Try Common Sense (II) – Four Principles for Practical Government

Rest of Philip K. Howard’s most recent (2019) book.

Try Common Sense (I) – Replacing a Failed Philosophy

Philip K. Howard’s most recent (2019) book.

Life Without Lawyers (2)

More from the anti-lawsuit-as-weapon-against-teachers-and-doctors 2009 book.

Life Without Lawyers (1)

Not so much anti-lawyer as anti-lawsuit-as-weapon against teachers and doctors, this 2009 book is the first of four Philip K. Howard books I expect to get through.

SFA Update – 9/2/22

The PBGC Special Financial Assistance program for troubled multiemployer plans updated today with one new filer (Toledo Roofers Local No. 134 Pension Plan), one withdrawal (Bricklayers Union Local No. 1 Pension Fund) and one approval asking for more (Local Union No. 466 Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers Pension Plan). We will not be tracking these supplemental applications until I figure out what they are about but here is our updated summary of 40 plans in the system with 30 original approvals and 10 under main review.

SFA Update – One New and Approved; Two Withdrawn

The PBGC Special Financial Assistance program for troubled multiemployer plans is getting more complicated, as is my work situation until October 17, so these updates will be spread out.

Since last I looked there has been one new approval (Gastronomical Workers Union Local 610 and Metropolitan Hotel Association Pension Fund), one new filer (I.A. of M. Motor City Pension Fund) and two withdrawals (America’s Family Benefit Retirement Plan and Southern California, Arizona, Colorado & Southern Nevada Glaziers, Architectural Metal & Glass Workers Pension Plan).

Our updated summary (excluding all those supplemental filings) now shows 30 original approvals and 10 Under Main Review.

‘Reckless’ Litigation

“When dealing with a lawyer, the courts ‘are entitled to demand that an attorney exhibit some judgment. To excuse objectively unreasonable conduct by an attorney would be to state that one who acts with an empty head and a pure heart is not responsible for the consequences …. any conduct that, viewed objectively, manifests either intentional or reckless disregard of the attorney’s duties to the court, is sanctionable” Senior U.S. District Judge Christine M. Arguello

She had me at “exhibit some judgment”. I will detail my own brush with the extortionate branch of the legal landscape in what will be a series of blogs but ASPPA’s coverage of this case rang familiar. Excerpts follow.

The Litigation Explosion – (5) The Way Out

The shortest section of Walter K. Olson’s book.

The Litigation Explosion – (4) The Consequences

As for damages done from Walter K. Olson’s book.

The Litigation Explosion – (3) The Law

More nuts and bots (with emphasis on the bolts) from Walter K. Olson’s book.