Judicial

Judicial Controversy: Woman Who Fatally Stabbed Man 100+ Times During Marijuana-Induced Psychosis Avoids Prison

by

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A judge ruled on Tuesday that a woman who fatally stabbed a man more than 100 times during a “marijuana-induced psychotic state” will not serve any prison time. Bryn Spejcher, a resident of Thousand Oaks, California, has instead been sentenced to 100 hours of community service and two years of probation for the deadly attack on Chad O’Melia. The incident occurred on May 27, 2018, after the two individuals smoked marijuana together. It was revealed in court that Spejcher entered a state of psychosis shortly after inhaling the drug. Deputy Prosecutor … Read more

Federal Judge Strikes Down Iowa’s Gender Balance Law on Judicial Nominating Commission

by

DES MOINES, Iowa — A federal judge has ruled that a decades-old Iowa law requiring gender balance on the state’s top judicial nominating commission is no longer constitutional and cannot be enforced. The law, which was implemented in the 1980s, mandates that the commission recommending candidates to fill vacancies on Iowa’s appellate courts must have an equal number of male and female members. The decision came as a result of a lawsuit filed by attorneys from the Pacific Legal Foundation challenging the law, arguing that it violated the equal protection guarantees of the 14th Amendment. … Read more

Antitrust Trials Highlight Persistent Issue of Judicial Activism: Will Judges Make or Break Mergers?

by

Boston, MA – Antitrust law and the issue of merger enforcement continue to be plagued by judicial activism, straying from the conservative legal movement’s principles of interpreting the law rather than shaping it. The Clayton Act, enacted in 1914, tasked the Department of Justice with assessing whether a merger would “substantially lessen competition” or create a monopoly in any industry. However, recent antitrust trials have demonstrated that some courts are willing to allow anticompetitive actions, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. One such trial in Boston involves JetBlue’s proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit … Read more

Local Attorney Brennan Keeler Appointed as Judge for the 19th Judicial Circuit by Governor DeSantis

by

HOBE SOUND, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed attorney Brennan Keeler as a judge for the 19th Judicial Circuit in Hobe Sound. Keeler, who is based in Hobe Sound, has a background in criminal prosecution and legal counsel on the Treasure Coast. This appointment comes after the retirement of former Circuit Court Judge Robert Belanger, who had held the seat for nearly two decades. Before his appointment, Keeler represented the Palm Beach County police officers’ union. His career history, as detailed in his application to the nominating commission of the 19th Judicial Circuit, shows … Read more