Hooray for oral argument!

Today's DJ has AJ Bastida's article Preserving the Practice of Oral Argument, in which he asserts that "oral argument should be actively promoted and encouraged by judges and lawyers." Why? Because oral argument promotes transparency and accountability; enhances judicial decisionmaking; advances the qualities of lawyers; and encourages professional camaraderie.

 Bloomberg Law has California Bar Signs $8 Million Kaplan Licensing Exam Contract:

The California State Bar’s board signed an $8.25 million, five-year contract with Kaplan for the company to help develop a state-specific licensing exam to replace the national standardized test, the state bar said Tuesday. The agreement authorizes Kaplan to create multiple-choice, essays, and performance test questions