Election, Iraq War Named Top Legal Stories Of Year (NAPSA)—Thewarin Iraq and the U.S. presidential election were the most significant legal events of 2004. A survey of top lawyers and legal scholars by Thomson West, the foremost provider of integrated information solutions to the U.S. legal market, said the two events could havesignificant and lasting impact on the U.S. legal system. Issues raised by the Iraq War stretch across nearly the entire spectrum of law, say some legal scholars. “The waging of war in Iraq and the war on terrorism directly raise issues such as treaties, treatment of prisoners, domestic control of political activity, and fundamental normsof due process,” states Howard Anawalt, author of “IP Strategy: Complete Intellectual Property Planning, Access & Protection.” “What we do and can do in the world of law dependson attention to such matters. As a result, the legal issues raised by the war will affect nearly all aspects of law.” The legal scholars in the Thomson West survey said the 2004 presidential election was the other top legal story of the year and not only because ofits lack of the legal challenges that marred the 2000 election, which was ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The reelection of President Bushwill affect the future makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court as well as federal judgeships around the country, leaving an impact that maylast for decades. Voter participation was ex- tremely strong in this election. About 60 percent of registered voters went to the polls, the highest voter participation rate since 1968, according to Associated Pressfigures. The courts and the law have been muchin the newsthis year. “Voters educate themselves about the election process, government and the law,” says Ilise Feitshans, author of “Designing an Effective OSHA Compliance Program.” “Voters learn how laws and policies are created and enforced, what current laws allow and don’t allow, and what they would like to see changed.” “This is the legal system at its best,” adds Feitshans. “It was really marvelous to see voters, particularly so many young people, asking questions, becoming part of the democratic process, and knowing that they had their say, whetheror not they liked the outcome.” Among the most significant court cases of 2004, legal scholars in the survey cited Blakely v. Washington, which could lead to changes in federal and state sentencing guidelines. The legal scholars were largely split on the issue of whether the controversial Patriot Act infringes on civil rights or is a necessary legal tool by imposing new government abilities to gather evidence against possible terrorists.
