Thomas Frampton
@tframpton.bsky.social
UVA Law, visiting at GW Law, sometimes lawyer, full-time Ruth wrangler. Speaking as private citizen, outside official job duties, on matters of political, social or other concern.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=1785600
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=1785600
This is such a weird flex (?) I don't really know where to begin.
November 25, 2025 at 1:05 AM
This is such a weird flex (?) I don't really know where to begin.
"[M]embers of the UVa Board of Visitors, including the rector, are unpaid volunteers. . . . Leading work like this on a volunteer basis is thankless and difficult. . . . [A]scribing sinister motives to dedicated volunteers is shameful."
(Wetmore's donated $40,150 to right-wing political causes.)
(Wetmore's donated $40,150 to right-wing political causes.)
“We are volunteers, you shouldn’t expect much from us, and I’m not providing any new information” isn’t exactly a strong defense of the BOV by one of its own
dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...
dailyprogress.com/opinion/colu...
Doug Wetmore: The straight facts about UVa from a board member
Although members of UVa's board are appointed by politicians, my experience is that we are for the most part not ideological.
dailyprogress.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:13 PM
"[M]embers of the UVa Board of Visitors, including the rector, are unpaid volunteers. . . . Leading work like this on a volunteer basis is thankless and difficult. . . . [A]scribing sinister motives to dedicated volunteers is shameful."
(Wetmore's donated $40,150 to right-wing political causes.)
(Wetmore's donated $40,150 to right-wing political causes.)
I really liked them both, but the final 15 seconds of "Train Dreams" the movie feels like a pretty massive departure from / betrayal of "Train Dreams" the novella? (In a predictably and disappointingly Hollywood-ish sense?)
November 24, 2025 at 9:09 PM
I really liked them both, but the final 15 seconds of "Train Dreams" the movie feels like a pretty massive departure from / betrayal of "Train Dreams" the novella? (In a predictably and disappointingly Hollywood-ish sense?)
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Though the special attorney appointment didn’t help Habba. It did help Essayli (those district courts reached different conclusions on delegation). More to come in those cases. I do think the delegation argument is the strongest one the government has.
November 24, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Though the special attorney appointment didn’t help Habba. It did help Essayli (those district courts reached different conclusions on delegation). More to come in those cases. I do think the delegation argument is the strongest one the government has.
This is wild. A challenge to Halligan's appointment was 100% foreseeable (given what happened in August w/ Habba in NJ).
AG Pam Bondi could've avoided a lot of this by naming Halligan a "Special Attorney" when she was installed. But nobody at DOJ thought to have a Plan "B" until it was too late.
AG Pam Bondi could've avoided a lot of this by naming Halligan a "Special Attorney" when she was installed. But nobody at DOJ thought to have a Plan "B" until it was too late.
November 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM
This is wild. A challenge to Halligan's appointment was 100% foreseeable (given what happened in August w/ Habba in NJ).
AG Pam Bondi could've avoided a lot of this by naming Halligan a "Special Attorney" when she was installed. But nobody at DOJ thought to have a Plan "B" until it was too late.
AG Pam Bondi could've avoided a lot of this by naming Halligan a "Special Attorney" when she was installed. But nobody at DOJ thought to have a Plan "B" until it was too late.
There's a hilarious moment about 30 minutes in where Richard finally says, "Yeah, so literally my entire thesis is rejecting the name of your podcast." Very fun listen (but wish they would've gone a lot deeper where the conversation was headed the last 10-15 minutes)!
New Supreme Betrayal episode: A conversation with Richard Re about why he describes the Roberts Court as a conservative Warren Court, and a dialogue about critical legal studies and his analysis: supreme-betrayal-how-the-supreme-court-and-constitutional.simplecast.com/episodes/con...
Conversation with Richard Re | Supreme Betrayal: How the Supreme Court and Constitutional Law Have Failed America
Our conversation with Richard Re focuses on his Foreword to the Harvard Law Review’s annual Supreme Court Review. The Foreword argues that the Roberts Court today is a conservative version of the Warr...
supreme-betrayal-how-the-supreme-court-and-constitutional.simplecast.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:39 PM
There's a hilarious moment about 30 minutes in where Richard finally says, "Yeah, so literally my entire thesis is rejecting the name of your podcast." Very fun listen (but wish they would've gone a lot deeper where the conversation was headed the last 10-15 minutes)!
This is spot-on.
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The University of Virginia and Cornell deals with Trump set a dangerous precedent | Serena Mayeri and Amanda Shanor
The bespoke agreements are full of peril for the universities, allowing the federal government to quietly exert control
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:20 AM
This is spot-on.
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
One reason to read about Pauli Murray today (or to watch the documentary "My Name is Pauli Murray") is because the federal government is actively trying to suppress the story of Pauli Murray's life and work.
November 20, 2025 at 8:17 PM
One reason to read about Pauli Murray today (or to watch the documentary "My Name is Pauli Murray") is because the federal government is actively trying to suppress the story of Pauli Murray's life and work.
Xenophobia (like antisemitism) is the socialism of fools.
this defies parody. also helps explain why Sec Bessent bizarrely blamed immigrants when confronted with a question about high beef prices
November 20, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Xenophobia (like antisemitism) is the socialism of fools.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Friendly amendment. Everyone should know who Pauli Murray was. A life truly well lived. And one that shaped our world.
Today is Pauli Murray's 115th birthday. If you're a law student (or just a curious person) and don't know who they are, look them up! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauli_M...
(And if you're in Durham, go check out @paulimurraycenter.bsky.social ! I had the privilege of visiting yesterday and it's great.)
(And if you're in Durham, go check out @paulimurraycenter.bsky.social ! I had the privilege of visiting yesterday and it's great.)
Pauli Murray - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Friendly amendment. Everyone should know who Pauli Murray was. A life truly well lived. And one that shaped our world.
Healthcare premiums skyrocketing, but endless money to pay for troops to guard the American Enterprise Institute at 830AM on a Thursday morning. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅
November 20, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Healthcare premiums skyrocketing, but endless money to pay for troops to guard the American Enterprise Institute at 830AM on a Thursday morning. 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸🦅
Today is Pauli Murray's 115th birthday. If you're a law student (or just a curious person) and don't know who they are, look them up! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauli_M...
(And if you're in Durham, go check out @paulimurraycenter.bsky.social ! I had the privilege of visiting yesterday and it's great.)
(And if you're in Durham, go check out @paulimurraycenter.bsky.social ! I had the privilege of visiting yesterday and it's great.)
Pauli Murray - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 20, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Today is Pauli Murray's 115th birthday. If you're a law student (or just a curious person) and don't know who they are, look them up! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauli_M...
(And if you're in Durham, go check out @paulimurraycenter.bsky.social ! I had the privilege of visiting yesterday and it's great.)
(And if you're in Durham, go check out @paulimurraycenter.bsky.social ! I had the privilege of visiting yesterday and it's great.)
Look, the election of Mamdani is a big deal. But also, one of the guys from Caninus (grindcore band with pitbull lead vocalists) is also on the NYC City Council?!?!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oroc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oroc...
Caninus- No Dogs,No Masters
YouTube video by Charlie Zcrack II
www.youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Look, the election of Mamdani is a big deal. But also, one of the guys from Caninus (grindcore band with pitbull lead vocalists) is also on the NYC City Council?!?!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oroc...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oroc...
OK, to be clear, it isn't a HUGE deal (substantively). But if Bereano is not a published opinion, citing to the pincite 161 F.3d 3, ___ is both wrong and incorrectly indicates it's published.
Pro-tip: EDIT THE FORMAT TO YOUR AI CITE SO IT'S LESS OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE JUST COPY-PASTING AI!
Pro-tip: EDIT THE FORMAT TO YOUR AI CITE SO IT'S LESS OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE JUST COPY-PASTING AI!
US v. Bereano in 1998 in the 4th Cir. is an unpublished disposition reported in a table at 161 F.3d 3. The unpublished opinion discusses US v. Leichtman at westlaw star pages *10 to *11. The quoted language is from Leichtman (which is published), not Bereano.
November 20, 2025 at 3:14 AM
OK, to be clear, it isn't a HUGE deal (substantively). But if Bereano is not a published opinion, citing to the pincite 161 F.3d 3, ___ is both wrong and incorrectly indicates it's published.
Pro-tip: EDIT THE FORMAT TO YOUR AI CITE SO IT'S LESS OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE JUST COPY-PASTING AI!
Pro-tip: EDIT THE FORMAT TO YOUR AI CITE SO IT'S LESS OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE JUST COPY-PASTING AI!
So I’m on a plane and can’t get on Westlaw. But this seems weird and “definitely-not-AI-looking citation” format. Any bets that no such thing appears at page 11 of 161 F3d?
November 20, 2025 at 2:52 AM
So I’m on a plane and can’t get on Westlaw. But this seems weird and “definitely-not-AI-looking citation” format. Any bets that no such thing appears at page 11 of 161 F3d?
So did Halligan know that the foreperson’s statement was incorrect when THIS conversation took place? Because that’s a serious “candor to the tribunal” issue.
Another wrinkle: the foreperson told the magistrate the grand jury voted on the 2nd indictment.
We now know they didn’t.
The foreperson was probably just confused.
But it does raise a question — would the magistrate have accepted the indictment if she’d known the truth?
We now know they didn’t.
The foreperson was probably just confused.
But it does raise a question — would the magistrate have accepted the indictment if she’d known the truth?
November 20, 2025 at 1:37 AM
So did Halligan know that the foreperson’s statement was incorrect when THIS conversation took place? Because that’s a serious “candor to the tribunal” issue.
Judge Smith evidently not a László Krasznahorkai fan.
November 20, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Judge Smith evidently not a László Krasznahorkai fan.
So within 24 hours, we learn a memo written by DOJ’s top civil rights lawyer may cost the Republican Party several House seats in TX, and Trump’s hand-picked US Attorney’s incompetence will doom his most prized political prosecution.
Proud moments for DOJ.
Proud moments for DOJ.
This case is well-known to D.C. prosecutors. In fact, the process of taking an indictment where a portion has been rejected, re-drafting it, and presenting the amended version to the grand jury for a vote is called "Gaitherizing."
November 19, 2025 at 8:38 PM
So within 24 hours, we learn a memo written by DOJ’s top civil rights lawyer may cost the Republican Party several House seats in TX, and Trump’s hand-picked US Attorney’s incompetence will doom his most prized political prosecution.
Proud moments for DOJ.
Proud moments for DOJ.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Happy last class of the semester! Wrapped the term with a parole hearing for our client who has served half a century in prison - and before that, two tours in Vietnam. Special appearance by a UVa law student @kirkwolff.bsky.social who testified as an expert in veterans [email protected]
November 19, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Happy last class of the semester! Wrapped the term with a parole hearing for our client who has served half a century in prison - and before that, two tours in Vietnam. Special appearance by a UVa law student @kirkwolff.bsky.social who testified as an expert in veterans [email protected]
Notable absence of verbs here . . .
November 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Notable absence of verbs here . . .
Really excited to attend this Pauli Murray event at @dukelaw.bsky.social tomorrow night. If you're in the Durham area, worth checking out!
November 17, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Really excited to attend this Pauli Murray event at @dukelaw.bsky.social tomorrow night. If you're in the Durham area, worth checking out!
Not to be pedantic (okay, I am), but this is not hearsay. These are not out of court statements introduced in court to prove the matter asserted.
DO 👏 BETTER 👏JUSTICE👏DEPARTMENT 👏 SPOX
DO 👏 BETTER 👏JUSTICE👏DEPARTMENT 👏 SPOX
November 17, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Not to be pedantic (okay, I am), but this is not hearsay. These are not out of court statements introduced in court to prove the matter asserted.
DO 👏 BETTER 👏JUSTICE👏DEPARTMENT 👏 SPOX
DO 👏 BETTER 👏JUSTICE👏DEPARTMENT 👏 SPOX
I sometimes assign this LA Times op-ed from Jesse Ball to my 1L criminal law class; always gets an interesting conversation going.
www.latimes.com/opinion/op-e....
www.latimes.com/opinion/op-e....
November 16, 2025 at 3:27 AM
I sometimes assign this LA Times op-ed from Jesse Ball to my 1L criminal law class; always gets an interesting conversation going.
www.latimes.com/opinion/op-e....
www.latimes.com/opinion/op-e....
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Hell yea, Calvin! Or should I say, Mr. Clerk of Court.
November 16, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Hell yea, Calvin! Or should I say, Mr. Clerk of Court.
Something, something, . . . second time as farce.
November 16, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Something, something, . . . second time as farce.