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Pa. high court fast tracks juvenile lifer appeals
Law & Court News |
2012/08/08 12:53
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Pennsylvania's highest court is moving quickly to determine how to respond to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles aren't constitutional.
The Sentencing Project, an advocacy group based in Washington, has said Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of juvenile lifers.
The state Supreme Court scheduled oral argument for Sept. 13 in a pair of cases that will determine what to do about the hundreds of people serving such sentences, as well as how to handle the issue going forward.
The 5-to-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision issued June 25 still makes it possible for juveniles to get life, but it can't be automatic.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections says 373 lifers were under age 18 at the time they were sentenced.
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Pettler & Miller LLP - Experienced Estate Planning Attorneys
Law Firm Blog News |
2012/08/07 11:50
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Pettler & Miller LLP focuses in the area of probate and trust law. Our extensive knowledge in the field allows us to offer advice, document drafting as well as other required or appropriate litigation based on your situation. Our estate planning attorneys handle all cases involving estate planning, probate, trust administration, conservatorships, guardianships and probate/trust and related litigation.
Our personalized services to our clients give you the attention you deserve with our ability to work closely to custom draft documents combined with representation in future court proceedings and litigation. While we represent individuals, we also have worked frequently with private professional fiduciaries as well as banks and trust companies.
We pride ourselves in working closely within the community and have been active in the area since 1935. Pettler & Miller supports the court system and the community involved. Many of our attorneys and staff members are actively involved in events with the legal community and charitable organizations. |
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County's court records found in open recycling bin
Top Court Watch |
2012/08/04 17:05
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Court administrators in Madison County say they'll do a better job of disposing of public records after court documents turned up in an open recycling bin.
The Alton Telegraph reports that one of its reporters responding to a tip found hundreds of the court records plainly visible in the container outside the county's complex in Wood River.
The records showed names of victims, including minors, dates of birth, addresses, telephone numbers, detailed accounts of why an order of protection was needed and Social Security numbers.
Madison County Interim Circuit Clerk Judy Nelson says a hauler who waited a couple of weeks to cart off the documents won't be used again. Nelson says the records instead will be disposed of immediately. |
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Court spurns religious claim to name change
Law & Court News |
2012/08/02 17:05
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An appeals court has rejected a Kansas man's claim that the federal justice system's refusal to recognize his new Muslim name violates his constitutional religious rights.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Michael White failed to show it was unreasonable to deny his request to amend all records in his criminal case.
A lower court held that replacing the name Michael White with Abdul Hakeem Kareem Mujahid in all federal court records would create confusion.
Mujahid is serving 10 years at a prison in Colorado for killing another inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth. A Kansas court granted his petition to change his name in December 2010.
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Pa.'s tough, new voter ID law heads to court
Top Court Watch |
2012/07/27 11:51
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The first legal test for Pennsylvania's tough new voter identification law is arriving.
A state Commonwealth Court judge will begin a hearing Wednesday on whether to block the law from taking effect in this year's election while the court considers a challenge to its constitutionality.
The hearing could last a week.
The law is the subject of a furious debate over voting rights as Pennsylvania is poised to play a key role in deciding the presidential contest in the Nov. 6 election.
Republicans say it's necessary to prevent fraud. But Democrats say it's an election-year scheme to steal the White House and contend that there's no track record of fraud that it would prevent.
Republican Gov. Tom Corbett signed the law in March without a single Democratic lawmaker supporting it.
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