Author | Lightnews

Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 13h

Yeah, that seems exactly right—there's no exception to the duty of competence for solos without staff

Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 15h

This is an incredible set of excuses, both for 'if I only hired staff, I wouldn't have made mistakes' and for the horrifying explanation of his "general practice when using AI."

He appears to just...not read any cases?

Oklahoma City from September 11 to 14, 2025. As a sole practitioner and Freedom X’s only employee, with no legal assistants, paralegals, or associates, Counsel manages all substantive, procedural, and administrative tasks personally. During this period, Counsel concluded it would be appropriate to delay filing an amended M2D but proceeded with the amended M2S.
Counsel’s general practice when using AI is to first locate cases via independent research on Westlaw, then instruct AI to summarize them, and finally draft narrative around those summaries. However, due to the initial rush to file timely on August 27, 2025, and the subsequent focus on trial preparation, Counsel neglected to follow this process fully for the amended filings. Specifically, Counsel
failed to review or verify the case citations after incorporating AI-assisted phrasing, resulting in the errors at issue. This was a blunder that could have been avoided with support staff, but as Freedom X’s sole employee, it fell entirely to Counsel to perform both attorney and staff functions. To prevent recurrence, Counsel engaged FROST LLP as co-counsel on September 22, 2025.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 21h

Happy to help!!

Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 21h

If you just type "439 F.3d 617" (the pincite without the "at") into Westlaw, it should bring you directly there.

Don't make me add an additional word to every cite in word-limited briefs!

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 22h

It is so important in this moment to be clear-eyed about the many threats we face, including imminent actions this Court is primed to take on cases it has already taken up

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 23h

In fact, the Court has denied at least one petition seeking to overturn Obergefell before! (Contrary to the post)

Denying this does not dictate what they'll do with the next one.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 23h

Second, priming people to think the case is all but granted now drowns out the actual news.

If the case is relisted in Nov, that's a bad sign, but might seem good if you think they're granting now. And if it is denied (the most common outcome), this narrative invites reading too much into that.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 23h

It's easy to think, what's the harm? This Court could at any point take up a marriage case and overturn Obergefell, so why not warn people?

First, there's so many immediate horrifying things happening that should be shared and discussed and everyone has limited bandwidth.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 23h

What's worse is there *are* real signals to watch for what the Court is doing.

We got a weak one months ago, when the Court requested a response to the petition. That takes one Justice. If more are interested, we'll likely see something called a "relist" after conference. That would be a bad sign.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 23h

This post has thousands of likes, reposts, and replies within an hour, including many who are frightened about what this means for them. But it means absolutely nothing yet!

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 23h

This is a perfect case study in how to frame legal news in a totally misleading way that scares people for engagement.

The actual "news" here is that the petition is scheduled for conference. Nothing about this is meaningful—*all petitions* must be considered at a conference! Almost all are denied.

Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen.bsky.social · 1d

Breaking: The Supreme Court is now officially considering taking up a case overturning same-sex marriage.

This is the first time in history the court has considered rolling back this right.

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Reposted by Robin (spooky version)

Melissa Stewart @lissajostewart.bsky.social · 1d

This is bizarre framing.

SCOTUS “officially considering taking up a case” is just an incendiary way to say, “someone filed a cert petition in this case.”

The court “officially considers” every cert petition. Most of them are denied. 1/

Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen.bsky.social · 1d

Breaking: The Supreme Court is now officially considering taking up a case overturning same-sex marriage.

This is the first time in history the court has considered rolling back this right.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 1d

Don't sleep on the Rat Rebellion!

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah, the picture is still not great, but it looks like it was enough to track down the subject (and confirm with other sources)

Molly White @molly.wiki · 1d

The tattoo is a reference to Appalachian Mountain Club’s White Mountain Trail Crew — informally known as the Trail (Fixing|Fucking) Crew — which was established in 1919, and on which Platner worked in 2002

outsideinradio.org/shows/episod...

Molly White @molly.wiki · 1d

fwiw it's part of a larger tattoo, which reads "Est. 1919". i don't recognize it, but someone else might.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 1d

Also maybe just avoid Celtic or Norse symbols and mythology entirely for a Nazi tattoo cover-up.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 1d

Better picture here:

Molly White @molly.wiki · 1d

fwiw it's part of a larger tattoo, which reads "Est. 1919". i don't recognize it, but someone else might.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 3d

Yes! The Hatton Garden heist with a full drilled tunnel had similar vibes

Reposted by Robin (spooky version)

C. Robert Cargill @crobertcargill.bsky.social · 3d

Ah, yes. I see the Department of Metaphors and Idioms is still fully staffed, despite other government cuts. This one is a little on the nose, but effective.

Andy Diggle @andydiggle.bsky.social · 3d

White House Down

The East Wing of the White House being demolished to make way for Trump's new ballroom

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 3d

Judge Thomas didn't necessarily request the vote, he's acting as En Banc Coordinator for the Court, so he issued the order requiring briefing.

(Also, there are two Thomases—this is former Chief Judge Sidney Thomas, not Judge Holly Thomas)

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 3d

Notably, Judge Graber was the one who raised the full court en banc as a possibility during oral argument in Duncan v. Bonta last year (during a colloquy on the composition of an en banc post-remand)

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Reposted by Robin (spooky version)

Big Cases Bot @bigcases.bots.law · 3d

New filing: "Oregon v. Trump (national guard deployment [ca9])"
Doc #63: ORDER FILED. Sidney R. THOMAS
A judge of this Court has sua sponte requested a vote on whether this case should be reheard en banc pursuant to General…

[full entry below 👇]

Download PDF | View Full Case

#CL71554902

The entry's text: ORDER FILED. Sidney R. THOMAS
A judge of this Court has sua sponte requested a vote on whether this case should be reheard en banc pursuant to General Order 5.4.c.3. The parties are requested to file simultaneous supplemental briefs addressing whether this case should be reheard en banc. The briefs shall be filed on or before midnight, Pacific Time, Wednesday, October 22, 2025, and shall not exceed 14,000 words.

Thumbnail of page 1 of the PDF linked above.

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 3d

Interestingly (only to court nerds), the random group of 10 judges would almost certainly be chosen from a pool of active judges plus Judge Graber, who can elect to be part of the draw under general order 5.1(a)(4)

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 3d

Current makeup is 16-13 Democratic appointees, and 15 yes votes are needed for an en banc call.

The 11 judge panel would automatically have one Dem appointee (Chief Judge Murguia) plus 10 randomly selected from a pool of active judges and I think Judge Graber (a senior judge but was on the panel)

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 5d

Only the most intimidating protesters on the streets of SF today

Frog in a cape, holding a sign with a frog in a cape, reading NO KINGS

Unicorn and lobster standing in front of San Francisco City Hall

A T-Rex stands the park in front of the San Francisco City Hall dome

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Robin (spooky version) @robinsloth.bsky.social · 5d

This is a good speech, but sorry, I am entirely distracted by the grumpy casual vibe of protest Mike Quigley

Representative Mike Quigley stands behind Mayor Brandon Johnson, wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans, some sort of black wristband, and a baseball hat. He is staring directly at the camera with narrowed eyes and a slight frown.