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Judicial hopefuls treading the line
Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Paul P. Panepinto, who is seeking the GOP nomination for a seat on the state Supreme Court, has gotten some significant support from Texas lawyers. A Houston law firm that represented two women in a 2005 case here before Panepinto donated $50,000 to his campaign. Five other Texas lawyers or firms gave another $100,000, meaning that more than half of his campaign bankroll during the first months of the race came from the Lone Star state. State Superior Court Judge Seamus P. McCaffery, a Democratic high court contender, is getting key labor support. His campaign recently got a giant $50,000 check from John "Johnny Doc" Dougherty's Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - with a promise of $100,000 more. Such contributions highlight the frantic race for money in the primary battle for two seats on the state's highest court - and underscore concerns that some donations might also be seen as an effort to curry favor with a judge.
The prenup dramas of lawyers in love
Attorneys are in the business of not trusting people. So when they write their own prenuptual agreements, the results can be unsavory. How unsavory? How about less money for the spouse who gains weight. A common lawyer trick? The disappearing prenup you challenge it, you get nothing. Some divorce attorneys say lawyers are no worse than any other not-very-star-crossed lovers trying to protect their worldly assets. Others have examples that show they can indeed be worse. Top Houston family law expert Earle Lilly knows all too well how a legal mind can spoil affairs of the heart. While arguing about what he wanted in his own prenup, he managed to disenchant his fiancée and they called the whole thing off. As Lilly recalls, it was something about how he wanted none of his high-dollar salary to become community property.
Pay online and avoid lines at Municipal Courts
Tickets you get assign an arraignment date, time and court. Many accused violators show up on the court date even though they have other options for paying the fine, requesting a trial or taking other action in advance of the date: By mail : Request to take a driver-safety course; show proof of insurance, driver's license or other documents; request probation; plead not guilty and request a trial; pay the fine. By phone or online: Pay the fine, 713-247-5228 or www.houstontx.gov/courts In person : Visit one of the city's five annex courts, some of which are open only one day a week. Planned changes "Pay or set" system : This will eliminate the arraignment notation from tickets, instead instructing you to deal with the ticket by a certain date using some of the options above.
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