Teri_Kanefield

Teri_Kanefield, 4 days ago to random

Hi, Fediverse:

Whew. I finished this week's blog post. Do your thing, Mastodon.

https://terikanefield.com/beware-the-lawyers-follow-up/

It's a follow up from last week, answering some of the questions and comments I got.

In response to people telling me that I am overestimating the ability of people to decode legal news, I attempt to prove this hypothesis:

If people stop listening to legal pundits speculating, they wouldn’t feel confused and they wouldn’t think they need help from lawyers decoding the news.

1/

Teri_Kanefield, 4 days ago to random

When people show me hostility, they often speak in the first person plural.

(I blocked this person, so don't pile on him.)

It's group think. It's also mob-like to think that a group of citizens can change the pace or outcome of a criminal investigation.

Teri_Kanefield, 9 days ago to random

When the prosecution rests in the Manhattan case, I plan to read the transcripts so far looking for evidence that supports the elements of particular crimes.

This is my thing: Reading trial transcripts. My job was reading trial transcripts looking for appealable errors.

Shall I tell you my favorite moment in a transcript?

The defendant (yes, my client) walked in to court with baggy pants. The judge (a woman) was offended and angry. She thought the defendant was disrespecting her.

1/

Teri_Kanefield, 9 days ago to random

Now that my son (the youngest) is 20 and in college, he will occasionally ask me for writing advice.

After looking at his thesis and intro: "Good set up! Now you need to think of a bunch of smart things to say."

(It's an art history class comparing paintings)

😂

Teri_Kanefield, 11 days ago (edited 11 days ago) to random

Okay, I wrote the blog post I said I'd write: A more thoughtful explanation of why I refused to answer a few questions this week.

It's here: https://terikanefield.com/beware-the-lawyers/

This blog post could have been called “Why you don’t need a lawyer to answer your questions about legal issues in the news.”

Mostly it’s about former TV pundit Peter Arenella’s piece that I posted earlier.

If you get the error message, this is why:
https://news.itsfoss.com/mastodon-link-problem/

Just wait a minute and try again.

Teri_Kanefield, 14 days ago to random

I am getting questions across a few soical media sites about the ongoing trials.

I gave some quick answers about the problems with this.

Maybe, for my next blog post, I should offer a more thoughtful and thorough answer about what a lawyer can actually say that is valuable as a trial progresses.

It will probably appeal to my geekiest readers and annoy everyone else.

Maybe I should call it: "Beware the Lawyers." (Like "beware the Ides of March" but worse.)

Teri_Kanefield, 18 days ago (edited 18 days ago) to random

Hi, Fedipeeps: I have my weekend blog post ready:

https://terikanefield.com/the-ninth-amendment-and-law-and-politics-of-reproductive-rights/

This time it's fun with Constitutional Law.

As a few people pointed out, this is the reason some of you get error messages:
https://news.itsfoss.com/mastodon-link-problem/

Teri_Kanefield, 18 days ago to random

I know the joke for May 4th is May the Fourth Be With You.

I prefer Metaphors Be With You.

Teri_Kanefield, 20 days ago to random

Of course the problem has gotten worse since 1998.

This explains how news junkies who consume lots of legal opinions like this: "this is a strong case!" or "the special counsel is screwing up!" end up less informed and more unhinged from facts and reality.

https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1246&context=uclf

2/

Teri_Kanefield, 20 days ago (edited 20 days ago) to random

I am currently re-reading Peter Arenella's "The Perils of TV Legal Punditry" published by the University of Chicago Legal Forum.

He wrote this in 1998, when the problem was just getting started.

(I'm taking notes as I read because, you know, decades of habit.)

It's here:
https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1246&context=uclf

He predicted what the scholars I quoted in my pinned series say about the "cottage industry" of TV lawyering.

1/

Teri_Kanefield, 24 days ago to random

I am going to answer this question for everyone:

https://mastodon.social/@timothyjohnson@mastodon.sdf.org/112349635246409685

My answer is here:

https://mastodon.social/

Remember:

There were possible crimes, but tax and reporting crimes are not election interference.

There is also a circular thing with Cohen and Pecker telling the court that they expected Trump to pay back the hush money payments.

If they expected to get paid back, it was a loan to Trump and not a contribution. Right?

Teri_Kanefield, 25 days ago to random

Okay, I finished this week's blog post.

This took me a long time.

About 3 hours ago, I was sure it made sense. Then I kept working. I hope it still makes sense LOL.

https://terikanefield.com/wheres-the-beef-trumps-manhattan-criminal-case-and-some-mind-bending-legal-puzzles/

I discuss the criminal liability for behaving like a gold-plated bucket of slime and offer a few mind-bending legal puzzles.

It's super fun, sort of.

Teri_Kanefield, 25 days ago to random

I am almost finished with this week's blog post.

Meanwhile, my 3-year old neice (grand niece? what do I call my niece's daughter?) taught me to play hide and seek.

Here's how:

💠 I tell her where I'll hide.
💠She closes her eyes and counts to 10.
💠When she reaches 10, she opens her eyes and looks for me.
💠It does't take long to find me.
💠Then we laugh.

I suspect I am supposed to tell her where I will hide so she doesn't feel scared when she opens her eyes and doesn't see me.

Teri_Kanefield, 25 days ago to random

By the way, I always post here first because people will tell me my errors (without being rude LOL).

I don't hire a proofreader because I don't monetize. I feel like I should get double pay for today's blog post, but 2 x zero = zero 😂

Also I tend to discuss ideas here first because I get so many smart and interesting responses.

I think I've either muted, blocked, or scared away the people who like to yell at me.

Teri_Kanefield, 28 days ago to random

From the sound of the ferocious and alarmed barking, you'd think the house was on fire.

Teri_Kanefield, 29 days ago (edited 29 days ago) to random

If you read my weekend blog post, you know that I've been pointing out that the predicate crime in the Trump trial is not clear.

(For what I mean, see my weekend blog post).

Here is what the Washington Post reported.

See screenshots #1 and #2.

Here is the law: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ELN/17-152?utm_medium=email&wpisrc=nl-nationalpopup&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=wp_the_trump_trials

To be clear: I have no idea how this trial will turn out. I cannot substitute my judgment for the jury because I am not seeing what they are seeing.

1/

Teri_Kanefield, 29 days ago to random

Today is an important anniversary.

73 years ago, on April 23, 1951, in Farmville, VA, Barbara Johns led a walkout of her segregated high school to protest the unfair and deplorable conditions of her school.

What?! You don’t know who Barbara Johns was?

She led her walkout more than 4 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, and before MLK, Jr. embraced nonviolence as the way to equality.

1/

Teri_Kanefield, 29 days ago (edited 29 days ago) to random

I just learned that Jed Shugerman wrote a piece for the New York Times evaluating Bragg's case.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/opinion/bragg-trump-trial.html

Edited: I have now read it, thanks Joel.
As I have done, Jed leaves open the possibility that the prosecution may develop the case better.

@joelman in the comments offered a gift link. Thanks again.

My weekend blog post should help anyone with questions.

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago to random

I am now going to share the recipe for how to make perfect matzo balls.

Legal and political analysis PLUS recipes.

Joan (my favorite person) made the best matzo balls. A few decades ago, I was assigned the task of bringing the matzo balls to the Seder. Naturally, I called Joan for her recipe.

I’ve been using her recipe ever since, and now I am the one famous in our family for the best matzo balls.

Here is the trick. . .

1/

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago to random

Has anyone seen the preliminary jury instructions in the Trump Manhattan trial?

They were read to the jury today, but I haven't seen them.

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago to random

Hi, Fediverse Peeps,

I have my weekend blog post ready.

https://terikanefield.com/trumps-first-criminal-trial-theories-of-the-case/

Because my sanity requires a bit of a break from social media, my thoughts are all going into my weekend blog posts.

The comments are off, but please feel free to let me know here if I made an error. I don't hire a proofreader (duh, right?)

(If you get the error message wait a minute and try again. If you have an idea for how to fix it other than using a cache plug in, which didn't work, let me know.)

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago to random

On a different topic, someone just told me that Post.news is shutting down.

I looked and, sure enough:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/19/24135011/twitter-alternative-post-news-shutdown

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago (edited 1 month ago) to random

Appeals are always on everyone's mind during a criminal trial.

If evidence shouldn't have been admitted, (and the defense objects) the defendant will have a strong appeal.

In California, all defendants have a right to appeal from adverse rulings in criminal, dependency, and involuntary commitment cases.

So everyone in criminal court knows that later, an appellate lawyer would scrutinize the record.

I know something about this. My job was handling appeals for indigents.

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago to random

I'm deleting because I didn't realize the transcript came in.

I didn't follow closely enough today to comment.

Basically theyr'e deciding what can come in as evidence.

Teri_Kanefield, 1 month ago (edited 1 month ago) to random

A random thought on a Sunday morning as I look at my backyard:

Interior decorating is easier than landscape design because the furniture and pictures don't keep growing. Everything stays the same color and the same size.

Adding: I live on the Central California Coast, so by color I meant that the succulents sometimes turn yellow and during flooding I get green stuff on the bricks.