08.30.08
Best Songs about Family Law / the Law
1. Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go by Soft Cell
Usually talks about the first time someone wants to leave a relationship. “I want to get away, I want to runaway.”
2. Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash
Cool song by a cool band. Asks the obvious question.
3. Lawyers, Guns, and Money by Warren Zevon
How should we settle disputes? I submit the law allows for the peaceful settlement of disputes. Contact one of the lawyers at Galvin, Dominguez, Hindera, & Schwab LLP and schedule an appointment to see if we can help with your dispute.
4. Know Your Rights by The Clash
Again, this is so important if you are served with any type of lawsuit. Contact your lawyer.
5. What’s Love Got to do With It by Tina Turner
Supposedly a song about her relationship with the late Ike Turner reportedly involving domestic violence, abuse, infidelity, and cruelty. The important thing to take from this is that love has nothing to do with a family law case. It’s about division of assets and/or how to care for the children.
6. No Surrender by Bruce Springsteen
From the time the case begins to the end just remember this line “no retreat, no surrender.”
7. We Can Work it Out by The Beatles
The ultimate mediation song.
8. Burning Down the House by the Talking Heads
How most people feel after a property settlement.
9. Sweet Child of Mine by Sheryl Crow and Guns n Roses
Remember to never get the children in the middle. They are our sweet children. Our beautiful boys and our beautiful girls. Sheryl talks about a boy and G n R about a girl.
10. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
Disco era song that has become the anthem persons involved in failed relationships everywhere. The neat thing is most people do survive.
Other Good Songs About the Law
1. Breaking the Law by Judas Priest
For criminal law. Another cool band. Saw them way back when at the Sam Houston Colisseum in Houston.
2. America by Neil Diamond
The best song for immigration law…except for maybe The Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin. Never been a huge Neil fan but you got to admit, he is the leader of planet chest hair.
3. Mack the Knife by various artists including Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darin, and Frank Sinatra
Again, criminal law. Talks about the knifing portrayed in the Three Penny Opera.
4. Our Lawyer had Us Change the Name of This Song so We Wouldn’t Get Sued by The Fallout Boys
A song involving music copyright. Not that it actually does, but you got to admit, it’s a cool title.
5. I Fought the Law by The Clash
Yes, another song by The Clash. I’m trying not to be biased even though I wore out the grooves to London Calling and Combat Rock. Later, I played the cassettes so much the tape was paper thin where every third word was missing. Lost the CDs in a divorce. Now I have the songs from ITunes. Seems I was destined to be a lawyer…and sample all music technology.
08.29.08
Something the Lord Made
Something the Lord Made
Starring: Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Kyra Sedgewick, Gabrielle Union
Written by: Peter Silverman and Robert Caswell Release Date: May 30, 2004
A movie near and dear to my heart (you’ll get the joke/point later) that is just the kind of movie that depicts real people and real events that you would never had known about without watching the movie. I recommend everyone watch this movie.
HBO produced Something the Lord Made in 2004 and it plays every couple of months. I believe I’ve seen this movie more than ten times and it never fails to affect me. Rapper Mos Def plays Vivien Thomas, a gifted black carpenter from Tennessee who goes to work for an ambitious surgeon, Dr. Alfred Blalock, played by the talented Alan Rickman. Originally hired to clean Blalock’s laboratory and the kennels, Vivien Thomas displays the talent and aptitude beyond that of even college graduates leading to his becoming Dr. Blalock’s lab assistant. After succeeding at Vanderbilt in treating shock patients, Blalock and Thomas move to Baltimore to work at Johns Hopkins Medical School.
Deciding to pioneer the field of heart surgery with the help of medical students including now renowned surgeons, Drs. Denton Cooley and William Longmire both men face their ambitions, goals, detractors, and personal responsibilities. Where the movie shines is showing the relationship between a white doctor and a black layperson during a time when their relationship was defined by Jim Crow and then integration during a time each made such an impact on the field of medicine.
The movie was based on a magazine article about the blue baby syndrome leading to the first heart surgery. Vivien Thomas’s contributions to Johns Hopkins Hospital are chronicled here. Dr. Blalock’s contributions to Hopkins are found here. The best source for this inspiring story is Katie McCabe’s award winning magazine article published by The Washingtonian. Read the article here. Something The Lord Made won the Emmy for best television movie in 2004.
This qualifies as a legal movie for its subplot of Vivien’s brother Harold Thomas’ (played by Clayton LeBouef) fight for equal pay for African-American teachers in Tennessee. The case was argued by Thurgood Marshall of the NAACP.
FIVE Gavels.
Family Law in the News
Recently, local and national news outlets reported on family law issues. First, on August 28, 2008, the Austin American Statesman reported that Child Protective Services must follow more stringent requirements prior to the removal of a child without a court order. CPS issued a memorandum last week detailing new procedures. The new procedures result from a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling and from scrutiny resulting from the removal of over 500 children in FLDS case in El Dorado, Texas.
Additionally, the Statesman also reported the dismissal of over 100 cases involving the Fundamentalist Mormon sect in El Dorado, Texas. This includes my case and ends one of the publicized removals of children in the history of the state. The case also included one of the most bizarre hearings this lawyer ever attended.
Third, a story appeared in which the Watauga Police Department arrested Fort Worth Telegram reporter Dave Leiber for leaving his 11 year old son at a McDonalds and telling him to walk home after having an argument. Mr. Leiber returned but the police arrived. No arrest was made at the time, but the incident turned into an arrest when detectives made the decision to arrest Leiber. The reporter was charged with two felonies and the story does not say if CPS is involved. Though all circumstances are not known, what is reported is that the child was left in a suburban area with a low crime rate and made to walk home and Mr. Leiber returned. My research shows that public opinion is the Watauga Police overreacted and is involved in issues best left to the family.
Also, on the national news front, People Magazine (yes I’m serious) headlined a story about the marriage of Ellen Degeneres and Portia DeRossi. This story would not have been possible but for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision commented earlier on this blog allowing same-sex marriage in California. My curiosity to this decision leads to the ancillary family law issues presented in opposite sex couples. For example, same-sex domestic violence issues, same-sex prenuptial agreements, same-sex adoptions with both parties being adoptive parents, and so many other issues found in family law.
Finally, as a lesson to all for obeying court orders, Judge Thomas Sandsbury of Houston sentenced Bob Duff, father of Hilary Duff, to 10 days in jail for violation of court orders. Duff allegedly sold assets despite an injunction. Remember, if you are involved in a family law case in Travis County, Texas, the Court issues an automatic Temporary Restraining Order. Make sure it’s understood and frequently reviewed to avoid a contempt of court allegation.
08.17.08
Summer Movie Season II
Lots of disappointing flicks starting the summer season to the point I was going to write it off. The second half has more than made up for the lackluster beginning. The only exceptions were Iron Man and Son of Rambow. See my reviews of these movies. The Indiana Jones movie was disappointing and The Incredible Hulk tried to measure up and came very close.
Now for the second season:
I consider the second season starting with The Dark Knight. Sure, Heath Ledger’s last role could be considered his greatest regardless of the fact he passed away at such an early age. That being said, the brilliance of the movie emanates from all of the actors. Christian Bale gave the best performance of anyone who has ever played Batman/Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman in limited roles gave the movie so much of its concept of right and wrong or how it cannot apply. Even William Fichtner performed memorably in a cameo role as a mob banker.
The coup goes to Aaron Eckhart who gave the best performance as District Attorney Harvey Dent/Two Face. He did show how you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Entertainment Weekly magazine came out with a list several issues ago about the new classics, the best movies of the last 25 years. It was premature. My vote goes to The Dark Knight for the best movie in this decade, the last decade, and the one before that. One of the best reasons is because there was so much hype and it lived up to the hype.
Comedies have been saving this summer. Two of the funniest movies I’ve seen in some time are Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder. After The Dark Knight, my next recommendation for movies still out would be Tropic Thunder. Just go and watch it and enjoy and laugh your butt off.
I saw a trailer for a movie to be released later this month called Hamlet 2. I think it might just continue the trend of good comedies this summer. Saw another trailer for some movie about football where a girl plays quarterback for a high school team. Based on the trailer…watch any other movie playing at the metroplex.
The Verdict
Long considered a great legal movie, I was fortunate to catch The Verdict playing on HBO in the middle of the night. Rob Galvin, my partner at Galvin, Dominguez, Hindera, and Schwab, LLP., always mentions this movie for a good reason…Frank Galvin is played by Paul Newman.
I have always liked this movie because it deals not only with justice, but with redemption. Frank Galvin’s old associate gives him a med mal case on a silver platter. Easy case, easy settlement; there is no need for a trial. Frank Galvin has gone through some hard times and sees himself reduced to being a drunk and an ambulance chaser. While bungling his way through the settlement process, he finds himself with the prospect that the case needs to go to trial. He shows the difficulty some lawyers face with the process of trial…fear, fear, and fear.
The movie benefits from a great supporting cast including Jack Warden and James Mason as co-counsel and opposing counsel respectively. Good courtroom scenes and a biased judge serve the plot of the movie as well as a surprising performance by Charlotte Rampling as Paul’s would be co-alcoholic girlfriend with a secret.
This is one of those movies you should catch on cable or at Blockbuster if your in the mood for a good legal drama.
4 Gavels.
