Jury reforms pioneered by Muskegon's Judge Timothy G. Hicks going statewide

Two years ago, I meet Judge Timothy G. Hicks at our local Tea Party. My husband Bill gave Judge Hicks a Fully Informed Jury Association Flyer. I would like to take this time to commend Judge Hicks for the part he played in bringing about these Jury Reforms here in Michigan.

The new rules are aimed at getting jurors more engaged, “truly involved, not just sitting in enforced passivity,” Chief Justice Robert P. Young Jr. said in a news release.
Jurors will be allowed to ask questions of witnesses and to discuss civil cases among themselves before the end of a trial, among other rules in a package that takes effect Sept. 1. The Supreme Court will review the changes in 2014.
Hicks was one of six circuit judges statewide who experimented with some of the reforms in 2009 and 2010. Six district judges, none in Muskegon County, also participated in the pilot program. FULL STORY

Verdict in for Springer trial

Jurors discuss Springer trial, decision - Part of Michigan Pilot Jury Program

16 Tons and What Do You Get?

 "Another Day Older and Deeper In Debt" 

"I Owe My Soul to the Government Store"

Gerald Celente: CNN is a Cartoon News Network

Jun 14, 2011

At a time when people are losing homes, soldiers are getting killed, and wars are draining the Treasury, CNN is asking childish questions to Presidential candidates. “This is a Presidential reality show,” says Celente. “America has gone from Sinatra to Snooki-stupid.”

“The only one that has any credibility at all is Ron Paul. He’s the only one talking about bringing home the troops, legalizing marijuana, ending the wars on terror, on drugs, and other kinds of wars.”

Ron Paul handily won GOP debate according to applause

By Los Angeles Times
June 14

Ron Paul may be a long-shot candidate to some, but the conservative congressman from Texas received more than twice as many rounds of applause as his opponents at Monday night's GOP debate.

According to our friends at the Baltimore Sun, Paul was applauded 11 times while Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty were applauded five times each. Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain were applauded four times each. Rick Santorum brought up the rear by only being applauded three times during the two-hour CNN debate. FULL STORY

Ron Paul Won the Debate

BY THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE

Ron Paul won the debate. Not necessarily the presidential debate that took place this week—but the most important debates now taking place in the Republican Party. Monday night’s event was but the latest example.

Observers who now give former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann high marks for their debate performances are not wrong. Both candidates exhibited well that presidential “style” of so much worth to pundits and voters.

But what about substance? Who best represents the GOP’s current philosophy? FULL STORY

Greek crisis at the tipping point

BY CNNMoney

Have Europe's leaders kicked the Greek can as far as it will go? FULL STORY

Stocks Tumble as Greek Fears Surge

WALL STREET JOURNAL
By JONATHAN CHENG

U.S. stocks tumbled as fears of contagion around a Greek default picked up, adding more pessimism to a foreboding mix of U.S. economic data.


A market rally ends as turmoil in Greece dampens outlooks. Plus, Pandora shines on its opening day, a look at what the Fed is planning, and why investors should take a look at equities.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 179 points, or 1.5%, to 11934 in midday trading, wiping out the week's gains. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index fell 22 points, or 1.7%, to 1266 and the Nasdaq Composite shed 41 points, or 1.5%, to 2638. FULL STORY

Jim Rogers Tells India Press US Should be Downgraded

By Forbes

Famed commodities investment guru Jim Rogers told The Economic Times in India on Monday that the US should have been downgraded a long time ago.

“What are they waiting for? America already should be downgraded,” he said in an exclusive interview with the paper about the US’s coveted AAA credit status. All three major credit rating agencies have threatened to reduce the US sovereign debt rating a notch to AA if the debt ceiling is not raised and if the US budget remains in deep deficit. The US broke through its debt ceiling of $14.26 trillion in April, hitting $14.28 trillion at the end of the month. FULL STORY