April 2007 - El Paso Bar Association

EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
www.elpasobar.com
April 2007
A P R I L 2007
EELL PPASO
BAARRBJUOURNAL
ASO B
LLETIN
W. Reed Leverton
Attorney at Law - Mediator
Alternative Dispute Resolution Services
300 East Main, Suite 1240
El Paso, Texas 79901
(915) 533-2377 - FAX: 533-2376
Looking for a mediation
date?
Our calendar is available on-line at
www.reedleverton.com.
Your mediation referrals are always appreciated.
Come over
and its over
online calendaring
HardieMediation.com
845-6400 / 845-5099 fax
A P R I L 2007
3
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE
PUTTING THE PROFESSIONAL BACK IN THE PROFESSION
State Bar of Texas
Award of Merit
±±
±±
Star of Achievement State Bar of Texas
Best Overall Newsletter
Newsletter
Publication Achievement Award
±±
JUSTICE ANN MCCLURE, President
JUDGE ROBERT ANCHONDO,
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CORI HARBOUR, Vice President
CARLOS CARDENAS, Treasurer
CHANTEL CREWS, Secretary
2006-2007 Board Members
Judge Dick Alcala
Judge Kathleen Anderson
Clinton Cross
Nancy Gallego
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Bruce Koehler
Scott Mann
Oscar Ornelas
Amy Sanders
Stephanie T. Allala
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Judge Oscar Gabaldon
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Ann Ward
EX-OFFICIO
ELIZABETH ROGERS, State Bar
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CARMEN PEREZ, State Bar
Minority Director
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Nancy Gallego
nancy@elpasobar.com
JUSTICE ANN MCCLURE, (GLWRU
STEPHANIE TOWNSEND ALLALA,
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NANCY GALLEGO, $VVLVWDQW(GLWRU
JUDGE OSCAR GABALDON,
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ments should be sent to above address to the
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Articles published in the Bar Bulletin do not
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display ad, and feature articles should not be
considered an endorsement of any service,
product, program, seminar or event. Please
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“I” Is For Integrity
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hat is integrity? Character. Decency. Honesty. Honor.
Principled. Moral soundness. Incorruptibility. Some have
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the Internet for enlightenment, I came across an article
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kets are rigged, public faith in corporate leaders continues
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• Doing what we say we will do: This is a pragmatic
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tions – and accepting the consequences.
• Taking responsibility: $FNQRZOHGJHRXUFRPSOHWHVROHUHVSRQVLELOLW\IRU
every one of our actions. No more seeing other people and outside events as the
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either to change or accept it.
• Supporting our own weight: Harking back to structural integrity, this
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• Holistic thinking: 6LQFHLQWHJULW\LVDTXDOLW\RIZKROHQHVVDQDSSUHFLD
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picture.
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atmosphere that supports doing right.
Continued on page 4
A P R I L 2007
4
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
EL PASO BAR ASSOCIATION
April Bar Luncheon
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Presentation on the
EPISD Bond Issue
Please make your reservations by Monday, April 9, 2007 at noon by calling
Nancy at 532-7052 or via email at nancy@elpasobar.com
“I” Is For Integrity
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plicit agreement about these basics enables
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sus, personal integrity can lead dissenting
individuals to subvert the group. Among
people sharing the same intentions, by
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And then I came upon another approach.
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might be one of millions of Americans
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integrity.
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contempt, conclave, pandemic, insipid,
and inept.
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A P R I L 2007
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Is that because it means different things
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are equally interesting.
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are usually looked up for nuances of the
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ANN MCCLURE
President
5
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
C A L E N D A R OF EVENT S
April, 2007
Tuesday, April 3
EPBA Board Meeting
Thursday, April 19
EPYLA Happy Hour
Thursday, April 5
WBA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, April 19
FBA Seminar
Sunday, April 8
Easter Sunday
Saturday, April 21
Law Day Chess Tournament
Tuesday, April 10
EPBA Monthly Luncheon
Saturday, April 21
Doing Business in Mexico Seminar
Thursday, April 19
1
EPPA Monthly Meeting
Friday, April 27
EPYLA Golf Tournament
Thursday, April 19
EPYLA Monthly Meeting
Saturday, April 28
Law Day Dinner & Awards Banquet
PLEASE NOTE: Please check the Bulletin for all the details regarding all above listed events. If your
club, organization, section or committee would like to put a notice or an announcement in the Bar Bulletin
IRU\RXUXSFRPLQJHYHQWRUIXQFWLRQIRUWKHPRQWKRI0D\SOHDVHKDYHWKHLQIRUPDWLRQWRWKH%DU$VVRFLDWLRQRI¿FH
by Tuesday, April 10, 2007. In order to publish your information we must have it in writing. WE WILL MAKE NO EXCEPTIONS. We
also reserve the right to make any editorial changes as we deem necessary. Please note that there is no charge for this service: (915)
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that we may try to remind you, but putting this bulletin together every month is a very big task and we may not have the time to remind
you. So please don’t miss out on the opportunity to have your event announced.
EPBA CONGRATULATES
CORI HARBOUR
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CORI A.
HARBOUR AWARD,
presented by
EL PASO YOUNG
LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
THE
to an outstanding
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THE EIGHTH COURT OF APPEALS
proudly announces the investiture ceremony of
DAVID WELLINGTON CHEW
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Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson
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at 11:30 on Tuesday, April 3,
in the Ceremonial Courtroom.
A reception sponsored by the Appellate Section
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A P R I L 2007
6
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
INTEGRITY
The Prince Of Virtues
BY JUDGE
OSCAR G. GABALDÓN JR.
If you have integrity,
nothing else matters. If
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quote from Alan Simpson
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its presence infers an array of other virtues, such
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Its absence, on the other hand, implies the
absence of those, and other virtues.
Integrity is considered by many to be
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philosophically, it is possible for a person
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moral in that the person may have incorrect or
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has other meanings depending on usage,
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integrity, and so forth, it is usually used in the
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is a matter of persons integrating various parts
of their personality into a harmonious, intact
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out those things he desires in a hierarchical
scheme. Thus, if a person desires to study for
an upcoming test, but also desires to go to a
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have to rank those desires in a manner that
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dictate needs priority consideration. In doing
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integrity.
Another observation is that integrity calls
for a person to stand his or her ground
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given matter. Doing this necessitates critical
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Even if a person knows what he or she must do, the act
of integrity is incomplete until it is actually done.
she must do, until it is actually done, the act
of integrity is incomplete. To put it another
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consideration for the judgment of others. That
is, the respect for others is something that a
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making his or her best judgment. The judgment
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should be permitted to marry, it does not mean
that the persons that hold to that belief are
people that lack integrity. They can be people
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With integrity in our hearts, minds, and very
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7
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
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Origins of law day:
a chronology
1957 American Bar
Association President
Charles S. Rhyne, a
Washington D.C.
attorney, envisions
a special day for
celebrating our legal
system
1958 President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
establishes Law Day
U.S.A. to strengthen
our great heritage of
liberty, justice and
equality under law.
1961 May 1st is
designated by joint
resolution of Congress
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celebrating Law Day
U.S.A.
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and their valuable impact on
our lives. More than just a single day to
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concept of justice. To maintain the strength
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ability to protect our individual rights, settle
disputes and bring us together. The vitality
of our legal system depends on the vigor
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presentations and educational activities,
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rights and responsibilities.
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at the Santa Teresa Country Club.
Wo o d D e a r t h & D ay, L L P
*Corporate/Transactional
*Commercial Litigation
*Probate/Estate Planning
*Personal Injury
*Real Estate
*Collection
*Family Law
*Criminal Law
303 T EXAS A VENUE , S UITE 202 E L P ASO , T EXAS 79901
(915) 533-1133 F AX (915)533-8911
WWW.WDDAY.COM
INTERNATIONAL LAW SECTION OF THE EL PASO BAR ASSOCIATION
AND CENTER FOR LAW AND BORDER STUDIES, UTEP
Presents
Doing Business in Mexico
Seminar & Conference
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BY
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Saturday, April 21, 2007
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Cost is $60.00
CLINTON CROSS
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by contacting Clinton
Cross, Assistant County
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one hundred children
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fifteen elementary and
middle schools to participate
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in their class, and the right to play
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This tournament is open for all
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in grades one through eight.
It takes some courage for the
children to play older
and presumptively
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judges. Nevertheless,
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of the Guillen Middle
School team, told me the
kids have no fear. They
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We need your participation,
even if your skill level is marginal.
Mark your calendar today for a day
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Schedule and Speakers
MR. CARLOS ANGULO, BAKER & MCKENZIE, CD. JUAREZ
Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Mexico
RENE ORDONEZ, DELGADO, ACOSTA, BRADEN & JONES, P.C.
Enforcemetn of a U.S. Judgment in Mexico
HECTOR DELGADO, DELGADO, ACOSTA, BRADEN & JONES, P.C.
Points to Consider When Creating Business Structures
Along the U.S. Mexico Border
Registration begins at 8;00 a.m.
Send your checks to the Center for Law and Border Studies,
Benedict Hall, room 104, U.T.E.P., 500 W. University Ave., El Paso, Texas 79968.
For early registration or if you have any questions,
please call Naomi R. Gonzalez at 544-9997
A P R I L 2007
8
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
The “Ace in an Ĵȱ˜›—Ž¢Ȃœȱ˜Œ”ŽȄ
BY
KELLY PIERCE-GONZALES,
RN, MSN, LNC-Csp
I
t is Monday morning and the attorney
sits at his desk reading his email and
sipping a cup of coffee. Occasionally he
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case potentially could bring a large settlement
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numerous medical issues involved in it. Are
there any hidden factors in this case? He thinks
of the details of the case as they race around
and around in his mind like a dog tirelessly
chasing its tail.
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presented to a local hospital in labor. When
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and had ruptured her membranes. She had
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then, but had not felt much movement after that.
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These specialized
services saves the
savvy attorney time,
money, and can give
the attorney the edge
he needs to win
his case.
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morning. He only stayed a minute and he never
looked at the monitor strip. He ordered Pitocin
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the nurse miscalculated the amount of Pitocin
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nurse had come in and presumably raised the
A P R I L 2007
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taken to the operating room for an emergency
cesarean section delivery due to fetal distress
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medical issues and a poor prognosis.
Obstetrical malpractice cases are often
complicated ones for attorneys. These cases
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summary of the case, point out strengths and
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LAURA FIGUEROA,
Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation
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Continued on page 8
in Downtown El Paso. Contact us at (915) 329-0240 or pueblo@ureach.com.
A P R I L 2007
10
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
COURT INTERPRETER LICENSING IN TEXAS -
Whys And Wherefores
RAFAELA G. GRAFFOS,
86&RXUWV&HUWL¿HG&RXUW,QWHUSUHWHU
BY
S
1 Name has been changed. 1
2 16 TAC 80.100. Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility.
(Effective April 1, 2003, 28 TexReg 2742)
3 Emphasis is the author’s.
4 16 TAC 80.100. Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility.
(Effective April 1, 2003, 28 TexReg 2742) 4
5 http://www.license.state.tx.us/court/lcifaq.
htm#g2
6 To review the roster of Texas Licensed
Interpreters go to:
http://www.license.state.tx.us/LicenseSearch.
antos Ojeda 1 leaned
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defense attorney and
the prosecutor loudly
argued their motions before the
Court. He struggled to catch a
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anything but the most rudimentary
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also listened and occasionally
nodded or shook her head, her
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glanced at her nervously but her
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at the front of the courtroom.
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Interpreter had never read Canon 1
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render a complete and accurate
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ommitting or adding anything to
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the scope of practice for Court
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I n t e r p re t e r s s h a l l l i m i t
themselves to interpreting or
translating, and shall not give
legal advice, express personal
opinions to individuals for whom
they are interpreting, or engage
in any other activities which
may be construed to constitute a
service other than interpreting or
translating while serving as an
interpreter. An interpreter may
convey legal advice including
the explanation of forms and/or
services to a person only while
an attorney is giving it.
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inappropriate Court Interpreter
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appoint licensed court interpreters for
court proceedings if a motion is made
requesting an interpreter and the
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and criminal trials, depositions,
mediations and arbitrations.
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any profession, has practitioners
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prescribed Canons of Professional
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Mediation/Arbitration
E F F E CT I VE M E DI AT I O NS
F AI R , BINDING ARBITRATIONS
27
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
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A P R I L 2007
11
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR ACADEMY
Prepares Students for Careers
in Criminal Justice and Public Service
T
BY
KATARI BUCK
KH6DQGUD'D\2¶&RQQRU&ULPLQDO
Justice / Public Service Academy
is making a name for itself as a
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Paso. The Academy, located at
Austin High School, is a four year high school
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Students must maintain a grade point average
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to the Academy.
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Cadets are taught the basics of all three
professions in their freshman and sophomore
years before choosing a career track at the end
of their sophomore year. They are then able to
concentrate on completing the requirements for
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school day in their chosen profession.
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Paso Community College and the University
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as juniors and seniors to enroll in dual credit
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school and college credit. Cadets must pass a
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credit program.
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a team from the Academy participated in the
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team has also been invited to participate in a
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remodeled to house a functional courtroom
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also include a gallery for observers. This
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Academy mock trial team at the Texas High School Mock Trial Tournament.
Diana Valdez, Stephanie Townsend Allala, and Katari Buck with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
procedure classes, and Teen Court for Austin
High School and neighboring schools.
In addition to their academic requirements,
$FDGHP\ &DGHWV DUH UHTXLUHG WR SHUIRUP hours of community service during the school
year. Through community service, Cadets
become involved in the community and develop
a passion for service. Community service
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for school functions.
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local, state, and federal agencies, including
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the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of
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Probation, and the National Park Service.
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12
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
SARAH T. HUGHES:
A Biographical Note
BY
S
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Baltimore, and graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore.
She taught science at Salem Academy in North Carolina for
several years.
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CLINTON CROSS
Sarah T. Hughes, U. S. District Judge, Northern District of Texas, adPLQLVWHULQJRDWKRIRI¿FHWR/\QGRQ%-RKQVRQLQWKH&RQIHUHQFH5RRP
aboard Air Force One at Love Field, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, Austin, Texas
Access To
Recovery (ATR)
2IÀFH
)D[
A Collaborative Community Program
Serving Those Most In Need
A P R I L 2007
Referred services offered at
no cost include:
•Residential
Treatment
•Outpatient
Treatment
•Child Care
•Recovery Support
•Employment
Coaching
•Bus Transportation
•Relapse
Prevention
•Spiritual Support
•Care Coordination
•Individual
Recovery Coaching
•Life Skills
•GED Assistance
•Transitional Living
Referrals can be made by any
El Paso County Court, Adult Probation
and Child Protective Services.
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
SENIOR LAWYER INTERVIEW
BY
CLINTON CROSS
WARD KOEHLER
This month I interview
Judge Ward Koehler, a
man who I believe should
be remembered in El
Paso’s legal history as a
³SUR¿OHLQFRXUDJH´,I
you read his answers to
my questions, I think you
will know why.
A P R I L 2007
13
14
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
I don’t know whether it
would be considered a
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enjoyed my relationship with
almost all attorneys, court
personnel that served with
me and my contemporaries
on the bench.
A P R I L 2007
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
15
Internet Time Wasters -
A Thorny Issue
DAVID J. FERRELL
djf@elpasolaw.com
BY
H
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paralegals, legal secretaries,
associate attorneys, etc.
is spending a lot of time in
computer chat rooms like
MySpace during business hours. When
approached about this behavior, he states that
he does it only during breaks and lunch periods.
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on chat sites for most of the day and quickly
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WR WKH FKDWWHU¶V SUHRFFXSDWLRQ ZLWK FKDWWLQJ
online. And, if he only chats 1 hour a day
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the above.
This can be a huge problem and this behavior
can be hidden fairly easily. And, Internet
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shopping, balancing their checkbook and
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I have an office policy that prohibits
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items from their computers. They also cannot
change the cookie and history settings that I
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for this precaution is to be enable me to trace
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My employees legitimately use the Internet
quite a bit for research, communication, etc.,
and they can have a virus sneak in through my
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And, if he only chats 1 hour a day during business time
what does that cost. $8.00 per hour = $8 a day,
$40 a week, $2,000 a year (50 weeks per year) If the
chatting occurs 2 hours a day double the above.
pernicious code and its origin. Also, employee
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that I make spot checks on their computers,
looking at their cookies and Internet history
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use of the Internet.
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measures that can be taken that are more drastic
and can dig deeper into employee computer
and Internet usage. Key logging is an effective
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16
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
EPYLA’S APRIL STAR OF THE BAR
Casey Stevenson
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s a true Aggie, Casey
Stevenson is a passionate
man. This passion
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Spock, his cat, and Seven, his dog.
A P R I L 2007
Your local of-counsel throughout California
Licensed in California and Texas
17
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
THE EL PASO YOUNG LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION
2007 G OLF TOURNAMENT
Presented By:
KEITH & MILLER
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ALTEP, Inc.
Specializing in Professional Information Management
Lone Star Golf Club
April 27, 2007
Fee $90.00/Person
ENTRY FORM
Team Name: ___________________________________________________________
Team Members (Print)
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Check-In Begins at 11:30 a.m.
Four Man Scramble
Burger Lunch
Win Great Prizes
Shot Gun Start at 1:00
Free Range Balls
“Liquid Refreshments” Galore
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EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
ASSOCIATION NEWS
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your loose change at our meetings.
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available, receptionist,
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Call Bob Earp or Larry
Schwartz, 542-1533.
A P R I L 2007
19
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
LEON SCHYDLOWER
Licensed in Texas, New Mexico, and California
AND
CORI A. HARBOUR
Licensed in Texas and New Mexico
are pleased to announce the formation of
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A P R I L 2007
20
EL PASO B A R JOURNAL
LAW DAY
DINNER
&AWARDS
PRESENTATION
SANTA TERESA COUNTY CLUB
Santa Teresa, NM
Saturday, April 28, 2007
6:30 – 7:30 Happy Hour
7:30 Dinner
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Music for your listening and dancing pleasure
$50.00 per person
$25.00 for children
Make your plans to join us
for this fun dinner.
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face painting for the children
EL PASO BAR ASSOCIATION
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(O3DVR7H[DV
PRESORTED
STANDARD
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
EL PASO, TEXAS
PERMIT NO. 2516
A P R I L 2007