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purple motes

a journal of whimsy and hope

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Highlights

  • most recent articles
  • incarcerating child support debtors
  • Wednesday's flowers
  • Aristotle's advice to Alexander
  • unjust paternity establishment
  • Gog & Magog behind wall
  • Dhuoda's Liber Manualis
  • Charlie Chaplin & Joan Berry

law in action

The law expressed in its actual administration, not the law of law books.

Zaleucus gouged out eyes as punishment for adultery

The ancient Greek lawgiver Zaleucus gouged out his son’s eyes and his own to fulfill law punishing adultery. Blindness deflects Cupid’s arrows of love. … Read the post Zaleucus gouged out eyes as punishment for adultery

charivari punished men and women unequally for domestic violence

Men who beat their wives were publicly punished with charivari. Men beaten by their wives were also punished with charivari. … Read the post charivari punished men and women unequally for domestic violence

systemic injustice of the U.S. criminal justice system

Aaron Swartz committed suicide amid persecution from the US criminal justice system. It was business as usual for the US criminal justice system. … Read the post systemic injustice of the U.S. criminal justice system

al-Jahiz on "substantial non-infringing uses" in ninth-century Baghdad

Al-Jahiz made a legal argument analogous to “substantial non-infringing uses” in discussing the legality of alcoholic drinks under Islamic law. … Read the post al-Jahiz on "substantial non-infringing uses" in ninth-century Baghdad

paternity within marriage: long history of legal fiction

Legal preference for paternity fiction over paternity fact has existed in paternity law from before the seventeenth century through to the present day. … Read the post paternity within marriage: long history of legal fiction

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