Hearsay

Jan 21, 2016

Drop and give me (exactly) 30, agent

Do you remember the Presidential Physical Fitness Tests, where elementary school students were paraded before their gym class peers for public humiliation based on how many pullups they could (or, […]

Jan 18, 2016

Are you threatening me?!

There’s an old adage that goes something like, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Apparently, Virginia’s William White is fresh out of honey, so the only […]

Jan 7, 2016

You can argue, but can you sue?

A “right to argue” may not be enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, but it surely is dear to the hearts of Americans, as a new court case illustrates. Unfortunately, a […]

Dec 3, 2015

That’s some chutzpah, court says

Lawyers enter into stipulations during litigation to same time for the courts and themselves. A stipulation may be less than clear, however, or at least less advantageous than it first […]

Nov 16, 2015

Frivolous accusations of frivolity

A recent encounter with opposing counsel in a very terse and contentious case got me thinking about the (over)use of the word “frivolous.” Speaking over the phone, the lawyer I’m […]

Nov 11, 2015

Victory comes with a sting

Sometimes you win your case, but not without a few barbs aimed at your client. Such was the case with a man who hoped to return to work at a […]

Oct 15, 2015

Court crafts warning for witnesses

When federal prosecutors tried to get an edge with potential witnesses in a criminal case, a public defender cried foul and asked the court for more time to undo the […]

Oct 12, 2015

Criminal law, and a dog named Guinness

Here’s something you don’t see all too often – a “dangerous dog” case. That’s a proceeding under Virginia Code § 3.2-6540, in which the commonwealth seeks to have a dog […]

Oct 8, 2015

Retooling Virginia Code gender terms

Bakers who make wedding cakes for same-sex couples may find it easy to adapt by using two brides or two grooms to top a cake. Legislative drafters who are confronting […]

Oct 5, 2015

Billable hours for watching ‘48 Hours’?

With the onset of fall, the kids are back in school and football has begun. Perhaps more even more important to me — a child of the ’70s who was […]

Sep 29, 2015

Lawyer can’t justify first-class upgrade

Winning a case is sweet. Winning fees and costs from your client’s opponent is even sweeter. The icing on the cake may be flying first-class while on the clock for […]

Sep 24, 2015

Straight from the headlines

It’s been a busy, busy week with people committing news right and left… Not smarter than the average bear The Las Vegas Sun website published a breaking news alert from […]