State's BIO in Pendergrass

The state has filed its Brief in Opposition in Pendergrass v. Indiana. You can read it by clicking here.

Sooner or later, the Court is going to have to address the basic issue raised by this case -- whether a prosecutor may prove an event or condition (here, the conduct and results of a lab test) by presenting the testimony of a person who did not observe that event or condition.

State-side amicus briefs in Bryant

The Solicitor General's Office and 36 states have filed amicus briefs on the state's side in Michigan v. Bryant. You can read the SG's brief by clicking here and the states' brief by clicking here. Both briefs, like that of Michigan, take the perspective of the interrogator in determining whether the statement is testimonial. I think this is a basic error, and I hope the Court does not fall into it.

I assume that if SG Kagan is confirmed to the Court she will be recused from sitting on this case, given that her name is now on the cover of a brief submitted in it. And that means that it is possible that the Court will ultimately be equally divided, which would leave the decision below untouched.