Jurisprudence Commons^™

The All-Woman Texas Supreme Court: The History Behind A Brief Moment On The Bench., Alice G. Mcafee

St. Mary's Law Journal

On the surface, there is nothing particularly noteworthy about the case of Johnson v. Darr, and, in fact it was not the merits of the case that made the headlines. It was the makeup of the tribunal. Long before women in Texas were even granted the right to serve on juries and before any woman ever served as a judge on any of the lower Texas courts, the judges appointed to hear the case of Johnson v. Darr were all women. This was the first time a woman was appointed in any capacity to serve on the Texas judiciary and …

A Marginal Tax: The New Franchise Tax In Texas Comment., David A. Vanderhider

St. Mary's Law Journal

Taxation has long been a point of contention for both individuals and businesses. Primarily, taxation serves as a convenient and calculated method of allocating precious resources to areas in need. Although many states use property and income taxes as the preferred methods for funding these programs, Texas has a constitutional restriction on state taxation of individuals’ incomes. This means Texas has largely relied on property and business taxes to fund these programs. In 1991, while trying to avoid unconstitutional taxes on individuals’ incomes, the Texas Legislature adopted a franchise tax which taxed Texas businesses according to their capital. In 2006, …

Surreptitious Recording By Attorneys: Is It Ethical., Carol M. Bast

St. Mary's Law Journal

Ethical rules generally set forth commonly held ethics principles in broad terms which usually generate little debate. What has generated a great deal of debate is whether it is ethical for an attorney to record a conversation. The American Bar Association’s (ABA) view of the issue has shifted over the years. Originally, the practice was held to be unethical except for certain well-defined exceptions involving government attorneys. The 2001 ABA opinion officially withdrew the original opinion allowing attorneys to secretly record a conversation with a non-client where it is not illegal. States’ opinions as to whether conversation recording is ethical …

The Law As Bard: Extolling A Culture's Virtues, Exposing Its Vices, And Telling Its Story, Adam J. Macleod

Faculty Articles

Before literacy rates in the English speaking world reached their apex (and long before they dropped into the trough they are now thought to occupy), before we commoners read newspapers (and long before we wrote blogs), before autobiographies crowded book shelves (and long before reality television created celebrities out of rather mean raw material), our cultural forebears appointed a rather singular individual to preserve for their children a record of their values, rituals, institutions, and assumptions: the bard.

The bard told stories. But the bard didn't tell just any stories. The bard told stories drawn from the fabric of which …

Brother's Keeper: The Legal Ethics Of Representing Family Members The Sixth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Comment., Jason W. Whitney

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Comment seeks to provide practical guidance in evaluating ethical issues for Texas attorneys considering representing a relative. Attorneys must always look to the relevant rules of professional conduct, advisory opinions, and case law to evaluate whether or not representation adheres to ethical guidelines. The primary sources of guidance are the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct (Texas Disciplinary Rules), advisory opinions from the Supreme Court of Texas Professional Ethics Committee (Texas Professional Ethics Committee), and Texas case law. Part II of this Comment discusses the history of professional responsibility, characteristics of representing family members, and common ethical problems arising …

Liability Insurance And Punitive Damages: Does Texas Public Policy Detest This Union Comment., Anthony H. Castillo

St. Mary's Law Journal

There is a nationwide debate on whether punitive damages should be insurable. Insuring punitive damages causes courts concern regarding whether a wrongdoer escapes punishment by having the insurer pay for damages attributable to the wrongdoer’s egregious conduct. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit noted Texas’ public policy does not justify interference with private insurance contracts. The Court determined Texas allows liability insurance contracts to cover punitive damages and declared the inquiry ended. But, in the years since this determination, many Texas appellate courts have contracted the Fifth Circuit’s holding. The shifting discussion among Texas appellate courts …

Enforceability Of General Advance Waivers Of Conflicts Of Interest The Sixth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Nathan M. Crystal

St. Mary's Law Journal

Conflicts of interest among clients present some of the most pervasive ethical problems lawyers face. In many instances the affected clients may consent to a conflict. Under the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, for consent to be effective, it must be “informed” and must be “confirmed in writing.” Informed consent to such conflict is often referred to as a “waiver” of the conflict. Many law firms have begun seeking “general advance waivers” of conflicts of interest. The ethical rules did not deal with the issue of advance waiver until 2002. Both Model Rules and the Restatement of the Law …

The Changing Face Of Vested Rights In Texas Land Development: A New Hat For An Old Law., Rebecca A. Copeland

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas Legislature has recently made changes to Chapter 245 of the Local Government Code giving vested rights greater protection than ever before. Owners and developers now have greater protections, however, there are many circumstances under which the application of the law is unclear. Chapter 245 governs the issuance of permits for local development. The greater protections provided by the amendments include: defining the filing date upon which rights vest as the date “fair notice” is given to the regulatory agency, establishing a certified mail date as prima facie proof of the application’s filing date, and providing substantive rules governing …

Parties' Defenses To Binding Arbitration Agreements In The Health Care Field & The Operation Of The Mccarran-Ferguson Act Comment., Elizabeth K. Stanley

St. Mary's Law Journal

Arbitration is a process which allows parties voluntarily to refer their disputes to an impartial third person, an arbiter, selected by them to determine the parties’ rights and liabilities. Initially, arbitration was encouraged between corporate entities with equal bargaining power. But, due to federal policy favoring arbitration, the use of predispute arbitration agreements have increased dramatically, and such clauses can now be found in many noncommercial consumer contracts, especially those in the health care industry. The strong federal policy favoring arbitration originated with Congress’ passing of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Under the FAA, an arbitration agreement is enforceable if …

Microsoft Windows Vista: The Beginning Or The End Of End-User License Agreements As We Know Them Recent Development., Rebecca K. Lively

St. Mary's Law Journal

Microsoft Windows Vista’s widespread use and influence on the market represents an ideal case study on the enforceability, pitfalls, and future of the End-User License Agreement (EULA). Since the release of the Windows Vista operating system in early 2007, Microsoft consumers often do not realize they are entering into a contract with Microsoft when they install Windows Vista onto their computer. Microsoft consumers probably do not realize that they may be clicking away valuable rights. In analyzing the enforceability of the specific terms of the Windows Vista EULA, Washington law will be the primary source because the Windows Vista EULA …

Comparative Responsibility In Nonsubscriber Litigation Revisited After Kroger Co. V. Keng., Trek C. Doyle, Jarrett R. Andrews

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas Supreme Court’s decision in Kroger Co. v. Keng appears to resolve the question of whether an employer who does not subscribe to worker’s compensation can avail itself of the proportionate responsibility scheme in Chapter 33 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. The question left unresolved is whether proportionate responsibility is available in nonsubscriber cases involving additional independently liable defendants. In Keng, the Court premised its holding on Texas Labor Code § 406.033, concluding nonsubscribing employers are prohibited from proving its employees were negligent. The Keng Court declined to decide whether proportionate responsibility was unavailable per se. …

Current Trends In Texas Charge Practice: Preservation Of Error And Broad-Form Use., William G. Arnot Iii, David Fowler Johnson

St. Mary's Law Journal

Over the years Texas appellate courts have been wrestling with two overwhelming charge issues—charge preservation of error and broad-form use. Since the charge is the controlling document the jury uses to decide the factual issues of the case, it is of extreme importance. Before a party can complain on appeal about charge errors, the error must be preserved at trial. The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (TRCP) have a certain set of procedures for preservation of charge error. The Texas Supreme Court amended charge preservation of error practice in State Department of Highways & Public Transportation v. Payne. In the …

The Path Of Least Resistance: The Effects Of Groundwater Law's Failure To Evolve With Changing Times Comment., Bruce E. Toppin Iii

St. Mary's Law Journal

Groundwater is a type of freshwater stored in the earth’s crust which does not flow through underground channels. In Texas, groundwater is becoming highly sought-after, and development of proper management and conservation models is crucial to preserve the resource for future generations. In Texas, ownership of groundwater is governed by the common law doctrine of absolute ownership, commonly mislabeled as the rule of capture. The absolute ownership doctrine still governs groundwater ownership, but its application has been judicially altered to limit the rights of landowners who wish to pump water from beneath their lands. Texas lawmakers also contributed to the …

Spam (Supremacy Clause, Public Forums, And Mailings): The Fifth Circuit's Interpretation Of The Can-Span Act In White Buffalo V. University Of Texas Comment., Jason A. Smith

St. Mary's Law Journal

Unsolicited email advertisement, spam, has been a problem of the internet since its inception. In the face of this onslaught, users have fought back with a variety of methods, involving filtering software. Users have also resorted to the courts, suing spammers under the “trespass to chattels” theory. Not all courts have agreed with this theory, as there is often little evidence of the owner’s use of their servers being adversely affected by a digital trespass. While the states were the first to address overwhelming amount of spam, Congress address the issue with the first nationwide anti-spam legislation, the CAN-SPAM Act. …

Refocusing Light: Alex Sheshunoff Management Services, L.P. V. Johnson Moves Back To The Basics Of Covenants Not To Compete., Michael D. Paul, Ian C. Crawford

St. Mary's Law Journal

The law regarding covenants not to compete is a product of the tension between competing rights, including the right of companies to protect trade secrets, market share, and corporate goodwill. Companies use non-compete covenants to deter competition from former employees and discourage employees from job hopping. A covenant not to compete is generally defined as a contractual provision in which one party agrees to refrain from conducting business similar to that of the other party. Courts generally enforce covenants concerning activities after the termination of employment if such covenants are “reasonable in scope, time, and territory.” The promise cannot be …

Why Legal Ethics Rules Are Relevant To Lawyer Liability The Sixth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Douglas R. Richmond

St. Mary's Law Journal

The last two decades have witnessed the creation of a perilous liability environment for lawyers and law firms. Most discussions of lawyer liability begin with “legal malpractice,” a term which typically describes professional negligence. In a malpractice case, the plaintiff must prove the lawyer owed them a duty, the duty was breached, and the breach was the proximate cause of actual damages. The lawyer’s duty flows from the attorney-client relationship. But, the attorney-client relationship is also a fiduciary one, and lawyers may be sued for breach of the fiduciary duty. While these two causes of action are usually alleged simultaneously, …

Ethical Considerations Concerning Contacts By Counsel Or Investigators With Present And Former Employees Of An Opposing Party The Sixth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., James L. Burt, Jeremy J. Cook

St. Mary's Law Journal

Present and former employees of an opposing party are often the best source of information concerning that party’s activities. Contact with these employees or their representatives may be considered ethical or unethical depending on the circumstances. Unfortunately, the rules governing such contacts are neither clear nor consistent. The first issue lawyers must resolve is whether the present and former employees are considered “represented” under Rule 4.2 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. If they are “unrepresented” for purposes of Rule 4.2, the issue then becomes whether Rule 4.3 applies. Of grave importance are the potential sanctions, which include the …

International Legal Malpractice: Not Only Will The Dog Eventually Bark, It Will Also Bite The Sixth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Essay., Ethan S. Burger

St. Mary's Law Journal

The internationalization of legal practice presents numerous issues for lawyers, such as obtaining qualifications to practice law in foreign jurisdictions and developing the necessary knowledge. Different and possibly conflicting notions of standards of care and professional responsibility will arise. Globalization is widely regarded as the principal driving force in international economic and political relations. From the standpoint of business activity there are myriad ways to assess the impact of globalization. These include tracking rates of exchange, observing altered methods, or examining how attitudes and information has changed. Globalization has increased the demand for specialized accounting and legal services connected with …

Driving Down The Wrong Road: The Fifth Circuit's Definition Of Unauthorized Use Of A Motor Vehicle As A Crime Of Violence In The Immigration Context., Heather Harrison Volik

St. Mary's Law Journal

Individuals who are not United States citizens and participate in violent or severe criminal activity are likely to be deported and become inadmissible for life. But noncitizens can also be deported for minor criminal activity which does not cause harm or serious damage. In such cases, deportation is an extreme punishment out of proportion to the offense. Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (UUMV) is an example of a crime which can be committed without serious harm or damage. The Fifth Circuit regularly sustains decisions of lifetime reentry ban for noncitizens convicted of UUMV. Under immigration law, “aliens” who are …

What We Owe The World Are Thoughtful War-Crimes Trials That Do Justice Without Unduly Jeopardizing Innocent Lives By Compromising Vital Intelligence Comment., Sherry M. Barnash

St. Mary's Law Journal

In Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, the United States Supreme Court held the military commission convened to try accused terrorist Salim Ahmen Hamdan was unlawful. The Court concluded the Government could not lawfully proceed using established commission rules because the commission differed from courts-martial and did not follow certain aspects of the Geneva Convention. One procedure the Court found troubling was a provision in the Military Commission Order No. 1 which allowed the exclusion of the defendant and his civilian counsel from certain proceedings. Yet, denial of access was nothing new, as three decades prior Congress enacted the Classified Information Procedures Act …

Judicial Review Of Arbitration Awards In The Fifth Circuit., Christopher D. Kratovil

St. Mary's Law Journal

In the wake of a defeat in arbitration, trial lawyers seek appellate counsel looking for some method to escape the arbitrator’s decision. Most leave such offices disappointed after having been informed arbitration awards will be set aside by the courts “only in very unusual circumstances.” The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) fully endorses arbitration and liberally encourages its use as an alternative to traditional litigation. Consistent with Congress’ focus on speed, efficiency, and cost reduction, a critical goal of arbitration is to establish “finality” at the earliest possible point. Unfortunately, early finality is antithetical to robust appellate proceedings. Yet, the FAA …

Setting The Limits In Texas Construction Law: A Look At The Surety's Limitations Under Indemnity Agreements And Equitable Subrogation Comment., John C. Warren

St. Mary's Law Journal

To clarify divergent case law, Texas courts should adopt good faith as the necessary standard governing indemnity agreements. Texas court decisions limiting settlement of bond claims by sureties can be split into three categories: (1) those cases where indemnity agreements fail to vest authority in the indemnitee to settle claims or require a good faith standard; (2) those expressly stating indemnitees have authority to settle claims in good faith; and (2) those expressly vesting a surety with exclusive rights to determine which bonded claims should be settled. Under the first line of cases courts apply common law indemnity principles requiring …

Standefer V. State: The Creation Of The Criminal Defendant's Diminished Right To A Trial By A Fair And Impartial Jury., Esperanza Guzman

St. Mary's Law Journal

In Texas, the right of an accused to have an impartial jury is firmly grounded in the voir dire process, the definitive goal of which is to empanel a fair and impartial jury. The right to a fair and impartial jury is bolstered by the voir dire examination. There have been large discrepancies over the types of questions which can be asked during the voir dire process. The court’s attempt to simplify the process of differentiating between proper and improper voir dire questions has “muddied the issue” for court participants and has resulted in the deprivation of a criminal defendant’s …

2003 Texas House Bill 4: Unanimous Exemplary Damage Awards And Texas Civil Jury Instructions., Patricia F. Miller

St. Mary's Law Journal

Lawmakers and other supporters of tort reform generally describe enacted tort reform legislation as having a positive effect on consumers. But tort reform can create new hurdles for plaintiffs seeking damage awards in civil litigation. The Texas Legislature’s 2003 House Bill 4 (H.B. 4) amendment to the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code (Code) represents the most recent example of major tort reform in Texas. It has yet to be seen whether H.B. 4 will meet promised expectations. What is clear is H.B. 4 will adversely affect Texas plaintiffs seeking exemplary (punitive) damages from a jury. The H.B. 4 amendment …

Sandbagging Closed Texas Courtrooms With Senate Bill 15: The Texas Legislature's Attempt To Control Frivolous Silicosis Claims Without Restricting The Constitutional Rights Of Silicosis Sufferers., John G. George

St. Mary's Law Journal

In the 1980s, Texas became a focal point for silicosis litigation. Statutes enacted to limit the liability of employers were not broad enough to limit the liability of silica sand suppliers. The increased number of claims are restricting the ability to receive compensation for those who truly deserve it. While the number of deaths has dropped dramatically, the number of claims has increased. Recently enacted Senate Bill 15 (S.B. 15) is the Texas Legislature’s answer to problems created by the large amount of frivolous silica-related claims. The goal of S.B. 15 is to protect the rights of those with silica …

Appellate Standards Of Conduct As Adopted In Texas The Fifth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Essays., Catherine Stone

St. Mary's Law Journal

It was not until 1987 that the State Bar of Texas created an Appellate Practice & Advocacy Section. As lawyers began concentrating on appellate law as a specialty, other practitioners began to realize that appellate practice requires a unique skill set. As recognition of this skill set grew, litigators began hiring these specialized lawyers to assist in preserving error at the trial level. Over the years, the need for a more professional approach to the practice of appellate law persisted until the “Standards of Appellate Conduct” (the Standards) was jointly adopted by the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of …

Hurricane Katrina: The Duties And Responsibilities Of An Attorney In The Wake Of A Natural Disaster The Fifth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Comment., Brenna G. Nava

St. Mary's Law Journal

Hurricane Katrina ravaged the legal system as well as the corporate world by leaving courtrooms and law firms filled with water. In the storm’s aftermath the luckiest law firms were those large enough to have offices in cities other than those directly affected by the hurricane. Many recent disasters have heavily affected the legal system, including flooded basements, office fires, hard drive crashes, terrorist attacks, tornados or earthquakes. And each new disaster brings different consequences. Those who create disaster plans are better equipped to handle and recover from each new series of setbacks. While various firms and courts made plans …

Exploring Disqualification Of Counsel In Texas: A Balancing Of Competing Interests The Fifth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Rebecca Simmons, Manuel C. Maltos

St. Mary's Law Journal

Uncertainty over conduct which results in disqualification can be costly and the laws relating to disqualification may be widely known but their application is difficult. Rigid application of irrebuttable presumptions and imputation of knowledge may result in disqualification of a client’s chosen counsel. Even if an attorney succeeds in opposing a motion to disqualify, the resulting costs and delay may damage the attorney-client relationship more than if the attorney had simply declined the representation. Motions to disqualify usually arise from conflicts of interest involving former clients. The law of disqualification, in this instance, is well developed and largely based on …

A Simple Prescription For Texas's Ailing Court System: Stronger Stare Decisis., Andrew T. Solomon

St. Mary's Law Journal

Several Texas Supreme Court Justices have recently criticized Texas’s appellate justice system for its failure to provide consistency and the unfairness it produces, namely how litigants are treated differently despite the identical factual circumstances. Despite the warnings of various Texas Justices, neither the Texas Supreme Court nor the Texas Legislature have done much to rectify the lack of uniform justice received by Texas litigants. Most of the proposals to reform the Texas appellate justice systems’ unfairness have focused exclusively on structural changes. While structural changes could help reduce inconsistent “justice”, these reforms fail to address the main substantive problem—Texas’s weak …

The Unable To Agree Requirement And Texas Condemnation Law: A Critical Analysis Of Hubenak V. San Jacinto Gas Transmission Co.., B. Tyler Milton

St. Mary's Law Journal

In Texas, the state constitution requires adequate compensation as a predicate to a taking of private property for a public use. Though an eminent domain cause of action has both a constitutional and statutory basis, the requirement of adequate or just compensation is premised on principles of natural equity and justice. Texas statutorily mandates that a condemner of land must, prior to the institution of a condemnation proceeding, plead and prove the two parties were “unable to agree” on the corresponding compensation due to the landowner. Texas courts interpreted this requirement in the condemnation statute to compel “good faith negotiations” …