4.13.2023

Random Thursday Morning Thoughts




The disposition on this case was shockingly fast and a little harsh since it didn't involve a probation. One week after her arrest, she agreed to a 45 days sentence and a $4,000 fine. She ultimately served 22 real days. The video of the field sobriety tests was also released. 


  • Overnight, the abortion drug ban by the Amarillo federal judge was mostly blocked, for now, by 2-1 vote by a Fifth Circuit Panel. The dissenting judge would have blocked everything the district court judge did. The most concise summary seems to be:

  • The second expelled black Tennessee legislator has been sent back to the state house by his home district. Remember this all happened because three legislators violated "decorum" for protesting a mass gun violence slaughter at a Christian school in state.

  • I remember this when it happened. That lady is as crazy as an outhouse rat.

  • This business negligence wrongful death case seems a little complicated because of the issues of contractor and subcontractor liability and employee status. It also occurs to me that there are probably a bunch of lawyers involved which have very little trial experience because 95% of all "civil trial litigators", especially on the defense side, have never been in front of a jury. 



  • The disturbing and under-the-radar Texas House Bill 20 was up for public debate deep into the night last night. If passed, it would allow state-sanctioned private vigilante groups to roam the borders looking for "illegals." And I wonder if they now have the extra bonus of being able to murder brown people at will since Tucker Carlson and Gov. Abbott will make sure they are pardoned. 

  • A lot of buzz this morning about a new Washington Post article about the source of the government document online leak.  (Gifted article link.)



  • Kinda of legal nerdy: The Houston DA doesn't want people arrested for under 4 grams of drugs unless there's a lab report confirming they are actually illegal drugs. I wonder if there is a rash of fake dope in the Houston area?


  • Extremely legal nerdy follow-up: A few months back there was a crazy DWI case where an appellate court found no probable cause to arrest someone for DWI who is found passed out in a school pickup line in a running car. As expected, yesterday the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed it
  • Cowboys Trevon Diggs has also received a crazy tattoo. There's a lot going on there. 

  • Today, the Tampa Bay [Devil] Rays have a chance to tie the all-time modern major league record by starting a season with 13 straight wins. The play the Red Sox at 12:10 p.m. CST.
  • Messenger: Above The Fold