New book questions whether non-compete agreements do more harm than good. (The Economist)
Jeffrey Toobin discusses the “oxymoronic quest for humane executions.” (The New Yorker) On a related note, Brent Cunningham looks into the history and current status of “last-meals” for prisoners on death row. (Lapham’s Quarterly)
Google fights a privacy lawsuit in the UK, arguing that it should be brought in California. (The Guardian)
Supreme Court will hear case regarding whether employees may sue their employer over losses to 401(k) accounts that contained allegedly risky shares of the employer’s stock. (Wall Street Journal)
Bill submitted in Israel’s parliament would allow civil unions but may complicate Israel’s definition of itself as a “Jewish state.” (Al Jazeera)
Some sheriffs are not enforcing new gun laws, claiming they are vague and possibly unconstitutional. (NY Times)
Judge grants preliminary injunction in NSA case, indicating that the collection of phone records may be a violation of the Fourth Amendment. (Washington Post)
PETA lawsuit seeks to block a North Carolina town’s New Year’s Eve “Possum Drop.” (Salon)
All “rights, protections, and responsibilities that result from the marital relationship” now apply equally to both same-gender and opposite-gender couples in New Mexico. (Supreme Court of New Mexico)
Judge rules in favor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, holding that Catholic health and educational organizations do not have to provide their employees with contraception coverage. (Businessweek)
