on Time Injured employees don’t have an unlimited amount of time to file workers’ compensation claims in North Carolina. Specifically, if you are injured on the job in North Carolina, you must file your claim within 30 days of the accident. Failure to file by the deadline can result in a workers’ compensation claim denial. You are Not an Employee Another common reason for workers’ compensation denials in North Carolina involves the injured party’s employment status.…

Introduction to Legal Content and SEO This post provides a comprehensive overview of search engine optimization (SEO), including Google’s search quality guidelines and strategies to enhance law firm website content for improved search rankings. Since Google is the primary driver of website traffic, the focus will be on practical techniques and tools to boost search visibility. Implementing these strategies effectively can help law firms attract potential clients and establish a stronger digital presence. Analyzing the Google Search Results Page An analysis of the Google Search Results Page (SERP) provides insight into how rankings function for law firms. A search for high-profile legal cases often reveals that paid advertisements occupy the top positions, while organic results appear below, ranked based on relevance rather than payment. These organic listings are supplemented by the “People Also Ask” section, which presents related queries and answers to…

A recent DUI collision in San Francisco has drawn attention to the serious legal consequences that can follow when even those sworn to uphold the law find themselves on the wrong side. A 28-year-old San Francisco police officer who had recently entered field training now faces charges of driving under the influence, causing injuries, after an off-duty crash that sent five people to the hospital. Details of the San Francisco Collision According to San Francisco authorities, the incident occurred early on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Police responded to reports of a two-vehicle collision at approximately 1:59 a.m. The crash resulted in injuries to five individuals, all of whom required hospitalization. Most concerning was that one victim sustained life-threatening injuries. Officers arriving at the scene conducted an investigation that led to the arrest of Kwong, who was identified as the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the collision. Though Kwong was off-duty at the time,…

Professor Stacie Strong recently posted an article on SSRN which may be of interest to some of you.  It is called Pro Bono Publico Versus Pro Bono Presidential. Its abstract reads In March and April 2025, the Trump administration issued a series of executive orders directed at various law firms that had represented clients or undertaken actions with which the president disagreed. Those executive orders imposed various sanctions capable of destroying the firms financially. The administration also threatened a number of other law firms with similar types of executive orders.While a few law firms chose to challenge the executive orders in court, the majority of firms targeted by the president entered into informal settlement agreements whereby the firms promised to provide between $40 million and $125 million worth of free “pro bono legal services” to causes supported by the president. In return, the president either revoked any sanction-containing…

“The Website Where Lawyers Mock ‘Yellow-Bellied’ Firms Bowing to Trump; Above the Law, a legal industry website with a long history of skewering the nation’s most elite firms, has found a moment and plenty of inside tipsters”: Elizabeth Williamson of The New York Times has this report.

 I am delighted to announce that Volume 38(5) of the International Journal for the Semiotics of Law is now available online.  Many of the articles are open access.  Titles, authors  and links are provided below. Caught in the Labyrinth of Unemployment: A Legal Analysis of Technology’s Transformative Role in Reshaping Active Labor Policies in GreeceSofia AlexopoulouOriginalPaper27 November 2024Pages: 1521 - 1541A Diachronic Analysis of Latinisms in the Decisions of the UK Supreme CourtPatrizia GiampieriOriginalPaper18 December 2024Pages: 1543 - 1556Lying Detection Through Reality Monitoring: Evidence from Jordanian ArabicGhaida YousefMarwan JarrahAbdel Rahman Mitib AltakhainehOriginalPaper20 January 2025Pages: 1557 - 1578Dissenting with Conviction and Deference: Boosters and Hedges in Nigerian Supreme Court DissentsFlorence Oluwaseyi DanielOriginalPaper30 January 2025Pages: 1579 - 1602Sociosemiotic Framing of Human Rights in Digital AgeLe ChengJahongir…

A traffic collision involving two vehicles occurred on the Rowland Boulevard onramp to southbound Highway 101 in Novato, California, on May 18, 2025, at approximately 2:01 PM. The incident involved a white Nissan SUV and a gray Toyota Camry, both of which ended up on the right-hand side of the road. Fortunately, both drivers were able to exchange their driver’s licenses and insurance information, and neither required emergency medical services. The driver of one of the vehicles reported hitting their head and shoulder but declined medical assistance at the scene. Despite the impact, both vehicles were deemed drivable, allowing the drivers to safely move them off the main roadway, minimizing further traffic disruption. Authorities remind drivers to exercise caution and remain vigilant, especially when navigating onramps and merging onto highways. While this incident did not result in severe injuries, it serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety and the…

Dentons has advised leading UK real estate investor and manager Praxis on the acquisition of the St Enoch Shopping Centre, a major retail and leisure destination in the heart of Glasgow.