We're submitting an app to Apple for the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. Changes in those rules will take place effective February 1, 2010. Our app does not include those changes because the app would be inaccurate if downloaded before February 1. If you want to wait, we'll have a 2010 version coming out in January.

The rules to be amended are Rules 16, 26, 33(c), 34 and 45. The new rule is Rule 37(g). You can read about them at Alabama Judicial System Online.

Jimmy Verner
jverner@vernerlegal.com

It's almost blasphemy. Apple rejected an image of Frank Sinatra as the icon for our New York family of court rules. If Frank Sinatra is not iconic of New York, then who (or what) is?

Frank Sinatra, a/k/a/ "Ol' Blue Eyes"

Here's Apple's reasoning:

[W]e cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.14 from the iPhone Developer Program License Agreement which states:

"Applications may be rejected if they contain content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, sounds, etc.) that in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable, for example, materials that may be considered obscene, pornographic, or defamatory."

Could the problem be that our first New York app is the Uniform Rules for the Family Court? Could Apple have thought we picked "The Voice" because he was married four times and divorced three? Or maybe Apple didn't like it that we identified him as "Ol' Blue Eyes?" Either possibility seems like a stretch to us.

Anyhow, we settled for a bland photo of the Empire State Building as the icon for our New York apps.

Jimmy Verner
jverner@vernerlegal.com

In the course of working on Michigan's rules, I found some recent amendments to the Rules of Civil Procedure: Rule 2.511 ("Impaneling the Jury") was amended effective September 1, 2009, while amendments to 2.112 ("Pleading Special Matters") will become effective January 1, 2010.

Amendments to Rule 611 of the Michigan Rules of Evidence ("Mode and Order of Interrogation and Presentation") took effect on September 1, 2009.

These amendments are included in our Michigan Rules of Civil Procedure and Michigan Rules of Evidence which are awaiting approval by Apple. Approval usually takes about two weeks.

There are also amendments to other Michigan rules for which we have not prepared iPhone apps, such as Chapter 3 ("Special Proceedings and Actions"). See Michigan Courts.

Jimmy Verner
jverner@vernerlegal.com