Seven years for keeping mum; Illinois court upholds continued civil contempt jailing for child abductor

Article Abstract:

Odell Shepard has served seven years for civil contempt for refusing to reveal the whereabout of his daughter Deborah, whom he abducted in 1984. Shepard's attorneys believe that his seven years in a Cook County, IL jail constitute the longest sentence for civil contempt in the nation's history. Civil contempt is usually reserved for making witnesses testify to a grand jury and terminates when the jury ends. Experts differ over whether this remedy is necessary or an abuse of the court's power.

Cases, Kidnapping, Parental, Parental kidnapping, Contempt of court

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See you in arbitration; most securities claims against brokers wind up out of court

Article Abstract:

Disputes between stock brokers and their customers are usually resolved through arbitration since this is the approach encouraged by the courts and many brokerage agreements contain arbitration clauses. Grounds for arbitration claims include churning, unsuitability, negligence, unauthorized trades and fraud. Defenses can include ratification, laches and some forms of estoppel. The National Assn of Securities Dealers handles most arbitration.

Services, Stockbrokers, Negotiation, mediation and arbitration, Securities industry, National Association of Securities Dealers

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The Court and its critics; charges of mediocrity unfounded

Article Abstract:

The current Supreme Court is not mediocre, contrary to the view expressed by Bruce Fein in 'A Court of Mediocrity' (ABA Journal, Oct 1991). Fein's upholding of Antonin Scalia as the Court's finest is mistaken. Both Anthony Kennedy and David Souter, whom Fein labels mediocre, have shown themselves to be deserving heirs of previous conservative justices.

Evaluation, Judges, Criticism and interpretation, United States. Supreme Court, Fein, Bruce

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