Friday, January 30, 2015

Top 10 from Texas Bar Today: Possession, Parts, and Paris

Originally published by .


To highlight some of the posts that stand out from the crowd, the editors of Texas Bar Today have created a list from the week’s blog posts of the top ten based on subject matter, writing style, headline, and imagery. We hope you enjoy this installment.


10. Verbal Contracts and Texas LawMark Nacol @NacolLawFirm of The Nacol Law Firm PC in Richardson


9. Non Compete Law in Texas: 2014 in ReviewLeiza Dolghih @leizad33 of Godwin Lewis PC in Dallas


8. Client Development: Sometimes You Need Some LuckCordell Parvin @cordellparvin of Cordell Parvin LLC in Dallas




7. Locard’s Principle, RevisitedCraig Ball @craigball of Craig D. Ball, P.C. in Austin


6. Throwback Thursday: Super Bowl Edition – Law Librarians of South Texas College of Law @STCLHouston in Houston


5. Parts is Parts.David Coale @600camp of Lynn Tillotson Pinker & Cox LLP in Dallas


4. Who’s Weekend Is It Anyway? Texas Standard Possession Schedule 2015Susan Smith of Varghese, Summersett & Smith, PLLC @VersusTexas in Fort Worth


3. Maybe Next Time Try Paris, Texas?Richard Smith @600Commerce of Lynn Tillotson Pinker & Cox LLP in Dallas


2. When it Comes to FOIA, Think Outside The BoxWalter James of James PLLC in Colleyville


1. When Should You Turn Down a Billion Dollars?Alex Fuller of Gray Reed & McGraw @GrayReedLaw in Dallas


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2015.31: Ethical Question—Privilege vs. Best Interest

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Hypo: In a Texas criminal case, defense counsel receives a video recording in discovery from the state. Assume that she needs to prepare her witnesses for cross-examination by talking to them about the contents of the video. The defendant forbids her from showing the video to the witnesses or even telling them what it shows. She does her best to convince him to allow it, but he refuses. How does this shake out?


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Say What?! – Don’t Leave Me Out

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From Donald J. Drago of Austin, upon the review of a document shown as an exception on a commitment for title insurance covering a tract of land in Harrison County, this “restrictive covenant” found in a Warranty Deed from the Smiths (the sellers) to an investment entity:


Item No. 11 — Buyers must invite the Smiths over for BBQ or party at least twice yearly. Smiths will bring beer.


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Importance of Knowing Line Between Individual and Representative Capacity

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After the death of her mother, Kathleen Kozinski, who was named as both trustee of a trust created by her mother and personal representative of her mother’s estate, filed a notice of trust and a petition for administration of the…


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Fall Protection for Workers

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While there may be numerous hazards for workers in any given labor environment, one area that is often overlooked is the potential for falls and falling objects to create harm. According to a recent OSHA (Occupational Safety Health Administration) study “falls and falling objects can result from unstable working surfaces, ladders, that are not


Read more »


The post Fall Protection for Workers appeared first on Baumgartner Law Firm.


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Suit over social media posts concerning Silverado Senior Living in mediation

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geriatric-nurseMediation is taking place in a suit brought by the children of a woman living in a Sugar Land nursing home who claim they have been banned from the facility because social media postings.


As previously reported, Mackey Glen Peterson, Don Leslie Peterson and Lonny Peterson filed a lawsuit July 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division against Silverado Senior Living, doing business as Silverado Senior Living–Sugar Land, and Tana McMillon.


The Petersons allege their visitation rights to Silverado Senior Living had been revoked based on the “posting of exploitive and invasive materials which also violate the privacy rights of other Silverado residents.”


Court records show the parties recently held a settlement conference.


On Jan. 15 Judge Nancy Atlas signed an order abating case deadlines, which states the parties shall file a status report by Feb. 10 concerning the settlement agreed to in mediation. If the case is not settled by that time, the parties must schedule an additional mediation session.


According to the original complaint, Lonny Peterson claims he attempted to visit his mother July 27, but was told to leave the premises. That same day, Don Peterson and his spouse also attempted to see their mother at the home, but were stopped at the door and warned, saying they would be arrested if they did not immediately leave the premises, according to the complaint.


The plaintiffs say they currently have no way to see their mother – they are prohibited from visiting the nursing home and cannot remove their mother from the facility because it is locked.


The plaintiffs seek nominal and actual damages of more than $100,000, but less than $500,000, plus exemplary or punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, costs, attorneys’ fees and other relief the court deems just.


Attorneys Candice Leonard Schwager of The Schwager Law Firm in Houston and Philip M. Ross of San Antonio are representing them.


Case No. 4:14-cv-02179


The post Suit over social media posts concerning Silverado Senior Living in mediation appeared first on Southeast Texas Record.


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Thursday, January 29, 2015

"Florida Joins the Conversation on Advising Clients to ‘Clean Up’ Social Media"

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Legal Ethics in Motion has a post about a new ethics opinion from Florida analyzing whether a lawyer may advise a client to clean up social media before initiating litigation.


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A New Frontier for the Rules of Professional Conduct: Limited License Legal Technicians

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On January 8, 2015, the Washington State Supreme Court adopted special rules of professional conduct to govern limited license legal technicians (LLLTs). The LLLT rules are closely analogous to the rules that govern lawyers, so there is nothing terribly new…


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Discovery still proceeding in pit bull attack suit

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Pitbull dogs bark during the Prague PitbDiscovery is still continuing to unfold in a suit accusing a Beaumont dog owner of allowing four pit bulls to attack a passer-by.


On Aug. 8, Jeff Carnley, by and through his parent and legal guardian, Barbara Carnley, filed a lawsuit against Timothy Rozell and Ali Habibnia in Jefferson County District Court.


The latest filing in the case, a certificate of discovery, came on Jan. 5, court records show.


The document shows Habibnia submitted to Carnley his request for disclosure and production.


The complaint alleges that Rozell owned four pit bulls at West Park Addition, a property on North Major Drive owned by Habibnia of Beaumont. Barbara Carnley says her son was walking his dog outside Rozell’s residence on April 25 when the pit bulls attacked Jeff Carnley and his dog.


The dog bites were severe enough to cause serious, permanent injuries to Jeff Carnley, according to the lawsuit. His mother says Rozell and Habibnia both knew the pit bulls were dangerous but failed to take steps necessary to avoid the alleged attack.


In the suit, Barbara Carnley accuses Rozell and Habibnia of negligence and alleges they are liable for her son’s injuries. She is asking for an unspecified amount of money in damages.


Attorney Adam Nichols of Reaud, Morgan & Quinn in Beaumont represents Carnley. They request a jury trial.


Beaumont attorney Michael Lindsay represents Habibnia.


Case No. D-195-958


The post Discovery still proceeding in pit bull attack suit appeared first on Southeast Texas Record.


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Say What?! – Did She Really Say That?

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From Suzanne Saenz of Houston (Suzanne is a legal assistant with Ronald W. Ryan), this excerpt from the plaintiff’s deposition in a medical malpractice case.


Q. Mr. Williams, are you on any medication today?


A. Yeah. No. Just a little old pain pill; but I’m not – I know what I’m doing …


Q. What kid of pain pill is that?


A. Let’s see. What did I Tell you the name of it was, a while ago?


Def. Attny: I think you said Vicodin.


A. Vicodin. That’s what it is, and it doesn’t really hurt my memory.


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GM Rebate Saves Parts Seller from Below-Cost Predatory Pricing Claim, Fifth Circuit Rules

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Auto Parts A beastly hard theory


The latest antitrust ruling by the Fifth Circuit favors a giant, General Motors, despite its huge share of the parts market that the plaintiff accused it of monopolizing. But the case says less about the Fifth Circuit’s pro-defense leanings than it does about the steep odds against predatory-pricing cases in general.


The case


In Felder’s Collision Parts, Inc. v. All Star Advertising Agency, Inc. , No. 14-30410 (5th Cir. Jan. 27, 2015), the panel looked at whether the plaintiff Felder’s had alleged a plausible antitrust claim. Felders alleged that a GM parts dealer, All Star, had engaged in below-cost pricing in order to drive out rivals like Felder’s.


Speaking through Judge Gregg Costa — the Fifth Circuit’s newest member and a very bright fellow indeed — the court agreed with a Louisiana district judge that Felder’s could never prevail on its claim. A predatory pricing theory, the court noted, requires that the defendant sell something at less than “average variable cost”, aiming to starve competitors of profits and later (after they die or quit) to recoup the losses by charging monopoly prices. Felder’s , slip op. at 5 & 8.


Rebate saves the day


But the GM parts dealer didn’t charge less than its cost. Although All Star and others in GM’s “Bump the Competition” program did undercut Felder’s pricing and in doing so charged less than what they paid GM for the parts, GM gave the dealers rebates that turned nominal losses into real profits.


An alternative?


Why, you might ask, didn’t Felder’s complain about GM’s prices instead of the dealers’? The panel wondered the same thing:



[I]t would seem that a successful predatory pricing scheme of this nature would primarily benefit GM by driving aftermarket equivalent parts from the market. But Felder’s has never alleged that GM is selling parts below its costs, focusing instead on allegations that GM dealer All Star is selling parts at prices below its costs. The viability of Felder’s claims thus turns on whether it can show that All Star is engaged in predatory pricing at the dealer level.



Felder’s, slip op. at 6-7.


The answer likely lies in a simple fact about predatory pricing claims. If the claim had focused on what GM charged its dealers, Felder’s would have had to show that GM’s average variable cost of making the parts exceeded what GM sold the parts for. That task would require details about GM’s manufacturing processes for multiple parts, reports and testimony by an economics expert, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in expense. Far better to cite the delta between the nominal price that dealers paid GM and the (lower) price they charged customers, no?


Lesson


Antitrust claims promise treble damages, yet they require big outlays and entail high risk. Make sure you and your counsel understand the upside and downside of pursuing the claims.





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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Say What?! – From the Twilight Zone

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Q. Anything else you like to do a lot?


A. Look out the window.


Q. Have you got a good view?


A. No.


Q. You just like to look out there?


A. Yeah.


Q. What can you see from your window?


A. The apartments in front of us.


Q. I guess there’s usually a lot of activity out there.


A. Not no more.


Q. How come?


A. The drug dealer moved away.


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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Naming Names in the $1.5 Bilion GM/JPMorgan/Simpson/Mayer Brown Opinion

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We’ve already noted the 2nd circuit’s decision this month finding that termination of the UCC-1 filing in connection with the $1.5 billion GM loan was enforceable and that therefore the property securing the loan was no longer secure. The opinion…


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Locard’s Principle, Revisited

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This is the tenth in a series revisiting Ball in Your Court columns and posts from the primordial past of …


Continue reading



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What is a “Right to Work” law?

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In meeting with employees, I often am asked about s0-called “Right to Work” laws. What are they? When do they apply? Is it the same as “Employment at Will”? Here’s the answer:


“Employment at Will” and “Right to Work” are two different concepts that can be confusing and are often mixed up by employees. But they are very different concepts.


“Right to Work” is a concept that has to do with union membership. A “right-to-work” law is a state statute that prohibits union security agreements, or agreements between labor unions and employers. Generally speaking, they forbid union “closed shops”. A closed shop is one in which union membership is required for employment if your job is covered by an existing collective bargaining agreement between the employer and employee. In a right to work state, a union can be elected to represent the workers but the workers cannot be required to join the union or pay union dues.


The sounds pretty good to many employees at first and right-to-work laws have gained some traction as a result. Right-to-work laws exist in 24 U.S. states, mostly in the southern and western United States, but also including, as of 2012, the midwestern states of Michigan and Indiana. The downside of such laws is that they dramatically weaken unions buy effectively starving them of the funds they need to operate and organize. As a result, union membership in right to work states has dropped dramatically. Lower union membership in these states has led to a drop in workers’s wages and severe damage to job protections for workers in those states.


Not surprisingly, right-to-work laws have been strongly championed by anti-worker political action groups, such as U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Such groups have spent millions on running misleading advertising and purchasing politicians who will support their efforts to curtail workers’ rights and suppress wages.


Read more…


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Defendants move for summary judgment in barratry case

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Michael Kubosh


A pair of defendants fingered in a barratry lawsuit are moving for summary judgment, asserting the whole case was brought against them by an attorney looking “to build an army of plaintiffs.”


On April 5, 2013, area resident Michael Youngblood filed a civil barratry suit against Kubosh Bail Bonding and the Kubosh Law Office, alleging he was unwantedly solicited for representation for his traffic tickets.


The suit was filed in Jefferson County District Court and also names Paul Kubosh and Felix Michael Kubosh as defendants.


Barratry, more commonly referred to as ambulance chasing, is illegal in Texas and applies to lawyers who inappropriately solicit clients for profit.


Court records show that on Jan. 21 the Kubosh defendants filed a motion for summary judgment, contending enough time has passed for discovery and the plaintiff has failed to unearth evidence to support his barratry claim.


The alleged barratry incident transpired on Sept. 19, 2012, when Youngblood, the plaintiff in the case, contacted Kubosh Bail, which is owned by Michael Kubosh. Youngblood needed to post bond on three traffic tickets that were in warrant status.


Youngblood claims he informed a Kubosh Bail representative that he needed a quote and was placed on hold. When someone came back on the line, it was a different person and this person was a representative of the Kubosh Law Firm seeking to solicit his business for court representation.


The two Houston-based businesses are located right next to each other and share a phone system.


Court records show further show that on Nov. 21 Judge Sanderson, 60th District Court granted a Kubosh motion to leave and designate Andrew Sullo, a Houston attorney, as a responsible third party.


The Kuboshs say Sullo was present when Youngblood contacted Kubosh bail and the call took place and was recorded at the Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont.


Sullo could be heard whispering to Youngblood during the call, court records show.


“Sullo developed this scheme for this purpose: he wanted to use … Youngblood to attempt to obtain indirectly what he cannot legally obtain directly. That is, Sullo believed that he could exploit the barratry statute against the Kubosh defendants as he understood the way they do business,” the motion for summary judgment states.


“However, he could not bring suit simply to obtain a declaration on the point. So he sought to build an army of plaintiffs … to fill out his hypothetical facts.”


Houston attorney David Furlow represents the Kubosh defendants.


Attorney Brian Zimmerman of the Houston law firm Zimmerman, Axelrad, Myer, Stern & Wise represents the plaintiff.


Case No. B194-221


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Monday, January 26, 2015

Prosecutors Threaten Federal Identity Theft to Force Pleas

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The threat of tacking on charges of identity theft in federal indictments has become a dangerous weapon in the hands of federal prosecutors trying to force […]


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Over 116 Billion Arrears Owed Nationally

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Owed child support and not getting paid?


money According to the Rocky Mountain PBS News, you’re not alone. In the state of Colorado, a third of the state’s child support cases are delinquent. Nationally, there are over one hundred and sixteen billion arrears owed to parents. Obviously, the current system has to make adjustments so that arrears can be collected. For example, Colorado and eight other states have started a pilot program that will work the non-custodial parents to collect arrears.


Critics have argued that the program is too soft in its approach, arguing that it benefits the non-custodial party more than the custodial parent and child. However, the results have been positive.


Regardless, of whether the approach might be too “soft” on non-custodial parents, action needs to be taken. In some cases, people have become so desperate that they have relied on schemes and scams that in the end cost the custodial party even more money. In Texas, three people were recently arrested from stealing child support money. They were able to steal, in part because they worked for a company that provided debit services for custodial parents.


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Friday, January 23, 2015

Top 10 from Texas Bar Today: Clients, Compliance, and Courts

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To highlight some of the posts that stand out from the crowd, the editors of Texas Bar Today have created a list from the week’s blog posts of the top ten based on subject matter, writing style, headline, and imagery. We hope you enjoy this installment.


10. Article on Perpetuities and the Genius of a Free StateGerry Beyer @Gerry_Beyer, Professor at Texas Tech University School of Law in Lubbock


9. Dallas Court Adds Two Cases to the Discussion of What Is and What Isn’t a Health Care Liability ClaimCarrington Coleman in Dallas



8. Cyber Advice to Lawyers: Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are directed at your clients!Peter Vogel @PeterSVogel of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP in Dallas


7. Lawyers: Simple Ways to Use Social Media Marketing in One Hour: Part 1Cordell Parvin @cordellparvin of Cordell Parvin LLC in Dallas


6. So, is non-compete litigation on the rise?Rob Radcliff @robradcliff of Weinstein Radcliff LLP in Dallas


5. SCOTX to decide the future of Texas school finance [Jan. 23, 2015]Don Cruse @doncruse of Law Office of Don Cruse in Austin


4. Brain Injury Symptoms: Behavioral and Emotional SymptomsBrooks Schuelke @bschuelke of Perlmutter & Schuelke, LLP in Austin


3. Fifth Circuit Resolves Intra-Circuit Split on Important ADA IssueRussell Cawyer @RussellCawyer of Kelly, Hart & Hallman LLP in Fort Worth


2. Loose Lips Fail to Sink Summary JudgmentRichard Smith @600Commerce of Lynn Tillotson Pinker & Cox in Dallas


1. Both Sides Now and Asking the Right Compliance Questions – Thomas Fox @tfoxlaw of TomFoxLaw in Houston


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Dallas Court Adds Two Cases to the Discussion of What Is and What Isn’t a Health Care Liability Claim

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Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas v. Burch

Dallas Court of Appeals, No. 05-14-00665 (January 22, 2015)

Justices Evans (Opinion), Brown, and Schenck


Tinnard v. Dallas County Hospital District

Dallas Court of Appeals, No. 05-13-01161-CV (January 22, 2015)

Justices Bridges, Lang (Opinion), and Evans



The Dallas Court of Appeals issued two opinions further clarifying what is and what isn’t a health care liability claim subject to the expert report requirements of Chapter 74 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code. In Tinnard, it found that the character of a health care liability claim cannot be changed by artful pleading or by the invocation of the Texas Tort Claims Act. In Burch, it found that a slip and fall that happened to take place in a hospital did not give rise to a health care liability claim.


In the first case, Tinnard v. Dallas County Hospital District, the plaintiff sued the Dallas County Hospital District d/b/a Parkland Health & Hospital System (“Parkland”) and the University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas (“UT Southwestern”) for an alleged “error in medical judgment and decision-making” in discontinuing antibiotic treatment for his gouty arthritis. The case was dismissed because the plaintiff, Zene Tinnard, failed to timely file an adequate expert report as required by Chapter 74. Tinnard argued that his claims were brought under the Texas Tort Claims Act, not Chapter 74, and that his request for declaratory judgment that Parkland and UT Southwestern were not entitled to sovereign immunity was not a “health care liability claim.” The appeals court disagreed, holding that the underlying nature of the claim was not altered by the fact that it was pleaded as a Texas Tort Claims Act claim and a request for declaratory judgment.


In the second case, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas v. Burch, the Court agreed with the trial court that a slip-and-fall case does not become a health care liability claim merely because the fall took place in a hospital. The plaintiff, Dena Burch, slipped and fell in a puddle of water while she was at the hospital visiting her mother, and she brought suit against the hospital. The hospital filed a motion to dismiss on the grounds that Burch failed to file an expert report, but the trial court denied the motion. The Dallas Court of Appeals agreed. Although certain claims based on accepted standards of hospital safety do constitute health care liability claims—for example, a claim based on the failure to train hospital employees in dealing with violent psychiatric patients—the safety claim must not be “completely untethered from health care.” The Court reiterated that “the mere fact that the alleged injuries occurred at the hospital is insufficient to transform a negligence claim into a health care liability claim,” and that there must be some at least indirect relationship with health care.


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SCOTX to decide the future of Texas school finance [Jan. 23, 2015]

Originally published by .


The big item on today’s otherwise quiet orders list is the Court formally accepting a case about the Texas school-finance system.



Schedule set in school finance cases



The Court has now formally said that it will hear this "direct appeal" of the school finance ruling that held certain portions of the system unconstitutional.


The Court has agreed to the briefing schedule suggested by the parties, which puts the briefs due on April 13, 2015 (for the State and others challenging the judgment); July 2, 2015 (for those defending the judgment); and a reply on August 11, 2015 (for the State and others challenging the judgment).


That briefing schedule extends beyond the July 1, 2015 deadline set by the trial court's order. The State's motion states its belief that this deadline was suspended automatically by the appeal.


The briefing schedule also permits the Legislature to finish its session (and perhaps even a special session). Both sides will have an opportunity to address how any new legislation might affect this case.


Based on this schedule, I would expect the Court to hear oral argument in September 2015.


The briefing so far just consists of very short notices of appeal ("jurisdictional statements") filed by four groups challenging aspects of the judgment below:




  • the State Defendants (the commissioner of education and others)




  • a group led by the Texas Charter School Association




  • a group led by the Texas Taxpayer & Student Fairness Coalition




  • a group of six school districts that have broken with the main group of plaintiffs (Calhoun ISD, Abernathy ISD, Aransas ISD, Frisco ISD, Lewisville ISD, and Richardson ISD)







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June 2003 – The Not-So-Absent Witness

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From Jim. D. Bowmer, in this criminal case the defense counsel had just moved for continuance on the ground of absence of a defense witness.


Judge: Well, why don’t we call the list of witnesses and see who’s here? (The list was called and the supposedly “absent” witness answered “Present.”)


Defense Attorney: Your Honor, I move for continuance on the grounds of surprise. He promised me he wouldn’t be here.


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Supreme Court Haiku

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ruth-ginsburg MDL cases


Keep distinct identities


And appeal ripeness


Opinion


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Member benefits – education

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What’s your 2015 plan for education? Is it time to get the kids ready for SATs? Or are you ready to get a new professional certification? Your State Bar of Texas Member Discount Program can help.


If your kids are in high school, chances are they’ll be taking the SAT soon. Veritas Prep offers $100 off any of their SAT prep courses , plus self-paced and in-school programs. If someone in your family is thinking of applying to business school to earn an MBA, Veritas also offers GMAT preparatory programs . Get complete SAT and ACT prep from eknowledge with a 90% discount – this includes multimedia files, drills and test-taking opportunities.


You and your family are also eligible for college tuition savings from dozens of schools. Ecubed offers a 100% online learning environment, with classes from schools like Purdue University and Creighton University. StraighterLine ’s online general education courses help you earn credits that transfer to dozens of partner colleges and universities – save up to 90%. AllCampus has dozens of partner schools – including the University of Colorado at Boulder, Brandeis University and Saint Francis University – from which you can take online courses and earn degrees or certificates. Patten University offers online classes for $299 a month or less. Save 10%-40% off online tuition from Drexel University Online .


ABCmouse.com features a full online preschool through kindergarten curriculum. Educational games for ages 2-6 – with customizable lessons – can bring your children up to speed quickly and instill a love of learning. The program features more than 3,500 interactive learning activities, including games, books, puzzles, songs, printable materials and more. Save more than 15% on ABCmouse.com services.


For more information on other discounts you’re eligible for as a member of the State Bar of Texas, visit texasbar.com, click “For Lawyers” then select “Review Member Benefits and Discounts” from the Benefits section.



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Houston Legal Links 1/23/2015

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Top legal news includes: U.S. witness: Spill response removed far less crude than BP expert estimates; Fired TCEQ Investigator: Law Firm Baker Botts Triggered Dismissal; Houston lawyer David Beck among Abbott Appointees to University System Boards; HCC Wants to Seal Records in Lawsuit Claiming Trustees Treated Bond Money Like a “Private Slush Fund”; A Debate Over Fracking and Local Control; Houston Police Release 2014 Houston Crime Statistics; DPS denies woman’s claim of illegal body search; Chris Bell running for Houston mayor 15 years after first attempt; Sheriff Garcia sending signals mayoral run may be imminent (Chron subsc); Government Witness in Judge Bribery Case Murdered (Texas Lawyer); What Does Three-Fifths Rule Mean For Texas Legislature?; Embattled Tech Firm Keeps State Contract; A Deeper Look Inside the State Budget; County Attorney Sues to Shut Down Another After-Hours Club; Home invasion shooting leaves suspect dead; Local companies track employee’s steps for insurance benefits; Katy mom springs into action; Town once run by polygamist leader Jeffs is sharply divided; Thompson & Knight Adds Lawyer in Mexico City (Texas Lawyer); Houston private equity firm continues buying spree; King Abdullah’s death not expected to change oil policy & Gas drilling watchdog group settles suit over terror listing.


For the water cooler: Court: BigLaw firms missed paralegal’s $1.5B error, erasing JPMorgan’s security interest in GM loan; McDonald’s sued by former employees over ‘racist’ franchise in Virginia; Law Firm Leader Confidence Improves Again in 4th Quarter (Law.com); Baker who would not decorate a cake with anti-gay slurs faces civil rights complaint; Judges who dined with indicted friend violated revised ethics rule, court says; Grand jury recommends perjury charge against Pennsylvania AG; she vows not to resign; Humane Society suit claims harassment by Oklahoma attorney general; Virginia bill would require court hearing before sex offenders can visit schools; Is law that prohibits women from going topless in public unconstitutional?; Lawyer who duped investors with fake Facebook stock gets 46 months; Former lawyer has 237 years to pay off malpractice judgment & The Top 10 Time Sucks Of Small Firm Practice.


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Article on Perpetuities and the Genius of a Free State

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Joshua C. Tate (Associate Professor, SMU Dedman School of Law) recently published an article entitled, Perpetuities and the Genius of a Free State, 67 Vand. L. Rev. 1823 (2014), Commentary on Steven J. Horowitz & Robert H. Sitkoff, Unconstitutional Perpetual…


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Thursday, January 22, 2015

Appellate justices grant planning commission governmental immunity

Originally published by .


Burmeister_Jon-newOn Thursday, justices seated on the Ninth Court of Appeals reversed and remanded a Beaumont judge’s decision denying the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission governmental immunity.


The litigation stems from a suit brought by Byrdson Services, doing business as Excello Construction. The company sued SETRPC and several other defendants in 2013, alleging breach of contract for work centered on repairing homes damaged by Hurricane Ike.


Court records show the homes were repaired through a program funded by the federal government and administered by the states affected by the hurricane. Byrdson claimed the commission had not fully compensated the company for work performed.


In order to skirt the issue of governmental immunity, in its suit Byrdson alleged the legislature had waived the commission’s immunity for breach of contract claims.


The commission countered by filing a plea to the jurisdiction, which was denied by Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th District Court, prompting the appeal, court records show.


Ninth Court justices found the trial court “should have granted the Planning Commission’s plea,” according to the court’s Jan. 22 opinion, authored by Justice Hollis Horton.


“When reversing a trial court’s decision, we are required to render the judgment the trial court should have rendered,” the opinion states. “We hold the trial court did not have jurisdiction over the claims that Byrdson asserted in its Fourth Amended Petition against the Planning Commission. We reverse the trial court’s order denying the Planning Commission’s plea, and we render judgment dismissing the Planning Commission from the case.”


On appeal, the commission had argued Byrdson had not established that is claims fall under the legislature’s waiver of immunity in the Texas Tort Claims Act, appellate briefs show.


The commission is represented in part by Moore Landrey attorney Jon Burmeister.


Houston attorneys Ronald Bair and Richard Griffin Jr. of Bairhilty P.C. represent Byrdson.


Appeals case No. 09-14-00198-CV


Trial case No. B194-446


The post Appellate justices grant planning commission governmental immunity appeared first on Southeast Texas Record.


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Foster Farm’s Salmonella Outbreak Leads to New Guidelines

Originally published by .


Foster Farms Chicken


The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has long sought to decrease the occurrence of food borne illness from two of the most common pathogens found in poultry, salmonella and campylobacter. These pathogens, both bacterial, are often found in uncooked or undercooked poultry, including butchered and ground turkey and chicken. In keeping with this goal, the USDA has proposed new voluntary standards for raw poultry parts which it claims may reduce the number of food-borne illnesses related to poultry by about 50,000. The goal is to provide a safer and more sustainable poultry industry the American consumer can have confidence in.


The Two-Fold Plan to Reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter


The two-fold approach asks producers of poultry products to do a better job screening their poultry flocks for the presence of these pathogens, and then to provide more sanitary facilities and processes to prevent the spread of these pathogens. In short, both salmonella and campylobacter currently exist in about a quarter of all raw poultry parts that are subjected to testing – salmonella is in 24% of raw chicken parts and campylobacter is in about 22% of raw chicken parts. And the rates of salmonella and campylobacter in uncooked ground poultry can be significantly higher. But ironically, prior to the new USDA standards, the emphasis was solely on whole fryers (poultry carcasses), and no guidelines were in place for the presence of these dangerous pathogens in raw chicken parts or for ground poultry, leaving the industry to establish and maintain its own standards and levels. That has now changed.

The goal of this new two-prong approach is to reduce the occurrence of salmonella to 16% of raw chicken parts and campylobacter to 8% of raw chicken parts, as well as to see significant corresponding reductions in the presence of both pathogens in ground poultry. The idea is to set lower levels for these products as a way to insure that proper selection and proper procedures are used to reduce and prevent the spread of salmonella and campylobacter in the products so many millions of American consumers purchase.


Safer Food Ensures Market Share


The new regulations (or rather “guidelines”) are voluntary, but many believe that poultry companies will follow the guidelines on their own. According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the new policies can be seen as a matter of preserving the future of poultry in the US. Vilsack stated: “It’s in the long-term best interest of the market to have safer food.” In a way, by producing safer poultry, US producers will be guaranteeing the place of chicken and turkey on the American dinner table.

But that is not the only motivation, says salmonella lawyer Ron Simon, who has led the way in the recent Foster Farms salmonella outbreak that has been the impetus behind this new push for safer poultry. “The risk of a lawsuit is another good motivation,” says Simon, “because the setting of new standards makes sense, and a failure to voluntarily comply with what are known to be effective methods of reducing salmonella and campylobacter can lead a jury to penalize a poultry company who fails to do so if people end up getting sick. This new set of guidelines provides us with another avenue to force these companies to do the right thing.”


The Foster Farms Outbreak Linked to Fecal Matter in Chicken


The USDA is embracing these new standards now in the aftermath of one of the widest spread salmonella outbreaks in US history. In the last two years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified at least 600 victims of salmonellosis linked to one or more of the seven-strain Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak traced to Foster Farms chicken and facilities. In addition to many citations for poor sanitation, on at least one occasion, a Foster Farms facility was shuttered temporarily due to an infestation by cockroaches.

Throughout the 18-month outbreak, Foster Farms was highly criticized for its failure to issue a general recall of its contaminated products, issuing only a limited recall after a young victim was hospitalized with salmonellosis after consuming Foster Farms chicken. Health officials were dispatched to the home of the young man’s family and collected leftover frozen portions of the Foster Farms chicken (sold in individually packaged wrap containing chicken breasts). The chicken was subjected to advanced analysis and proved positive for the matching DNA outbreak strain of Salmonella Heidelberg.


The salmonella lawyers at Ron Simon & Associates are representing the young man’s family and other victims in the Foster Farms salmonella outbreak.


According to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Foster Farms salmonella outbreak was the reason the USDA decided to refocus its attention on reducing salmonella and campylobacter in poultry. According to Vilsack, the new guidelines should apply to about 80% of poultry sold in the US.


Critics of the New Policies Allege They Do Not Go Far Enough


The Center for Science in the Public Interest, speaking thorough Caroline Smith DeWaal, was one of the fist to criticize the program for failing to go further and enable the USDA to close plants and production facilities that fail to measure p to the new standards. This was a complaint reiterated by salmonella lawyer Ron Simon, who notes “as long as it is a voluntary standard, there will be those who fail to abide by the standards, and people will get sick.” The up-side, says Simon, “is this will give us better leverage to go after these companies and to force them to become more responsible.”


The post Foster Farm’s Salmonella Outbreak Leads to New Guidelines appeared first on Food Poisoning News.


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May 2001 – Did They Really Say That?

Originally published by .


From Roger A. Berger of Houston, who was defending a hospital emergency room group in a malpractice case, this excerpt from the deposition of the administrator of the Group. The question by the plaintiff’s counsel was intended to define the different types of emergency room patients – but it elicited a literal answer.


Q. What’s the difference between a bed and a chair?


A. One you lay on, one you sit on.


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Houston Legal Links 1/22/2015

Originally published by .


Top legal news includes: Judge dismisses case against HPD in fatal shooting of unarmed man; BP trial: Oil spill caused massive ecological damage, marine scientist says; 16 Texas Lawyers Disciplined on January List; Beaumont Solo Heads to Prison Over Failure to Pay Taxes (Texas Lawyer); Judge sends ‘Money Mike’ to jail for 180 days; Deputies: Woman pretending to be divorce attorney; Investigation finds Hispanics under-represented in police forces; Waller Co. landfill hearing postponed amid settlement talks (Chron subsc); Craig Washington’s Law License Suspended Amid Claims He Screwed Over Clients; Officers: Man threatened FBI with a gun; Ex-Spring Branch teacher sentenced in sex assault case; HCC seeks protective order in suit against former acting (Chron subsc); Rapper Doughbeezy survives Houston Heights home invasion shooting; County Attorney calls Houston after hours club a public nuisance; Texas executes man convicted of killing 3 in San Antonio; Bill Targets Toll Road’s Power to Take Land; Two men arrested after they allegedly stole iPad from truck, took selfies; U.S. Supreme Court Hears Texas Housing Discrimination Case; Housing Civil Rights Case Takes Lawyer to SCOTUS With DOJ Assist (Texas Lawyer); Deputy US marshal admits role in insurance fraud scheme; Dan Patrick’s “Advisory Panel” Members Already Spend Millions Lobbying Lawmakers; Richard Kinder to step down as CEO in June; OPEC: Oil won’t sink to $20, but rebound will be slow & How One Company Claims To Increase Oil And Gas Production Without Fracking.


For the water cooler: Lawyer criticized over racy YouTube ad; ‘Life is not linear’: McDermott partner who left law practice in 1997 regains partnership; At several DC firms, more women than men are promoted to partner; Jury Finds for Rick Springfield in Buttocks-Assault Case; Four associates join Beck Redden partner on marquee of new Houston litigation boutique; Sheriff: Man arrested for tackling armed fellow Wal-Mart shopper who has a concealed-carry permit; Paris mayor vows to sue Fox News over false reports of Muslim ‘no-go’ zones; Vatican names former sex-crimes prosecutor to lead appellate board for priests accused of abuse; Federal Court Says It’s 100% Legal To Give Cops The Finger & Does Privacy Even Exist Anymore In America?


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The Path to E-Mail Production IV, Revisited

Originally published by .


This is the ninth in a series revisiting Ball in Your Court columns and posts from the primordial past of …


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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Article on The Federal Constitution, Out-of-State Nongrantor Accumulation Trusts, and the Complete Avoidance of State Income Taxation

Originally published by .


Jeffrey Schoenblum (Centennial Professor in Law, Vanderbilt University Law School) recently published an article entitled, Strange Bedfellows: The Federal Constitution, Out-of-State Nongrantor Accumulation Trusts, and the Complete Avoidance of State Income Taxation, 67 Vand. L. Rev. 1945 (2014). Provided below…


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Supreme Court Haiku

Originally published by .


Stephen_Breyer,_SCOTUS_photo_portrait Patent construction


District court’s findings of fact


Clear error review


Opinion


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Just Say No, the Power of No and Compliance

Originally published by .


Just Say No What is the first thing that you think of about Former First Lady Nancy Reagan? Right up there for me is three things actually Just Say No, which was her campaign against not only drug abuse but also premarital sex in the 1980s. Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) fear being known as ‘Dr. No’ and compliance practitioners generally fear inhabiting the ‘Land of No’.


However sometimes as a compliance professional you are called upon to do just that, channel your inner Nancy Reagan and Just Say No. Occasionally you must say ‘No’ to conduct which might violate your company’s Code of Conduct or get your business in hot water for a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), UK Bribery Act or other anti-corruption compliance law. Sometimes, as Chuck Duross once intoned, you may have to be ‘The Alamo’ (not the slaughtered part, the line in the sand part). But sometimes you may want to say ‘No’ for yet another reason altogether; that being by saying ‘No’ you may actually be opening yourself up to other solutions.


I thought about this concept when I read an article in the Financial Times (FT) Undercover economist column, entitled “The power of saying ‘no’ ”, by Tim Harford. Hartford who looked at saying ‘No’ from an economist’s perspective referred to it as “hyperbolic discounting” which he, in part, defined as follows, “Adopt a rule that no new task can be deferred: if accepted, it must be the new priority. Last come, first served. The immediate consequence is that no project may be taken on unless it’s worth dropping everything to work on it. This is, of course, absurd. Yet there is a bit of mad genius in it, if I do say so myself. Anyone who sticks to the “last come, first served” rule will find their task list bracingly brief and focused.”


But there is another economic principle at play with the use of the word ‘No’. Harford said, “It’s the idea that everything has an opportunity cost. The opportunity cost of anything is whatever you had to give up to get it. Opportunity cost is one of those concepts in economics that seem simple but confuse everyone, including trained economists.” Moreover by saying ‘yes’ to one thing, we are by definition saying ‘No’ to something else. Harford believes that is something that should be considered if you do not say ‘No’.


This concept is what Jan Farley, the CCO at Dresser-Rand, talks about when he say that you do not want to spread your compliance program too thin. Farley has said that you cannot stretch your compliance program so thin that you try and cover everything so that you miss the larger FCPA or UK Bribery Act risks that your company faces. For the CCO or compliance practitioner, this requires you to assess your risks and then work to remediate those risks going forward. But you cannot deliver the necessary resources to a risk unless it is properly evaluated. With such a protocol in place, you will then be in a position to not only say ‘No’ but to be able to articulate your reasons for doing so if a regulator comes knocking.


So if your company’s sales model is to use third parties, that is probably your highest risk, then prioritize your time and compliance budget on managing that risk, initially before you move on to other compliance risks. Conversely, if your sales model is to use employees, then put your time and effort into managing that risk, through training and monitoring employees regarding their interactions with foreign officials. Do not spend your time, budget and energy on managing the risk of low to no-risk parties and issues. There is no substitute for carefully thinking through your company’s risk profile.


Just say no also relates to some ideas put forward in a recent New York Times (NYT) Corner Office column by Adam Bryant. In an article, entitled “The Upside of Being Replaceable ”, Bryant interviewed Kristin Muhlner, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NewBrand Analytics, a provider of social media monitoring. One of Muhlner’s early lessons in the corporate world was that everyone’s replaceable. She said this was because large companies are run like armies where everyone is replaceable. However Muhlner found not only an upside to this concept but also comfort in it. She said, “The wonderful thing is that you cultivate this sense that you are not the center of the universe. If you leave, someone will replace you, the circle will close and it just doesn’t matter. That lesson has been helpful because it is really easy, as you move up in your career, to think that you’ve got to be involved in everything.” In other words, you do not have to know everything and by extension, you do not have to do everything. You can just say no sometimes.


Another key lesson that Muhlner has learned is patience. This can be with a person or a situation where you may need to “let things play out a bit. People often come to you and say “We’ve got to fix this now.” And it’s very rare that you have to act immediately. You have to have the patience to say, “I’m going to evaluate the situation and the individuals involved, and I might choose to act on this, and I might not choose to act on this right now.””


Muhlner’s thoughts on how to advance culture were also insightful. She said that she has found employees want to feel connected. She said, “people just have this incredible thirst to be connected, and they need multiple reinforcing points of communication. I have to remind myself over and over not to assume that everyone knows something. I’ve started sending out an email once a week called “Where’s Waldo?” The email is just to say where people are, like that our V.P. of sales is meeting with this company. It’s amazing the reaction that it gets from people, because they feel like, wow, cool stuff’s happening, and now I know why he’s not responding to my email today. It helps.” For the compliance practitioner, this clearly shows the power of creating and distributing short messages about compliance.


Harford’s article and Muhlner’s interview drove home a message that compliance practitioners may not usually embrace. Saying ‘No’ can sometimes be the right call when it comes to delivering your compliance resources to your compliance issues. While saying no to high-risk business ventures may be a harder sell to CEO types, it may well be that Nancy Reagan’s admonition to Just Say No can be more effective to deliver a better and more efficient compliance service to those who may need it the most.


This publication contains general information only and is based on the experiences and research of the author. The author is not, by means of this publication, rendering business, legal advice, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such legal advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified legal advisor. The author, his affiliates, and related entities shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person or entity that relies on this publication. The Author gives his permission to link, post, distribute, or reference this article for any lawful purpose, provided attribution is made to the author. The author can be reached at tfox@tfoxlaw.com.


© Thomas R. Fox, 2015


Filed under: Best Practices, Chief Compliance Officer, Compliance, compliance programs


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The Path to E-Mail Production III, Revisited

Originally published by .


This is the eighth in a series revisiting Ball in Your Court columns and posts from the primordial past of …


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June 2001 – My Spell Chequer Tolled Me Sew

Originally published by .


U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks of Austin (W.D. Texas) publishes a quarterly newsletter for the Fifth Circuit District Judges Association. His last one, issued April 2001, ended with a poem he received over the Internet which, as Sam said, “is not only amusing, but [it] explains some of the errors in our opinions.”


Ode to the Spell Checker

Eye have a spelling chequer,

It came with my pea sea.

It plainly marques four my revue

Miss Steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word

and weight four it two say

Weather Eye am wrong oar write

It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid,

It nose bee fore two long,

and Eye can put the error rite –

Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it

I am shore your pleased two no,

Its letter perfect awl the weigh.

My spell chequer tolled me sew.


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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

How Are Auto Crashes Controlled By Medical Malpractice Law?

Originally published by .


dreamstime_xs_23479720.jpg

Creative Defense or Delay Tactic in Cow /Car Collision?


In a quirky case currently before the Texas courts, a doctor has filed a motion to dismiss based upon medical malpractice laws. What is so odd about that? This case involves a car accident and has nothing to do with medical treatment.


The plaintiff, Bobby Tunell, filed a lawsuit against Dr. Richard K. Archer, claiming the 82 year-old retired doctor’s cow became loose and wandered into the highway, which resulted in a collision between Mr. Tunell and the cow. Dr. Archer’s lawyer has filed a very typical motion to dismiss — for a medical malpractice claim, that is. He claims that the case should be dismissed based upon the plaintiff’s failure to first file an expert report about the doctor’s duty of care.


Expert Report Requirement


Chapter 74 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code requires a patient to submit an expert report before she or he can file a medical malpractice lawsuit against a doctor. To comply with the Texas statute, the expert report must demonstrate the standard of care the doctor was expected to provide to the patient. This statute arose from tort reform laws passed by Texas lawmakers with the intention of protecting medical professionals from frivolous lawsuits. Clearly, the legislature meant for the law to apply to medical malpractice claims, not to any possible civil case against a medical professional.


However, in its 2012 decision in Texas West Oaks Hospital v. Williams , the Texas Supreme Court interpreted the rule as applying to cases in which the plaintiff’s claim was not directly related to his medical care. Dr. Archer’s attorney says the Texas West Oaks Hospital v. Williams ruling is “ridiculous,” but that he has a duty to his client to pursue dismissal based upon that ruling.




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Houston Legal Links 1/20/2015

Originally published by .


Top legal news includes: Prominent Death Row defense attorney suspended, allegedly over late filing; U.S. judge: BP’s lies about flow rate didn’t hinder Gulf oil spill response; Feds move to seize buildings connected to human trafficking; Wind Or Flooding? Texas Supreme Court Considers What Insurance Should Cover; Texas Inauguration – Pomp and Circumstance to Usher in New Era; Proponents Renew Their Bid to Put Brakes on Texting While Driving; Years Later, Perry Finally Spends BP Spill Gift; Houston to receive large share of Syrian refugees; Alleged ATM thief falls through ceiling when police come to visit; Battle to tear up Freedmen’s town bricks continues; Galveston cop pulls over girlfriend to propose; Commentary: How to survive a bust; Project Blue Book reveals Houston UFO incidents; Constables surround Katy-area church with guns drawn; New hope for Houston’s oldest African American radio station; Rust found on newly renovated courthouse dome in Waco; Texas TV meteorologist back on air 4 weeks after he was shot; Pipeline breach spills oil into Yellowstone River; Iran sees ‘no threat’ from $25 oil & Senate tees up votes on Keystone XL, exports, climate.


For the water cooler: Drug-making video leads to home seizure; Former Simpson Thacher Clerk Indicted in New Jersey (AmLaw); 10 Quick Tips to Keeping In-House Counsel Happy (Texas Lawbook) & Let Your Ideal Client Guide Your Marketing Strategy.


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Article on Unconstitutional Perpetual Trusts

Originally published by .


Steven J. Horowitz (Associate, Sidley Austin LLP) and Robert H. Sitkoff (John L. Gray Professor of Law, Harvard University) recently published an article entitled, Unconstitutional Perpetual Trusts, 67 Vand. L. Rev. 1741 (2014). Provided below is the abstract from the…


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Inauguration of the Governor (Tex. Const. art. IV, sec. 4)

Originally published by .


Today Governor-elect Greg Abbott will be sworn into office, on the date specified by the Texas Constitution. It currently provides, in Article IV, section 4, that the Governor “shall be installed on the first Tuesday after the organization of the Legislature, or as soon thereafter as practicable, and shall hold his office for the term of four years, or until his successor shall be duly installed.” The possibility of inaugurating the governor “as soon thereafter as practicable” allows for flexibility in the event of an election contest, which would be decided by the Legislature pursuant to Article IV, section 3.


In the 1845 Constitution, Article V, section 3 initially specified that the returns from an election for governor would be directed to the Speaker of the House, who would open and publish them during the first week of the new session of the legislature. The elected governor would then hold office “from the regular time of installation, and until his successor shall be duly qualified.” (Art. V, sec. 4.) These provisions carried forward into the Constitution of 1861.


The Constitution of 1866 set the date for the governor’s inauguration as “the first Thursday after the organization of the Legislature, or as soon thereafter as practicable.” (Art. V, sec. 4.) The same date was set by the Constitution of 1869 (Art. IV, sec. 4), but it was changed to the first Tuesday after organization of the Legislature in the Constitution of 1876 (Art. IV, sec. 4). This section of the Constitution was amended in 1972 to change the length of the governor’s term from two years to four, but the provision for the inauguration date remained unchanged.


governor seal



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Cyber Advice to Lawyers: Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are directed at your clients!

Originally published by .


According to a recent Kaspersky Lab Report every “corporation, regardless of its size or industry, is at risk of becoming the victim of a targeted attack by a variety of threat actors including APT groups, politically-driven “hacktivists,” and more advanced cybercriminals, who offer their services for hire.”


The report entitled “The Evolution of Corporate Cyberthreats” goes on to say:


All APTs are vehicles for cybercrime but not all cybercrimes involved APTs.


Although both are based on monetary gain, APTs specifically target more sensitive data including passwords, competitive intelligence, schematics, blueprints, and digital certificates and are paid for by third-party clients or resold in the underground.


General cybercrime operations are direct “for profit” attacks and target customers’ personal and financial information which can be quickly monetized and laundered underground for ID theft and fraud.


Here are different types of target attacks identified by Kaspersky:



  • Economic Espionage: Targeted Information: Intellectual property; proprietary information; geopolitical, competitive or strategic intelligence

  • Insider Trading Theft: Targeted Information: Pending M&A deals or contracts; upcoming financial earnings; future IPO dates

  • Financial & Identify Theft: Targeted Information: Employee and customer personally identifiable information; payment transactions; account numbers; financial credentials

  • Technical Espionage: Targeted Information: Password or account credentials, source code, digital certificates; network and security configurations; cryptographic keys; authentication or access codes

  • Reconnaissance and Surveillance: Targeted Information: System and workstation configurations; keystrokes; audio recordings; emails; IRC communications; screenshots; additional infection vectors; logs; cryptographic keys


In order to assist clients lawyers need to learn more about APTs!



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January 1992 – From the Trials of Buchmeyer, Too

Originally published by .


Q. What did you do with the money you got from the land flip?


A. Bought a Mercedes 450 SL convertible.


Q. Why?


A. Well, it was a little less ostentatious than buying a Rolls Royce.


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Friday, January 16, 2015

Fifth Circuit reverses contempt order against attorney whose client switched stories

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The client at first told the lawyer that a particular electronic storage device didn’t exist and the lawyer made that representation. The client switched stories on that and the lawyer, after speaking to ethics counsel, withdrew from the matter without…


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Houston Legal Links 1/16/2015

Originally published by .


Top legal news includes: Judge rules BP’s Macondo well spilled 3.19 million barrels of oil into Gulf; Public corruption unit funding back under first House budget; Perry’s Farewell Speech: Read Between the Lines; Perry spends big bucks in campaign cash as he fights indictment; ‘Citizen’ board of wealthy Texas donors will help lawmakers; State commission recommends case limits for attorneys defending indigent (Chron subsc); Prominent area leaders hold forum on criminal justice; Falling oil prices to spur business bankruptcy storm in Houston; Texas Lawyer Shadows Locke Lord’s Chair on First Day Post-Merger (Texas Lawyer); Sources: Abbott Will Wait to Decide on Janek’s Future; HPD makes arrest in 30-year-old cold case in the Heights; Man charged in teen girlfriend’s after-prom death; Prison agency provides details on 10 killed in bus wreck; Relatives upset they can’t visit inmates injured in wreck; Fracking Litigation to Watch in 2015 (Texas Lawyer); Texas 10 Most Wanted program leads to 28 arrests last year; Schlumberger cutting 9,000 jobs, including in Houston; Mexico considers delaying some oil exploration bidding; Year of the megadeal: Houston’s VC dollars surge in 2014 & Greater Houston’s Biggest Speed Traps.


For the water cooler: Work Dries Up At Quinn Emanuel, And Its Leader’s Solution Is For Attorneys To ‘Do Some Fun Stuff’; Beer lovers torpedo Lagunitas lawsuit against Sierra Nevada; U of San Diego School of Law Launches Direct Admissions Program for USD Undergraduate Students – no LSAT required; Saks Continues to Assert a Legal Right to Discriminate Against Trans Employees; Fewer and Fewer Students Are Applying to Law School; If You’re In Law School, You’re Probably Depressed; BigLaw lawyer gives up law practice for organic farming; Baseball’s Antitrust Exemption Upheld in Appeals Court; Standard Of Review: Proposing Some New Great Legal TV Shows; Dershowitz Decries ‘Kafkaesque World of American Justice’; Lawyer indicted in mortgage-fraud case, accused of using another attorney’s identity on closing docs; Judge says top Penn State lawyer didn’t represent ex-officials, clearing way for obstruction trial & 10th Circuit tosses law student’s suit over expulsion procedure.


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Do you have the right cyber insurance?

Originally published by .


“Whether a cyber attack is covered by an insurance policy may depend on the motive for the attack and its perpetrator … as this will affect whether clauses and exclusions for cyber insurance can be considered”according to a recent report issued by the CRO Forum which was entitled “Cyber resilience – The cyber risk challenge and the role of insurance.


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T-Mobile South v. City of Roswell, Georgia

Originally published by .


Sonia_Sotomayor_in_SCOTUS_robe City’s denial


Of cell tower construction


Lacked timely reasons


Opinion


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2015.20: Listen!

Originally published by .


Listening is vital to trial lawyers. It’s probably more important than any other single skill, but it is less studied, less trained, and less practiced. Lawyers often don’t listen very well. I’ve seen egregiously bad examples from all sides of the criminal bar; many times I’ve wanted to shake a lawyer or judge by the collar and shout, did you not hear what that person just said?


I have written about listening here multiple times. Among other posts, I wrote in 2007 about listening, attentiveness, and mindfulness; in 2008 about the value of listening; and in 2009 about how not listening was the worst voir dire advice ever. Listening is explicit in two of my rules for better jury selection—Rule Two (The Blind Date Rule) and Rule Fifteen (The Bat Rule) and implicit in the rest.


It’s an important and interesting topic. Both psychodrama-director training and improvisational-theater training make me a better listener.


So I was thrilled to discover, via the Twitter Machine, Jennifer Romig’s Listen Like a Lawyer blog. It’s not really about listening like a lawyer, of course, since lawyers don’t listen very well, but about lawyers listening better.


Romig’s posts are lengthy, substantive, and link-rich. She’s writing for lawyers about things that lawyers need to know. (Before every trial I’m going to ask all of my juniors to read her recent post on second-chair listening.) This is the practical blawgosphere at its best. More, please.




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Thursday, January 15, 2015

The First Law of International Dynamics: Sanctions May Be Transformed But Never Created or Destroyed

Originally published by .


U.S. economic sanctions, by their nature, often change without warning. Since sanctions reflect U.S. foreign and national security policy, they must evolve rapidly with world events. Often, it seems that when one door is closed, another is opened. Most recently, President Obama’s December 17 announcement of an opening to Cuba was followed rapidly by the January 2 announcement of tightening North Korea sanctions. Hence our (mostly facetious) Newtonian law of the conservation of economic sanctions: sanctions may be transformed but never created or destroyed.


Because sanctions involve issues of national defense, they fall within the shared purview of the Executive and Legislative Branches. In recent history, this arrangement has subjected sanctions to a constant tug of war between Congress and the President, as each seeks to establish control over a legal regime so powerful that it is often compared to military force. If (following Clausewitz) war is the continuation of politics by other means, sanctions are in the middle of that continuum: they can be a powerful tool when war is too blunt and politics too slow.


But the President’s sanctioneering portends more than just grumblings from Congress that he has overstepped his authority: it also speeds up the legal regime’s ability to react to current foreign policy priorities. Unlike Congress, the President can alter certain sanctions provisions on a dime, with little or no discussion.


Two recent developments highlight this First Law of International Dynamics. The first was President Obama’s startling announcement December 17 that the United States will take steps to normalize diplomatic relations and permit some trade with Cuba, which we discussed in blog posts here and here. The President’s announcement was preceded by myriad social and political events. They include Cuba’s release of two American prisoners, the United States’ release of three Cuban agents, and Pope Francis’s appeal to both countries’ leaders, to name a few; no one of which was either necessary or sufficient to bring about the new diplomatic opening.


But as regulations on Cuba are being written, another development serves as a reminder of the swiftness with which the United States will respond to threats to its national security or holiday movie viewing plans. On January 2, President Obama reacted to North Korea’s alleged hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment and subsequent threats of violence related to Sony’s slapstick comedy, “The Interview,” by issuing an Executive Order blocking the property of, among others, officials of the North Korean government, its ruling Workers’ Party, and various state-controlled arms dealers. That Order may be viewed here. That same day, the Treasury Department blocked the property of 10 individuals and three entities.


Cuba and North Korea illustrate the carrot and the stick of U.S. sanctions. One the one hand, at a time when Congress is stuck in a bottomless quicksand of political squabbling, it is refreshing to watch sanctions laws jet along with the changing geopolitical winds. On the other, the ease with which the President can modify sanctions laws ensures that those seeking to comply face the perpetual hurdle of relearning the regulatory landscape over and over again.


For now, order has been restored in the universe. Cuba will have a U.S. embassy, and North Korea’s undeniably weird ruling elites will no longer have access to the U.S. financial system. But as sanctions laws move along at a swift clip, U.S. businesses risk finding themselves a step behind.


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