Some of you have expressed a desire to attend the hearing in Montgomery on the 15th. You are most welcome! A strong gathering would be a welcome a show of support!

However, if you choose to come to Montgomery, please be respectful of the proceedings. That means no signs, no stickers, no distractions of any kind. Respect for the process will be the best course of action in this case. We still have high hopes that our justice system will deliver justice in this case!

FEDERAL JUDGE CLAY LAND ASSIGNED SIEGELMAN CASE

The Ledger-Enquirer of Columbus, GA, reports that Judge Clay Land, Chief Federal Judge for the Middle District of Georgia, is to replace Judge Mark Fuller in the Siegelman case. Judge Land was appointed to the bench by George Bush in 2001 and was made Chief Justice of the Middle District of Georgia on October 1st of this year. The 11th Circuit Court appointed Judge Land to handle this case after Judge Fuller’s caseload reassignments following his recent arrest in the Atlanta Ritz Carlton for domestic violence.

JUDGE CLAY LAND ORDERED SIEGELMAN TO APPEAR AT THE HEARING

Judge Land has set a date of Dec. 15, 2014, to hear the request for release in Montgomery, AL. He also ordered former Governor Don Siegelman to appear at the hearing.

Siegelman's lawyers requested this hearing to release pending the Oral arguments in Atlanta because if Siegelman ultimately is granted a new trial, or if the court agrees with the argument that the previous Judge miscalculated the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines in determining Siegelman's sentence, former Governor Siegelman will have been unconstitutionally deprived of his liberty, serving time for overturned convictions.

THE APPEAL VS.THE APPEAL

Legal terms can be confounding, and the two appeals can easily be confused as one appeal. But they are two separate appeals in two different places. One appeal is for "release pending his appeal" and is different from the later appeal, the "case appeal."

The appeal for release will take place on December 15 in Montgomery and is a hearing on whether former Governor Siegelman will be allowed to be free while waiting for the case appeal.

The case appeal, which may take place some time in January, will be an Oral Argument to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn rulings made in Siegelman's trial and sentencing. Siegelman's lawyers said their appeal before the 11th Circuit will show that the case against their client was tainted and the trial judge made multiple errors in the trial.

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