As the new year starts, we look for positive signs that the year will be a good one. The legal community is no different. This morning we were rewarded with two good signs:
The California Supreme Court ruled that Sergio Garcia can become an attorney despite not being a U.S. citizen. Mr. Garcia graduated from law school and has been waiting for his green card for almost a decade. The decision was based on a new law from 2013 that permits the Court to grant such licenses. State legislators, supported by Gov. Jerry Brown, Attorney General Kamala Harris, and the State Board of Bar Examiners, pushed through legislation at the same time Garcia's case was pending in the Supreme Court. The Obama Administration opposed granting Garcia a license based on federal law but later dropped its opposition once the legislation was signed into law.
Last fall the case was argued before the California Supreme Court and the Court was concerned federal immigration law was an obstacle to granting Mr. Garcia's wish. The Court invited the California legislators to fix the problem, which they quickly did.
In the second bit of good news, a federal court judge granted civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart a compassionate release. Stewart, 74, has late-stage breast cancer. She served almost four years of a 10-year sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of Omar Abdel-Rahman, an Egyptian cleric, who was her client at the time. Stewart will be able to spend the rest of her days with her family and friends.
Another hot topic is the legal production and sales of recreational marijuana, which began at the start of the year in Colorado. People have been lining up to purchase marijuana, even those who could get it as medical patients. One might anticipate an increase in tourism, especially during the coming ski season. The nation will be watching to see the impact on Colorado and may possibly consider a move that will permanently end Prohibition and eliminate the imprisonment of numerous citizens.
Interesting start to 2014 . . . Happy New Year!