Yesterday President Obama nominated Elena Kagan for a seat on our nation’s highest court to replace the outgoing John Paul Stevens.  Her impending confirmation is already met with the usual assortment of diatribes and denouncements from various members of the political community. An oft repeated critique stems from her lack of judicial experience, which was the case with previous justices, Thurgood Marshall and Earl Warren.  Another critique is that her constitutional interpretations depart from the founding values of this nation.  Others argue her brief tenure as Solicitor General – often given the moniker of the “tenth justice” – provides insight into the court’s current ideological landscape. Coupling this recent experience, with her prior 5 year post as Dean of Harvard Law School, many feel she possesses the unique skill of bringing people together.   Lady Justice continues to research what Ms. Kagan’s core constitutional beliefs are, and will update you with any breaking developments in the confirmation process.

After a 15-year legal battle, this illustrious case has hopefully ended once and for all!  Yesterday the Ninth Circuit rejected an appeal by Anna Nicole Smith’s legal team.  The appeal filed by Smith’s lawyers came only a few weeks after the court ruled in favor of J. Howard Marshall II.  The 9th Circuit’s ruling supports the Texas probate court, stating that Anna Nicole Smith was provided for during her brief marriage to Marshall thus has no further claims to his estate. This case has traveled through the state and federal court system, all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, and finally approaches closure.   The Ninth Circuit’s decision once again demonstrates why legal abuses will not be tolerated.  Smith was blessed with more than enough during her short-lived marriage with Marshall.  The time is way overdue for Smith’s players to forfeit the game.