Legal agenda and live webcasts ~ Wednesday, December 1 News
Legal agenda and live webcasts ~ Wednesday, December 1

[JURIST] Here's a run-down of law-related events, expected developments and live webcasts on JURIST's docket for Wednesday, December 1.

The US Supreme Court will hear 10 AM ET oral arguments in Rousey v. Jacoway (case summary from Duke Law School), where the court will decide whether and to what extent individual retirement accounts are exempt from bankruptcy estates. The ABA provides merit briefs in the case. The Court will also hear arguments in Smith v. Massachusetts (case summary from Duke Law School), where it will consider whether the Fifth Amendment's prohibition against successive prosecutions is violated when a judge rules that the defendant is not guilty because the government?s evidence is insufficient but later in the trial reverses her finding of not guilty. The ABA provides merit briefs in the case.

The Louisiana Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments Wednesday on the state's proposed marriage amendment. The proposed amendment was struck down by a judge in October because the amendment, in addition to banning same-sex marriage, also prevents the state from recognizing any legal status for common-law relationships, domestic partnerships and civil unions between both gay and heterosexual couples, and therefore violates a constitutional requirement that an amendment deal with only one issue. AP has more.

The US House and Senate are in recess. The US House will reconvene on Monday, December 6 at 2 PM. The US Senate will reconvene on Tuesday, December 7 at 9:30 AM.

The trial of Slobodan Milosevic continues Wednesday at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Watch a webcast of the trial beginning at 9:30 AM local time (3:30 AM ET); the webcast is on a 30-minute tape delay. The ICTY has background on the case…. Also Wednesday, the trial of Fatmir Limaj and his co-defendants continues at the ICTY. Watch a webcast beginning at 2:45 PM local time (8:45 AM ET); the webcast is on a 30-minute tape delay. The ICTY has case information.

The European Parliament will consider the situation in Ukraine and will Council and Commission statements on the subject. Watch a live webcast beginning at 3 PM local time (9 AM ET).