There’s a story about some 15th century Bavarian monks. As they pondered the meaning of the somber events of holy week — Maundy Thursday’s observance of Christ’s Last Supper, the remembrance of his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, his arrest and Good Friday’s remembrance of the Crucifixion — one of the monks began laughing,…
I have an observation about my church. I’ve noticed the quality and the quantity of snacks have increased substantially over the past year or so. Every week there’s coffee, that’s pretty much standard for before and after any church service. But now there’s fancy ice water and a cold, milky coffee drink that I can’t…
Q. Judge Smith, how has law practice changed since you started? A. I became a lawyer in 1987. As a newbie, my boss tasked me with legal research, writing, and reviewing documents that the parties had produced for lawsuits. Let’s compare how I did that work then and now. Nineteen-Hundred-and-Eighty-Seven 1987 was nearing the end…
Q. Judge Smith, what are the pros and cons of the parties settling their civil lawsuits, and how do you encourage the parties to negotiate deals? A. Most lawsuits center on the issues of liability and damages. Even if the defendant’s liability is a given, the plaintiff’s ability to collect an award of damages…
Imagine a world in which newspapers have been bankrupted and shuttered. Imagine that Reddit, the Drudge Report and Red Pill are no more and that social media platforms forbid political discussion of any stripe. Imagine that while some television and radio news show still exist, they only feature endless stories about cats and dogs, and…
In its current form, there is nothing ‘universal’ about the proposed ‘universal’ school of choice voucher program. The word universal implies that access is open; (and to a certain extent unlimited.) However, by their very definition private schools are entities that are allowed to be selective with the type of children they accept into their…
By Judge J. Layne Smith Q. Judge Smith, what is a default judgment? Does a default judgment end the case? A. Due process of law requires notice and an opportunity to be heard. Plaintiffs begin lawsuits by filing complaints against defendants. The purpose of a complaint is to tell a defendant what he did, how…
Have you ever been disrespected? Have you ever – in your thoughts, words, attitudes or actions – disrespected someone else? If so, why do we act so offended when someone treats us disrespectfully? Is it right for us to take offense when people misjudge us, speak ill of us, reject us? When they rudely disagree…
I am writing to thank Havana-area residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season. Generosity throughout contributed to a successful shoebox gift collection season at drop-off locations for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected over 9.3 million shoebox gifts in…
Question: ” Judge Smith, what is criminal contempt of Court? How often does it happen? What punishment does it carry?” – Zach Suppose you are a public-school teacher presenting an essential lesson to a classroom of 30 students. Suddenly, one student becomes loud and disruptive, distracting the other 29 students, who can no longer hear…
