Insights

My favorite scene in the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: Christmas Eve. A knock at the front door. Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) opens the door. It’s a messenger delivery of his eagerly awaited Christmas bonus—the one he hopes will be big enough to fund construction…
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Recently I wrote about a decision of United States Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore denying the Government’s application for a search warrant.  Specifically, Judge Westmore would not allow the Government to force a suspect to supply a finger, thumb, or other biometric feature (such as…
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January 1st marked the start of a truly happy new year for those who make their livings in the creative arts and for those who seek their pleasures there. That’s because January 1st marked the end of a 20-year lockdown on hundreds of important works…
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A decision handed down last week by a federal judge in Oakland, California, could – if adopted by other judges – narrow the ability of law enforcement officers to access information contained in persons’ cellphones or other mobile devices.  The ruling came in a case…
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The IRS announced yesterday that it will excuse some taxpayers who underwithheld or failed to pay enough in estimated tax payments during 2018.  This excuse, of course, does not extend to the tax itself, but to underwithholding penalties that otherwise apply under the law.  …
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“What’s in a name?” Juliet asks in Act II of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Perhaps. But when it comes to beer, a Schlafly by any other name might smell as sweet but not sell as…
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One would be hard-pressed to find someone unaware of the McDonald’s Monopoly Sweepstakes. In 1987, McDonald’s began offering Monopoly game pieces with every purchase made during the sweepstake’s period. Some game pieces were “instant winners” (entitling the customer to free menu items, like a McFlurry…
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