Everybody's making a . . . Suppression motion

Last month, I wrote a motion in opposition of suppression of evidence. In my last day at the Douglas County DA's Office, I had the privilege of representing the state in the hearing. It was a nightmare morning--my witness overslept, the hearing started late, but I found out today that the state prevailed, so the evidence is not kept out of the trial. It might not seem like much to a lot of folks, but it was my chance to sink or swim. I think I at least dog-paddled to the ladder in the deep end after doing a cannonball off the low diving board. It wasn't necessarily pretty, but I didn't drown either.

Life's a Holden Beach

We spent a week at Holden Beach, NC--one of our favorite places--and I wanted to share a few images that remind me of the week. Summer is ending soon, so this is my visual ode to summer at the beach.

My daughter will be a doctor. . .in 4 years

Mallory took her first steps in the medical profession yesterday. After a week of orientation, she was awarded her white coat at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Class start Monday. 9am. Sharp.

Colorful Colorado

Not much new the past month. The highlight of the previous 30 days was a quick trip to Colorado with Mallory and Alan before Mallory begins medical school.

May it please the court

After several false starts, I did my real first hearing today. I'd taken some pleas, dealt with some probation violations and a sentencing, but this was the real thing, It was essentially a commitment hearing. I had about an hour to get ready. It almost didn't happen because the defense attorney almost had the person talked into waiving the trial and accepting voluntary commitment. In the end, the person couldn't make a decision, so we had a hearing.

I called one witness for direct examination--a master of social worker. The State won. I think. It was very sad. Winning meant the person will be committed to a state hospital for a week or 2 to get some treatment. I certainly hope it all works out for the person and their family.

Resume+burritos=job offers

After not needing a resume for 20 years, I still find it strange that I now need a resume, AND I've got to keep it updated. But then again, that's law school and the pursuit of a different career.

After the first semester of law school, the school's career services office puts on a duplicitous dog-and-pony show to get everyone ready for their first round of on-campus interviews (OCI). In one breath, you are exhorted to get the resume ready and try to get as many interviews as possible. However, in the next breath, you are warned that hardly anyone actually gets a job from OCI during the first year. Unless you are in the top 10% of the class. I wasn't. The whole process is humbling and painful. And in the end, it's much like hitting yourself over the head with a sledgehammer--it feels so good when it stops.

At this dog-and-pony show, students are encouraged to be creative in assembling their resume and touting their strengths. One may not have had any legal experience, but if you worked the lunch rush at a fast food Mexican restaurant, we were told that fast-food experience was transferable. Transferable to what? A Greek eatery? I had to slap my hand over my mouth to keep my laugh under wraps. This fast-food experience we were told, showed leadership skills and the ability to handle stress and multi-task. Strangely, when one of the folks in career services scrutinized my resume a few days later, I was told that I didn't have any experience that showed leadership ability, even though I had worked in the real world for 20 years, managed a staff of seven people and $750k annually for several years, owned my own business, and had served on several civic boards. This career "counselor" also said that all of my experience was in newspapers and not in a legal setting. Really? I certainly wasn't going to apologize that I had a non fast-food career, or explain the obvious--that I was going to law school to start a career in the law.

What was even more laughable was this person's reaction to the fact that I share a small slice of a Pulitzer Prize from the 1981 Hyatt Skywalk collapse in Kansas City. This person said I should take any reference to the Pulitzer OFF MY RESUME. Sorry, not in this lifetime. I guess the lesson I took from this is that I should have worked fast food instead of having a newspaper career the past twenty years.

All of this leads to only one logical conclusion: If I knew how to make a burrito under time pressure, the job offers would be rolling in right about now.