Blog - Page 101

Governor Perry Faces Abuse of Power Charges

August 24, 2014Posts

The notion of politicians being viewed as criminals is nothing new. Our country's history is filled with stories of elected officials who altered ballot counts and stole money and did drugs and bribed voters and occasionally even murdered. Even in the state of Texas, our politicians have not found themselves immune from charges of wrongdoing in recent years. What is unusual, however, is for a longstanding sitting governor to be indicted on federal charges. In...

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Texas Probate Process with No Will

August 21, 2014Posts

Recently, Express News reported on a trucking tycoon who was killed at age 50 in a motor vehicle accident. He was allegedly being chased by his wife while riding his motorcycle. Police ruled that the death was a homicide, although the man's children are defending their mother, who has been accused of the crime. As complex as the criminal matters are, the probate matters in the case may be just as complicated. The reason: the...

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Austin Police Chief Asks Public for Their Thoughts on Deterring Drunk Drivers

August 06, 2014Vocational License Defense Posts

I recently posted a piece about a move that the city of Austin is considering for a total ban on the use of cell phones while driving. Not only would texting and looking up information on the internet be illegal under this proposal, but even talking on a phone without a hands-free set would no longer be allowed. It appears that Austin's police chief, Art Acevedo, is determined to address another problem on the city's...

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City of Austin Could End Cell Phone Calls While Driving

July 31, 2014Professional License Defense Posts

Currently under Austin city ordinance, you may not text while driving (I hope!) or use your smart phone to make dinner reservations, movies times, or check football scores while caught in Austin traffic, as these activities are both illegal and dangerous. But, how many of you will admit to talking on your cell phone while behind the wheel? Just a quick glance at the drivers around you on any road will confirm that most of...

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Avoiding Loss of Asset Value During Texas Probate

July 30, 2014Professional License Defense Posts

The probate process can sometimes last for a long period of time, especially for complicated estates. Assets must be valued, creditors and taxes paid and assets and property distributed to beneficiaries. During the probate process, there is a risk that the value of the estate could be adversely impacted unless proper estate planning occurred before death. A probate attorney can help to move the process of probating the estate along as quickly as possible. An...

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New York Yankee Baseball Fan Asks for Millions after Falling Asleep on National Television

July 28, 2014Posts

There is one man in the New York area who may still be hoping that exhaustion at a baseball game will translate into a huge payday at the hands of our legal system. When the television cameras panned Yankees Stadium during the fourth inning of a game against the Red Sox on April 13, 2014, Andrew Rector was spotted taking a nap. The broadcasters, John Kruk and Dan Shulman, found this fascinating and proceeded to...

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Five Houston Children Unrestrained in Car as Parents Allegedly Drink and Drive

July 27, 2014Posts

There are countless attorney jokes out there, and I understand that some of the humor is well earned. Lawyers do not always help themselves in establishing upstanding reputations. However, there also are stories that remind me that what lawyers, and really the legal system in general, can do to defend the most innocent among us matters and leaves a positive impact. I hope that justice is had by five children in Houston who desperately need...

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Responsibility for Debts in a Texas Divorce

July 23, 2014Uncategorized

Because Texas is a community property state, debt acquired during marriage is generally considered to belong equally to both spouses. This is true no matter who acquires the debt. Unfortunately, the outcome is that you could become responsible for your ex-husband or ex-wife's debts. A divorce settlement does not necessarily protect you from being forced to pay the bills as a recent CNN article pointed out. You need to understand the rules for shared responsibility...

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Would You Fight for Johnny Football’s Jersey in a Divorce?

July 22, 2014Posts

  Photo courtesy USA Today Perhaps you were watching the NFL draft a couple of months when Johnny Manziel (aka "Johnny Football") nervously sat as other players from around the country were selected by teams while his name went unspoken. He had decided to leave Texas A&M after his sophomore year to pursue a career in the pros, and the draft would mark the beginning of this new stage. Finally, his name was called by...

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Road Rage Turns Deadly in San Antonio

July 20, 2014Posts

Road rage has been an increasing problem as we seem to live in a society that gets more impatient and faster to explosive judgment all the time. We have become drivers rushing to move from one place to the next, sometimes disregarding the others who are occupying the same stretch of highway, and drivers who are less forgiving when it comes to the idea that the dangerous actions taken by another vehicle truly may have...

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