Packing Plans
Next week we’re leaving for seven days out of town — to visit our friends from Tennessee who have moved to San Francisco, and to go to our other friends’ wedding in Colorado. As I start to contemplate the realities… Continue Reading
Law
Religion and Child Custody Disputes
One of my great intellectual heroes has written about a disturbing phenomenon: courts using the religious activities of a parent as a factor in deciding child custody disputes. Churchgoing parents are, in many states, more likely to be awarded custody… Continue Reading
Words, Free Speech, and Testimony
An interesting issue raised in a rape trial in Nebraska: does using the word “rape” to describe an event have an unfair emotional impact? Basic facts: man and women hook up at a bar, have some drinks, go home, and… Continue Reading
Online Students Say the Darndest Things
“…there has to be a line and the law draws the line where it draws it and it is unreasonable to ask a merchant to analize minors on a case-by-case basis.“ It’s called spell-check. Use it, every time.
The Bereavement of Hate
Every attorney, from time to time, has to give a “bad news” speech to a client. This is when the attorney’s people skills really matter. I had to give that speech this morning. It’s never any fun, but it’s an… Continue Reading
Fred Thompson: Lawyer-Candidate
An interesting bit from Fred Thompson on the lawyer as a political candidate. Much of it is biographical and designed to encourage political support for his candidacy (interestingly, Right Said Fred’s website does not describe Thompson’s positions on any political… Continue Reading
A Farewell to Wigs
Solicitors in the UK, and the judges they practice before, will no longer wear their traditional wigs and colorful court costumes, at least for civil and family law cases. Efficient and practical, to be sure, but also kind of sad,… Continue Reading
Two-Thirds Of A Billion Dollars
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles won judicial approval yesterday for a settlement of $660 million to be spread out amongst 508 plaintiffs who claimed they had been raped by priests as children. Note that I use the term “rape” rather… Continue Reading
Biltmore Boredom Blues
I presently sit in the lobby of the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel, consuming the wireless internet available here before my employment law symposium, set to begin in a few hours. I had an appearance in the downtown Los Angeles courthouse… Continue Reading
Scooter Pays Up
As usual, The Smoking Gun is there. I’ve seen and handled bigger checks than this, but it’s kind of cool to see anyway.