Chief Justice Roberts issued this year-end report, discussing how the courts dealt with natural disasters and how they will deal with sexual harassment. Here’s the intro:
In October 1780, while American patriots engaged the British in decisive battles for independence, a storm was brewing in the Caribbean. The Great Hurricane of 1780—the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record— tracked a course from the Lesser Antilles to Bermuda, leaving a trail of destruction that touched both Florida and Puerto Rico. Historians estimate that more than 20,000 people died. The “Great Hurricane” was just one of several storms that ravaged the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico that fall. In all, more than 28,000 perished. Nearly two and a half centuries later, we remain vulnerable to natural catastrophes. Modern communication has enhanced our ability to learn of impending disasters, take precautions, and respond to those in need. But today’s news cycle can also divert attention from the continuing consequences of calamities. The torrent of information we now summon and dispense at the touch of a thumb can sweep past as quickly as the storm itself, causing us to forget the real life after-affects for those left in misfortune’s wake.
***
Court emergency preparedness is not headline news, even on a slow news day. But it is important to assure the public that the courts are doing their part to anticipate and prepare for emergency response to people in need.
8 comments:
This report is the USSC’s excuse for not closing for national disasters, or extending deadlines, like the FLSC did for Hurricane Irma.
CJ Roberts wrote on page 10: "Congress has provided that, "All courts of the United States shall be deemed always open for the purpose of filing proper papers, issuing and returning process, and making motions and orders." 28 U.S.C. § 452."
That has not been my experience, rain or shine. Federal courts run on banker’s hours, except they are not open late on Friday.
A Kozinski storm was brewing for 30 years and everyone looked the other way. No self awareness in the report.
2:28 am
First, 2:28 am??? You need a life.
Second, CMECF open all night.
1. Where is the (almost mandatory) complaint about judges being underpaid which threatens the foundations of our civilization? Rehnquist started it and Roberts continued it. But not here.
2. The appendix is more interesting than the report. There is a decline in filings across the board (1% increase in cvil appeals). Hopefully, this fact will lessen the demands for new judges, etc.
Kozinski?
What about Justice Thomas sexually harassing Anita Hill?
CJ, if you are going to clean house, start with your own house.
@10:05 AM
Re: "Second, CMECF open all night."
Nonlawyer pro se litigants cannot use CM/ECF in the Middle District of Fla., the U.S. Eleventh Circuit, or the new USSC e-file.
https://www.supremecourt.gov/filingandrules/electronicfiling.aspx
See the Appendix, Workload of the Courts. While the USSC does not show figures for nonlawyer pro se cases, I believe most IFP cases are pro se.
USSC: IFP docket, 4,755 filings in the 2016 Term
USSC: Paid docket, 1,550 filings in the 2016 Term
COA: "In the regional courts of appeals, filings fell 16 percent to 50,506. Appeals involving pro se litigants, which amounted to 50 percent of filings, declined 20 percent..."
DC: No figures are provided for pro se cases in the district courts, otherwise see the COA 50 percent number. Tellingly, "Increases also occurred in filings related to traffic offenses, regulatory offenses, and justice system offenses." Justice system offenses, a.k.a. civil rights/section 1983 cases, many or most pro se.
Re: "First, 2:28 am??? You need a life."
Oh, you again. Look, this isn’t a dating site, but I’m happy to consider offers by ladies who enjoy the company of a cranky old man who works at night.
Also, see Kozinski on the Dating Game (and Squiggy, too!)
https://youtu.be/OdjCdbGucCU
@10:05 AM, and follow-up to my 4:24 PM
Re: "Second, CMECF open all night."
This is what the new USSC e-file page looks like for my two nonlawyer, pro se, petitions for writ of certiorari currently before the USSC, responses due January 10, 2018. I mailed both petitions in paper to the USSC. Certain pleadings were scanned by the USSC. The pleadings shown on the USSC website are limited to the IFP motion, the petition, the appendix, and pos. For all the separate volume appendices, see my blog or Scribd.
USSC Docket for 17-7053 (Supreme Court of Florida Case #SC17-1570)
https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docket/docketfiles/html/public%5C17-7053.html
USSC Docket for 17-7054 (Supreme Court of Florida Case #SC17-1572)
https://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docket/docketfiles/html/public\17-7054.html
US Supreme Court petitions, reverse mortgage foreclosure
https://nosueorg.blogspot.com/2017/12/us-supreme-court-petitions-reverse.html
SCOTUS Petition No. 17-7053
https://www.scribd.com/lists/21774932/
SCOTUS Petition No. 17-7054
https://www.scribd.com/lists/21775237/
I think Roberts was, slyly, trying to show that there was Global warming super-storms in 1780.
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