[news] How to Write for the AP Wire

From this article, we learn that the Supreme Court has decided not to hear an appeal by an employer who got slapped with an $870,000 judgment for workplace discrimination against a transgender police officer. The issue was the scope of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights act: does "sex" discrimination include "sex characteristics" discrimination? Courts are saying yes--you can't be fired for wearing nail polish or pants (as opposed to skirts, of course).

(link to article)
(link to Title VII)

From this article we also learn how to write an AP story about law and sexuality in the wake of a Supreme Court nomination. Just follow this outline.

(1) Jot down some basic, relatively uninteresting facts about the case, such as: the amount of the judgment, the names of the parties, and the city where it all took place. Be sure not to discuss anything actually determinative in the case.

(2) Get one uninformative quote from an attorney on each side (see ABA Model Rules 3.6: Trial Publicity).

(3) Remind the reader that George W. Bush could appoint the Supreme Court justice who will hear this case, even though the cert. was denied and no one on the Supreme Court will actually hear this case.

(4) Find some connection to O'Connor, however remote. If no connection can be found, just write her name with hearts behind it.

(5) Give vague and non sequitur biographical information about the current nominee.

(6) Finish up with a quote by someone at Lambda Legal (see ABA Model Rules 3.6 cmt. 3).

(7) Pulitzer.