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Lawyers in the mist
It was 1973 — I wasn’t a lawyer. I was an adventurer, and I wanted to see the mountain gorillas. Although tourism in the Virunga mountains range was in its infancy, it was still possible to go to Uganda. Unfortunately, erratic dictator Idi Amin was the ruler, and stability of thought was not his specialty. […]
Remembering isn’t enough
Among the (growing) list of things that annoy me are misuses and abuses of language. Overly redundant. Any and all. They’re, there and their used inappropriately, second only to your and you’re. Epic, awesome, and iconic for things that are merely pretty good. (I ignore its and it’s swaps — I am not an orthodox […]
Acid reflux in life and law
My law firm has been in existence for more than 100 years. So has the bank building in which it is housed. The building lacks some of the modern looks that are associated with law practices of today. Many lawyers have sat at their desks or paced the floors in this law firm through the […]
Random thoughts to match random events
I went to Chicago for the first time when I was in my early 20s. I had never been to a city that size, and I was shocked at how many people were walking around on city streets after 10 p.m. Coming from the much more temperate American Southwest, I was shocked (and horrified) by […]
Letter to the editor
To the Editor: A call to action is needed regarding indigent individuals and their right to due process through appointed legal representation. While we as Missouri Bar members are not the State of Missouri, and the obligatory duty of providing does not fall to us, we are, however, licensed attorneys. We are held and should […]
If Apple gets wind of this, we are sunk
It had been a gloomy day, and I don’t just mean the weather. I was running behind schedule to court. The closest parking spot was three blocks away, so I got to enjoy a brisk walk to the courthouse in the rain — which didn’t start until I had left my car (and my umbrella) […]
Judge: Consider This an Option
When last month when I put pen to paper — or I guess these days it should be characterized as voice-to-iPhone dictation app — I suggested the judiciary ought to be allocated a portion of the blame for our current system’s relative inability to provide justice at a reasonable price to civil litigants. I lamented […]
The benefits of early neutral evaluation
The US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri has dusted off an ADR tool used infrequently in Missouri but effective in certain cases known as Early Neutral Evaluation. Recently, the court ordered two cases out to ENE with successful results. ENE is a full, balanced and unbiased evaluation of a case by a […]
NCAA Madness: And we ain’t talking brackets
As NCAA college basketball programs, fantasy sports websites, casinos and gamblers worldwide prepared for the college basketball tournament that began in March, a different madness bombarded the consciousness of many, in the form of indictments, sentencing and the details of a wide-ranging FBI probe that followed. The big story involved 100 people, maybe more, who […]
What is an Old Pirate to Do?
I’ve keep running into pirate symbols lately. Trial lawyers have a lot in common with pirates, as I’ve written in this space before. Pirates came up with a system of workers’ compensation long before it was popular elsewhere. They always fight against better-funded opponents. I don’t know the statistical ratio of scoundrels to good-hearted pirates […]
Car-Crash Cases: How to Investigate Distracted Driving
You see it all the time: The driver next to you is on the phone, paying more attention to it than to the road. We all know distracted driving is widespread, so what can you do in your crash cases to investigate it? Your options are limited before filing suit. Your letter of representation should […]
Judge, Consider This a Warning
No, I am not going to write about Roger Stone. Most of us saw the picture of the judge he posted on the internet with crosshairs above her head. Of course, we all know that anyone who is still a Richard Nixon apologist in 2019 is per se mentally imbalanced. Perhaps Mr. Stone forgot that […]
Latest Opinion Digests
- Immigration: Asylum-Withholding of Removal-Appellate Jurisdiction
- Criminal Law: Child Pornography-Bottom-of-Guidelines Sentence-Substantive Reasonableness of Sentence
- Criminal Law: Child Abuse-Sufficiency Of Evidence-Closing Argument
- Civil Rights: Religious Freedom-RLUIPA-Res Judicata
- Civil Practice: Res Judicata-Stop Work Order
- Immigration: Drug Conviction-Removability-Overbreadth of State Offense
- Civil Practice: Asset Forfeiture-Sanctions
- Civil Rights: Due Process-Failure to State Claim
- Probate : Revocable Trust – Amendment – Reformation
- Employer – Employee : Unpaid Commissions – At-Will Status
- Criminal Law : Post-Conviction Relief – Effectiveness Of Counsel – Conflict Of Interest
- Appellate Practice : Jurisdiction – Final Judgment
Top stories
- Nurse entitled to disability benefits despite working months after accident, Supreme Court rules
- Eastern District rules 10 cases against TitleMax may proceed without arbitration
- Supreme Court declines to hear Republican appeals on abortion ballot initiatives
- Cole County jury awards $1.56 billion in Roundup case headed for appeal
- Jury gives massive award after fleeing suspect causes fatal crash
- 8th Circuit tosses suit claiming false sale prices
- Attorney general releases report on Kim Gardner investigation
- Legal Limelight: Jason C. Smith, Office Managing Partner, Spencer Fane
