Chủ Nhật, 30 tháng 6, 2013

Beware of Bait and Switch Pricing by Foreclosure Defense Lawyers!

 
In February 2010, I wrote a blog post that explained the four primary pricing methods ( hourly, flat fee, monthly and hybrid) used by foreclosure defense firms.  To read the whole blog post on this subject click here.  I have recently noticed a trend where lawyers and law firms are using marketing strategies that in my opinion are bait and switch tactics. 

If a consumer sees a sign that says SALE – Unleaded Gas - $2.00 per gallon, most consumers know that the price is to good to be true and will be looking for the catch.  Perhaps the price is only good for the first gallon of gas or is only good with purchase of an alignment job at an inflated price.  Gas stations in 2013 can’t sell gas for $2.00 a gallon because it costs the gas station more than $2.00 to buy the gas. 

Unfortunately, many consumers will not know that a the promise of a $1,000.00 or $1,500.00 flat fee foreclosure defense is just about always an offer that is to good to be true.  We are seeing consumers come to our office after either firing their old lawyer or after their old lawyer withdrew from their case.  In many cases the consumer saw advertising material and thought they would pay a one-time fee of $1,000 or $1,500.00 and would never need to spend another dime for the duration of their case.  Once the consumer actually visited the law firm they found out that the $1,000.00 was just an “initial” payment for the first thee or six months of their case.  After the initial period was over the consumer had to “re-hire” the lawyer for another six month or one year term ( it varies by firm) for an even higher fee.  

We think lawyers who advertise a flat fee price should offer true flat fee prices.  Nobody who comes to a lawyer’s office and spends an hour in a consultation thinking the costs is one number should find out when they read the fine print that over a two year engagement the price will be three or four times higher than the price they saw on the web.

At Shuster & Saben, we aspire to have a simple, clear, understandable, and predictable billing method.  The client (on loans of under $500,000.00) pays $495.00 per month for the first hour we work each month and any additional hours we work are on a pure contingency fee basis, where we do not get paid at all unless we win the case and get the fees paid as prevailing party attorney’s fees paid by the losing bank.  Our clients do not have to worry about paying a few thousand dollars to renew for six months or a year when their case is on the eve of settlement or trial and might soon we won or settled in a matter of weeks.  Our clients can predict and budget for their legal expenses.

For the likes of me, I can’t figure out how a lawyer can take a foreclosure case on for $1,500.00 and litigate the case for three years and take the case to trial all for $1,500.00.  Some flat fee lawyers cut corners with short form answers, and do not bother to conduct discovery, take depositions, or engage in trial preparation.  Perhaps other flat fee lawyers can make it work by buying $2.00 gas.

Thứ Sáu, 28 tháng 6, 2013

I've got the cash, I've got the ride


Morris Day & The Time - Jerk Out

Yes, there was a little extra spring in my step as I walked the dog this morning. That comes from feeling a little bit more like a whole person. If this ruling has that effect on a jaded 40-something like myself I can only imagine what it's doing for teens out there just figuring out that they love just a little different then most people. I'm betting the gay teen suicide rate is about to start going down.

It wasn't my intent to turn this into a gay rights blog this week. I was hoping for lesbian porn, but events overtook me. I actually don't like writing about gay rights. Notice I haven't posted anything on the rights of brown eyed people. I have deep brown eyes. Almond shaped. But the rights of brown eyed people aren't up for debate. They're a given. We'll get there one day with gay rights. Then I can hang up my activist's cap and retire to New England where I can support my decadent lifestyle writing trashy romance novels. That's the ticket!

But for now I wanted to let you know that SFL will be returning soon, and I want to thank everyone for their patience with me and the other guest posters and for all the kind remarks.



Belated 3d DCA Watch

Oh heck, other than denying the motion for rehearing or certification on the Citrus Canker case, nothing happened.

So Happy Friday!

Do something productive. Sit by the sea. Go for a walk. Pick weeds. Wash your car, yourself.



Thứ Tư, 26 tháng 6, 2013

Love Wins!





Victory!!! I'm ecstatic and overwhelmed. I'm still trying to figure out how this affects couples like my husband and I who are legally married but live in states like Florida that don't recognize that marriage. The more narrow Prop 8 non-ruling suggests that we may now be considered married at the Federal level, yet not at the state level.

I'd be eager to hear any opinions on that.

At any rate this is an extremely important victory but there's still work to be done. I'm popping the Champagne as we speak so I'll leave you all with the words of someone who's been fighting for human rights longer than I, the unflappable Mr. George Takei. FYI George will be in Miami in early July for Supercon!
Today marks a watershed moment in history and a tremendous victory for the principle of equality. The 5-4 decision by our Supreme Court striking down DOMA affirms the universality of love--the desire of all people not only to find, but to value and affirm, a lifelong commitment to another person. I have lived nearly four score years, and have borne witness to both the heartbreak and promise of true justice and equality in America. Today my heart soars, and my faith in the promise of our great nation is renewed. Now, if there's anything we gays know how to do well, it is to celebrate! Let the joy of this day ring out with PRIDE.
UPDATE: The full text here. United States v. Windsor

Gay Day!


I can't say that I was awake all night wondering what was coming down the pipe from SCOTUS today. Good sex makes for good sleep. But after a little coffee I'm now sufficiently on edge. I began my gay rights activism over 20 years ago and I've had two primary focuses ~ the military ban on gays and the glaring marriage inequality. One down, one to go.

Whatever the court decides today, the battle for human rights is not yet over. So long as the rights of any group are diminished, all humanity suffers. While I hope for a big step forward today, I'm troubled by the step backwards that we took yesterday. I have friends who waited 8 hours to vote in the last election. Surprise, they lived in minority neighborhoods. Those who think that racism is fixed because we have a black president are as naive as are those who believe homophobia will end when LGBTQ folks have legal equality. Justice is not a light switch. It's slow and painful, and it takes generations.

Racism, sexism, homophobia and religious intolerance all stem from the same defective thinking, and even if I get mine today I wont be happy until everyone gets theirs. Given the level of injustice in the world, I guess that means on some level that I'll never be completely happy. And that's OK. At least the sex is great!

Thứ Ba, 25 tháng 6, 2013

Finally!



Hey folks, I'll be here tomorrow @10 as 9 people in odd robes a thousand miles away tell my husband and I whether or not we can finally take that head of household tax deduction. Anything short of a sweeping ruling one way or the other is going to produce a lot of conflicts. Some are sure to be happy, others sure to be pissed.

I'd serve cake and cocktails but for this primitive internet.

Failure to Communicate



The Dog Days of summer are here, but no rest for the weary (except Southfllawyers.) Today the Eleventh Circuit issued Guarino v. Wyeth, LLC, Schwarz Pharma, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. For all of you healthcare freaks practitoners, the case has a nice discussion of Preemption, The Learned Intermediary Doctrine and liability of Brand Manufacturers when a consumer ingests only a generic form of the manufacturer's drug.

Guarino sued the generic drug company and the brand manufacturer alleging negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, misrepresentation and fraud, and negligence per se, essentially for failure to adequately warn. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of summary judgment in favor of the Brand Manufacturer because the plaintiff ingested only a generic form of the drug. The Court also affirmed the District Court's grant of the generic manufacturer's motion to dismiss based on the law of Preemption (you remember that whole Supremacy Clause thingy.)

On appeal Guarino attempted to "cloth" her argument to avoid Preemption by asserting not that the generic manufacturer's warning labels were inadequate but that it "failed to communicate" to the prescribing medical providers, the FDA's recent change in labeling requirements. I love creative lawyering as much as the next guy, but Judge Wilson would have none of it.

"No matter the garb in which she attempts to present them, Guarino’s claims are at bottom allegations regarding Teva’s failure to warn her of the dangers of long-term metoclopramide use, and they therefore [fail]."

The decision pretty much forecloses any remedy to those similarly situated as the Plaintiff here (and thus may result in fewer of those annoying late night national lawyer trolling for clients solicitation commercials.) Which is not to say the Court is without compassion for the lack of a remedy to an aggrieved person.

"We are mindful that the disposition of this case may leave Guarino and those similarly situated without a remedy in cases such as these, but as federal judges we are bound merely to interpret and apply the law as promulgated by Congress and the political divisions of government.....Thus, and insofar as Guarino seeks redress for her injuries, such redress lies with Congress or the Florida legislature, not with this Court."

Or as Strother Martin said, "I don't like it any more than you men."

Kneel Before Zod.

Thứ Hai, 24 tháng 6, 2013

Can You See Me Now?



Happy Monday to you all. Where is the time travel guy? I'd like to figure out how I can scratch that "Smoke Opium with Chairman Mao" item off my bucket list.


I'm nauseous, but not from Opium, from this.




Let's forget the fact that Glenn Greenwald has broken more news this week than lapdog journalist and sometimes Karl Rove dance partner David Gregory has, EVER. Let's forget the fact that we have a 1st Amendment for the reason so that we can be warned when politicians are doing bad things, like violating the 4th Amendment. Let's also forget the fact that there is enough space between Gregory's nose and lips to land a hovercraft. I'm a student of nonviolence. Gandhi and John Lennon are my heroes. But something about this Meet the Press shill activates a part of my lizard brain that looks for the weak areas to strike.

Gregory is just one big weak spot.

Honestly, I couldn't care less about Snowden. Is he a traitor? Maybe. I have no idea what info he gave to the Chinese or the Russians. But I do know about the information he gave to us. Where are the usual suspects who will howl like mad dogs at the slightest hint of a 2nd Amendment violation and why are they willing to lay down at the complete circumvention of the 4th Amendment?

"Collect everything on everyone all the time and sort it out latter" seem to be the NSA's position here. I'm not a lawyer. I just play one on the internet (and an occasional telenovela), but how does that square even remotely with our 4th Amendment protections? There is a neat little feature in Mac OS called "Time Machine" which enables you to go back in time and find that file you accidentally tossed. It's a nice feature for a personal computer, but it seems to me the NSA wants to create one for the whole world. No communication goes unrecorded. No harsh statement erased by time.

You can call that safety. But to me the NSA is claiming radical new powers and perverting technology in a despicable way. Even worse, I now find myself on the same side of this issue as Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin.

It's not even 3:00 on Monday and I already need a shower.

Thứ Sáu, 21 tháng 6, 2013

Faker SFL Friday!



Sorry SFL but I'm Greek.

Happy Friday!

Godwhacker's Weak in Review


Hi kiddies, are you ready for the weekend? If you spent all your time and energy this week watching geographically based sporting events, here's what you missed.

You sort of have a right to remain silent.

You haven't arrived until you've arrived in one of these.

Slave themed weddings are still taboo.

Bad things happen to good people.

People on food stamps are living it up!

Some tattoos are weird.

Turns out Brazil isn't just one big party town.

Darrell Issa likes facts. His facts.

Thanks to James Gandolfini we know that sociopaths have feelings too. RIP and respect!

That beeping sound you hear is a Brinks truck backing up at Robert Downey Jr.'s place.

And remember these axioms; peace is better than war. Love is better than hate. It's not until your final breath that it's really too late.




Thứ Ba, 18 tháng 6, 2013

Shoes to Die For

I hate it when parties go like this...
The story began with cocaine and Christmas shoes, and veered into beating and torture.

 LARGO — A Pinellas County jury listened Tuesday to the vivid and horrifying story of how Stacia Berman's body was found — wrapped in a blanket, plastic bags covering her head, floating in St. Petersburg's Lake Maggiore with two alligators swimming nearby.
The story began with cocaine and Christmas shoes, and veered into beating and torture. Assistant State Attorney Fred Schaub told jurors they should conclude the tale by convicting Santonio "Red" Smith and Letrell "Trell" McKnight.
It's Florida so you know alligators had to come in somewhere. More here.

My House!


[1984] Mary Jane Girls - In My House from Nemesis on Vimeo.

Hi y'all! I spoke with SFL via an enigma machine and I have bad news. His trip to the arctic has been extended. They're running low on supplies but I've arranged an emergency drop of JWB, Cohibas, and Tango music. It's good to know a Godwhacker. With luck he'll survive until next week's air lift.

In the meantime the lunatics are free to run the asylum. Much like congress, but with much less hairspray. Anyone got anything they want to talk about? I'm here for you, at least until the anesthetics take their course.

Thứ Hai, 17 tháng 6, 2013

Gin Gibson Windsurfing Bo Derek Time!



Spencer Aronfeld Spencer Aronfeld Spencer Aronfeld Spencer Aronfeld Gin Gibsons sexy Israelis Hitler Alfred E. Neumann windsurfing Bo Derek bunker denizen coffee swilling Judge Schwartz Captain America Alan Kluger AMAZING!


Enjoy the break, SFL!

Thứ Sáu, 14 tháng 6, 2013

The Longest Day


Happy Friday all, and thanks for putting up with us on the B-Team this week. This was the most fun I've had since those drag queen parties at Red Square ended 13 years ago. Are you buying it? I hope not. Those parties were a blast.

In the meantime we have learned that the police can take our DNA over the slightest offense, they just can't patent it.

I told you Edward Snowden was hot. Did you know that he was once an aspiring male model?

Justice Scalia just doesn't buy all that science crap.

Are you looking for Jesus in all the wrong places?

Superman is back, but this time no suggestions of a three-way with James Marsden? Bummer.

And if your legal career isn't working out the way you hoped, how about working for Amazon?


OK folks, the vodka is on ice, the vaporizer is ready to cycle and I'm out of here like Vladamir.

Spencer Hates Decks said...

 A little gem from our comments today...

Collapsed deck at Aventura bar. Can a Spencer video be far behind?

Fade in: Collapsed deck at Shuckers: Overlap: An Ambulance, a doctor in a white coat, a person is a hospital bed with a leg cast.

Voice narration: I am Spencer Arronfeld. We all like a night out with out loved one. Dining and perhaps a drink on a terrace is a wonderful way to enjoy a warm south Florida evening. But did you know that every year hundreds of people are injured when un-safe decks and terraces of restaurants collapse, sending terrified patrons into the water or tumbling down a hill?

At Arronfeld law firm we recommend you carefully review the latest engineering report of any establishment before venturing out to any deck. If you or anyone you know have been injured due to the careless negligence of a restaurant's deck collapsing, please see a doctor immediately, and then call the lawyers at the Arronfeld firm for a free consultation.


I'd like to note that this tragedy took place in North Bay Village, not Aventura but anything north of 35st is a no man's land.

Godwhacker

Thứ Năm, 13 tháng 6, 2013

The Drumhead


Star Trek was kind enough to film a preview of the coming Greenwald trail

Random Memorandum

COCONUT GROVE, FL - This year, I will have practiced law in South Florida for twenty years. Finally, I think I am ineligible for the Young Lawyers’ section of The Florida Bar. Here are some thoughts on my experience:



Law is the profession for someone who is both intellectually curious and fetishistically detail-oriented. The job market now is horrible, so anyone considering practicing law should probably think again. That said, there is something supremely satisfying about crafting a good legal argument. It is best to get feedback from colleagues when putting together any legal product, being willing, eager even, to accept criticism will always result in better product.

Being a member of The Florida Bar is a privilege. The collegiality among lawyers is by far one of the best aspects of the practice. It is good when you can have a pitched battle in the courtroom, step out and be friends with opposing counsel. Unfortunately, there are some lawyers who do not understand this relationship, they seem to take disputes personally. There are also lawyers who contest unimportant issues, or take positions that are simply wrong. The law provides remedies for that, but having to seek them is a waste and brings down the reputation of the profession.

Ironically, the biggest challenge in what we do is our clients. Some don’t pay. Some question your advice. Some want, as I put it, for their lawyer to become the righteous sword of their indignation. Each time a client says, “I’d rather pay you than pay him,” the answer should be, “You’re going to pay him and me, and you’re going to end up disliking us both.” The best client is one who pays on time and takes your advice.

If you have any extra, please send a few my way.

In the meantime, check out my blog Dispatches From Coconut Grove. The posts are more general interest, but there are some law-related posts. Recently, for instance, I propose adopting a single subject limitation to the Constitution.

Thứ Tư, 12 tháng 6, 2013

Bush Doctor



Hi Readers (double entendre), don't you just hate it when you're on your third does of chemo for the day and the fuzz snatch your stash of medical MJ before you can use it to keep your lunch down?

That situation may sound hypothetical but one sure thing about youth and health is that neither last forever. And when we are at that point where life is a struggle, shouldn't we have access to the things that make it a little easier? America thinks so. That's why medical access to marijuana is now the law in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

If you're a fan of social media you know that barely a day goes by without an article on some new use for it. Medical marijuana has been shown useful in treating dozens of diseases and conditions. It has a safety record that would leave you civil litigators dreadfully under-employed. And unlike many of today's pharmaceutical wonder drugs which cost thousands, sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars, medical MJ is affordable and can even be produced directly by the end user and no to little cost.

But if you're looking for compassionate use access here in the Sunshine State you're looking for love in the wrong places. It's not a matter of public opinion. 70% of Floridians support allowing medical access to marijuana, and this support cuts across party lines and demographics.

Critics point to the lack of substantive testing and scientific method over many of these claim, which is kind of funny considering experts like Professor David Nutt call the prohibitions on testing “the worst case of scientific censorship since the Catholic Church banned the works of Copernicus and Galileo”.
“The laws scare off funders and most scientists are scared because they think if they break the law, they might get arrested,” he told The Independent. “I’m sure at some point someone’s going to arrest me. There is a sense of repression to the point that most people won’t do it.”

For a while this year it looked like we could actually make some progress in the Florida Legislature. The Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act was introduced, but alas it went nowhere. It should be obvious to everyone that if we want progress on this issue we cannot depend on Florida's crusty and regressive government.

Thankfully we have a well organized and funded effort to put this issue on the 2014 ballot as a state referendum. The newly formed organization, United for Care has some real political bigwigs behind it. It also has a Godwhacker. You may see me out on your streets this summer, collecting the necessary signatures. I'll be the one on rollerblades in Daisy-Dukes.

Third DCA Report




GMT Construction v. Gulfside Supply


Summary Judgment is only proper where, after review of every inference in favor of the non-movant, no genuine issue of material fact remainzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Thứ Ba, 11 tháng 6, 2013

America the Brave



"[I] find that it has always been healthy to keep in mind that everyone comes from a different background and environment," he said. "[As] much as I may disagree with their views, I respect their right to them all the same."

This is an interesting read.

Justice Kennedy acknowledged during oral argument that while the social science on gay marriage is relatively new, there is an “immediate” legal harm to those same-sex couples who cannot be married. He said the voice of thousands of children of same-sex couples is an important aspect of the case.

“They want their parents to have full recognition and legal status,” Kennedy told Charles J. Cooper, who is representing supporters of Prop 8’s ban on gay marriage. “The voice of those children is considerable in this case, don’t you think?”

And so we wait.





Russell S. Adler v. Justin Beiber !



Longtime and careful readers of The Blog know that SFL has followed Russell S. Adler (here) since that little thingy he had a few years back.

The Intreprid One reports that Adler is somehow still licensed to practice law rising like a Phoenix to take on none other than The Beib for recent contretemps (used with permission from Rumpole) involving cameras and bodyguards. The complaint is here.

"Bodyguards are supposed to serve a defensive role," Adler said. "They are not supposed to be used as a weapon against innocent photographers."

Exactly. A defensive role. Like this guy. Or this guy.

"Justin Bieber is out of control and this case is as much about stopping his course of contact through a punitive damages claim as it is about compensating my client for this horrific incident."

Hmm. Really?

But, watching the video above and seeing the little guy pop out of his limo like a weasel from a jack in the box shooting off his mouth while surrounded by bodyguards, maybe Russ' quest is noble after all. (Oh come on: who among us doesn't want to see Beiber get his ass kicked?)

Good luck, Russ! Welcome back!

Anyone know who represents The Beib?

I spy something true...

Greetings humanoids. There was a lot of good dialogue on the NSA story yesterday, both here and elsewhere so I wanted to continue. First up, here's two conflicting views from a couple of men I have great respect for.

From Senator Al Franken: (highlights)

I’m on the Judiciary committee and the Judiciary committee has jurisdiction over N.S.A. and the Patriot Act...

I have a high level of confidence, that it is used…to protect us and I know that it has been successful in preventing terrorism...

We haven’t quite hit the exact balance we want to. I have been for more transparency and I actually co-sponsored legislation to require the FISA court to release their opinions on why they’ve decided the way they have.

Senator Bernie Sanders has another take...

Kids will grow up knowing that every damn thing that they do is going to be recorded somewhere in a file, and I think that will have a very Orwellian and inhibiting impact on our lives.

I want our law enforcement people to be vigorous in going after terrorists. But I happen to believe they can do that without disregarding the constitution of the United States or the civil liberties of the American people.

I can really see both sides of this argument. I'm an honest guy and now that being gay isn't a crime there isn't all that much that anyone could ever pin on me. What would I have to be worried about? Or so I might think.

Lifted shamelessly from kottke.org

The average professional in this country wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes home, eats dinner, and then goes to sleep, unaware that he or she has likely committed several federal crimes that day. Why? The answer lies in the very nature of modern federal criminal laws, which have exploded in number but also become impossibly broad and vague. In Three Felonies a Day, Harvey A. Silverglate reveals how federal criminal laws have become dangerously disconnected from the English common law tradition and how prosecutors can pin arguable federal crimes on any one of us, for even the most seemingly innocuous behavior. The volume of federal crimes in recent decades has increased well beyond the statute books and into the morass of the Code of Federal Regulations, handing federal prosecutors an additional trove of vague and exceedingly complex and technical prohibitions to stick on their hapless targets. The dangers spelled out in Three Felonies a Day do not apply solely to "white collar criminals," state and local politicians, and professionals. No social class or profession is safe from this troubling form of social control by the executive branch, and nothing less than the integrity of our constitutional democracy hangs in the balance.
And worse...
We know what happened in the case of QWest before 9/11. They contacted the CEO/Chairman asking to wiretap all the customers. After he consulted with Legal, he refused. As a result, NSA canceled a bunch of unrelated billion dollar contracts that QWest was the top bidder for. And then the DoJ targeted him and prosecuted him and put him in prison for insider trading -- on the theory that he knew of anticipated income from secret programs that QWest was planning for the government, while the public didn't because it was classified and he couldn't legally tell them, and then he bought or sold QWest stock knowing those things. This CEO's name is Joseph P. Nacchio and TODAY he's still serving a trumped-up 6-year federal prison sentence today for quietly refusing an NSA demand to massively wiretap his customers.

If that wasn't enough to worry about there is another troubling aspect of this story aside from whether or not the government should be able to surveil us in this manner and that's who's doing the surveilling. By his own accounts, Edward Snowden was a low-level IT systems administrator and network engineer. This isn't Nick Fury and his specialized team of super agents. This isn't Condoleezza Rice or Susan Rice and their crack team of national security experts. In the great drive to privatize intelligence gathering after 9/11 the United States has accumulated close to 500,000 contract workers similar to Mr. Snowden, many with similar access to our personal data. Does anyone really think that's a good idea?

One more issue here, and that's the cost. Last time I checked the Senate was busy with a farm bill that cuts food stamps because, gosh darn it, deficits! So when we as a society have to prioritize our budget matters, it's imperative to look at the cost effectiveness of every program. So even if we accept the argument that terrorism is a danger worthy of sacrificing our privacy to prevent, is this the best, most cost effective way to do it?

$200,000 x 500,000 = I don't think so.



More Americans were killed this year by toddlers with guns than terrorism. Your television falling on you is a more likely cause of death than Al Qaeda. Any response should be proportional to the threat and for all the news media glam behind terrorism, it's simply not likely to happen to any of us.

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Bunker Daze: All Hail the (New) Chief!





Save the date! July 11 at 3 pm, to witness the "Pass the Gavel" Ceremony. Refreshments will be served.

N.B.: Congratulations to Judge Wells, who served with distinction as the Third District's first female Chief Judge.

Thứ Hai, 10 tháng 6, 2013

Hung Turks


Greetings all. No “big whoops” from SCOTUS today unless of course you’re Donald Rumsfeld and no longer have to worry about that pesky civil accountability problem from the people that you may or may not have ordered tortured. It was “just a little water” Poseidon said to the Titanic.

On other matters, has the NSA spied on you today? I used to think the answer to that question was no, but now it’s probably yes. I’ll be frank, I didn’t like excessive domestic surveillance under Bush and I don’t like it under Obama. But America has it’s cults of personalities and as someone who voted for the president twice, nothing has been so nausea inducing as watching Bush era dregs like Ari Fleischer and Bill Kristol circling the NSA wagons with partisan Obama supporters.

Most of the media reporting on this has been particularly terrible, with a few bright spots. Most notably Cenk Uygur of the Young Turks and the breaker of the story Glenn Greenwald. Whatever your opinion of this story you really have to admire the courage (and/or stupidity) of those who are taking on the most powerful intelligence agencies in the world out of their basic sense of right and wrong.



But enough of the politics. What Twitter really wants to know is if NSA Whistler Edward Snowden is really hot. The answer is, of course, yes! He can search my data anytime!

George Zimmerman Trial Live Feed Video


George Zimmerman Trial Live Feed Video Channel

I Miss Neil Rogers



Don't know why I was thinking of Neil today. Turn up the volume and enjoy.

N.B.: Back off, I miss SFL, too. But he will be back.

Thứ Sáu, 7 tháng 6, 2013

She's No Liar



After all the time we spent down at Muswellbrook
I was hoping everything we did was worth a second look
Do you take me for a fool or do you think that I don’t see
The executions that they’re planning to broadcast on MTV

In defense of Katy I can only say
That this kind of things expected out here in the world today
That’s why everyone is talking ‘bout how time are getting hard
And that perpetual renovation down on Biscayne Boulevard
You can certainly accuse her of a raging heart on fire
But let me tell you something son, the girl just ain't no liar

Katy tried, she even testified
But imagine her surprise when she saw you

It doesn’t take a major dude
To give a second chance
Though you’ll pay for it eternally
You’ve got to take that dance

Let me just say something about that Dr. Wu
I tripped on the prescriptions that he gave me for the flu
So now can you believe that all his jive just isn’t true
Every word that Katy said was written just for you
You can certainly accuse her of a raging heart on fire
But let me tell you something son, the girl just ain't no liar

Forget Israel?

 

Come on guest posters, step up!

Thứ Năm, 6 tháng 6, 2013

BREAKING ! SPENCER ARONFELD GETS (HALF) NAKED!

I woke up this morning thinking about how difficult it is for SFL to produce for us as he does, day in and day out, often twice a day. I mean, the pressure of our expectations has to be unnerving. SFL's staying power is miraculous and the short delay in his ability to respond to two closely placed psychological stimuli and produce two posts a day is something else. No way I can keep up. So I thought of Spencer for inspiration, and it worked.

Click play and this post writes itself.

Spencer strips at 2:47. And you HAVE to get to the Doctor's dialogue starting at 3:16 to see the look of FEAR on Spencer's face when the Doctor suggests shaving Spencer's hairy chest on camera.

No, really.

Thứ Tư, 5 tháng 6, 2013

Third DCA Watch - No Lollygagging Edition



This is a simple game.

Hope and Cunningham v. Citizens Property Insurance

You have to give notice.

Castro and Robles de Castro v. The Charter Club, Inc.

You have to perfect service.

Bleich and Elder v. Chicago Title Insurance

You have to follow unambiguous laws and regulations.

Winwood Nine, Inc. v. I.Y. Administrative Services, Corp.

Judge Butchko is reversed.

Well done. Call it a day, Your Honors.

N.B. Angel, we'll miss you and we welcome you back to the trenches and wish you well!

Rick Scott is Anti-Hispanic and Anti-Frye



So say other state pols and lawyers, after Scott vetoed a bill that would have allowed children of undocumented aliens to obtain temporary Florida driver's licenses and dictated Daubert as the law of the land.

The driver's license bill had passed the state senate 36-0 and the state house 115-2, and the Herald reports here that Scott didn't object to the bill during the legislative session.

“Simply unconscionable,” said Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando. “It’s a[n] .... anti-Hispanic move."

Our Man Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte weighs in, as he represents a non-citizen with a temporary Florida driver’s license who has a law degree and has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to be licensed to practice law. Sandy noted that Florida law expressly states that lack of citizenship cannot be a barrier to practicing any profession regulated by the state, such as medicine.

“Somebody in Florida who is not yet a citizen can get a doctor’s license but not a driver’s license,” D’Alemberte said. “How absurd can we be?”

Sandy, Sandy, Sandy: this is Florida! That's a rhetorical question, right?

And who would've known that Rick Scott has an opinion on whether Frye or Daubert should control the admissibility of expert witness testimony? Lobbyists for the business community, that's who.



The DBR reports that HB 7015 was supported by the business community primarily to do away with what it derided as "junk science" testimony in personal injury and malpractice litigation. However, it was opposed by civil plaintiffs attorneys and criminal prosecutors who maintained the change would bog down cases with needless hearings.

Needless hearings.

Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Florida was only one of 10 states (including Mexico, Texarkana, Alabama, and South Carolina) still using the Frye test, a standard established in 1923 that allowed any hack to be qualified as a witness testimony as long as it came from qualified experts who adhered to generally accepted scientific principles in their field.

Like that guy in "My Cousin Vinny." IDENTICAL.

Some lawyers apparently prefer Frye over Daubert.

"Neal Roth, a partner in the Coral Gables personal injury firm of Grossman Roth, said, "What I expect is that defendants are going to regularly file motions challenging the validity of the experts' opinions."

MOTIONS!? REGULARLY?!? CHALLENGING THE VALIDITY OF THE OTHER SIDE'S EXPERTS!? THIS IS TERRIBLE!

"It's a total waste of judicial effort," Roth said. "There's a total misunderstanding of Daubert."

There is never enough wasted judicial effort, I always say.

See you back soon for the Third DCA Report.

Thứ Ba, 4 tháng 6, 2013

Breaking! Governor Scott is Dictating!



The Daily Business Review reports that "Governor Rick Scott [today] signed a bill dictating how the state will spend its share (200 million) of the 25 billion national mortgage settlement" that resulted from foreclosure abuses.

21.2 million is earmarked for Heritage Insurance or other companies that gave $110 million or more to the Rick Scott campaign for governor to state courts to hire senior judges and staff and for technology to help "speed foreclosure." $9.7 million goes to court clerks to help "speed" foreclosure backlog, $10 million to legal aid for people in foreclosure, $60 million to help subsidize low income rentals, $40 million to help low income families buy a home, and $50 million to help provide housing to Florida's homeless, disabled or victims of domestic violence. Wait: is Governor Scott pulling a Charlie? This feels awfully liberal, touchy-feely, Democrat hand-out-ish, to me.

Seems like the Governor got this one right.

In other news, Enriqueta's may re-open soon.

N.B: That allocation he dictated adds up to only 190.9 million.

Thứ Hai, 3 tháng 6, 2013

Guest Post June -- Try Your Hand At Blogging!

Hi kids!

School is almost out, summer is almost here, and I think I am in need of a sabbatical.

SO......

I am going to take the month of June off!

That doesn't mean I won't be checking in amid the Gin Gibsons, windsurfing, amateur photography and other various and sundry activities I intend to engage in to "recharge the batteries," so to speak.

But this warped, wacky community of lawyers, judges and legal beagles can continue on in my absence -- just send me an email if you want to try your hand at a post!

Assuming it is not complete garbage and meets our exacting standards (i.e., it is not complete garbage), you'll probably get to see your very own brilliant handiwork in this crappy digital space!

You can post anonymously like a gutless weasel or even sign your name -- just try to have a point and stay in the collegial lines I've endeavored to maintain over the years.

And I'm hopeful Guest Blogger and Godwhacker, my two trusted compatriots, will feel inspired to chime in on occasion -- their stuff is always provocative and insightful.

Wish me luck and carry on!



Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/01/3428600_p2/feds-investigation-into-miami.html#storylink=cpy

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