tagged w/ judicial hearings
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U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo issued an order today that partially grants former judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan’s motion for judicial immunity in the kids for cash case.
In a 26-page opinion, Caputo said he realized his ruling would not be popular, but he believes the legal interpretation of the judicial immunity clause left him no choice but to grant the former jurists immunity.
Caputo said Ciavarella and Conahan are immune from liability for all actions they took in the courtroom. For Ciavarella, that includes decisions relating to the alleged wrongful incarceration of juveniles.
Caputo said he realizes that decision will not be popular, but he had no choice given the interpretation of the doctrine of judicial immunity.
Caputo so granted Conahan’s motion for immunity related to courtroom actions. But he denied the Conahan’s immunity claim relating to his signing of a placement agreement with PA Child Care that guaranteed the firm more than $1 million annually. Caputo determined that act was not judicial in nature, thus it was not subject to judicial immunity.U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo issued an order today that partially grants... more
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Firefighters testify, but not everyone's listening
Thur Jul 16, 3:15 pm ET
Not everyone showed up to hear the Republicans' star witness testify: the firefighter at the center of a controversial reverse-discrimination case much-discussed during Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearing.
Frank Ricci told his story -- but he didn't mention Sotomayor by name in his statement. He did say the case at hand was not about his dyslexia, but about fairness. "The more attention our case got, the more some people tried to distort it," Ricci said. "We sought basic fairness and even-handed enforcement of the laws, something all Americans believe in."
Ben Vargas, another firefighter, also testified the focus of the case should have been on what he did to deserve a promotion. He said: "The focus should not have been on me being Hispanic."
Only the following senators heard their statements -- Ben Cardin of Maryland, Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania for the Democrats; Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Orrin Hatch of Utah, John Cornyn of Texas, and Lindsey Graham for the Republicans. Only Leahy appeared to be reading, the rest listened intently.
The two firefighters filed a reverse discrimination suit that Sotomayor joined in dismissing. The Supreme Court reversed that decision last month. The case has proved a leading cause for conservatives opposed to Sotomayor. The judge's critics have criticized her for dismissing the firefighters' arguments without a hearing. They were trying to win promotions they said they earned on an examination that the city administered.Firefighters testify, but not everyone's listening
Thur Jul 16, 3:15 pm ET... more
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