Even though the final episode aired on AMC almost a year ago, Breaking Bad was placed back into the spotlight this week as it dominated the Emmy Awards. Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Drama Series - these categories and others were won by the show about a high school chemistry teacher who manufactures meth when a cancer diagnosis leaves him worried about the fate of his family. While all of the...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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