#lawfedi — Public Fediverse posts

#LegalEthics Tidbit #StarTrekDay Edition: Can I prosecute a crime I witnessed?

A member of the Kronos bar was appointed to prosecute two Star Fleet officers for an alleged murder. The prosecutor was present when the victim died. He cross-examined one of the defendants based on his own personal knowledge of the victim’s death. Among other things, he accused the defendant of medical malpractice based on the fact that the ... (cont.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_VI:_The_Undiscovered_Country
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Is “panic” a good excuse for #AI hallucinations?

An Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) in NC “submitted a brief containing fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” that were hallucinated by #AI. The AUSA initially did not admit AI use, but claimed the “error was clerical in nature and resulted from the inadvertent filing of an unfinalized draft document.” At a later show cause hearing, the AUSA stated that ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.221403/gov.uscourts.nced.221403.131.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Is “panic” a good excuse for #AI hallucinations?

An Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) in NC “submitted a brief containing fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” that were hallucinated by #AI. The AUSA initially did not admit AI use, but claimed the “error was clerical in nature and resulted from the inadvertent filing of an unfinalized draft document.” At a later show cause hearing, the AUSA stated that ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.221403/gov.uscourts.nced.221403.131.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Is “panic” a good excuse for #AI hallucinations?

An Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) in NC “submitted a brief containing fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” that were hallucinated by #AI. The AUSA initially did not admit AI use, but claimed the “error was clerical in nature and resulted from the inadvertent filing of an unfinalized draft document.” At a later show cause hearing, the AUSA stated that ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.221403/gov.uscourts.nced.221403.131.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Is “panic” a good excuse for #AI hallucinations?

An Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) in NC “submitted a brief containing fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” that were hallucinated by #AI. The AUSA initially did not admit AI use, but claimed the “error was clerical in nature and resulted from the inadvertent filing of an unfinalized draft document.” At a later show cause hearing, the AUSA stated that ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.221403/gov.uscourts.nced.221403.131.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Is “panic” a good excuse for #AI hallucinations?

An Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) in NC “submitted a brief containing fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” that were hallucinated by #AI. The AUSA initially did not admit AI use, but claimed the “error was clerical in nature and resulted from the inadvertent filing of an unfinalized draft document.” At a later show cause hearing, the AUSA stated that ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.221403/gov.uscourts.nced.221403.131.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

In one of my 1782 cases, the D. Del. recently denied a motion to vacate when the documents were sought for use in prospective Italian patent infringement litigation. The courts will not allow "fishing," but when you have a basis to bring a foreign claim and you seek evidence needed to plead the case, Section 1782 can be a lifesaver.

#1782 #lawfedi

https://lettersblogatory.com/2026/09/07/case-of-the-day-in-re-biogen/

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Can I partner with an ABS if my state doesn’t allow them?

An Alternative Business Structure (ABS) is essentially a law firm owned in part by non-lawyers, which is a no-no in most states but not in AZ. SC does not allow ABS structures, but an AZ ABS wanted to find a SC lawyer to take SC lawyer cases. The deal would be that the ABS finds the clients, then gets local counsel to do most, if not ... (cont.)

https://www.scbar.org/for-lawyers/quicklinks/legal-resources/ethics-advisory-opinions/ethics-advisory-opinion-25-02/
#law #lawfedi

#LegalEthics Tidbit: Should I get sanctioned for #AI hallucinations if I clean up my own mess before anyone else has noticed?

A MS lawyer was ordered to show cause why he should not be sanctioned for hallucinated citations in a brief to a federal court. In response, the lawyer stated that he practices alone so his client, “acting in the capacity of paralegal,” drafted the brief, and the lawyer did not properly review the citations. The lawyer ... (cont.)

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.alnd.198470/gov.uscourts.alnd.198470.36.0.pdf
#law #lawfedi

Update in USA v. #Hearn the former Olympic athlete charged with destruction of the Reflecting Pool without cited evidence on a bare bones indictment which discloses nothing beyond a recitation of the statute. #LawFedi

2026/08/18 #Pirro argues for dismissal without prejudice.

Weird.

> At the outset it should be noted that the government sought this indictment in good faith after the Department of the Interior ("DOI") provided evidence, albeit incomplete, that there was vandalism to the Reflecting Pool. However, based on newly received Brady materials from DOI, the government could not sustain its burden that the defendant's actions caused further damage to the lined beyond the condition that Bay 4 was already in. Accordingly, consistent both with its evidence, its burden of proof, and its ethical obligations, the government was required to move to dismiss the case pursuant to Rule 48. This, however, does not suggest that there was no vandalism to other areas of the Reflecting Pool.

① If more evidence from the DOI suggests there was no crime here, then doesn't make the decision to go to the grand jury with the incomplete evidence suspect?

② What *did* you tell the Grand Jury to get this indictment on incomplete evidence?

③ Where is support for government ethic beyond the pragmatism of noticing the emperor has no clothes?

④ Even if other vandals did damage elsewhere, why does this case not require dismissal with prejudice?

⑤ Why does Pirro credit eyewitnesses partially (page 3 drops the "violently" adverb (page 4) on Hearn's alleged pulling on the liner).

⑥ If warranty repair, how can there be economic damage?

⑦ What new evidence could support re-indictment?

Hearing 2026/09/04

Update in USA v. #Hearn 2026 CF2 010237, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, , the former Olympic athlete charged with destruction of the Reflecting Pool without cited evidence on a bare bones indictment which discloses nothing beyond a recitation of the statute. #LawFedi

2026/08/14 Hearn's attorney's point out for a Government which moved to dismiss they are still making prosecute noises on the same meritless record and also include a list of all the evidence they are owed but the government is slow walking esp. as it shows what the government knew before it charged Hearn.

Update in USA v. #Hearn 2026 CF2 010237, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, , the former Olympic athlete charged with destruction of the Reflecting Pool without cited evidence on a bare bones indictment which discloses nothing beyond a recitation of the statute. #LawFedi https://eaccess.dccourts.gov/eaccess/

2026/08/06 The judge dismissed the indictment with the decision on whether it is with prejudice following the upcoming 2026/09/04 hearing.

2026/08/18 Deadline for Pirro's argument of why it should not be with prejudice.

2026/08/25 (or 7 days after Pirro) Hearn gets to reply to Pirro's arguments.

Update in USA v. #Hearn the former Olympic athlete charged with destruction of the Reflecting Pool without cited evidence on a bare bones indictment which discloses nothing beyond a recitation of the statute. #LawFedi

2026/08/04 We have the motion in opposition to #JeaninePirro's motion to dismiss.

Like all thinking human beings, Hearn's lawyers say dismissal without prejudice is not enough, make it with prejudice and let everyone know #Trump, the #DOJ, and the Department of the Interior is lying.

https://legacy.www.documentcloud.org/documents/28537115-260804-hearn-response-to-mtd

> Here, amid extraordinary political pressure and public pronouncements from President Trump demanding action, and in apparent disregard for their special duties as prosecutors, USAO-DC rushed to obtain a public felony indictment. It did so without a meaningful investigation into the central and obvious question in this case: whether Mr. Hearn caused, or even could have caused, any damage to the ... Pool ... at all. Instead, the government relied on unsworn statements and grand jury testimony riddled with uncertainties and inconsistencies, and disregarded readily available evidence ... that the liner that had been applied to the Pool was already failing because of installation defects. Defying both decency and common sense, the government proceeded to indict ... before it had obtained or evaluated the information necessary to establish a good-faith basis for the charge.

> Should the Court determine that additional factual development is needed to support dismissal with prejudice, the Court should grant Mr. Heamn’s pending request for disclosure of the grand jury materials or, in the alternative, conduct an in camera review before deciding whether [DwP] is appropriate

2026/08/04 Update in USA v. #Hearn the former Olympic athlete charged with destruction of the Reflecting Pool without cited evidence on a bare bones indictment which discloses nothing beyond a recitation of the statute. #LawFedi

2026/07/31-2026/08/03 The three misdemeanor cases against others 2026 CMD 010450, 2026 CMD 010451, and 2026 CMD 010494 were terminated with Nolle Prosequi notices. By Rule 48(a)(1) this is without prejudice. All three had stay-away orders (from D.C.? from the Reflecting Pool?) but the alerts and perhaps orders were "modified" in some non-transparent way.

2026/08/04 After #JeaninePirro is called on the carpet by #Trump for doing the minimum of pointing out that these 4 cases don't have a leg to stand on despite Trump and the DOI's statements, the judge cancels the 2026/08/06 status hearing and the 2026/09/28 trial date, and repurposes the 2026/09/11 hearing to a status hearing to see if the #DOJ can even articulate what should happen next in the Hearn case.

If #LawFedi knows any attorneys with their own #LawFirm and motivation to grow, there is a trial of what a niche #SmallBusiness coaching program is all about on June 3rd in #Atlanta.

It's an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, the goal being to get real exposure for what’s possible at the next level, and see the value of #coaching by actually being in the room.

https://info.crisp.co/million-dollar-day-2025

#PersonalInjury #Immigration #FamilyLaw #CriminalDefense #PlaintiffsLawyers #lawyers

Hi all! I studied computer science with a focus on RTOS and FP/PL, but I graduated law school earlier this year. I practice at a boutique firm that primarily handles IP cases. I foilboard and I play way too many rhythm games in and out of the arcade.

I contribute to open source projects where I can, and I write up my experience in my digital garden which I’ve been maintaining for 2 years now. It’s also a good place to find usage tips for projects/tools that you might want to use.

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My passion for tech also includes privacy, and I’m an advocate for minimizing your digital footprint. GenAI is a scam and its purveyors are causing real harm while they sell it as hard as they can.

Follow me for: #selfhosting #digitalgardening #privacy #lawfedi #section230 #copyright #patents #rustlang #gleam #haskell #RSS #neovim #NixOS #zotero #tmux #alacritty #linux #egpu #qemu #arch #archlinux #GNOME #watches #watchmaking #obsidian #obsidianmd #thunderbird #fpv #mechkeys #mechkeeb #mechanicalkeyboard #matrix #signal #fido2 #passkeys #dancerushstardom

#Introduction time!

I grew up in the #NorthBay & have family there, but now live in #Sacramento with my husband. I’m a #nonprofit #attorney #advocate who works on public benefits & #SocialServices #law.

Interests & practice areas: #EconomicJustice, #DisabilityRights #EnvironmentalJustice, #DEI, #GovernmentTransparency, #Equity, & #UserCenteredDesign.

I follow #CALeg, #CAwx, & #LocalNews closely as well as #USPol.

Looking forward to connecting with other #California #NorCal & #LawFedi folks!