Newsletters 

Briefs

by Tom Noble ¹
214-692-1888
fax: 692-8577
tnoble28@hotmail.com

Dedication

This newsletter is dedicated to George. George who? Read on, and you'll see what I mean. Don't ask why. It just turned out that way.

4.4.99

What About the Kids?

Texas kids are last in the nation (that's "last" as in 50th out of 50) when it comes to health insurance coverage. In 1998, Texas ranked 46th in the number of children living in poverty, 47th in the number of children up to date on their immunizations, and 45th on early prenatal care, all the while state officials are sitting on a $175 million surplus in federal welfare funds! One in four children in Texas is not covered by health insurance. George?

SPCA Seminar

Speaking of kids, the Dallas OK Commission and the SPCA have joined forces for an upcoming seminar on 4/27/00, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., to explore and explain the link between child abuse and animal cruelty. Join me at "Breaking the Cycle of Abuse & Violence", starring such local luminaries as Lynn Cherry, Judge Richard Johnson, Judge Cheryl Shannon, and Associate Judge Jeff Coen.

Alternative George

• The wisest man I ever knew taught me something I never forgot. And although I never forgot it, I never quite memorized it either. So what I'm left with is the memory of having learned something very wise that I can't quite remember.
  
  
• If a man smiles all the time he's probably selling something that doesn't work.
  
  
• Not only do I not know what is going on. I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did.
  
  
• If you mail a letter to the post office, who delivers it?
  
  
• In El Salvador, they declared a cease fire after ten years. Why didn't they think of that at the beginning?
  
  
• Some see the glass as half-empty. Some see the glass as half full. I see the glass as too big.

George Carlin

Office With a Lawyer?

Our next George has taken on the thorny new issue of multi-disciplinary practice for lawyers. What does that mean? For thousands of years, lawyers could only share office space with other lawyers. I always thought that this is because no one else can stand us, but I have heard rumors that someone came up with a different rationale way back when it all started. Now the ABA is considering letting us out of our cages to office with - can you imagine? - other professionals. This could be especially important to family lawyers and mediators. Clients with family law problems many times need the services of accountants and mental health professionals. Indeed, some even argue that anyone crazy enough to do family law for a living needs his or her own in-house therapist, but, again, that is not exactly the party-line. Anyway, if the ABA decides to let us office with whomever we want (novel concept), family law clients will be afforded one-stop shopping for professional services. On 4/26/00, at noon, George McKearin will be moderating a panel who will discuss this subject at Belo. His supporting cast will include: Nancy Terrell from SPIDR, Bob Matlock from AAM, Jack Scheske of the DBA ADR Section, John Guerra from TAM, and Cris Gilbert, Dallas County ADR Coordinator.

 http://www.tnoble.com/

What's there? Cheap books? Nope. Auctions? Sorry. Cool graphics? Well. How do you define "cool"? Lawyers may find my case summaries helpful. Before you brief a family law issue, check my web site to see if I have already plowed that ground (at your own risk, of course). If you missed "Evaluating Family Law Cases", the recent seminar at which we reported the results of our research polling judges on 15-20 common problems, which frequently arise in family law cases and for which one cannot turn to a book for a quick answer, the paper is posted on my web site. Back copies of newsletters, links to other sites, other articles about selecting mediators and such: all for your pleasure and enjoyment. But, be forewarned, no matter how many hits I get, I will not bring back Dennis Rodman!

We're All Addicts!

The Texas Air Crisis Campaign, a coalition of 44 health and environmental groups, recently confronted the air pollution problems in Texas. How do you feel about the fact that Houston has surpassed Los Angeles as "Worst Smog in the U.S."? The quality of air in this state is a disgrace! It is so bad in urban areas that it has affected visibility in Big Bend!

The clever coalition's proposal for cleaning up the state air supply is a "Twelve Step Program". The first step is to admit that we have a problem! Who me? Addicted to gasoline?

"The best that can be said for ritualistic legalism is that it improves conduct. It does nothing of itself to modify consciousness".

I want to thank all of the other Georges past, present, and future, for their help and inspiration, including Washington, Foreman, Burns, Benson, and Harrison. Next issue: Fred?? Well, maybe not.

^1. Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
^2. To be held at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Hay T. Clarke Auditorium, 2222 Welborn, Dallas. For more information, call 214-651-9611, ext. 122. ^3. For additional information: www.texascenter.org/aircrisis ^4. Aldous Huxley.