Wait...Is That Legal?

U.S. v. Muse

Re: Piracy/Captain Phillips (2013)What is Piracy? Who has jurisdiction over the high seas?Sources:United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Art. 100-110 (1982).S.S. Lotus (Fr. v. Turk.), 1927 P.C.I.J. (ser. A) No. 10 (Sept. 7).United Nations Security Council. Resolution 1816, S /RES/1816 (2008). Adopted June 2, 2008.U.S. Constitution, Art. III Sec. 2 and Amend. 6.Fed. R. Crim. P. 18 (2024 ed.).Piracy and Privateering, 18 U.S.C. §§1651, 1653 (1948).Jurisdiction and Venue, 18 U.S.C. §3238 (1948).Muse v. Daniels, 815 F.3d 265 (7th Cir. 2016).Thomas J. Shaw. The Legal History of Pirates & Privateers. Thomas J. Shaw (2024).Edmund Sanders and Julian E. Barnes. “U.S. ship captain held by Somali pirates.” LA Times. April 9, 2009. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-apr-09-fg-somali-pirates9-story.html“Somalian pirate suspect arrives in New York to be tried in U.S. court.” CBC News.  April 20, 2009.  https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/somalian-pirate-suspect-arrives-in-new-york-to-be-tried-in-u-s-court-1.777441Tim Besley, Thiemo Fetzer, and Hannes Mueller. “The Economic Costs of Piracy.” International Growth Centre. March 1, 2012. https://www.theigc.org/collections/economic-costs-piracyWritten, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals Waitisthatlegal@gmail.com

In re A.F.

Re: Medical Emancipation/My Sister’s Keeper (2009), Chicago Med (2015-)When can a child exercise control over their own body and medical decisions?  Does a child have to fully emancipate themselves from their parents in order to make those medical decisions?Sources:Bellotti v. Baird, 443 U.S. 622 (1979).In re E.G., 549 N.E.2d 322 (Ill. 1989).Smith v. Seibly, 431 P.2d 719 (Wash. 1967).Michelle Davis and Andrea Fang. “Emancipated Minor,” StatPearls.  National Library of Medicine (May 1, 2023). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554594/Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals Waitisthatlegal@gmail.com

Los Angeles v. Common Sense

Re: Chinatown (1974)/Water RightsWhy does Los Angeles exist?  Where does L.A. get its water?  How do water rights work?Sources:County of Inyo v. City of Los Angeles, 124 Cal.App.3d 1 (Cal.App. 1981).County of Inyo v. Yorty, 32 Cal.App. 795 (Cal.App. 1973).County of Mono v. City of Los Angeles,  81 Cal.App.5th 65 (Cal.App. 2022).Irwin v. Phillips, 5 Cal. 140 (Cal. 1855).People v. City of Los Angeles, 34 Cal.2d 695 (Cal. 1950).Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). 2022-2023 Briefing Book. www.ladwp.com/sites/default/files/2023-10/2022-23_Briefing_Book_Online.pdfMarc Reisner. Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water. New York, NY: Penguin Books (2017); orig. ed. Viking (1986).Sarah Dean. “Taps running dry have become part of daily life in South Africa’s biggest city.” CNN, March 24, 2024.Denise Chow and Albinson Linares. “Mexico City's 21 million residents are facing a severe water shortage.” NBC News, March 1, 2024.Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals Waitisthatlegal@gmail.com

U.S. v. Teller, et al.

Re: RICO Act/Sons of Anarchy (2008)What is RICO? What does it stand for?  How is it used?Sources:Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1968 (2023 Edition).18 U.S.C. §§ 932 (Straw Purchasing of Firearms), 933 (Trafficking in Firearms), 2339B. (Providing material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations) (2023 Edition).“Homicide,” California Penal Code §§ 187-199.“Uniform Controlled Substances Act,” California Health and Safety Code §§ 11000 - 11651.Boyle v. United States, 556 U.S. 938 (2009).H.J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Tel. Co., 492 U.S. 229 (1989).Nat’l Org. for Women, Inc. v. Scheidler, 510 U.S. 249 (1994).Reves v. Ernst & Young, 507 U.S. 170 (1993).United States v. Martinez, 657 F.3d 811 (9th Cir. 2011).CRIMINAL RICO: 18 U.S.C. §§1961-1968.  A Manual For Federal Prosecutors, Organized Crime and Gang Section, U.S. Department of Justice (May 2016 6th Rev. Ed.).“Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations” Bureau of Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State.  https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/“Mafia Commission Trial” Wikipedia, accessed 2/2024.Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals Waitisthatlegal@gmail.com

Lovejoy v. Lin

Re: The Lake (2022)/Trusts and EstatesWhat is a trust?  Why would someone use a trust to transfer property?  Can you inherit less than a complete interest in real property?  If you do have a less than absolute interest does that put limits on what you can do with the property?Sources:Conveyancing and Law of Property Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.34, s. 5 (1), 10, 29-30.Succession Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.26, s. 2-3, 29-30.Gertzbein v. Winer, et. al., [1970] 3 O.R. 676, 1970 CANLII 330 (ON SC).Melms v. Pabst Brewing Co., 79 N.W. 738 (Wis. S.Ct. 1899).Written, Researched, and Recorded by Céleste Young, 2023-2025.Music: Out On My Skateboard - Mini Vandals Waitisthatlegal@gmail.com