On Judge Berman’s Deflategate opinion
“One thing people misinterpret from Judge Berman’s decision is that he exonerated Tom Brady. Judge Berman did no such thing. All his opinion did was say that Brady lacked a sort of due process and didn’t get the fair hearing that he deserved on this issue from the commissioner on appeal.”
Brad Snyder, ESPN
On why we need fetal tissue research
“Virtually every person in this country has benefited from research using fetal tissue. Every child who’s been spared the risks and misery of chicken pox, rubella, or polio can thank the Nobel Prize recipients and other scientists who used such tissue in research yielding the vaccines that protect us.”
Alta Charo, New York Times
On the role of patents in limiting scientific research
“The existence of a patent could let an institution prevent some uses of the invention that are deemed unethical. Universities that hold biotechnology patents generally grant a site license to other nonprofit institutions for a relatively small fee (on the order of $5,000 to $10,000 per year), giving people at the paying institution the opportunity to use the patented technology in noncommercial research. Universities also license patents to for-profit companies. In both cases, university patent owners could use their license to put some restrictions on what the licensee can do.”
Pilar Ossario, New York Times
On the peculiar decision to jail children for refusing to visit their father
“Contempt of court is intentionally violating a court order, and a court order would be pertaining directly to the parents, not the children. The parents might be required to facilitate placement with the children, but the children aren’t required to do that.”
Marsha Mansfield, The Guardian