Quotable: “[I]njustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion, before it can be cured.”
– Martin Luther King Jr., in an April 16, 1963, “Letter from the Birmingham Jail.”
King was responding to fellow clergymen who criticized as “untimely and unwise” the King-led Birmingham Demonstrations – nonviolent protests, meetings, marches, and economic boycotts – to undermine racial segregation there.
King was jailed for disregarding a court injunction barring further demonstrations, which drew national attention when police used attack dogs and high-powered hoses to disassemble protesters. The demonstrations “helped galvanize national support for civil rights reform and contributed to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” according to the Civil Rights Digital Library. MLK Jr. Day is Jan. 20.
By the Numbers: 344.62(2)
That statute, effective as of July 6, 2013, says a motorist may show proof of auto insurance “in either printed or electronic format.” Thus, you can use your cell phone to access proof of insurance if stopped by police. The statute also says an officer can only view the insurance information, and may not view any other content on the phone or device.
Tech Tip: Do Apps Burn Data Even When I’m Not Using Them?
Lawyers have asked about phone data usage, and whether some applications consume data in the background, even if the app isn’t open. The answer is yes, some apps consume data at all times, and you could be burning your data (and battery power) while incurring unexpected costs.
The good news is that there are data manager apps, some free and some available for a nominal fee, that help you monitor your data usage. They can tell you specifically which apps are consuming data and when. In some situations, the phone itself allows apps to “refresh” even when the app isn’t running, which also consumes data, and the phone settings can be changed to prevent this.
Finally, remember that when travelling overseas, you should disable the roaming function of your phone. In general, you won’t have access to unlimited texting or data outside the country, and you will be charged by usage. If you have questions about data usage, don’t hesitate to contact, Nerino Petro, State Bar of Wisconsin practice management advisor, practicehelp@wisbar.org.
Out There: It Burns So Good
A court recently ordered a factory producing the hot sauce Sriracha, which the blog Legally Weird calls “the chosen condiment of hipsters and foodies across the nation,” to shut down operations. Apparently the spicy fumes that emanated from the factory triggered breathing problems and watery eyes for nearby neighbors.
To make the fiery sauce, the plant grinds jalapeno peppers. The city of Irwindale in California had said the company was causing a public nuisance. There is no word whether Irwindale’s hipster population will file an appeal.
From the Archives: Justice Currie Supported State-funded Legal Services for the Poor
January marks the birthday of George Currie, one of the most distinguished Wisconsin judges of the 20th century. Currie was born in 1900.
He practiced law in Sheboygan until his appointment to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1951. Under Currie, the court became a leader in abolishing traditional tort immunities that had insulated charities, churches, and municipalities from responsibility for their negligence.
Currie gained a national reputation for his work in this field. After Currie was unexpectedly defeated for re-election in 1968, he devoted himself to teaching and championed government-funded legal services for the poor. In the process, he provoked criticism from future president Ronald Reagan, who said Currie was “a radical from a radical state.” Currie died in 1983.
Source: Jay Ranney, Madison lawyer and legal historian
Good Ideas: Proposed Florida Bill Helps Prosecutors, Public Defenders with Law School Debt
Under a bill pending in the Florida Legislature, Florida would pay up to $44,000 toward the law school debt of attorneys who choose to be prosecutors or public defenders, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The level of financial help would depend on the number of years in those jobs.
The article notes that the average law school debt was $122,000 for law grads attending private law schools; $84,600 for public law schools, according to ABA figures.
A State Bar of Wisconsin task force recently reported that repaying law school debt is one of the biggest challenges facing new lawyers.
