Judicial discretion is ripe for review
Does the Wisconsin Court of Appeals read this column? Maybe; maybe not. But shortly after I wrote about the District I Court’s decision in Heppner v. Heppner, No. 2008AP2020 (Wis. Ct. App. May 5, 2009) (recommended for publication), the court made corrections to paragraph 15 of its opinion. In the original opinion, the appellate court […]
You are not invisible – act responsibly
The majority of new law school graduates are in their mid-to-late 20s, a mere decade into adulthood, and possibly still trying to figure out what that means. But now it’s time to go act like a “lawyer.” Although you have been through the training to be a lawyer, you may not have gotten your mind […]
‘Drowning in e-mail?’ Give Xobni a try
Everybody loves free stuff – especially free stuff that has actual value. Periodically, I devote an article to freebies on the Web that may be useful for lawyers. It’s been several months since the last one, so here’s the latest — Xobni for Outlook. When you go to the Xobni.com homepage, it prominently asks, “Drowning […]
Ignore ‘The Business of Law’ at Your Peril
The New York Times recently examined the current down-at-the-heels atmosphere in a once-mighty Wall Street law firm, describing the “melancholy pall of diminished billable hours” now found throughout the firm’s deserted hallways. The article made clear that this could be attributed to the same mistakes that many firms made during the boom times: over-expansion of […]
Evidentiary issues in employment litigation (73675)
Marvin brings a disparate treatment claim against your client alleging race and gender discrimination. He also alleges a hostile work environment. While he has only been employed by your client for a few weeks, he has managed to gather the support of a few co-workers who are willing to testify that they too were discriminated […]
Evidentiary issues in employment litigation
Marvin brings a disparate treatment claim against your client alleging race and gender discrimination. He also alleges a hostile work environment. While he has only been employed by your client for a few weeks, he has managed to gather the support of a few co-workers who are willing to testify that they too were discriminated […]
Navigating unfamiliar waters of online lawyer directories
Death and taxes. And attorneys can now add Avvo and Justia to that list of inevitabilities. Avvo and Justia are free, online legal directories. If you go to their Web sites and search for your own name, chances are very good that they’ve created a profile for you if your bar status is active. Now, […]
So you think there is nowhere to turn?
The story was tragic, and provoked wide comment among lawyers and blawgers on the Internet. A 59-year-old lawyer who had in his career been a senior Justice Department official, had argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, and headed the appellate law practice for his current law firm, was found dead in his office of a […]
Guidance for fending off real estate fraud
A brief review of news stories related to mortgage fraud and real estate fraud shows there’s no shortage of schemes being uncovered and pursued. It’s not surprising. There are likely two main reasons for fraud schemes related to real estate being discovered at a high rate. First, the crash of the real estate market made […]
‘Digta 420’ recommended for high-tech dictation
You won’t catch me making fun of you, just because you like to dictate. No, I understand that many people are creatures of habit, and that trying to be on the cutting-edge is too much work for many of us. Sure, there are other, hipper options, like voice-recognition software. But not everybody can be cool; […]
Trial court in best position to exercise discretion
Part II of II Nothing is worse for a columnist than boring cases. With precious few family opinions coming out of the Wisconsin appellate courts, I thank the Court of Appeals for its recent decision in Heppner v. Heppner, No. 2008AP2020 (Wis. Ct. App. May 5, 2009) (recommended for publication). In the case, as discussed […]
Are you a carriage builder in an automobile world?
Recently I heard a law firm staff person describe a senior partner as “a carriage builder in an automobile world.” The phrase connoted a craftsman who puts time and effort into creating a quality product, but who is unwilling or unable to work at a pace and in a manner that would make a quality […]
Legal News
- Congress to formally investigate Secret Service
- Milwaukee Police Department issues statement regarding video release policy
- GOP convention sets the stage for the Democratic convention in Chicago, activists and police say
- Survey: Harris has enough delegates to be nominee
- Outside the RNC, small Milwaukee businesses and their regulars tried to salvage a sluggish week
- Biden called to resign immediately after the president announces he won’t seek reelection
- Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race, endorses Harris
- Local PA cops allegedly thought Trump’s would-be assassin was Secret Service
- Biden-Lead Secret Service admits agency denied past requests by Trump’s campaign for tighter security
- Class action filed against Walgreens
- Former Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant pleads guilty to smuggling contraband
- Two dead, one injured after Ozaukee County water rescue
Case Digests
- Ineffective Assistance of Counsel; Double Jeopardy; Sentencing
- Ineffective Assistance of Counsel; Sexual Assault-Prosecutorial Misconduct
- Contract-Negligence
- Criminal Law; Juvenile Law; Discovery
- Family Law; Child Support; Property Division First paragraph(s)
- Ineffective Assistance of Counsel- Exclusion of Evidence of Witness Bias
- Postconviction Relief-Sentencing-Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
- 14th Amendment – Due Process
- Criminal-Sentencing Guidelines – Enhancement
- Bankruptcy-Tax
- Civil Rights – 14th Amendment-Jury Instructions
- Contract; Foreclosure and Property