John G. Browning News
Legally Speaking: How Not to Handle a Traffic Stop
Plenty of lawyers who defend motorists accused of moving violations or driving while intoxicated have great advice on how you should conduct yourself during a traffic stop.
Legally Speaking: Separating Myth From Reality-The Truth About 'Hot Coffee'
Without a doubt, most Americans are more familiar with the notorious McDonald's "hot coffee" case than with landmark Supreme Court decisions.
Legally Speaking: Dead Men Tell No Tales -- Except in Court
I don't do probate cases, due perhaps in part to the somewhat creepy summary explanation that my Wills & Estate professor in law school gave to that area of law, calling it "present events controlled by a cold dead hand from the grave."
Legally Speaking: The Least of My Brothers
In 2009, the "Legally Speaking" column "Brother, Can You Spare a Lawyer?" spotlighted the crisis in funding for legal aid to the poor. Back then, in the depths of the economic crisis, a perfect storm had been created.
Legally Speaking: The Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2010 and a Contender for 2011
The Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, recently released the results of its annual poll of the most ridiculous lawsuits of the past year.
Legally Speaking: Happy Anniversary,' Legally Speaking'
Today's column marks�drumroll please� the sixth anniversary of my first "Legally Speaking" column. Yes, it's hard to believe, but nearly six years ago to the day, the very first "Legally Speaking" column ran in the Rockwall County Herald Banner.
Legally Speaking: The Trial Is Over, But Not for Everyone
They were images "Paul Baker"* just couldn't get out of his head.
Legally Speaking: Murder, She Googled
Nowadays, getting away with murder is harder than ever, thanks to advances in forensic science that enable crime scene investigators to tie individuals to their crimes through everything from DNA evidence to gun residue and blood splatter analysis.
Legally Speaking: The Justie Awards Are Back! (Part 2)
Last week, we presented some true contenders, genuine oddities of the legal system that are strange but true.
Legally Speaking: The Justie Awards Are Back! (Part 1)
As movie award nomination season kicks into high gear with nominations for the Golden Globes, SAG awards, and various film critic association nods rolling out, I thought it would only be fair to recognize the best (or worst) of another major source of entertainment: the American legal system.
Legally Speaking: Moonlighting Judges
It's no secret that judicial salaries are low compared to what judges could command as attorneys working in the private sector.
Legally Speaking: Some Defenses Never Rest
In previous columns, I've written about some of the more creative and even outrageous defenses that lawyers and their embattled clients have employed over the years: the murderer who claimed "caffeine intoxication," the speeding driver who claimed he lost control of the car while dunking cookies in milk, and the tax dodger who claimed "fear of filing syndrome."
Legally Speaking: What Do You Get a Lawyer for Christmas?
Around this time of year, it's fairly common to see lists of holiday gift suggestions � for the sports fan in your life, the techie, the music buff, and so on. But what about your friendly neighborhood lawyer?
Legally Speaking: It's Just Not Christmas Without the Tree, the Turkey -- or the Lawsuits
Call it the product of a mind warped by three years of law school and over 20 years of "thinking like a lawyer." When the Christmas season rolls around, my mind doesn't drift to visions of sugarplums, flying reindeer, or a jolly old fat man in a red suit with a penchant for breaking and entering.
Legally Speaking: How Not to Get Out of Jury Duty (Part 2)
In last week's installment, I shared a few of the more bizarre circumstances under which people have avoided jury duty.
Legally Speaking: How Not to Get Out of Jury Duty (Part 1)
Lawyers get hit up for free legal advice all the time. One of the most frequently-asked questions is "how can I get out of jury duty?"
Legally Speaking: Scents and Sensibility-When Evidence Doesn't Pass the Smell Test (Postscript)
The first four parts of this series chronicled how for years, Texas courts unquestioningly accepted junk science in the form of controversial "dog-scent lineups" that purported to tie accused individuals to a whole host of heinous crimes.
Legally Speaking: An Embarrassment of Riches
Most of us would love to be acknowledged as No. 1 at something or as a world record holder.
Legally Speaking: Halloween May Be Over, But the Lawsuits Are Just Beginning
You can keep your ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and flesh-eating zombies. I know what's even scarier � lawyers.
Legally Speaking: Know Before You Vote-The Judicial Elections
Politics is a funny thing. A clown was recently elected to the Brazilian legislature, and before we Americans begin laughing at that silly notion, consider some of the following facts.