143 Comments

I am grateful that you are willing to explain the issues to us non-legal professionals. And you make complicated issues so clear and wordy law passages understandable. I read every word you write and I am smarter and more well informed for it. I am thankful, too, that you don't sugarcoat the worrisome possibilities but lay out all scenarios so we are prepared for what may occur. Just keeping all the players straight is a feat in itself. Thank you.

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I am worried about the documents case. So many variables and assigned to an iffy judge. It should be allowed on television. Americans should see what happens in this case; the proceedings should be seen. Keeping it secret serves Trump. Transparency is needed. The process needs to educate America about the seriousness of the case.

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Please tell me why the system appoints, by CHANCE, a judge with limited experience to rule over what must be the most important court case in the history our Republic?

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I've heard the number of judges in that pool are not many, like three.

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And they rotate the judges.

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The assignment system is based on the premise that all of the district judges are equally capable of resolving assigned cases, whether they have been on the court for two years or twenty. Based on the number of judges in that district who handle criminal cases in that division (cases within the district are further administratively divided by the division in which they are filed), there was a good chance Cannon would get the case.

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As much as I am apprehensive of Cannon being assigned the case, it sure shut Trump's mouth on complaining about the judge. It almost seems contrived such luck Trump has. We will see how Cannon views this case. Her career will be based on the outcome of this one case.

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The short explanation is that of the seven regular judges, one is effectively handling only cases from the Miami division, another gets 50% of his cases from Miami, and yet another was fully scheduled. On top of that, Cannon despite being in Fort Pierce gets 50% of her cases from West Palm Beach, where Smith filed. Further, at least one of the three senior judges has already received his/her caseload for the year, and the other two reportedly are either very close to their limit or have reached it.

All of those factors work together to substantially increase the probability of a West Palm filing getting assigned to Cannon.

This article explains it in detail: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/10/us/politics/judge-aileen-cannon-trump-documents.html

One can reasonably think Smith anticipated all that and figures his case is strong enough to succeed regardless of venue and judge. I for one sure hope he's right.

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There will still be reporters there, not just from the corrupt mainstream media, but from domestic and foreign agencies committed to truthful factual reporting, even if we don't 'see' the trials.

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I’ve been a reporter in high profile trials. No matter the intent or skill of the reporter, it is a filter.

I understand the reason for the no-camera rule. But there is a difference between reading about an event and witnessing an event.

The legal concept of best-evidence applies here also. Never rely on a copy when the original document is available. The trial is not held in secret. Any citizen can sit in the courtroom and witness the body language and facial expressions. The rest of us, and future historians, need to “see” justice served.

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I expect LAWFARE to have a more than competent reporter inside that national security trial courtroom. It will not be the accurate & funny ANNA BOWER because I believe she has been assigned to the Fulton County GA case ( good for us).

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Ditto!!

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It has already been a year since the Dobbs decision came down? An entire year of law after law passed that steals the right to choose. In state after state, women and girls losing autonomy over their bodies.

We must keep this issue front and center.

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Keep your eyes out for the following in '24: young women and men motivated by abortion rights, voting rights, and gun reform.

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Oh Joyce I’m so tired of it all. How in the world do you find the energy to keep after this craziness day after day? I really admire your dogged pursuit toward the truth. I am hanging on to your energy and insight. I send thanks to you and your pals @ MSNBC. But man o’ man when will this be over? Oh well, maybe snippets of humor will keep us going. Ok deep breath....onward into a new week! Maybe we’ll get some more genius cartoons like those chickens that came home to roost in the somebody’s hair. 😆

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It will be over when we double down on our get out the vote efforts and beat him again. As Robert Hubbell (Today’s Edition) pointed out last week, a political problem will not be solved in the courts. We need to get all the chickens to vote. (Hey Republicans! That was a joke. Not a call for your nonsensical voter mischief.)

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It’s more than mischief in this case.

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You're only now becoming aware that you were sentenced at birth to live in "interesting times"?? :-)

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This is important for people to understand:

"President Biden has ordered people in his administration to avoid comment on Trump’s indictment—and rightly so. It could form a powerful argument for dismissing the case or an issue on appeal if they did, as well as fueling claims the prosecution is political. That means it’s incumbent upon Democratic voices in the Congress and in the states to point out what Trump is doing. He must not be permitted to get away with it."

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Chickens, please! Things are so tense, I (we) need the calming photos of chickens!!

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Oh, yes, please Joyce. More photos of your darling chickens. 🩵

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Also ditto!!

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Agree! Love chicken content to balance the crazy politics!

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Thank you, Joyce, for all of your hard work and thoroughness. It’s incredibly helpful.

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High praise to Joyce, folks, from progressive activist extraordinaire Jessica Craven (who will forgive my embarrassing her for this worthy cause)!

“Chop Wood, Carry Water!”

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/

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So good to see you here! by now you have over 13K followers on Resistbot, and hopefully your Patreon is also growing. https://www.patreon.com/chopwoodcarrywater/about

We the People thank YOU for all your activism on behalf of democracy, and also thank you for the daily 5 days/week Substack post of actions you provide for us to take. 💕❤💖

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Have wanted to thank you for the To-Do List you provide. The "I don't know what to do, how to help" excuse has been removed. I work your list a bit every day. So grateful for you!

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I am remembering that Trump required people working in the White House to sign Non-Disclosure agreements. And then he (allegedly) squirrels away confidential documents. I guess he doesn't quite understand the concept of non-disclosure.

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He understands it like he understands a lot of things: they apply to other people but they don't apply to him.

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He doesn’t seem to understand the concept of GOVERNMENT employees versus PRIVATE employees. His Administration was not HIS employees, they were the Government’s employees.

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Lucky? Arrested on his birthday?

The more I consider it, the more I think Jack Smith knows this trial has to proceed in Trumpland, with Trumpuppet judge, for any of it to fly in Dumbf*ckistan, U.S.A. Now put it on PPV to re-fund the IRS!

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"Now put it on PPV to re-fund the IRS!" 👏

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founding

And thanks to you, Joyce for helping to keep us informed. Some days I just want to stop reading and watching because events seem so overwhelming and revolting. I am so sick of the majority of the GOP

leaders sprouting horrific lies. I am so sick of hearing Trump’s name and the monopoly he creates in the media. We have had Trump chaos since 2015 when he descended from the freaking elevator!!! So some days I just want to turn everything off and feel at peace.

But that is tough to do because it is so important to be informed and aware of the storms that are brewing. So thank you , Joyce ,for helping me to “keep my train on the track” and carry on!! Good luck testifying!!! You will be great cuz you always are!!

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I agree Nina. So much ugliness and threat to freedom flowing from the troubled, vicious mind of tfg! Certainly he is not alone. His lust for attention, money, and power is a magnet for a cohort of others wanting what he seems to offer. It is exhausting. But Joyce's reasoned, calm teaching reminds me that tfg and his "supporters " are not invincible. We must never, never, never give up! Thank you Winston Churchill!

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Thank you, Joyce, for your tireless work to keep us all educated and informed about the issues our country is facing. You provide such clarity and wonderful insight into these complex and troublesome times we're facing. Your wisdom is greatly appreciated!

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I have loved your lucid explanations since you first turned up on cable news.

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So another murcky week ahead for all of us. I do shudder to think of TFG in office again, but I am convinced as the next few months unfold more and more indictments that cooler heads will prevail. But it is definitely going to be a bumpy ride Thx for the update regarding the first anniversary of Roe and the protests involved. Peace and prayers for our country. Thank you Joyce for keeping us upright!

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Another thing to Keep an Eye on this Week: The California State Bar Disbarment Trial 🕙 of JOHN EASTMAN will be held in Courtroom A, Tuesday, 6/20 at 10 am.

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How can we ordinary peeps watch this trial, Bryan? Thanks!

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Use the Link I provided. If I made a technical mistake on the link just google the defendant's name & the case number which I can confirm is accurate.

I probably no not need to say this on the Professor's Substack but, this is a California State Bar proceeding not a Court of law which has vastly improved with teeth since the early 1980's when I was assigned to monitor a proceeding for the firm I worked at as a law clerk. It was very educational & so will the evidence in this matter against the ex-Chapman seditious Perp. FYI, EASTMAN used Chapman University's not- confidential email system vitiating any attempt at attorney client privilege.

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Listened to your latest Sisters in Law podcast and just read this piece. I’m ready for the week! Thanks, Joyce.

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Ah Joyce, so good to read posts of all sorts. I’ve missed a few discussions, but I am very grateful to have you here. There is a great deal of people pain going around. You have a way of reaching in and pulling out what we need. Thank you.

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"The unitary executive is a monarchist theory of presidential power. It suits Trump, who longs to be an old-school authoritarian ruler with the ability to extinguish his enemies at will. Trump complains that DOJ is under Biden’s control. His “solution” is to propose that, if re-elected, he would control DOJ. " Thank you, for this Ms. Vance, it pleases me very much, that you have spelled this out so specifically. Trump's minions are already hard at work to have the trial in Miami dismissed before it even starts. I can't believe the emails that are crowding my inbox and promotions tabs. "Trying and convicting Trump will cause too much pain for the nation" "Millions of people believe in him, we must pardon Trump" to name just a couple. This is blatant rubbish. We should have tried Nixon for his lesser crimes. We must see to it that Trump faces the full impact of the law or face the loss of our democracy.

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