Ruthie is pleased to announce her new website (warning: liable to induce narcolepsy in anyone other than criminal lawyers, defendants or magistrates). This will be a blog dedicated to an academic discussion of criminal law, with particular emphasis on regulatory crime, which is what Ruthie actually does all day when she's not playing on here. I've set this up with a view to encourage more heavyweight specialist contributions, which clearly this blog does not support.
Geeklawyer, paranoid as usual, thinks this is my bid to make a break for freedom, abandon him and take my fan club with me. Fear not, it seems increasingly common for lawyers to have two blogs, a "fun" one and a serious one, as its very difficult to combine the two.
So, if your day would not be complete without reading an analysis of work at height regulations and waste management licenses, do pay a visit to the Ruthie's Law. I wouldn't want any more people getting over excited on here, otherwise we might have to dish out smelling salts for our next competition prize.
Oh and don't rush on there and complain that I haven't done anything yet, I hope to get it up and running properly over the next couple of days. Just thought I'd give you all notice of the address. OK?
I'd be sorry if you took your fan club with you. They'd both be missed sorely.
If its any good I may link to it.
As long as Ruthie isn't biting off more than she can chew....
A Fan
Possibly. But I'm trying not to create huge expectations from my readers by warning from the outset that it will be a) boring and specialised and b) updated relatively infrequently. What did come out of the conference was that there was a need for a serious forum where "respectable" members of the profession could feel free to comment and contribute. I'm sure lots read this blog, but just don't admit to it...
There is also a shortage of discussion of criminal law by practitioners, as most of the people who work in that area are already having to work 15 hours a day just to pay their mortagage, such has been the reduction of criminal legal aid rates. Added to this criminal lawyers have been deluged with a raft of new legislation over the last 5 years, much of which is badly drafted, such that many magistrates courts now resemble a scene from Kafka.
I'm in the priviliged position to work in an area of crime that pays reasonably well and allows me at least sufficient time to think about the law I am using. A unique position since most of the academics who comment on the criminal law never have to make practical use of it. In my experience theres a wide disparity between what was intended by the legislative drafted and how the law gets interpreted at the coal face..
Still we all have to bite off more than we can chew sometimes, and on the subject of which whats happening to the reception party for my forthcoming US trip?
Also good to know your are a fan, Dan (Alex, more application forms please).
GL, when will you learn that the ruder you are to me on the blog, the more my fans rally round to support me?
P.S. Have had two comments on my blog so far. One of which was spam.
Will it have caption competitions?
erm, probably not as I don't want to set up in competition with Charon and Geeklawyer. I'm feeling my way a bit with the new blog, not entirely sure what form it will take. I'm happy to take any suggestions if you have some..
I think you just want to win more photographs of me
Yes, they sell well on ebay.
Ruthie is using her blog as a grown p professional blog - so competitions and rudeness will be out, I expect it will be updated much less frequently than this blog.
This blog, and its owner, is and will remain her first truest love.
Oooh goody, Ruthie gets to run the fun blog...
Excellent, I'll take that as another application for the Ruthie fan club.
Well done Ruthie... welcome to the world of disocciative identity syndrome....
I shall do my best to see if I can do something criminal in the next few weeks .... apart from writing on my blog... where should a beginner begin?
Will you be covering ASBOs ? Just that I have a friend who probably needs one
I have found two latin quotes to mark this new blog:
1. Fac me cocleario vomere! - Gag me with a spoon!
2. Facito aliquid operis, ut te semper diabolus inveniat occupatum - Always do something, so that the devil always finds you occupied. (St. Jerome)
I suppose it is from this last quote that the phrase "the devil makes work for idle hands" is derived?
And truly its as well that I keep my hands firmly occupied with my keyboard.
Hey all you Ruthie fans,
Watch this space a link to the secret
page of Ruthie's new blog. We all know this serious criminal law stuff is just a respectable for the real stuff...
A Ruthie fanclub website is being set up for you to page homage to Princess Ruthie, just as soon as fanboy gets back from holiday.
That'll be nice - maybe they'll all go there and I can have my own fucking blog back
Dear readers (and fans)...
what you don't know is when I'm not writing this blog I deal with cases where people have died in horrific circumstances, which can at times be a little depressing, or alternatively trying to get my head round technical and complex material, which is at times, frustrating.
When I'm having a bad day it always cheers me up to read some supportive comments on here.
I've been really struck by the rising panic that I might wander off to write some academic blog. Whilst I like to think that I'm a terribly clever lawyer, maybe there's an argument that I should stick to what I'm good at and what people seem to enjoy reading. There are a lot of clever academic blogs, but our formula on here does seem to be unique in the blogosphere..
So Geeklawyer, I have no intention of abandoning you, (no ,much more fun for you to sack me for becoming too popular, ha) and I begrudgingly accept that writing this blog will always be my first love.
Panic?!
Jeez, I thought I was supposed to be the egomaniac. And it is only egomania that would allow you to delude yourself that you're a clever lawyer - I've seen you in action and you're rubbish.
I'm glad you don't intend to abandon me but I can't offer you the same reassurance.
I look forward to having the opportunity of seeing you in action, when, no doubt, you will demonstrate your brilliance, and show me where I'm going wrong.
Appearing in court anytime soon?
Next month - you can come and watch but I don't see how it'll help you fight another cutting edge sparking ticket case