Monday's Motion Day: 10-26-09

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.

10-26-09: "On this 80th Anniversary of the Stock Market Crash of 1929," Blawg Review #235 is hosted by Counsel to Counsel. They look into "How has our current crisis changed the practice of law and affected our careers as attorneys?" While this week's BR is very informative and creative, it is mostly bad news, especially for law students. I guess that is why my article on Free Speech and the new "Hate Crimes" legislation was excluded. EVERYONE is worried about the economy when legislation restricting free speech is not even a 'blip' in the blawgosphere. WOW!

10-25-09: This Thursday is a status check hearing regarding the charges against Antoine Walker (Celtics #8) regarding charges relevant to his gambling debts, $4million worth of debts. Come one, you oughta know you can't pass a 'bad marker' in the casino, bro.!

10-23-09: A Las Vegas woman was convicted on Friday for "conspiracy and false imprisonment after she harbored a 6-year-old boy who was snatched by her friend to protest what the women claimed was lax security at a Nevada elementary school." I know it sounds bad, not really if you know the facts. A your boy was picked up from the street by a mother of another child who goes to the same school as the young boy. The mother sought to protect the child. Her error, she also wanted to high-light the failing of the School District, security. No one was ever in any danger. What is bad, the convicted woman did not do the "snatching" and was found 'guilty' of "conspiracy". The "snatcher"/co-conspiritor was the one that took the child from the street and she was aquitted on all counts, which included 'kidnapping'. How can there be a conspiracy when one is aquitted? This is a perfect example of why some trials should be held jointly, not only for judicial economy, but for consistent verdicts. You can throw 'fairness' right out the window in this case. (Las Vagas, AP)

10-21-09: A second Las Vegas Strip casino "is being sued over allegations that the health of employees is being affected by second-hand smoke." (LVSun) The card dealers are the Plaintiffs and are seeking a class action against Wynn Las Vegas by a law firm that filed an earlier lawsuit against Caesars Palace in July 2009 on the same grounds. I guess we can no longer consent to a hazardous work environment. You can't take the 'smoking' out of our, "drinking, smoking & gambling". How would that sound?

10-20-09: Bankruptcy filing are going through the roof in Nevada, up 64% in 9 months. (RJ) "There were 21,969 filings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Nevada through Sept. 30, compared with 13,408 filed in the same time period in 2008, bankruptcy court statistics released this week show. That compares with a total 10,874 bankruptcy filings in all of 2007, the statistics show."