1Ls Assassinate Each Other

That 1L just got served. Literally. Sort of.

In a feat of awesome nerdiness, the 1Ls have organized a game of assassin. Except, instead of squirting each other with water or tagging each other, they're serving each other.

The jurisdiction? "The District Court of Some Place."

The case? Pee Wee Herman v. "The Target." (I'm not sure when Pee Wee got so litigious).

More proof of the old adage that awesome law school classes arrive every other year.

CAMPUS GUM CHEWERS DECORATE FURNITURE IN NEW BOALT HALL

From the San Francisco Call

January 31, 1914

Law Library Pasted Up With Stuff and Faculty Action to Check Practice is Planned

Chewing gum stuck under table covers and in the telephone booths in the new Boalt hall of law on the campus of the University of California has attracted the attention of the authorities, and a ruling will probably be issued to stop the habit of pasting up the furniture with the stuff.

Some of the students, including a number of the coeds who use the law library, have lately modeled their discarded gum into fantastic shapes which give prominence to the growing custom of gum chewing on the campus. All the furniture in the building is new and of white finish, on which the gum shows up in startling fashion.

Someone is attempting to Ebay the free library mug all 1Ls get

Click here to see the auction

Maybe this free publicity will get the enterprising seller past the initial bid of one cent. I wouldn't count on it, though, as I'm pretty sure these things are free. For all of you out there collecting Berkeley Law memorabilia, here's your big chance.

That being said, if there were a plate collection featuring portraits of Dean *dley in a jean jacket or sweater I would buy it in a second.

OAKLAND MILLIONAIRE CHARGES LAW STUDENT FORGED NAME TO POWER OF ATTORNEY

From the Los Angeles Times
 May 30, 1913

On the verge of a nervous breakdown as the result of his arrest, Robert L. Bradford, a graduate of the University of California with the class of 1913, is held at the city prison pending the decision of H. H. Hart, Oakland multi-millionaire as to whether there will be a prosecution.

Bradford is accused of forging Hart’s name to a power of attorney.

At the city prison Bradford, a clean-cut, keen-looking young man, declined to discuss his predicament.

"I am ruined," was the burden of his statement.

He graduated from the College of Jurisprudence at the commencement exercises in May, at the Berkeley University, and is said to have shown unusual brilliancy in his studies.
　

Rare Law Volume Stolen From U.C. Student's Locker

From the Oakland Tribune

December 14, 1923

A rare law book printed 250 years ago was stolen from the University of California law school yesterday and the police are searching for the “book-collector” thief.  The ancient volume was taken from the locker of one of the students and professors of the school declare that it cannot be replaced.

“The thief evidently knew that the book was of great value,” Walter Gleason, president of the student association said today.  “Nothing else was taken from the locker and the book was in such bad repair that an ordinary thief would overlook it.”

According to Professor Max Radin the book was printed in 1686 and was being used by a student in preparing to write a thesis for a doctor’s degree.  He values the book at $200, but does not believe that a duplicate copy can be secured.

A number of other articles were taken from the law school yesterday, according to Gleason.  Edward Estill, a second-year student, reported that his locker had been opened and $10 in currency taken from his coat.  Another student had $15 taken from his locker and a number of books were stolen.

LEGAL STUDENTS TRAP THIEF, THEN HAVE HIM FREED

From the Bulletin

March 19, 1924

After applying legal logic to solving a mystery and catching a thief, law students of the University of California today turned tender-hearted, habeas corpused the victim out of jail, and sent him home on probation.

The thief, according to Berkeley police officials, should have known better than to have selected the overcoats of budding young attorneys for criminal activities.  After a number of thefts, the embryo barristers laid down “Greenleaf on Evidence,” and other standard works, and applied their acumen to a trap.

The sum of $40 was placed in a coat and the coat put under watch.  A former law student was seen to take the money.  The legal staff turned him over to the police.

Later they asked that he be reprimanded and sent home on probation, which was done.

A BURNING ISSUE

From the Los Angeles Times
September 21, 1894

The temperance question has become an issue in the university town of Palo Alto. By acts of the State Legislature the sale of liquor has been prohibited within a certain distance of the grounds of the University of California at Berkeley and, although the law has been evaded to some extent by crafty venders of alcoholic beverages, yet the effect of the measure has been felt to a certain degree.

When Palo Alto was selected for the location of the Stanford University it was expressly the wish of the founder of the institution that no liquor should be sold within its limits and to that effect a prohibitory clause is inserted in every conveyance of Palo Alto real estate, which provides that the vendee, his heirs and assigns, shall not at any time manufacture or sell to be used as a beverage, any intoxicating liquor or to permit the same to be done on the premises conveyed. It is also provided that if the vendee, his heirs or assigns, violate the above provision and condition, the indenture shall be void and the premises shall revert to and become the absolute property of the vendor, who may enter and take possession and remove the vendee or any person holding under him.

The population was surprised when the discovery was made several days ago that J. Spencer and C. W. Condon, two of the town dealers, have been carrying on an illicit liquor trade in a small way. Both men have been placed under bonds to appear before the Justice of the Peace and answer to charges of selling liquor. The interesting question of the constitutionality of the prohibitory clause of the conveyance of the real estate will also arise from this affair.

Timothy Hopkins, the previous owner of the land upon which the liquor was sold, will bring suit in the Superior Court of Santa Clara county against the landlords of Condon and Spencer in order to test the legality of the clause. It is stated upon good authority that the suit will be simply a test case of the question.

STUDENTS OF LAW MAY ESCAPE ORDEAL

From the Ontario (Calif.) Record

February 16, 1911

Local attorneys are much interested in a bill offered in the legislature by Senator Caminetti, which provides that graduates of the San Francisco Law School, as well as the law department of the University of California and Stanford, shall be entitled to practice before the State courts without examination.  The bill also provides that the chief justice of the State Supreme Court may order an examination if he sees fit.

Many lawyers are opposed to the bill for the reason that it is claimed law students even in practical law colleges did not get the inner spirit of the law as those who realize they must buckle down to the acquiring of legal knowledge in a way that will help them to pass a severe examination of the Appellate Court, or other examination.

Professor Woodward of Stanford, who has been advocating the Bar Association’s bill for a State board of examiners to supervise the admission of attorneys to practice, thinks that no law school graduate should have a license without examination.

Ursus Major

DEATH ENDS 4-DAY SLEEP

From the Oakland Times

February 26, 1920

Bruce C. Basford, U.C. Law Student, Victim Flue and Sleeping Sickness

Berkeley’s first case of sleeping sickness resulted yesterday in the death of Bruce Cartwright Basford, post-graduate student of the University of California.  He succumbed after a sleep of four days.

Basford was 26 years old and a graduate of the State University with the class of 1917.  He was taking a course in law and had just been initiated into the Phi Alpha Delta pre-legal honor society a few days before stricken with his fatal illness.

About two years ago, Basford inherited an estate of some $300,000 left by a wealthy uncle, Roger Johnson.  He lived with his wife, formerly Beta Fogg, a University of California student, at the Cambridge Apartments, 2500 Durant avenue Berkeley.  

A week ago, Basford was stricken with influenza.  The malady developed into a case of sleeping sickness last Saturday, from which he never regained consciousness.

Ursus Major

Call Bill Murray

Apparently there's a woman haunting the construction site and maybe a library stack near you.

From the Archivist:

Work on the building continues round the clock, and several members of the graveyard shift have reported seeing the silent figure of a woman in a long black dress. She usually appears around 2:00 o’clock in morning, almost always on the third floor of the building. One worker saw her pass by the door of the room where he was working, heading for a corridor that he knew had been blocked by the construction. He immediately went to check the corridor, only to find it completely empty.

Sounds pretty sexy, right?

There have been other sightings, too:

Another member of the construction crew, though she has not seen the woman herself, reports that her father — a custodian in the building during the 1960s — frequently mentioned catching glimpses of the ghostly figure of a woman in a black dress when he worked alone late at night.

The Archivist also wants to assure everyone that the workers are not getting loaded at night:

We take no position on this ectoplasmic disturbance, other than to point out that the construction crew appear to be sober at the end of their shifts when we arrive at 6:30 each morning

The Archivist sounds awesome.

First Annual Boalt Ball Tournament

Want to be a hipster and get in on the newest, awesome thing at Boalt?

Well, come to the Boalt Ball Tournament sign up as featured above. Boalt Ball requires a love for graphic design, a steady hand and the wisdom of Justice Cardozo. It's also a great way to meet chicks.

Blake's and Beckett's Close in the Same Week, Please Don't Let Kip's Be Next

That's right. Both Beckett's and Blake's closed this week. They likely both went out of business because Boalt students boycotted both establishments due to their bad service and poor atmosphere. That and both were way too big to barely sell any food and be half full on the weekends.

So, what now? Well, it's clear that we really only have one choice: Every Bar Review from here on out is at Kip's. We cannot let the best-carpeted karaoke dance floor in the Western Hemisphere close and I think it's the responsibility of everyone to support a bar where the seating consists of picnic tables from my middle school.

Also, it's a great alternative to the Down Low. Just sayin'.

Love,
James

Rally to Support Dean Edley to be held Wednesday

The following popped up in the inbox this weekend:

CALL TO ACTION: ASSEMBLY TO DEFEND DEAN EDLEY’S PENSION

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
12:45pm – 1:45pm
Steinhart Courtyard, Boalt Hall

www.saveourdean.com

We write as members of the Boalt Hall community concerned over recent criticism of Dean Edley. As you may have heard, Dean Edley wrote to the Board of Regents on December 9 to remind them of their “moral and ethical” responsibilities to increase the pensions of University of California executives earning over $245,000. Taking a moral stand isn’t always easy or popular, but we applaud Dean Edley for doing so.

Although there are a host of problems now plaguing the University of California system, we agree with Dean Edley that this is an issue our community needs to address URGENTLY. While all of us have had to undertake sacrifices – rising tuition, cuts to financial aid, and layoffs – the demand letter serves as a timely reminder that, eventually, a line must be drawn.

Dean Edley’s powerful e-mail to the community serves as a moral challenge to us all. We hope that this dispute does not result in a “costly and unsuccessful legal confrontation for the University.” But if it does, we want to show the Board of Regents that some of this nation’s brightest young legal minds will be supporting Dean Edley in his fight for higher executive pensions.

This is probably the funniest response to Edley's letter/position I've seen.

Fake Mark Yudof Resignation Site a Sign of Things to Come

I was sent this fake Mark Yudof resignation by another Boalt student who was momentarily taken in by the hoax.

The hoax becomes clear, however, when the letter verges on the surreal stating:

It is clear to me now that we must all do our part to avoid social death. In that spirit, I have decided to go back to school to study the history of social movements.

Yudof's office has already hit back via Twitter, stating, "News of my resignation has been greatly exaggerated."

After going to some of the sites linked from the hoax letter, I think we can anticipate students attempting to take over more buildings and generally disrupt the functions of the University on Thursday. There's no word on whether or not this will be a non-peaceful repeat like last Thursday's protests. The police behaved in an incredibly violent manner towards protesters who were generally peacefully assembled, with a tense stand off occurring at about Telegraph and Durant (I am guessing the police were blocking an advance down Telegraph to Bancroft).

The video also shows a few protesters breaking windows and knocking over a scooter (which is picked up after several of the protesters exclaim how uncool it was to have knocked it over). It would be my guess that those attacking public property are not protesting the UC specifically, but are likely anarchists (the face covering and breaking stuff in what was meant to be a peaceful protest are generally indicative of violent anarchists, at least in my experiences as a peaceful protester).

I'm not aware of any plans to picket the Zeb/Simon Hall entrance to the building, but there should be some sort of protest out by the fountain. There are likely to be more legal observers in place after the last protests on campus turned violent and hopefully there won't be the similar sorts of clashes and injuries to students that happened last time.

Happy Valentine's Day, Boalt

I know it's a few days early, but happy V-day. Here's a video from Oppenheimer's Civ Pro Class on Thursday to get you in the festive spirit.

Is UC Berkeley Violating Student Rights in Handing Out Suspensions Over Protests?

A statement made by anonymous Boalt students takes a look at a number of disciplinary measures handed down by UCB to Andrea Miller - one of the protesters who was present when the Chancellor's house was attacked.

If Miller was engaged in non-violent protest then it's unacceptable for UCB to go after her (and from what I've read, it seems like they're systematically targeting the students who were at the Chancellor's house when it was attacked, regardless of whether or not the students can be shown to have participated in the attack). It's also worth noting that none of the students present are being criminally prosecuted for their alleged misconduct.

In the statement there's a focus on how Miller's rights have been violated by the UCB disciplinary process, which from my rudimentary understanding of the subject seems to be true, but the piece also uses a lot of empty phrases including "Stalinist procedure" and "Gestapo-like." The attack on the Chancellor's house was also downplayed heavily. I understand that the statement is intended to be read from a radical viewpoint, but there has to be some benefit in appealing to those of us who agree that the UCB acted poorly in response to the protests, but no better than to be taken in by needlessly inflammatory language.

A few more thoughts:

1. The action against the student seems improper if the facts of this statement or true, but it'd be a stronger statement without the hyperbole and with some good cites backing up the legal positions.
2. Who wrote it? Why are there no names attached?
3. There's also another post on the site advocating violence as a means to an end when protesting, which is a position that some consider theoretically and ideologically sound, but often comes with consequences attached (like getting suspended from UCB).

My Notes From the Strike

Hi. I'm new. You'll get used to me, I promise.

I wanted to give you my notes from the strike:

9:17am - Finally here. Seventeen minutes late, but that's ok, justice always waits. Other four protestors outside of Sproul Hall seem happy to see me. They're all students. Where are the workers we're saving? Where is the support?

9:23am - Coffee run. A little depressing as I'm forced to think about the workers in Guatemala who I'm in solidarity with over unfair work practices they're forced to endure while harvesting coffee. It's good coffee, though.

9:27am - One student walks through. We don't heckle. We politely ask, "Aren't you in solidarity with the workers?" She says yes and walks right in. Scab.

9:35am - WORKERS ARRIVE. We thank them for their sacrifice. There are two of them. They look like the salt of the earth.

9:38am - Workers leave. They said they had to "go check on how the strike was going over....there somewhere." Now it's just students, holding the torch of freedom.

9:39am - Vigorous debate ensues over whether or not we should heckle students. Miss the opportunity to heckle several students because we're involved in debate.

9:42am - WE TURNED AWAY THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS. VICTORY! Although, I'm faced with the nagging thought that maybe the electrical workers were going to finally fix Airbears. WHAT HAVE I DONE?

9:50am - Two more students cross the picket line. Scabs. They're both dressed preppy. Figures. We try to emotionally blackmail them into picketing with us instead of addressing the issues. We fail and they cross the line because they are corporate BigLaw scabs, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN CLASS TODAY.

10am - My shift is over. What a success this strike has been. I leave my four compatriots and BLOW OFF CLASS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY! (Of course, this is not why some of my fellow students have not shown up for class or for the pickets. They're choosing to show their valid solidarity from their couches UNLIKE PEOPLE IN CLASS).

Strike! (Or, Three Strikes? You're Out)

Update 11/18 (Patrick): Someone has kindly forwarded on an open letter purporting to set forth the reasoning behind the strike — complete with an entire section explaining why this strike is "not ironic." Given the ATL coverage, I have redacted names (if you read that as my attempt to protect the strikers from a future when they realize how silly this is, you are correct) and uploaded a pdf here.

__________________________

Someone in the comments on a thread below (9:44) assures us with regard to today's student/staff/faculty/ground squirrel strike that "these things aren't complicated." But if it is simple, it sure isn't making a hell of a lot of sense to me, or to anyone else with whom I have spoken.

So if you are a student who knows what this business is all about, consider politely addressing and rebutting this email from a fellow liberal, kind, caring, thoughtful classmate:

Ok there needs to be a nuts and boalts post about the strike and how stupid it is.

1. Students are "striking" because they don't want their fees increased while workers are striking because they aren't getting paid. Seems to me that those two groups are each others enemies, not comrades.
2. Students, as consumers of a service, cannot "strike." They could boycott or withdraw, but they can't strike. That would be like me claiming I'm on strike from Best Buy when I don't buy something from there.
3. They are protesting in Berkeley; the decisions are made in Sacramento. Wrong forum.
4. They are protesting at construction sites around campus. Why? Because they want the university to breach contracts and instead pay out for work without having it completed.
5. The state is many billions of dollars in debt. Does no one think that might have something to do with the financial situation surrounding the UC system?

I concede that the compensation for the UC Regents is exorbitant and should be cut. But saving those few tens of thousands of dollars can help save some workers' jobs, not affect the fees for students. I'm constantly frustrated by how cheap Berkeley (undergrad) is for the quality of professor, yet the students here act as if they are being asked for their first born.

Those are good points. Add to that the fact that, as another commentator points out, few people seem to understand exactly who is striking and you can see why this grizzled survivor of countless Berkeley protestors might be tempted to roll his eyes.

Ugh. Pride.

______________________________

Update: Armen points out that this isn't new. At first skim, it looks like one could just apply the entire older post to this topic, part and parcel. People, I love Berkeley, but this isn't why.

Toto, We're Not in Berkeley Anymore

This might be old news, but I just caught this LAT report that the three Americans captured by Iran after straying across the border are all Berkeley grads. My thoughts and prayers are with them, and hopefully they'll be out of harm's way in the near future, but...

[It shouldn't be too surprising what follows after the "but." Part of me thinks it's in poor taste and I should stop the post right where I have it. The other part of me offers a simple contradiction.]

. . . but what the hell were they thinking? The Iran/Iraq border running through Kurdistan isn't exactly Prague. You might want to consider backpacking there if you have a convoy of heavily armed HMMWVs as escort. Again, I feel bad, and I'm pulling for their safe return, but WTF?

Berkeley Is Nuclear Free [and Ridiculous]

The City of Berkeley's "Peace and Justice Commission" is currently at odds with the city's library over a maintenance contract with 3M.

Evidently (and likely for good reason), 3M has not signed Berkeley's nuclear-free disclosure form. To the crazies on the commission, that means the library's self-checkout machines should remain unserviced (and thus a huge waste of taxpayer dollars and time).

Suddenly, those stupid signs all around this town aren't quite as funny.

Berkeley City Council Delves Back into National Politics

The Marine Corps issue may have fizzled, but apparently the City of Berkeley's passion for national and foreign policy burns on.

Next week the Berkeley City Council will vote on a resolution demanding the United States charge Boalt Professor John Yoo with war crimes. The Council will also consider "whether to order Boalt to offer alternatives to Yoo's courses, so no student is forced to take a class from him if they don't want to." (SF Gate article here.)  Never mind that the truth is any student CAN avoid his classes, or that the City can't "order" the law school to offer courses -- the Council couldn't order the Marines out of its recruiting office either, but was that a stumbling block?

While it is difficult to imagine a dumber idea than attempting to go head-to-head with the United States Marine Corps, at least the City's behavior in that fiasco was (relatively) harmless. As I recall, it mostly amounted to a lot of public kissing. This resolution, however, is actually dangerous. Freedom of speech and liberal ideals cannot be squared with the idea that a city government may publicly disapprove of a political point of view by taking affirmative steps to sequester it. The use of governmental power to suppress controversial (even dangerous) viewpoints is a neo-conservative tactic more befitting Karl Rove than a local municipality. The City is taking exactly the kind of reactionary moral-low ground that the "birthplace of the Free Speech Movement" is supposed to stand against. Berkeley's mindset here is cancerous, it is dangerous, it is abusive, and (from this liberal's point of view) it is embarrassing.