Reblaw2013

The New York Times writes "A week from Tuesday, when the Supreme Court returns from its midwinter break and hears arguments in two criminal cases, it will have been five years since Justice Clarence Thomas has spoken during a court argument. If he is true to form, Justice Thomas will spend the arguments as he always does: leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, rubbing his eyes, whispering to Justice Stephen G. Breyer, consulting papers and looking a little irritated and a little bored. He will ask no questions."

In August 2009, Westchester County in New York signed an agreement to spend over $50 million to construct hundreds of affordable housing units for moderate-income people.  The agreement, brokered by the US Department for Housing and Urban Development, settled a suit brought by the Anti-Discrimination Center, which argued that Westchester had falsely certified that it would encourage fair housing when applying for federal grants.  The agreement stipulates that the housing is to be built in overwhelmingly white communities and aggressively marketed to nonwhites in Westchester and New York City.  This was a landmark agreement in housing desegregation and one example of innovative litigation strategies currently being adopted by advocacy groups and legal organizations across the country.