Monday's Motion Day: 10-19-09

Historically, Mondays used to be "motion day" in Las Vegas Courts. Since the RJC was built, this collegial culture has slowly disappeared and newer attorneys don't even know that it ever existed. In years gone by, though, Mondays were the days that we all went to Court before 9:00 am (civil hearing times), we would stand in line and talk, we would meet out front on the steps, we would enjoy a quick cup of coffee, we would engage in good conversation and promote a slap of gossip. This would continue into the Courtrooms where there was always a lot of chatter about the judges, attorneys, firms and staff. That is all gone. In that memory, here I'll give a weekly summary of all things Vegas legal . . some news . . . some gossip . . . some blog review . . . submissions suggested . . . just like the old days.

Notably, it has been a slow week:

10-19-09: Blawg Review is hosted today by ADR mediator Victoria Pynchon, @vpynchon. Victoria points out how culture changes law . . . or law changes culture . . . in Blawg Review #234. Heavily footnoted, this weeks Blawg Review is both informative and entertaining while leaving you with an increased hope for resolving conflicts, while confirming that tit-for-tat negotiation is an 'oldie but a goodie'.

10-18-09: A traffic researcher at UNLV, Breen, is telling us that Texting, Twitter and Facebook are a danger to the road. No Duh! However, she did notice that The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT or @NevadaDOT), police departments such as Metro (@LVMPD)and certain fire related agencies are sending out Tweets on Twitter and Updates on Facebook. They are probably texting while driving too. Certainly, when you are in your car and Metro alerts you to a traffic problem, you pick up you Iphone & you read the message, while driving, so you can avoid the upcoming traffic. Thanks Metro, Thanks NDOT.

Breen says that when these government agencies tweet about traffic, obviously to drivers, they are sending mixed messages. "How can you tell people you want them to stay off their cell phone and then want to advise them of traffic when using their cell phone" while they are likely driving. AHHH. Good old government worker logic. The Irony is burning my pupils...
This really shows how the left hand (on the cell phone) is not talking to the right hand (on the Twitter Account). HEY, who's driving the car or running the government for that matter? AHH we are gonna DIE.

10-16-09: The Henderson City Manager was suing in Federal Court for wrongful termination/breach of contract type stuff (a little discrimination too)...BOOM! Dismissed by Judge Mahan. I love it when the judges have the balls to stop wasting our time and money. Good call here judge!! (RJ)

10-16-09: Nevada bashes on its only Law School. Is it jealously due to competition in the market? Is it anger for expensive law student loans? Do UNLV law grads really "suck"? Wild Wild Law's Open Thread Friday turns into a battle zone about whether UNLV Law grad's actually suck or do not suck. I'll answer with a question: Isn't it usually only after something creates positive change in a community that the old, stogy goofs create a backlash out of fear that what they used to know might just be changing, they don't care if it is for the better, isn't that true?. Sounds like UNLV is right on track to being great.

10-15-09: Nevada Foreclosure Mediation is off and running. It costs only $200 to proceed to mediation to attempt to stop foreclosure and get the lender to work with you to stay in your home. NO ATTORNEYS REQUIRED! However some Las Vegas attorneys view mediation as a good way to earn an extra buck...not a bad idea. $500 to help a client mediate a case, when the mediator is doing most of the work and only getting $400? Looks like it could costs you more like $1,700.00 to really getthrough Mediation, unless you wanna go it alone. Why not just sue your lender for $1,500.00, sounds cheaper to me. If it were me, I'd hire Stout and not worry about the headache.

At the Stout Law Firm:
- Foreclosure Mediation $500 Flat Rate
- Foreclosure Mediation Appeals $1,000 Flat Rate

10-15-09: This is not Nevada, but I could not refuse mentioning it. Lousiana Judge Bardwell refuses to perform interracial marriage and then states, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press. "I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom. I treat them just like everyone else." So why not perform the marriages? "I think those children suffer and I won't help put them through it," he said. It should be noted that he, "tr[ies] to treat everyone equally." He just happens to fail at it.

10-14-09: Rory Reid Enters race for Nevada Governor (announced HERE), along with the publication of his "blueprint" for Nevada. Evidently he want to "remix" the economy. I'm already lost... See the full interview HERE.

10-13-09: Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons said has tried to settle his divorce by offering $2,000/mo. in alimony and their $722,000 Reno home to his wife. Evidently that is not enough. Is the house even still worth anything? Someone get me appraisal.
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