General
« Previous Entries Next Entries »A different way to tackle the juror-internet problem
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008Fine the jurors. Under new laws in Victoria, jurors can now be fined up to A$13,000 for conducting online research during a trial.
Open letter to Reading Cinemas
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008I like your comfy seats. But you know that ad you run with the fat guy in front of the TV, stuffing himself with chippies? The one where one of the books gets fed up with him and flies through the air to drive him off the couch and out the door that swings open […]
And speaking of defamation lawsuits involving fisheries…
Thursday, September 25th, 2008The Simunovich case (discussed below) isn’t the same as Winston Peters’ defamation lawsuit against TVNZ, Radio NZ and others about the fisheries issues – the case that saw Rodney Hide ejected from the House late last month. Peters fumed that Hide was improperly trying to raise issues during question time that were being contested in […]
Public meeting on Urerewa raids
Monday, September 22nd, 2008I’m speaking at a public meeting tonight on the contempt of court aspects of the Urewera raids. The meeting is organised by supporters of the defendants, and will also include a discussion of the broader issues around the raids, and the Search and Surveillance Powers Bill. I’m not a member of the October 15th solidarity […]
The value of the press
Monday, September 1st, 2008From Winston Peters’ blog: Today we have been doing some jobs at home, pausing occaisionally [sic] to look out the window at the teams of journalists, camera people and photographers camping on the footpath. At the same time, it occurred to me that the money spent on these people could be used on a force […]
Hooten boasts of flouting the law
Sunday, August 24th, 2008I guess you have to admire Matthew Hooten’s honesty for admitting that, as a Beehive staffer, he’s advised departments to breach the Official Information Act. And I don’t doubt that this government does the same thing. But I find this high-fiving about it pretty sickening: As a Beehive staffer in the 1990s, I regularly “suggested” that […]
The media’s revenge
Monday, July 28th, 2008A MailOnline profile on Justice Eady: “As cold as a frozen haddock, Mr Justice Eady hands down his views shorn of moral balance”. Mean. News of the World strikes back, too.
Jesus, this law sucks
Sunday, July 27th, 2008A belated note: the UK has abolished the offence of blasphemy. It was a stupid offence for any number of reasons, not least of which is that it only applies to insulting Christianity. I’m with Norightturn, who reckons it’s time to follow suit in NZ. Blasphemous libel is still in the Crimes Act. There has […]
Book Review: Thomas’s muscular take on the project of judging
Friday, June 27th, 2008“The Judicial Process: Realism, Pragmatism, Practical Reasoning and Principles” By Justice E.W. Thomas Cambridge University Press Don’t be put off by the scholarly title. For anyone with an interest in judging, this is a readable and provocative critique of the way many judges go about their job. Justice Ted Thomas’s views about his craft are […]
Desperately seeking relief
Thursday, June 19th, 2008Readers will know I’m a generally fan of free speech. But I would support a ban on the use, by all politicians in every election year, of the word “desperate”.
« Previous Entries Next Entries »