Moritz Legal Information Blog

The first criminal charges regarding with 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico were filed today.  A former BP engineer has been charged with obstructing justice for allegedly deleting messages from his iPhone that detailed how much oil was entering the Gulf.  He was part of the BP team sent to estimate the severity of the leak and try to stop it. Department of Justice Press Release  (including the complaint and affidavit) NPR Wall Street Journal CNN

Seminole County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth R. Lester Jr. of Florida's Eighteenth Judicial Circuit has unsealed the record in George Zimmerman's case. Many of the court documents, some with redactions, are now available on the court's website . Documents include the prosecution's probable cause affidavit as well as an exhibit list showing two prior legal matters involving Zimmerman. See the Wall Street Journal for additional details.

Using nothing more than his experience as a marathon runner and, according to LegalPad , some "Jedi mind control," San Francisco attorney David Newdorf foiled the teenage thieves who mugged him for his cell phone. When one of the teens snatched the phone from his hand, Newdorf ran them down, convinced them to return it...and then used it to take pictures of the thieves and contact the police.  According to Newdorf's Twitter feed , the teens were charged in juvenile court and released to home detention. Exams are on the horizon, but don't forget to stay in shape--you never know when it might come in handy! More: Above the Law

Two Florida Circuit judges have recused themselves from the Trayvon Martin case. The first, Jessica Recksiedler, withdrew because of a potential conflict of interest—her husband works for with a CNN legal analyst. The second, John D. Galluzzo, formerly practiced with Zimmerman’s current attorney, Mark O’Mara. For more, see coverage in the Miami Herald . That’s not the only recusal in the news lately. The final oral argument of this Supreme Court term, scheduled for April 25, will be one justice short. Justice Kagan recused herself from Arizona v. United States (see cert grant ) because of work she had done as Solicitor General, raising the possibility of a 4-4 decision in this important immigration case . Justice Kagan resisted calls (like this one from Senator Jeff Sessions ) to recuse herself from another big case— U.S. Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida—the Affordable Care Act case. When should judges recuse themselves? Chief Justice John Roberts devoted the first

The Congressional Budget Office recently released new  "infographics" on the federal budget including separate displays for federal revenues , mandatory spending , and discretionary spending , as well as a federal budget overview . According to the CBO, these releases are part of its effort to make budgetary information more accessible.

Teller (the silent half of magical duo Penn & Teller) is suing Gerard Bakardy for allegedly revealing the secret behind "Shadows" (an illusion in which the magician "cuts" the shadow of a flower, and the real flower comes apart) and attempting to sell the secret of the illusion for around $3,000. Teller registered "Shadows" with the U.S. Copyright Office in 1983. MSNBC (watch Teller perform "Shadows" here!) Law and Magic Blog Rabbit-filled hat tip: Legal Blog Watch (Teller's drawing of "Shadows" is here)

Your signature dance moves can and will be used against you. A teen from Galveston, Texas, is one of three suspects in a burglary from a Duck Tours boat.  Security cameras caught the young man dancing, and the routine was recognized by school police officers. Hat Tip: Lowering the Bar  (see the video here!) Huffington Post Galveston Daily News