Kentucky Law Review

LEO 2011 Readers' Choice Awards

Hmmm.  How important is it for your legal reputation and ego to be rated by LEO (the Louisville Eccentric Observer) as Reader's Choice Award for "Best Law Office" in Louisville?

Well, one Louisville law firm has taken it seriously enough to campaign on the internet for your votes. If you see this or any other law firm, seeking your selection in this election, then feel free to hawk their names in the comments section and get the word out!

To Vote on 2011 Readers' Choice, click here.

For those who wish to vote on the best law office unimpeded by the pressure of the internet, then click here.  Scroll down to Best Law Office and type away.  Type in your own name, legal eagles, because if you practice law in town, then you should believe YOU are the BEST at what you do. 

I just put in my name  Michael Stevens!  Hooorahhhh.

BTW:  If asked, I will not seek; if sought, I will not be found; if nominated, I will not accept; if selected, I will not run;  if elected, I will not serve. 

However, other fun choices would be to go to Media and type in "Kentucky Law Review" as the Best Local Blog. 

Go figure.

 

 

 

 

 

Judge Sheehan's Order says it how it is

Northern Kentucky Circuit Court Order is worth a read:

http://www.louisvillelaw.com/blog/OrderSheehan071911.pdf

 

Humor: "Farmer minced no words in his claim for pay for injured bull"

The best way not to forget someone is to keep telling stories about them.  Here's one of Byron Crawford's with a legal underpinning:

Today's column is dedicated to the many of you who have written to me since December 1981 -- and are still writing -- requesting an encore of my "Dere Mr. Ralerode," column, which was a reprint of an item from a 1937 edition of the "Kentucky State Bar Journal."

Attorney Edwin L. Cohen of Louisville gave me the item in hopes that readers would enjoy it, and apparently you have. It seems that when the Paducah, Tennessee and Alabama Railroad was built through Marshall, Calloway and other Western Kentucky and West Tennessee counties, it traversed an almost unbroken forest and vast grazing lands teeming with cattle, hogs and other livestock, a great number of which were killed by trains, causing the railroad no end of trouble.

There was, at that time, a young attorney in Murray named Burrell B. Linn, a smooth-spoken, diplomatic and friendly chap, with a flair for getting along with farmers. Linn was retained as a claim agent for the railroad.

It is recorded that, back in the 1890s, when a train ran over and killed six people, he settled the entire claim out of court for $150 per person.

But at last he met his match, when a train struck a Tennessee farmer's pet bull. The following is said to be an exact copy of a letter the farmer wrote to the vice president of the railroad:

Mr. A. H. Dauchy, V. Prst. of yure ralerode;

Dere Sir:

This is the third letter I have writ you in regardst to my clame for enjury of my spotted bull, a pet of my fambly, which we named Daniel Webster, but which we called Buster for short.

I already told you twisct that yure trane hit my bull a-tween Holler Rock Junction and the second mile post comen this way. No reply from you except you sent me a blank to fill out -- and dam the blank. A Filerdelphia lawyer could not fill hit out.

As I said before frum whare the trane hit the bull it carried him a right smart peace beyond that pint. I tole you plane that the injine tore offen a peace of his hide averagen eight inches from his under lip then sorto zagonal over his shoulder and back, and then down his left side clear under to his nable on below part of his body.

The trane wheel also stripped off part of his hind hufes smack and smooth maken his fet very tender and sore so he can not walk good without me and my boy Joe holden him up with a pole when he travils to pond for water which is only about two rods off from where he is.

Before this axident he was a very threatening beast and mighty cantankerous. Since then he has a sad look and bawls most of the time, princepally at night disturbing us considerable. He don't eat scarcely anything except some dry meal because his jaws is mighty sore.

Tow of my nebors who I do not speak to say they will swar that this bull was struck by lighteen but they are a dam lie. He was hit by yure payoff speshial trane which come through my field a gallahooten at midnight of Mch. of the 20 with its whissle a screamen like hell.

Now if nothin was hitten by this trane why was it screamen like hell? You can't answer. Neither can they. Nor nobody.

Now lissen right clost. Me and Henry Hefferman has aprazed this bull of value at $eighteen dollars and six bits and he is as we say beyond doubtless a totle loss. Henry says he aint never saw sich damage to a bull in his day and time, and neither have I and my boy Joe says the same and we all say he will never be any more use for a bull hardly not even for befe.

So take notice of this. This is writ on Friday and maled on North bound trane. Onlessen I receve check in full . . . by a Thursday next I heard some people say that sum spikes are agoing to git loost from the rales of yure rode which will cause the rales to spred out when yure passenger trane number 104 cums along.

Then thar will be some big hedlines in the paducky papers saying that sum coches went into the barpit in my feld, that a injineer and farman were kilt and hurten sum passengers right bad and maybe yure dam conductor Aleck Fulton will get a leg broke or both legs and I don't give a dam for that either.

Further and more to that you nede not send that Pot bellied burl Linn yure clame agt. down here to settle with me and maybe talk me out of the whole buseness with honey words and honey words don't git no bakon at Stagners store over at Holler Rock Junction.

So you better send on the check as I advice you for I aint in no state of mind to be talked to or have my word disputen nor written you leters which don't git no answer.

P. S. Jest a slite hint. Effen you think you will git this case in Judge Harewoods cote you are offen your nut. Him and yure clame agt. is as thick as theves and I wuld sware him offen the bench in a minute for I seen him and yure clame agt. a playing pich trumps in Shorty Dugans sody warter place for sody warter they said but I guess it were for sumpin stronger for Shortys place aint nothen more or less than a salune and Shorty hisself saw this game if he will stick to what he said, which I very much doubt as burds of a fether always floch together in the cote house and I don't mean maybe.

Git that and git it good for you cant mess with me no longer.

The farmer got his check on the next train by special delivery, and claim agent Linn was later quoted as saying that if there had been air mail in those day, the check would have arrived within the hour.

TECH: To Blawg or Not; Interesting Question

A recent comic strip in "Pearls Before Swine" by Steve Pastis, made me rethink the "blog/blawging" issue.

If you are thinking of blogging for law, then you might rethink your reasons.

Fun?  Have at it.  It's all about you and keep it enjoyable.

Regular postings?  Essential for committed readership and feedback. And thus a potential "black hole" for time.

Marketing your professional standing in the legal community?  Then think carefully about your content and don't post posts with cartoons like this.

Advertising?  Read the advertising rules carefully.  Now, you are treading close to your law license.

Profit?  If financial profit, then think again as it looks like this little piggy from the cartoon won't be going to the money market and somebody else may be bringing home the bacon.

 

Calvin and Hobbes on "The purpose of legal writing"

Here is a must-see post taking a look at the purpose of legal writing.  More precisely a look from the inside outside of legal writing from the view of a child and his imaginary friend.  Just because the commentary comes from uncomely commentators does not render their content of their critique any less cogent.

I would copied the cartoon en toto AND large enough to read here, but I think the artist and the law school blog LAW IS COOL deserve some "hits" and a little "spike" for their efforts.  So click HERE to see for yourself how others see what you do!  Ohmygoodness, it's what I do too!  Aghghghghghgh.

Pretty good, eh?! And the credit for the artwork goes to (drum roll) h/t Livia Jozsa of UofT Political Science (2008). 

FUNNY: Video of counsel's admissions on how realllly bad Duke football is at Kentucky hearing

A Poppe Post from his blog taking a pop-shot at Duke Football:

Follow Up: Just How Bad is Duke Football

In a follow-up to a blog post I did earlier about the contract dispute between Duke University and the University of Louisville, my friend James Cole sent me the following video link of Duke's attorney. Here, she explains why Duke should not be forced to pay Louisville for breaching its contract to play Louisville in football. Enjoy and GO CARDS!

HUMOR: "Ind. Courts - The first "help desk" -- for the newfangled "book"" : Update: Read more for who the "big monk" is!

Marcia Oddi cracks me up with this link to a YouTube video on the "first help desk" and reminds me of that old saw that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.  And be forewarned that in the computer age this forewarning in digital land can be an endless "for next" loop.

Excuse the pun, but I think the first monk should have stuck with his "cell" phone.... ;(  bad pun.

Ind. Courts - The first "help desk" -- for the newfangled "book"

UPDATED:  Actually, there was more humor buried in this post than I fathomed as I was told the the "big monk" is the Chief Justice of Indiana, Randall Shepard.  Marcia cracks me up twice.  I loved it!!!!

Big Monk - you get a two thumbs up from this blogger south of the River of Many White Caps!

HUMOR: Legal Limerick Languished at End of Long Pleading

Plaintiff has a great deal to say,
But it seems he skipped Rule 8(a),
His Complaint is too long,
Which renders it wrong,
Please re-write and re-file today.

This was the decision-ending limerick reminding us that in notice pleading will have a "field" day with non-notice pleadings.  465 page complaint sent back to draftsman. From Federal Civil Practice Bulletin.

Judge Condemns Prolix Pleading; Pens Limerick at the End of the Order

However, the flip side may not be so flippant in the following post from the same blog:

Ninth Circuit Vacates Dismissal of Civil Rights Complaint that Had Been Dismissed for Prolixity

Being unable to resist the temptation, I submit the following in support of my legal limerick laureate's label.  I just had to say that for the "L" of it.  [updated.  revised it without noting changes.]

A pleading he filed said alot,
It said much more than it ought,
He wrote way too much,
Got the judicial bum's rush,
Methinks his case may be shot.

LOUISVILLE: Rocky Top Lawyer Busted on Video Singing an Ode to the Cardinal Faithful

Never "volunteer" to eat bird, be it crow or cardinal, as noted in this post on a local lawyer who sang an ode to the Cards after his Vols got defeated.  This ain't no 'Rocky Top', but the court house blues blew some away:

The Cardinal Lawyer: Eating crow over Cardinals basketball  A local lawyer, Justin Brown, was forced to eat crow when the Louisville Cardinals defeated his Tennessee Volunteers in the NCAA men's basketball tournament:

read more

PROPOSED HB: House Bill 199 (Maintaining privacy in court records)

Introduced by Rep. Larry Belcher on January 8, 2008, to require that certain court records not contain private indentifying data when released to the public.
Details and Comments: http://www.kentuckyvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=55784