NAMWOLF: The Worst Acronym Ever?

I made the soul-crushing drive to Irving today to check into a group that sounds like Man-Wolf. (For non-nerds out there, Man-Wolf is an obscure Marvel comic book character who fought Spider Man.) Imagine my disappointment when I learned this group has nothing to do with the beast that gains furry superhuman powers in moonlight. No, the group’s acronym is NAMWOLF - the National Association of Minority and Women-Owned Law Firms. An unfortunate acronym for a group of lawyers, if ever there were one. Jump for a description of what actually went on Friday… (more…)

Well, Haynes and Boone is Still Growing

In hat news, the economic crisis has led to at least one growth industry: bankruptcies and reorganizations!

Fred Baron, R.I.P.

The plaintiffs’ attorney and major Democratic donor died this afternoon. Our condolences to his family and colleagues.

Holy Land Supporters Hold Signs For Sandwiches

You may have seen them on the sidewalk across from the federal courts building downtown, holding signs protesting the ongoing retrial of the Holy Land Foundation. Upon closer examination, however, it seems that most of the protesters aren’t HLF sympathizers so much as homeless people who’ve been hired to hold the placards and banners in exchange for sandwiches. “We’re feeding the homeless people of Dallas, and they’re all supporters of the cause,” says organizer Hadi Jawad, chairman of the Dallas Peace Center’s Iraq War Committee. “We’re contending that it’s OK to feed hungry people, just like [the HLF people] on trial were feeding the hungry of Palestine.” The feds say the Richardson-based foundation actually was funneling money to Hamas, which the government calls a terrorist group.

And the Hits Keep Coming For Highland Capital

You’ve probably already read that Dallas-based hedge fund giant Highland Capital Management has had to wind down two of its funds because of market volatility in recent weeks. Now it appears that the hedge fund group and NexBank Securities, which is owned by many of the same people who own Highland Capital, face a March trial for a lawsuit alleging breach of contract and fraud and conspiracy, among other things. The November issue of D CEO includes a story spelling out some of the overlap between NexBank and Highland Capital, which on June 30 was valued at $38 billion. While the estimated $2.3 million sought by former employees from Highland Capital/NexBank Securities pales in comparison to Highland Capital’s assets, in times like these, every penny counts.

Ailing Dallas Lawyer Fred Baron Denied “Miracle Drug”

Several concerned FrontBurnervians have passed along this Gawker item: Fred Baron, known most recently for his involvement in the John Edwards scandal, was diagnosed with final stage multiple myeloma. Biogen makes an antibody that doctors believe to be an exact match to Baron’s tumors. The CEO of Biogen has said no, despite pleas on Baron’s behalf from the likes of Lance Armstrong, John Kerry, Bill Clinton, and others. Baron’s son Andrew has written an open letter to the Biogen CEO, hoping to change his mind before it’s too late.

Update: According to Andrew’s Twitter feed, his father got access to the drug in question. Continued best wishes to the Barons.

Justice Politicized Is Justice Undone

I don’t care what side of the aisle you are on. I hope you will be as alarmed as I am by a development in 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin. In the very charged Tom Delay money-laundering case, the appeals court rejected by 2-1 a motion by Austin District Attorney Ronnie Earle that Justice Alan Waldrop recuse himself. Here’s why the motion was made:

Four years ago, before Waldrop became a judge, he called similar money-laundering allegations in a related civil lawsuit “politically motivated” and an attempt to “harass political opponents.” He was representing a client, a political ally of DeLay’s, who met in campaign strategy sessions with Delay’s associates.

The dissenting vote was Justice Jan Patterson, whom I’ve known for 40 years. Patterson is a decent, fair-minded jurist who happens to be a Democrat. She filed her dissent, but it was blocked by Chief Justice Ken Law, a Republican. Why? I can only suspect that it brutally laid out the conflict of interest that should have precluded Waldrop from judging the matter, much less voting on his own recusal. The matter has now gone to the Texas Supreme Court.

Ken Law is up for re-election on November 4.

Jim Burnham Named Trial Lawyer of the Year in Dallas

Jim Burnham is a criminal defense attorney who represented a certain Hawaiian-shirted, balding magazine editor in an unfortunate DWI case about 15 years ago. The Dallas Bar Association believes he’s good at his job. I’ll just have to take their word for it, I guess. (Full release after the jump.)

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If You’re Going To Insult a Judge, Do It Right

OK, so I was in a courthouse today (not facing charges) when I happened upon the 2008 Dallas County Bench Book, a judge-authored directory of how-to-stay-out-of hot-water in courtrooms across the region. In it, I found North Texas U.S. District Judge Jerry Buchmeyer’s admonishment:

Judge Buchmeyer feels strongly that criticism of judges need not be trite and/or hackneyed (such as “the judge is stupid,” or “that ruling was asnine”). He expects criticisms that are creative and imaginative, like these:

… If a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, then Judge is living life on the edge.

… I don’t think they could really put Judge in a mental institution. But if he were already in, I don’t think they’d let him out.

… During trial, Judge did the work of three men: Moe … Larry … and Curly.

 Just the same, I’d leave federal judges alone. But that’s just me.

Ask the FB Nation: What To Do About A Neighbor’s Noisy Dog

An exasperated FrontBurnervian wonders what to do about her noisy downstairs canine neighbor. She seeks the advice of the FB Nation. I imagine the FB Nation will give it.

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Garland Charity Definitely Fighting Its Creditors

Well, it has yet to be firmly established that the People Against Drugs Affordable Housing charity has actually fought drugs. But it’s definitely fighting creditors, with a Sept. 17 voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization filing. Now comes the State Attorney Generalissimo, who might ask the court to appoint a bankruptcy trustee.  Why, you ask? And why are you looking at a NASCAR truck? Jump for both answers… (more…)

Cops, Be Careful When You Cut And Paste

When you use an affidavit for a search warrant request in a sexual assault case as a template for a search warrant request in some Uptown burglary cases, it can lead to the burglary suspects getting saliva swabbed.

Maybe a similar mix up is why I got a body-cavity search when I was pulled over for an out-of-date inspection sticker. I’m kidding. That didn’t happen. Please, kind officers, I was only trying to make a funny. Don’t make it true. The truth would hurt. I couldn’t handle the truth.

“Hands On A Hard Body” Contest Court Case Settles

Perhaps you, like me, didn’t realize there even was a court case involving the Hands On A Hard Body Contest in Longview. Made famous by the way-good documentary from a decade ago, Hands On A Hard Body involved contestants in a test of endurance to stand with one hand on a pick-up truck. Last one standing wins the truck. (You can watch the entire doc here.) In 2005, a contestant stepped away from the truck, broke into a Kmart, got a gun from the gun case, and shot himself. His widow sued the car dealership that held the contest for negligence. The case recently settled. (via the inimitable Kottke)

SMU Law Students Love Them Some SMU Law

Texas Lawyer asked students to evaluate their educational experience at the nine ABA-accredited law schools in the state. Guess which school got the best reviews? Yup.

Fred Baron In The Media Glare

From Deceiver.com (”The Moneyed Fred Baron Is In A Fix”) to the front page of today’s NYTimes (”Lawyers’ Ties Hint At Extent Of Hiding Edwards’s Affair”), Fred Baron is reaping the kind of publicity most plaintiffs’ attorneys could only dream about. You know the maxim that all publicity is good publicity? Maybe it’s time to rethink that one. The word “vague” is starting to be used a lot, as in “vague recollection.” Is that in preparation for the inevitable federal investigations of campaign finance violations?

Fred Baron and Lisa Blue Add Two to Brood

We’re a few days late with our congratulations, but a hearty huzzah goes out to Dallas’ ultimate jurisprudential power couple, Fred Baron and Lisa Blue. Via surrogate on July 12, they welcomed twin daughters into the world. The couple requests no baby gifts, please. If you’re inclined, instead make a donation to Jonathan’s Place or Vogel Alcove.

Darwin Deason Does Not Want To Talk About His Long Hair

A friendly FrontBurnervian has a friend who was in attendance at an unusual deposition recently. Darwin Deason took exception to comments made by lawyer Don Godwin vis-à-vis Deason’s longish hair:

23 Q. Remember we still have a trial. There will be
24 some more of it come up then, but no reason to go over
25 it all now. Can’t have it all. You’ll have cut your

150
1 hair by then, you know.
2 A. You have a thing about my longer hair, don’t
3 you? Are you jealous or what?
4 (Off-the-record discussion.)
5 (Exhibit No. 25 marked.)
6 THE WITNESS: Well, you’d probably look
7 better if you shaved it. Anyway, go ahead.
8 MR. GODWIN: I know you would be. I know
9 you would look better if you shaved yours.
10 THE WITNESS: Do you really think so?
11 MR. GODWIN: Yeah, I really do.
12 THE WITNESS: That’s amazing. Your wife
13 doesn’t think so.

Above the Law picked it up. You can read more of the transcript here.

Judge Mark Rusch Ignores Attorney/Client Privilege?

This report cannot be true. I await explanations from our many Collin County legal observers.

D Magazine Gets Sued, Gives Plaintiffs the Heisman

The four men you see here have filed a lawsuit against D Magazine. They are, from left, David Kattner, Timothy Stecker, Jeffrey Nelson, and Al Schoelen.

They claim we libeled them in our June 2007 issue, with a story about a rookie cop named Shanna Lopez who stumbled into a phony ticket scheme and got fired when she started asking questions about it. You can read their filing here. You can read our motion for summary judgment here.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to wade through all the reasons why our lawyer (Hi, Don Templin!) believes we didn’t libel the men, here’s the only thing you (and the judge) need to know: plaintiffs’ lawyers — David Schiller and John Exline — filed the suit May 30, 2008. We published the story May 23, 2007. The statute of limitations on libel is one year.

This close, guys. This close.

Take Driver’s Licenses Away From DPS

The Texas Department of Public Safety is a law-enforcement agency. Law enforcers have never been consumer friendly. That’s why at your local driver’s license office…

…visitors are met with a dysfunctional bureaucracy that combines the horrifying absurdity of a Franz Kafka story with the cruel indifference of the Soviet bureaucracy before it crumbled.

The simple solution, says the Houston Chronicle, is to give someone else the job.

NBC Settles To Catch a Predator Suit

Louis William Conradt Jr.’s name will be known to journalism students forevermore. It took his suicide to end the run of the worst program ever broadcast on television. Good for his sister, Patricia Conradt, for fighting the good fight, though the money will be cold comfort. And good for Luke Dittrich, who wrote a brilliant story in Esquire, “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” which showed us all what really happened.

Update: As a commenter points out, the terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed. The original headline of this post read “NBC Settles To Catch a Predator Suit for $105 Million.” The sister sued for that much; what she got is likely something less.

Tim Rogers Is the Hole to Alan Peppard’s Doughnut

Several of you have pointed me to today’s Peppard column, wherein he not only calls me his nemesis but also the hole to his doughnut and the Snidely Whiplash to his Dudley Do-Right. It’s all in reference to something I wrote in the “print product,” an important idea for reforming the ad valorem property tax.

I’ve had about enough of Peppard. I take property taxes seriously, as any homeowner should. Maybe Peppard doesn’t own a house. I don’t know. But I’m here to talk about substantive matters and advance a discussion that’s essential to this city’s survival. If all he wants to do is gossip about the rich people he’s met, that’s fine. I find it execrable.

I’ll turn comments on.

The Polyphonic Spree is, For Once, Not Terribly Happy

The Polyphonic Spree’s record label, TVT Records, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization earlier this year. And, under the auspices of that reorganization, TVT is planning on selling off its assets, including recording contracts. Not so fast, says the Spree. They’ve filed a legal objection, which you can read here.

Texas Lawyer Revisits Wrongful Convictions

John Council at Texas Lawyer is obviously proud of this recent article, as well he should be. It’s another facet of the nationally famous story of DA Craig Watkins and the Innocence Project. Council emailed me a head’s up about the effort to contact prosecutors in 17 cases that turned out to be wrongful convictions.

We called all of the 29 lawyers and got them to tell us what happened in each case as best as they could remember. Some have shed tears about the people they sent away and some said they were just hamstrung by bad witnesses in cases that couldn’t be contradicted by science — something that happens to this day. It made for an interesting read.

Check it out.