Friday, January 07, 2005

In Re: Vickie Lynn Marshall (9th Cir. - December 30, 2004)

Hat's off to Judge Beezer. His opinion in this case is all about arcane issues regarding the proper scope of the probate exception to federal subject matter jurisdiction. Unless you cared deeply about procedure (which, of course, I do) you'd entirely snooze through this opinion, and even that's in the unlikely event you bothered to read it. The only thing in his opinion that might make you pause is why this arcane appeal involved, as Judge Beezer noted, "440 pages of appellate briefs . . . [and] one of the most extensive records ever produced in the Central District of California."

This assumes, of course, you've been living in a cave for the last three years, and don't know the alias of "Vickie Lynn Marshall." Congrats to Judge Beezer for simply doing his job rather than including any references -- which were all in the brief -- to Anna Nicole Smith, stripping, relentless adultery, peeing in the bed, reality television, and the like.

It's all about the probate exception, baby.