I find it distressing that recent statistics point to an ever decreasing number of civil jury trials in Virginia. In 1999, there were 2,042 jury trials. In 2009, only 570. That’s a decline of 72%. On the one hand, that means that a lot of cases are being resolved. A good thing, right? That can [...]

Missy Lapine wrote a cookbook “The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals.” Four months after it was published, out came a book from Jessica Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld’s wife, “Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food.” Apparently unable to stomach the competition, Lapine filed a civil [...]

It is cold comfort to lawyers that at least their numbers have not sunk to the level of Congress, which has fallen to below 20% approval in some polling. Still, with the persistence of lawyer jokes, it is well recognized that lawyer bashing is by no means a new phenomenon. Take the following passage from [...]

Just coming off talking about the legal ethics of social media. Yah, before you say, “boring,” I offer a link to a pretty insightful presentation, which I had no part in producing. And, now, you are thinking things are looking up! Granted, I do not pretend to be a true convert. I am new to [...]

For many of us, Justice Potter Stewart’s admonition that “I know it when I see it” in reference to obscenity is an insufficient way to regulate pornography or sexual expression. But defining what is or is not a proper expression based in large part upon the prevailing local community standards is equally frustrating. Are the [...]

The blue glare illuminates the face of the son of the purportedly wrongfully deposed Generalissimo of the former Republic of Northern Sahara Africa. Slowly he pecks out a message and clicks on the send button. If only he could find somebody to assist him in investing $29,000,000 . . . for a small commission, of [...]