John Council

May 25, 2009 | Texas Lawyer

William Sanderson's law degree has taken him a long way, but his voice, arguably, has taken him even farther — to Europe's grand churches. The U.S. magistrate judge has sung with his church choir at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on St. Peter's Day and at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Sanderson is one of the most senior U.S. magistrate judges sitting in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

By John Council

6 minute read

February 23, 2004 | Texas Lawyer

For the first time in more than 31 years, an original litigant in Roe v. Wade will be before a federal appeals court asking it to reconsider the most controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision in modern history.

By John Council

5 minute read

September 08, 2008 | Texas Lawyer

For many months, U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent of the Southern District of Texas kept quiet as the legal community gossiped. But at his arraignment on Sept. 3, Kent spoke loudly and forcefully when he pleaded not guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact and one count of attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys and John Council

15 minute read

May 21, 2007 | Law.com

In a case of first impression, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in a 5-3 decision that prosecutors do not have to testify in civil malicious prosecution cases when they already have released their case files to lawyers involved in those tort matters. In a majority opinion written by Justice Don Willett, the high court found that a plaintiff seeking to have two assistant district attorneys and a DA investigator testify could not overcome the attorney work-product privilege doctrine.

By John Council

5 minute read

March 26, 2007 | Texas Lawyer

The Texas Supreme Court has heard arguments in an arbitration case involving a company owned by one of Texas' largest GOP campaign contributors and most outspoken tort-reform advocates — a donor who has contributed to all nine justices on the court.

By Mary Alice Robbins and John Council

5 minute read

February 01, 2010 | Law.com

While attempts to reopen federal product liability suits against Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. have essentially stopped, a plaintiff is charging ahead in a similar Texas state court case. An appeals court ruled that Pennie Fay Green, whose suit involving a vehicle rollover settled confidentially, can proceed with discovery in her attempt to obtain a contempt order and sanctions. Green filed her motion after a former Toyota in-house lawyer filed a complaint that included allegations of discovery abuse by two Toyota entities.

By John Council

5 minute read

July 31, 2006 | Texas Lawyer

A court reporter has alleged that a Dallas County court-at-law judge wrongfully terminated her employment after she had a dispute with the judge over whether the judge had accurately disclosed to the lawyers contact the judge's bailiff had with jurors in an asbestos wrongful-death suit.

By John Council

5 minute read

May 30, 2000 | Law.com

COC Services LTD. v. CompUSA, et al. seems to be a garden-variety business contract disagreement. But because the case centers on an American company attempting to invest south of the border thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement, it may become a legal classroom of sorts on an international scale. International law experts say this type of litigation will become more common as cross border investments continue.

By John Council

6 minute read

October 25, 2010 | Texas Lawyer

The brutal hours and travel demands of a legal career do little for a lawyer's family life. But one of the perks of the profession is that many attorneys earn large salaries, so their spouses can afford to stay at home and raise the children. Sometimes, the partner in charge of the household happens to be the husband.

By John Council

12 minute read

November 16, 2009 | Texas Lawyer

For George Gallagher, an acceptance letter he received from St. Mary's School of Law in 1979 changed the course of his life. Put more bluntly, according to Gallagher: "If I didn't get into law school, I wouldn't have done diddly squat with the rest of my life." Gallagher, now judge of the 396th District Court in Fort Worth, talks about his career and his style on the bench.

By John Council

7 minute read