[umbagi]

True. But if I copy something and claim it as my own thoughts/utterances/work product, it’s still plagiarism, and is ethically and morally wrong, whether or not a criminal taking occurs. No one is seeking criminal prosecution of Biden for it; it’s simply being made public to show the moral and ethical failures that illustrate his horrible character.

[P-Marlowe]

Yes it is plagiarism, but it’s perfectly legal.

Sometimes I will come across a case which I am not allowed to quote because it is deemed an “unpublished opinion.” If I think the arguments are germane to my case, I will literally steal the language of the opinion and put it in my brief without attribution.

Technically I could be sanctioned if I actually referenced where I stole the language from.

Per court rules you can’t reference an opinion that was not “certified for publication” (even though it is published) but you can literally steal the entire opinion and put in in your own brief as if they are your own words.

It’s stupid, but it’s the law.