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Tom Houseman's avatar

The St. Louis defense seems to genuinely be that separate but equal is in fact equal.

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SerialParkingViolator's avatar

Or at least sufficient.

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Rosemary Kirlin's avatar

This is fascinating!

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David Huberman's avatar

Muldrow was another example of the need to hire the right advocate to represent you before the Court. The Chief and Justice Kagan both seemed particularly frustrated by the quality of the arguments this morning. I felt that only OSG (and by reference, the office of the DC SG) provided clear and helpful arguments to the Court.

The academy can groan all it wants about the small and exclusive professional bar. But there's a reason they're the best. Today illustrated the need for their expertise.

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Chris Geidner's avatar

I’m not sure I agree with you 100%, but I did signal my partial agreement with aspects of this. Certainly DOJ’s presence was important, if not essential, this morning.

Also, good point about the DC brief. We’ll almost certainly see that language in the eventual opinion.

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blazintommyd's avatar

I'm unfamiliar with the St Louis case but the way you've reported it strikes me as an unconstitutional policy that may be enjoined with an order for fee bill costs ( and maybe attorney fees, because it's a civil rights matter) so there would be no issue regarding damages unless a compensatory basis could be established

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Max Eichelberger's avatar

I appreciated this exchange at oral arguments

Respondent: In our view, we think that there probably is no real de minimis exception here because of the significance of the --the injury based on a protected characteristic, that that discrimination in and of itself it seems hard to characterize as trifling or insignificant or hardly worthy of notice. But --but we think that, you know, the opinion by Judge Tatel and --and Judge Ginsburg was a very good opinion and we --we do agree with it.

JUSTICE GORSUCH: That's what I thought the answer would be.

(Laughter.)

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Joe From the Bronx's avatar

Happy Holidays as the Supreme Court is about to go on a mid-winter break. I'm sure a lot will keep you busy, with lower courts and other pending litigation.

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