The premier weekly newspaper for the legal profession in Ontario
Issue link: https://digital.lawtimesnews.com/i/667366
Page 16 April 18, 2016 • lAw Times www.lawtimesnews.com u Bizarre Briefs By Viola James u The InsIde story "'Been waiting long?" A DAILY BLOG OF CANADIAN LEGAL NEWS LEGALFEEDS.CA FEEDS LEGAL POWERED BY LegalFeeds_LT_Apr18_16.indd 1 2016-04-13 10:07 AM JAIL TIME FOR TRUMP FLAG? SERIOUSLY? LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump appears to have a passionate supporter in Joseph Hornick, a New Jersey man who faces a $2,000 fine or 90 days in jail for flying a flag emblazoned with the billionaire candidate's name over his home. Local officials said the flag violates an ordinance prohibiting the display of political signs more than 30 days ahead of an election and issued him a summons. New Jersey's primary is on June 7. For weeks, Hornick has displayed the blue flag with Trump's "Make America Great Again!" campaign slogan on a pole outside his two-story West Long Branch house, at a busy intersection near Monmouth University, in a show of his support for Trump. Trump has been campaigning in an effort to snag the Republican presidential nomination. Despite being issued a summons in March for the violation, Hornick apparently intends to keep it up. "e fine can be in the Millions of dollars! at flag will never come down!" he wrote in a defiant Facebook post. Lori Cole, West Long Branch's clerk, said that Hornick, 54, could also face 90 days in jail as a maximum penalty if a judge determines he is in violation of the law. Brian Hegarty, a former Democratic party councilman, complained to authorities about Hornick's flag, according to a police report. Hegarty told police that he had complained several times about the flag to a code enforcement official, but no action was taken. Sergeant James Gomez in the report said Hornick initially agreed to take down the flag before speaking with his attorney. "He advised on the advice of an attorney he would not be removing the flag and would fight any summons issued to him," Gomez wrote. Hornick is scheduled to appear in court this month. KEEPING IT CLASSY ODESSA, Texas — Police in west Texas are searching for a woman seen in a surveillance video at a funeral home in Odessa stealing a ring from the body of an 88-year-old in an open casket. In a video posted on the Facebook page of the Odessa Police Department, the suspect is seen standing alone in front of the body of an elderly woman for about a minute and apparently twisting the woman's finger to remove a ring. Police said aer stealing the ring, the suspect fled in a car. e daughter of the woman told the Odessa American newspaper the family did not know the suspect. YOU KNOW, THAT TIME THE GRENADE ACCIDENTALLY EXPLODED IN COURT. KARACHI, Pakistan — e BBC reports that a policeman in Pakistan accidentally set off a grenade in court, aer trying to show how the detonator worked. e policeman had apparently told the judge that the grenade was disarmed. e blast injured the policeman and a court assistant, as well as knocked the judge from his chair. e grenade went off in an anti-terror court where a man was being prosecuted for fighting police. On display were heavy weapons, hand grenades, and explosives, the BBC reports. "We thought the whole building was under attack from terrorists," said Farhan Haider, a lawyer who was in the courtroom next door to the blast, according to the BBC. "Everyone was just rushing towards the exits." e policeman, Liaquat Ali, hurt his hands in the blast, but he was soon discharged from hospital. e BBC reports that a case was registered against Ali for mishandling evidence. LT VETERAN LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWYER MOVES FIRMS Jason Beeho has joined Levitt & Grosman LLP as a partner, as of early April. Beeho has practiced at Rubin omlinson LLP, as well at Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP. "I built my reputation on being a problem solver, and on finding ways to negotiate a resolution to a dispute between an organization and its workers," said Beeho, in a news release from the firm. "Litigating should be a last re - sort; and that philosophy is shared by my new colleagues at Levitt & Gros- man." Beeho, a University of Toronto graduate, was called to the bar in 2001. "Jason's extensive expertise in labour and employment law is both a terrific addition to our team as well as a good fit with our clients," said Howard Levitt, senior partner of Levitt & Grosman, in the news release. "He works with senior executives on the employer side, as well as with middle manag - ers on the employee side," Levitt adds. "So, Jason will blend in well with the mix of work we do with a wide range of clients, both employers and em- ployees dealing with a dispute." NEW DEAN IN WINDSOR Dr. Christopher Waters has been appointed the new dean of the University of Windsor Fac - ulty of Law. Waters took on the role April 1. An announcement on the University of Windsor web site says Waters has been part of the university's faculty of law since 2007 and the associate dean of law from 2009 to 2012. "He has earned a reputation as an outstanding teach - er and an effective administrator, with a leadership style that inspires and motivates students, staff, and faculty," said the announcement. "Chris brings to the role an astute understanding of what legal educa - tion in the 21st century needs to be, and he will be a champion for the Faculty's strategic themes of Access to Justice and Transnational Law. His promotion of diversity and in - novation in the Faculty will enable him to support faculty and staff and develop outstanding law graduates." SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR TRUSTLAW INDEX OF PRO BONO Submissions are invited for the third edition of the TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono, the world's leading global pro bono sur - vey. With the rapid spread of pro bono beyond traditional strong- holds such as the United States, Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, there is grow- ing demand for an international platform that maps trends in pro bono and tracks the level of pro bono engagement across the globe. e omson Reuters Founda- tion launched the TrustLaw Index of Pro Bono in 2014 to provide analysis on the key national, region- al, and global trends shaping the pro bono marketplace, and to assess the pro bono participation of law firms on a country-by-country basis. In Canada, Canadian Lawyer con - structed the first survey of pro bono activity in this country in 2014. Law firms are invited to submit their pro bono data through an online sur - vey before May 23, at http://surveys. trust.org/s3/TrustLaw-Index-of-Pro- Bono-2016. LAW TIMES POLL is week, Law Times asked read - ers if medical assessments con- ducted by assessors in personal in- jury litigation should be recorded. Readers approved of the idea, with more than 61 per cent saying it was a great idea that could help pro - vide the best evidence to the court. Slightly less than 39 per cent said they do not like the idea and would proceed with caution, be- cause it could lead to consider- able issues around privacy and the law. LT Jason Beeho has joined Levitt & Grosman LLP. 61 % GREAT IDEA PROCEED WITH CAUTION 39 %