From around the internet
The Adversarial Process
Tech entrepreneur, Mark Andressen, recently wrote a Substack article arguing in favor or polarization. Andressen is speaking mostly about the political realm, but I found the points he makes applicable to the legal system’s adversarial process. It reminded me of a quote by John Henry Wigmore, famous for scholarship on the rules of evidence, who wrote that cross-examination is “beyond any doubt the greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth.” You can read Andressen’s post below.
The Criminal Law Reform Movement
Last November, the Washington, D.C. City Council passed an act to reform the city’s criminal code by, in part, reducing penalties for many violent offenses. This is part of an ongoing, nationwide decarceration movement. Unique to D.C., City Council acts are subject to the approval of the U.S. Congress. The U.S. House voted to nullify the act, and this week after President Biden signalled he would not veto the nullification, the U.S. Senate voted to nullify the act as well. So, for now at least, penalties for violent criminals will not be reduced in our Nation’s Capitol. You can read more about it by clicking here.