Supreme Court hears arguments on sex offender registration, false representation News
Supreme Court hears arguments on sex offender registration, false representation

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF] in two cases Tuesday. In Nichols v. United States [transcript, PDF] the court heard arguments [SCOTUSblog backgrounder] on whether the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) [LLI materials] requires that sex offenders update their residency information if they move outside of US jurisdiction. In 2003 Lester Nichols was charged [Oyez summary] with intent to engage in sex with a minor. Under SORNA, Nichols was required to register his residency. In 2012, Nichols moved to the Philippines and did not update his residency information. He was arrested in the Philippines for not registering, and the trial court convicted him. The US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit [official website] affirmed his conviction.

The court also heard arguments in Husky International Electronics v. Ritz [transcript, PDF] on whether [SCOTUSblog backgrounder] fraudulently transferred money used to avoid payment of a debt is considered false representation under 11 USC §523(a)(2)(A) [LLI materials]. The case arose [Oyez summary] after Husky sold electronic equipment to Chrysalis Manufacturing Corp, which is headed by Daniel Ritz. Chrysalis owed Husky $163,999.38. In 2007 Ritz began transferring funds from Chrysalis to other accounts and ventures in which he owned stock. In 2009 Husky sued Ritz for the outstanding debt, and Ritz subsequently filed for bankruptcy. In 2011 Husky filed a complaint alleging that Ritz had fraudulently moved funds from Chrysalis to other accounts and ventures in order to be able to file for bankruptcy. The US Appeals Court for the Fifth Circuit [official website] affirmed the lower court’s decision to discharge Ritz’s debt.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.