JoAnne M. Musick You may be wondering if you need a “board certified” attorney. Honestly, you may not “need” one, but it sure is nice to have one whenever possible. Board certified attorneys are specialists in particular areas of the law. Law school prepares lawyers in a broad range of topics and thinking. Law school creates a general … Read more
Today, in an interesting opinion regarding the refusal of PDR, Judge Cathy Cochran notes the error of a judge displaying a MADD (mother’s against drunk drivers) plaque during a DWI trial. Simpson v. State (PDR is the acronym for “petition for discretionary review.” Refusal of PDR indicates the high court has refused to hear the … Read more
I’ve said it a hundred times: education is key. Know your candidates and be an educated voter. But also know the roles of those you are electing. Judges are here to follow the law, be fair and impartial, and provide an equal playing field for those appearing in their court. They are not here to … Read more
In the Harris County Public Defender’s Office CLE today and Judge Belinda Hill spoke on behalf of the District Attorney’s Office. The look of surprise on her face was priceless as she heard some of the “policies” we hear from assistant district attorneys in court. She will follow up on some of these but, essentially, … Read more
For the past several years, 25i (or synthetic LSD), a designer drug, has been sold and used in the greater Houston area. Many user believed this drug to be “legal”, and they were correct within the State of Texas for a short time. In Texas, drugs are listed by schedules (in the Controlled Substances Act) … Read more
Do you really need a lawyer? I’m of the opinion, if you have to ask, then the answer is almost always “Yes.” But, consider this: You are charged with a misdemeanor offense, you show up for court, and the judge asks, “Have you talked to the prosecutor yet?” Saying no, the judge instructs you to … Read more
As much as I thought I would start blogging about a year ago, alas, I did not. New Year, New Focus! At least that is the plan for now. I regularly think of things to write about, but sitting down and writing is another story. With that in mind, my new goal is to write … Read more
Well, that’s always the question! I have so often thought about blogging. Some people say blogging will increase your business. I believe this to be false and thus have no intention of blogging about increasing business at my law firm. Rather, trends and practices change so rapidly within the law that I believe this will … Read more