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New website for Parker v. DC case
Plaintiffs'/Respondents' attorneys have established a new website and blog covering the case, complete with FAQ. So far as I know, it's the first time a Supreme Court appeal has had either a website or a blog. Most appeals are so ... twentieth century, if you know what I mean.
Update: yep, I'd agree that by this point everyone knows everyone else's arguments by heart. Thought I did think DC went a bit overboard by setting out a lot of their merits arguments in the cert. petition, because that gave everyone their new position, in lots of detail, months before any merits briefs would be due. If there are any tactical calls that should be kept quiet, I would be sure they won't appear in the blog!
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Can anyone comment on the wisdom of the two contesting sides airing their arguments and opinions before final briefs are even submitted to the Supreme Court? I'm not a lawyer, but I would think you would want to keep your power dry, or keep your strategy and tactics to yourself until actually locked in battle. Anyone have any insights on this?
I suspect the Supremes are the LEAST likely of any judges to be influenced by any items posted on line (assuming they even see them) and the parties have pretty well exposed their legal theories to each other over the past few years. I doubt there is much "strategy" to keep close to a vest at this stage of the case.
The Hiibel case (on whether refusing to show ID to a police officer on demand could be a state offense, or if the refusal was Constitutionally protected) decided a year or three ago had a website prior to the Supreme Court granting cert. I don't know if the website was official.
The blog may be a first.
I'm no big time SCOTUS watcher, but I suspect that both sides are airing their arguments in order to influence public opinion. It is a pretty poorly kept secret that the SCOTUS and other courts follow public opinion and election results. Besides appeals are limited, basically, to the record (facts and argument) presented to the lower court and so there shouldn't be any big surprises for either side.
Alan Dershowitz famously told porn star Harry Reems that if Ford won the 1976 election Harry was on his way to federal prison, and that if Carter won the election Harry's conviction would be over-turned. Carter was elected and shortly thereafter the Court of Appeals reversed the Memphis district court's conviction.
The bottom line, in my view, is for our side to be diligent in contibuting to on-line polls, posting reasonable and well-stated comments to anti-gun news stories, and keep the pressure on that the majority of Americans believes that the 2nd Amendment protects an individual right. The parameters of that right, and what restrictions may or may not be placed thereupon, are fights to be reserved for another day.
Outstanding. A direct link to all the arguments and papers used by both sides.
Excellent website and blog!
It is a privilege to live through this chapter of the history of the Bill of Rights!--specifically, that right which has created and defended all of the others.
We seem to have a lot going for us.
I look forward to our successful resolution of this case in favor of our ability to exercise an uninfringed Second Amendment.
Wow, that is great. Thanks for pointing out. I wonder what Instapundit thinks about it.