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January 2021
A Cousin Rivalry Gave the Supreme Court Its Power (Yes, Really)
W hen Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away and Judge Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to take her place, the eyes of the country turned to the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s no secret that the court has a lot of power. Its decisions, like Loving v. Virginia , Brown v. Board of Education , and Roe v. Wade , have reshaped America. But how did just nine people come to hold so much sway? Well, the answer lies with two rival second cousins: Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall.
Back in 1803, the Supreme Court was the laughingstock of Washington. It was a collection of misfits (including a man nicknamed “Red Old Bacon Face”) and met in Congress’ basement. When Marshall was chief justice of the court and Jefferson was president, the cousin controversy reared its head. Marshall and Jefferson were in rival political parties and, to add insult to injury, Marshall’s mother-in-law had once spurned Jefferson’s romantic advances, according
to Washington legend. In 1803, Jefferson (a Republican) was upset because a judge whom his predecessor, President John Adams (a Federalist), had tried to appoint was suing Jefferson’s secretary of state over failing to actually appoint him. This judge-to-be was named William Marbury, and he took his case straight to the U.S. Supreme Court. After hearing the case, Marshall had two options. He could side with Jefferson, even though he believed he was legally wrong, or he could side with Marbury and risk the wrath of the president, who he feared would dissolve the court. In a historic twist, he chose door No. 3. Digging through the Constitution, Marshall discovered a line that required cases to go through a lower court before coming to the Supreme Court. That made Marbury v. Madison , which had come to the Supreme Court directly, out of Marshall’s jurisdiction. It also made the law Marbury had operated under unconstitutional. When Marshall pointed this out, it was the first time the Supreme Court had ever ruled on constitutionality, which set the precedent for its power today. If Marshall hadn’t cared so much about opposing his second cousin in 1803, it’s possible that Judge Barrett’s nomination in 2020 would have been much less contentious. To learn more about this crazy piece of history, check out “Kitten Kick the Giggly Blue Robot All Summer,” an episode of the podcast “Radiolab.”
—Shawn Devries
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WHY CUTTING DOWN A SAGUARO CAN GET YOU JAIL TIME What Makes This Cactus So Special?
Can you imagine getting 1–4 years in prison for picking a
• Saguaros only grow in certain parts of the Sonoran Desert, which extends northward from northwestern Mexico into Arizona and parts of California. You won’t find this rare species anywhere else in the U.S., so it is protected under state law. • These plants take an incredibly long time to grow and mature — up to 200 years! That means that some of the saguaro cactuses alive today in the Sonoran Desert were probably alive during the Civil War. • People just seem to love cutting down, shooting, and otherwise damaging saguaros. Since they take a long time to mature and are relatively rare to begin with, this vandalism and destruction is a serious problem. These are some of the reasons why damaging a saguaro cactus is a Class 4 felony in Arizona and punishable with prison time. For a while, news outlets and websites claimed that the penalty was actually closer to 25 years — the sentence someone might get for murder. But, there’s no evidence of that in Arizona law. However, the fact that this rumor has long been circulated shows that people understand how important the saguaro is and how important it is to conserve them.
bouquet of flowers or chopping down a tree in your
backyard? While not for just any old rose bush or oak tree, that’s the prison sentence you could face in Arizona if you get caught chopping
down a saguaro cactus.
The saguaro is an iconic cactus species. It’s the tall plant with prickly green arms that you immediately think of when you hear the word “cactus.” If a 1–4-year prison sentence seems harsh, consider these facts about the saguaro: • The saguaro’s white blossom is the Arizona state flower. (Yes, cactuses flower; they bloom in the right conditions, usually during the spring.) Locals take pride in their beloved spiky plants, which means senselessly chopping them down is bound to earn you some ire from the state’s residents.
Is the Hot Toddy Indian or Irish?
How to Make a Modern Hot Toddy We may never know the true origin story of the hot toddy, but VinePair.com speculates that it’s somewhere in the middle of the two accounts. Either way, the results are delicious and easy to replicate in your own kitchen. If you could use a pick-me-up, try this recipe inspired by CookieAndKate.com.
Jan. 11 is National Hot Toddy Day, but how much do you really know about this popular winter drink? Though the word “toddy” sounds British to American ears, it actually has a contested history split between two entirely different countries: India and Ireland. The Indian Affair: How the British Stole the ‘Taddy’ Today’s hot toddy is a steaming blend of whiskey, tea, honey, and lemon. But back in the early 1600s, it may have had different ingredients. According to VinePair.com, around that time, a popular drink called the “taddy” existed in British-controlled India. Originally, the Hindi word “taddy” described a beverage made with fermented palm sap, but a written account from 1786 revealed that the ingredients had evolved to include alcohol, hot water, sugar, and spices. The British swiped the idea of a “taddy” and brought it home to England. Legend has it that in northern England’s cozy pubs, the “taddy” became the “toddy.” The Irish Account: Dr. Todd’s Boozy Cure-All The Indians and the British aren’t the only ones who’ve claimed the toddy: The Irish have a stake, too. As the story goes, once upon a time in Ireland, there lived a doctor named Robert Bentley Todd. His signature cure-all was a combination of hot brandy, cinnamon, and sugar water, and it was so well-known (and tasty) that eventually, his patients named the drink in his honor.
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 oz whiskey
• 1 lemon round
• 2 tsp honey (or agave nectar for a vegan version)
• 1 cinnamon stick
Directions
1. Heat the water in a teapot or the microwave. Pour it into a mug.
2. Add the whiskey, honey, and lemon juice and stir until the honey is dissolved.
3. Garnish with the lemon round and cinnamon stick and enjoy!
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TAKE A BREAK
Have you ever started working on an important project and looked up at the clock after what felt like minutes only to find that hours had passed? If you have, you’ve probably experienced “flow state,” aka the Holy Grail of concentration and achievement. What is a flow state? Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes a flow state as a “focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback.” That sounds complex, but you can also think of flow as being “in the zone.” And it might be the key to achieving your New Year’s goals. That’s because a flow state almost always coincides with tackling a difficult task, and when you’re in a flow state, even the most challenging things feel relatively easy. Why are high achievers obsessed with flow? Flow state doesn’t only happen for people with desk jobs. You can get it while running, playing chess, dancing, or climbing a mountain, and it’s considered the Holy Grail because it has a host of benefits. According to the meditation app Headspace, those perks include heightened focus (goodbye, distractions!), a sense of clarity, feelings of happiness and pleasure, and the impression that all obstacles ahead of you have disappeared. That makes accomplishing your goals feel like less of a struggle. It’s no wonder high-achieving hobbyists, workers, and creatives crave the feeling! How can you get in a flow? Usually, a flow state isn’t planned — it just happens. In a BBC article, author Steven Kotler describes flow as “a happy accident.” But he also notes that we can make ourselves “more accident-prone.” To set yourself up for a flow state, find a quiet place to work and choose an activity that’s difficult but meaningful for you. Ideally, it should be something you’ve already put work into perfecting. If you’ve never tried painting before, you probably won’t find flow on your first attempt, but an experienced painter could achieve it while mastering a new technique. Some people claim that being in a flow state is a form of meditation and that learning how to meditate can help you reach it. To that end, apps like Headspace and Evenflow (for iPhones only) are great places to start! Before you know it, you’ll be finding the flow like a pro. HOW TO FIND YOUR FLOW IN 2021 Is Deep Focus the Secret to Success?
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Ingredients
Inspired by GoodHousekeeping.com
• 8 chicken thighs or
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks • 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 14 oz chicken stock • 1 sprig rosemary • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
drumsticks, lightly salted
• 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 onion, finely sliced • 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced • 2 carrots, thickly sliced • 1 leek, thickly sliced
Directions
1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. 2. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. 3. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks, and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds. 4. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. 5. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. 6. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 644 Cesery Blvd #250 Jacksonville, Florida 32211 (904) 467-1119 www.devrieslegal.com
The Cousin Rivalry That Gave the Supreme Court Its Power
1 2
Why Cutting Down a Saguaro Can Get You Jail Time Is the Hot Toddy Indian or Irish?
Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole How to Find Your Flow in 2021
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‘The Bachelorette’ Contestants Go to Court
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‘THE BACHELORETTE’ CONTESTANTS GO TO COURT Judge, Will You Accept This Rose?
The reality TV show “The Bachelorette” is known for being packed with drama, but last year there was just as much scandal among its contestants off-screen as there was while the cameras were rolling. Late in 2020, not one but two past “Bachelorette” contestants ended up in court. One of them was Chad Johnson, hailing from the group of hunks who competed for Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher’s attention in season 12. That season aired in 2016, but it wasn’t until two years later that Johnson sued Sunset Studios Entertainment and one of its executives, Cristina Cimino, for sexual harassment, failure to prevent harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud by intentional misrepresentation, and wrongful failure to hire in violation of public policy.
roles with her studio, but that never happened. Instead, she allegedly lured him into in-person meetings and bombarded him with inappropriate calls and text messages. After years of back-and-forth, the case is finally moving forward. In July 2020, a judge ruled that all of Johnson’s accusations were proven except failure to hire. Upping the drama, Deadline reported that “no attorneys for Cimino or the studio participated in the hearing.” Meanwhile, another “Bachelorette” contestant, Luke Parker, has been ordered by the court to pay $100,000 for breach of contract. Parker, who vied for the affection of Hannah Brown in the 2019 season, has allegedly been making media appearances without the consent of the show’s production company, NZK Productions Inc.
penny: $25,000 per appearance. According to Page Six, Parker might also be on the hook for bad-mouthing the show and/or sharing information about what happened on set — both things his contract forbids. Hopefully, the 2021 season of “The Bachelorette,” which should air later this year following the postponed 2020 season, will feature less drama than these real-life legal battles.
According to Deadline, Cimino told Johnson she would help him get movie
Each appearance was a breach of contract, and now he owes the company a pretty
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