Entymology and the Supreme Court

 Today, this news. I lifted the Yahoo article because it had a good picture of Justice Ginsburg's jabot, but the information is being reported all over. To my knowledge, Justice Ginsburg is the first to have an insect named after her.

Researchers name praying mantis species after Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her fancy collar

Brian Koerber

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June 1, 2016

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Leaving a legacy is important to many people, and some would be honored to have anything to carry on their name — a street, a town, maybe even a bug?

Well, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known to all as the Notorious RBG, was just honored with her very own species of praying mantis. 

SEE ALSO: Ruth Bader Ginsburg sent a Redditor a sweet thank you for handmade collar

According to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, scientists have successfully used female genitalia to identify different species of praying mantises. Using this process, they have discovered a new mantis, which has been named Ilomantis ginsburgae, in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Ginsburg, a beloved 83-year-old supreme court justice, active feminist and oldest member of the highest court in the country was honored "for her relentless fight for gender equality."

Additionally, the bug's neck plate sort of looks like a jabot, which Ginsburg is well known for sporting around her neck. 

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Image: Washington Post/Getty Images

To read the full article, click here.

Dog Lawyers?

(Not to be confused with the dogs on the Supreme Court thing.)

How can I not post this? From today's ABA Journal:

Dog lawyer also advocates for parakeet

Posted Feb 02, 2016 05:00 pm CST

By Martha Neil

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inShare4

Boston Dog Lawyers specializes in the defense of canines deemed to be recalcitrant.
That can be a tough gig: At least once, attorney Jeremy Cohen told the Boston Herald, a client bit him.
“It’s kind of hard to advocate for a dog in a dog-biting case when he bites you,” Cohen said, “but I don’t have to disclose it. Attorney-client privilege.”
However, owners can be very attached to their pets, treating them as family members, so such legal representation is much-needed.
And it isn’t only dogs who benefit from his services: The owner of a parakeet sought his help in recouping some $5,000 in veterinary bills that resulted from claimed malpractice.
Due to improper restraint of the bird during treatment, he essentially bit off its own toe, Cohen says, which is a significant problem because the parakeet needs to sleep while perched.
“The woman said to me, ‘I don’t have any children. This is my baby.’ ” Cohen recounted. “So it’s serious to her.”

It Doesn't Get Any Better than This

I believe I've written about this case before. This is the one where the paralegal from one firm met opposing counsel in a bar and seduced him into drinking with her until he was drunk. She then played on his chivalry (yep, that's what we'll call it) to persuade him to get her car for her because she was too drunk. As soon as he headed for the parking lot, she and her supervising attorneys notified the police that he would be driving drunk.

Things didn't turn out as the paralegal and her firm had anticipated. Opposing counsel was not charged with drunken driving, but the paralegal's supervisors are facing some heavy discipline from the Florida state disciplinary commission.

To pick up on today's development--it appears that the disciplinary commission is relying on a confession by the paralegal which may have been illegally videotaped by her estranged husband. (Hardly a surprise that marriage isn't working out.) Florida law forbids videotaping persons without their consent, and while hubby says he held his cell phone in plain view, he's not positive she knew he was recording and he's sure she didn't expressly consent. Given that she was apparently quite inebriated herself that evening, it's unclear that her consent would have been valid had it been given.

Also of note: Jezebel Paralegal's firm is representing their client, a "shock jock" DJ, against a defamation claim by someone who goes by "Bubba the Love Sponge Clem."

This looks like it'll be a case that just keeps on giving.

Jezebel Paralegal and Bubba the Love Sponge

Apology, and Another Story about a Paralegal Saving the Day

Wow! I have been offline for an entire month. My apologies! My St. Patrick's Day Resolution (because it's as good a day as any, that's why) is to be on here 2-3 times per week.

This is an excellent story to come back with. Hopefully, you'll never have to explain why the attorney you work for had a bag of marijuana fall out of his pocket in court, but if you do, this example should be instructive.
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/bag_of_marijuana_falls_from_lawyers_pocket_in_court_paralegal_provides_expl

A Contracts Video: Frigaliment 

(The Chicken Case)

Here's a very creative video involving a musical interpretation of a famous contracts case. Perhaps this will help clarify contract law for some of you. Perhaps it will spark your own creative muse. Or maybe it will just make you smile. Regardless, it's definitely worthwhile.

Bizarre Legal Story of the Day

Here's a story out of Portland, Oregon. In Portland, it appears that it is legal to ride a bicycle while naked, but not to play the violin. 

I can't make this stuff up. 

Our would-be naked violinist is bringing a civil rights suit in an effort to make sense of it all for us. Kudos. 

http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/naked_man_arrested_after_playing_violin_outside_federal_courthouse_seeks_1