News Roundup

Published for NC Criminal Law on November 11, 2011.

One can describe today in many ways. Perhaps most importantly, it is Veterans Day, a chance to appreciate those who have served in our nation's armed forces. If you have served, thank you. Today is also a Friday, which means a news roundup day. And today is the first day of the college basketball season, with UNC tipping off against Michigan State on an aircraft carrier. So, a big day, following a big week: 1. The United States Supreme Court heard oral argument in United States v. Jones, the GPS tracking case. Every news report I've seen says that the Justices were all over the map and that there is absolutely no telling how they will rule. Whatever the ruling, it will be hugely important. Even the argument attracted so much attention that spectators were camping out overnight at the Court to be first in line for tickets. 2. The state supreme court reversed the court of appeals in Yencer, the Davidson College DWI case about which I blogged here. In a nutshell, the court ruled that Davidson is sufficiently secular that allowing it to have a police force does not violate the Establishment Clause. I may do a longer post about the case once I've had a chance to digest the opinion more fully. 3. NarTest, the maker of portable controlled substance testing devices, recently filed for bankruptcy. I know almost nothing about bankruptcy law, but the case appears to be a Chapter 7 liquidation, not a Chapter 11 reorganization. [...]