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Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

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Articles 1321 - 1350 of 1998

Full-Text Articles in Law and Society

An Essay On The Tort Of Negligent Infliction Of Emotion Distress In Texas: Stop Saying It Does Not Exist., Charles E. Cantu Jan 2002

An Essay On The Tort Of Negligent Infliction Of Emotion Distress In Texas: Stop Saying It Does Not Exist., Charles E. Cantu

St. Mary's Law Journal

The injury of emotional distress is an interesting tort, which has long perplexed the Anglo-American system of jurisprudence. While, originally, allegations of this kind did not constitute a cause of action, today, there is no question that an injured plaintiff may recover for the infliction of emotional distress. The majority and minority positions differ now only on what must be alleged and proved. Texas was the first jurisdiction in the United States to allow recovery for mental anguish. However, in 1993 in the case of Boyles v. Kerr, the Texas Supreme Court appeared to depart from the majority view when …


Ethics: Lawyering And Professionalism., Broadus A. Spivey Jan 2002

Ethics: Lawyering And Professionalism., Broadus A. Spivey

St. Mary's Law Journal

Because public perception is a major issue that confronts the legal community, Texas encourages lawyers to maintain a civil, professional, and courteous environment. The work of lawyers may be divided into three parts: first, a lawyer must consider several factors when communicating with a potential client; second, a lawyer must attend to the creation of the lawyer-client relationship; and third, a lawyer must effectively manage the lawyer-client relationship. The rules of ethical deportment for attorneys are contained in the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, which specifically address barratry and similar offenses related to the improper solicitation of potential clients. …


Shoot Out At The Not-O.K. Corral Or Privileged Client Communications - Lost And Found In Texas., Walter W. Steele Jr. Jan 2002

Shoot Out At The Not-O.K. Corral Or Privileged Client Communications - Lost And Found In Texas., Walter W. Steele Jr.

St. Mary's Law Journal

Texas’s solutions to inadvertently disclosed privileged material are unworkable. Confidentiality of client information is a bedrock of the legal profession. Nonetheless, some confidential information invariably leaks out. The most common leak occurs when a lawyer inadvertently includes privileged material in boxes of documents produced in response to a legitimate discovery request. After the opposing lawyer finds the “hot documents” in the box, the problems begin. The Texas Supreme Court adopted what amounts to the reasonable precautions test in Granada Corp. v. First Court of Appeals. The cornerstone of the Granada holding is the involuntary nature of the production of the …


Proposed Conflict Of Interest And Confidentiality Rules., Luther H. Soules Iii Jan 2002

Proposed Conflict Of Interest And Confidentiality Rules., Luther H. Soules Iii

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas Supreme Court and the State Bar of Texas should fully adopt the proposals to the Rules of Professional Conduct 1.05–1.13 addressing attorney confidentiality and conflicts of interest. Historically, the Rules of Professional Conduct have set a floor which a lawyer may be subject to discipline, the Rules, however, do not offer bright lines for deciding questions of law, ethics, or fairness. Because the rules of professional responsibility in the legal industry are ambiguous in nature and often encumber a lawyer’s ability to effectively represent clients, the Texas Disciplinary Rules Committee recommends modification to the Rules of Professional Conduct …


Justice For Interests Of The Poor: The Problem Of Navigating The System Without Counsel, Deborah J. Cantrell Jan 2002

Justice For Interests Of The Poor: The Problem Of Navigating The System Without Counsel, Deborah J. Cantrell

Publications

No abstract provided.


The Discretionary Power Of "Public" Prosecutors In Historical Perspective, Carolyn B. Ramsey Jan 2002

The Discretionary Power Of "Public" Prosecutors In Historical Perspective, Carolyn B. Ramsey

Publications

Norms urging prosecutors to seek justice by playing a quasi-judicial role and striving for fairness to defendants are often assumed to have deep historical roots. Yet, in fact, such a conception of the prosecutor's role is relatively new. Based on archival research on the papers of the New York County District Attorney's Office, "The Discretionary Power of 'Public' Prosecutors in Historical Perspective" explores the meaning of the word "public" as it applied to prosecutors in the nineteenth century. This article shows that, in the early days of public prosecution, district attorneys were expected to maximize convictions and leave defendants' rights …


Don't Believe Everything You Think: Cognitive Bias In Legal Decision Making, Ian Weinstein Jan 2002

Don't Believe Everything You Think: Cognitive Bias In Legal Decision Making, Ian Weinstein

Faculty Scholarship

This article discusses the role of cognitive bias in legal decision making. Drawing on research in cognitive science and law, it explores the impact of cognitive bias on both lawyers and clients. These often subtle mental biases can lead to pervasive errors in decision making by causing us to ignore important information and make inaccurate predictions. They may lead a client to underestimate the risk of litigation. They may also lead a lawyer to miscategorize a client's value choice as a misjudgement of fact. The article offers illustrative stories of the impact of bias on both client and lawyer and …


Standards Of Review In Texas., W. Wendell Hall Jan 2002

Standards Of Review In Texas., W. Wendell Hall

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


In The Interest Of The Client: Why Reform Of Texas's Rules Regarding Referral Fees Is Necessary., Samuel V. Houston Iii Jan 2002

In The Interest Of The Client: Why Reform Of Texas's Rules Regarding Referral Fees Is Necessary., Samuel V. Houston Iii

St. Mary's Law Journal

Texas needs to reform its policy concerning referral fees. In Texas, an attorney is permitted to receive a fee for providing a referral to another attorney. In Brewer & Pritchard, P.C. v. Johnson, for example, the forwarding attorney received a referral fee for $3 million dollars. Proponents of referral fees argue that clients are better represented because referring attorneys have a greater economic incentive to seek out more capable attorneys. On the other hand, referring attorneys may also have the incentive to seek out attorneys who pay higher referral fees rather than those most qualified. In the end, the referred …


Doctrine Of Equivalents: Is Festo The Right Decision For The Biomedical Industry., Faith S. Fillman Jan 2002

Doctrine Of Equivalents: Is Festo The Right Decision For The Biomedical Industry., Faith S. Fillman

St. Mary's Law Journal

The doctrine of equivalents, which Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co. threatens to overturn, is an equitable doctrine and should therefore provide patentees and competitors equal and fair protection. Prior to Festo, the Federal Circuit used two approaches: the complete bar rule and the flexible bar rule. Under the complete bar rule, the author must completely copy the patented art for infringement to occur, this is otherwise known as literal infringement. In contrast, under the flexible bar rule, infringement can occur if the product is closely related to the prior art. Federal Circuits have officially adopted the complete …


Nov. 28, 2002, Review Of Ifc's Safeguard Policies Final Approach Paper, Cao Nov 2001

Nov. 28, 2002, Review Of Ifc's Safeguard Policies Final Approach Paper, Cao

CAO General 1999-Present

No abstract provided.


Jul. 5, 2001, P. Woicke, Ifc Evp, Letter To F. Seymour, Wri, Re Ifc Envtl Record, Peter L. Woicke Jul 2001

Jul. 5, 2001, P. Woicke, Ifc Evp, Letter To F. Seymour, Wri, Re Ifc Envtl Record, Peter L. Woicke

IFC E&S Performance Standards

No abstract provided.


May 3, 2001, Agenda, Mtg Of Cao Ref. Grp. W Attachments, Cao May 2001

May 3, 2001, Agenda, Mtg Of Cao Ref. Grp. W Attachments, Cao

CAO General 1999-Present

No abstract provided.


March 1, 2001, Cao Rules Of Procedures, Meg Taylor Mar 2001

March 1, 2001, Cao Rules Of Procedures, Meg Taylor

CAO General 1999-Present

No abstract provided.


Feb. 5, 2001, Letter From D. Hunter And C. Saladin, Ciel, To Meg Taylor, David Hunter, Claudia Saladin Feb 2001

Feb. 5, 2001, Letter From D. Hunter And C. Saladin, Ciel, To Meg Taylor, David Hunter, Claudia Saladin

CAO General 1999-Present

No abstract provided.


Learning To Be A Lawyer: Transition Into Practice Pilot Project, Sally Evans Winkler, C. Ronald Ellington, John T. Marshall Feb 2001

Learning To Be A Lawyer: Transition Into Practice Pilot Project, Sally Evans Winkler, C. Ronald Ellington, John T. Marshall

Popular Media

"A law student, upon graduation, is not a finished product," a respected law school dean observed. A practicing lawyer might add: "A lawyer, upon passage of the Bar examination, is not a finished product." To determine ways new lawyers can be helped in moving up the steep learning curve that separates law students from competent professionals, the State Bar of Georgia, through its Committee on the Standards of the Profession, is conducting a Transition into Practice Pilot Project.


From Buchanan To Button: Legal Ethics And The Naacp (Part Ii), Susan Carle Jan 2001

From Buchanan To Button: Legal Ethics And The Naacp (Part Ii), Susan Carle

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.


Race Prosecutors, Race Defenders, Anthony V. Alfieri Jan 2001

Race Prosecutors, Race Defenders, Anthony V. Alfieri

Articles

No abstract provided.


Vultures And Lambs: A Journey Through Protective Services For The Texas Elderly., Christopher J. Pettit Jan 2001

Vultures And Lambs: A Journey Through Protective Services For The Texas Elderly., Christopher J. Pettit

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas system leaves the elderly and disabled vulnerable to financial vultures. Despite guardianship and pre-planning processes meant to empower elderly and disabled Texans to choose who shall manage their affairs, the Texas system may give a financial vulture access to the elderly or disabled’s accounts. Texas agencies such as Adult Protective Services’ purpose is to stop the abuse of the elderly, however, the agency is sometimes used as a tool to circumvent the stated wishes of an elderly person. For example, a person seeking to exploit an elderly person may do so by simply filing charges with Adult Protective …


Does The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Exclude Gifted And Talented Children With Emotional Disabilities - An Analysis Of J.D. V. Pawlet., Laura Ketterman Jan 2001

Does The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Exclude Gifted And Talented Children With Emotional Disabilities - An Analysis Of J.D. V. Pawlet., Laura Ketterman

St. Mary's Law Journal

Disabled children benefit from federal legislation which guarantees a free, appropriate education. While no federal mandate requires providing special education for gifted and talented children, the government encourages schools to offer gifted and talented programs. Gifted and talented children with emotional disabilities, however, often fall between these two groups and do not qualify for special education under any legislation. Unfortunately, in many gifted and talented children with disabilities the gift hides the disability—or the disability hides the gift. To compound the problem, legislation and recent court decisions fail to recognize that gifted and talented children have unique needs which should …


Has The Fog Cleared - Attorney Work Product And The Attorney-Client Privilege: Texas's Complete Transition Into Full Protection Of Attorney Work In The Corporate Context., Fred A. Simpson Jan 2001

Has The Fog Cleared - Attorney Work Product And The Attorney-Client Privilege: Texas's Complete Transition Into Full Protection Of Attorney Work In The Corporate Context., Fred A. Simpson

St. Mary's Law Journal

The following discussion in this Article fills the gaps in the substantive rules surrounding the attorney work product doctrine and the attorney-client privilege, thereby encouraging practitioners to utilize these tools more freely. Initially, the attorney-client privilege contemplated application only to individuals. As the rule developed in the United States, however, the scope of the privilege broadened until it included corporations. Since 1982, Texas has provided for the attorney-client privilege in Texas Rule of Civil Evidence 503.149. Notably, the Rule defined client in such a way as to include a corporation. Unlike the attorney-client privilege, the work product doctrine developed much …


No Taxation Without Realization: Srivastava V. Commissioner, The Fifth Circuit's Answer To Tax Treatment Of Attorney's Fees Under A Contingency Fee Agreement., Bernard J. Grant Iii Jan 2001

No Taxation Without Realization: Srivastava V. Commissioner, The Fifth Circuit's Answer To Tax Treatment Of Attorney's Fees Under A Contingency Fee Agreement., Bernard J. Grant Iii

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


Jury Erosion: The Effects Of Robinson, Havner, & (And) Gammill On The Role Of Texas Juries., Ricky J. Poole, Kimberly S. Keller Jan 2001

Jury Erosion: The Effects Of Robinson, Havner, & (And) Gammill On The Role Of Texas Juries., Ricky J. Poole, Kimberly S. Keller

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


Attorney Referral For Medical Treatment: A Wolf In Disguise., Martin J. Phipps Jan 2001

Attorney Referral For Medical Treatment: A Wolf In Disguise., Martin J. Phipps

St. Mary's Law Journal

Texas attorneys should be obligated to disclose whether they referred their client to a pre-selected physician. Plaintiff attorneys, however, have been allowed to withhold this information from the court arguing the information is privileged. The practice of using a pre-selected physician is unethical and unfairly prejudicial. If the attorney and physician have an agreement, the attorney is likely to send numerous clients to that specific physician in order to receive a discount. The physician in turn is likely to recommend medically unnecessary procedures in order to inflate money damages. Therefore, in order to prevent potential abuse between the attorney-physician relationship, …


Getting It Right From The Beginning: A Critical Examination Of Current Criminal Defense In Texas And Proposal For A Statewide Public Defender System., Rebecca Copeland Jan 2001

Getting It Right From The Beginning: A Critical Examination Of Current Criminal Defense In Texas And Proposal For A Statewide Public Defender System., Rebecca Copeland

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


Religion In Public Schools: Let Us Pray - Or Not., Carolyn Hanahan, David M. Feldman Jan 2001

Religion In Public Schools: Let Us Pray - Or Not., Carolyn Hanahan, David M. Feldman

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Essay addresses judicial interpretation and application of the religious protections of students in public schools. Part II addresses the evolution of the law governing prayer in public schools, including the creation of judicial tests utilized in determining whether a school district has impeded the rights of students in the area of religion. Part III examines the application of these tests to various activities, including a discussion of the disparity in judicial interpretation with respect to the permissibility of prayer at public school functions. This Essay concludes with a discussion analyzing the effect of the recent United States Supreme Court …


Those Dangerous Student Prayers., Kelly J. Coghlan Jan 2001

Those Dangerous Student Prayers., Kelly J. Coghlan

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


Parental Rights In The Twenty-First Century: Parents As Full Partners In Education., Linda L. Schlueter Jan 2001

Parental Rights In The Twenty-First Century: Parents As Full Partners In Education., Linda L. Schlueter

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


Interpreting Mineral And Royalty Deeds: The Legacy Of The One-Eighth Royalty And Other Stories., Laura H. Burney Jan 2001

Interpreting Mineral And Royalty Deeds: The Legacy Of The One-Eighth Royalty And Other Stories., Laura H. Burney

St. Mary's Law Journal

Mineral and royalty deeds are notoriously difficult to interpret. Courts complicate the interpretive process in at least two ways. First, they produce opinions that fail to appreciate and explain unique oil and gas concepts. Second, they render deed records unreliable. A variety of title problems flow from this instability. However, a common trait is frequently encountered: the influence of the one-eighth royalty provision typically used for decades in oil and gas leases. Unfortunately, courts have failed to acknowledge this influence. For this reason, title litigation will continue to loom under the legacy of the one-eighth royalty, and title examiners will …


Internet Property Rights: E-Trespass., John D. Saba Jr. Jan 2001

Internet Property Rights: E-Trespass., John D. Saba Jr.

St. Mary's Law Journal

Plaintiffs whose Internet property rights were violated have depended on the common law tort of trespass to chattels. Plaintiffs in Thrifty-Tel, Inc. v. Bezenek and CompuServe Inc. v. Cyber Promotions, Inc. successfully argued defendants trespassed their chattels. In Thrifty-Tel, defendants hacked into plaintiff’s system to obtain long-distance access codes. The court reasoned that electronic signals were tangible and indirect interference in the form of electronic trespass could support a claim for trespass to chattels. In CompuServe Inc., defendants used plaintiff's internet server to send out mass emails to plaintiff’s clients. The court upheld a permanent injunction holding that electronic signals …