Personal Lives

David Souter, former US Supreme Court justice, dies at 85

David Souter, the former U.S. Supreme Court justice who dismayed Republicans by siding with liberals on some of America’s most contentious social issues after his appointment by President George H.W. Bush, has died. “Justice David Souter served our court with great distinction for nearly twenty years,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “He brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service.”

May 9, 2025 8:50 AM CDT

Likeness of man killed in road-rage incident gives impact statement at sentencing, thanks to AI

An AI-generated video of a slain man told an Arizona judge last month that he believes in forgiveness, and that in another life, he and the man who killed him “probably could have been friends.”

May 7, 2025 11:40 AM CDT

Rocky Patel’s Road: From small-firm lawyer to selling 30 million cigars per year

In 2022, Cigar Aficionado rated the Rocky Patel “Sixty” the No. 1 cigar in the free world. That’s a remarkable feat. The industry’s preeminent publication considers about 700 cigars for its annual survey, and its reviewers do not know the identity or any other details of the stogies they are smoking.

May 7, 2025 10:41 AM CDT

Orphan Socks: A reflection on motherhood, identity and healing

I stood over the laundry basket, my hands deep in the tangled mess of tiny clothes. Another morning, another missing sock. My baby’s outfit was perfect—except for that one stubborn sock that refused to show up. Three days in a row now. I could feel the irritation rise, bubbling up from a place deeper than I cared to admit.

May 6, 2025 2:12 PM CDT

‘It’s Time for You to Leave’: More immigration lawyers get notices to self-deport

Immigration lawyers outside Massachusetts are also receiving notices to self-deport, despite their U.S. citizenship.

Apr 25, 2025 9:32 AM CDT

Judge who shot wife, called in absence is convicted in retrial; his advice to son is ‘beyond sad,’ DA says

A California judge who fatally shot his wife and admitted the shooting was convicted of second-degree murder Tuesday in a retrial.

Apr 23, 2025 9:57 AM CDT

Business trial lawyers today through my daughter’s big green eyes

Fourteen years ago, I wrote an article for a business journal that summarized a dinner conversation I had with my 4-year-old daughter. She asked me to explain “What is a re-sezz-ee-un?” By the end of our conversation, her greatest concern shining through her little green eyes was whether Santa Claus himself would be experiencing any effects of that “re-sez-ee-un.”

Apr 16, 2025 2:23 PM CDT

The 16-Pager: How to avoid boredom in retirement with the greatest of ease

What are you going to do when you retire? That's usually the first question after the big announcement comes out. Everyone has plans, but retirees often discover that these were not as sustainable, lasting or rewarding as they'd thought, and they have empty hours to fill. At this point, developing meaningful alternatives can be overwhelming. Time passes, and opportunities are lost.

Apr 9, 2025 2:04 PM CDT

DOJ opposes court-ordered return of immigrant, suspends lawyer who said he shouldn’t have been deported

Updated: The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay a federal judge’s order to return an immigrant mistakenly sent to a prison in El Salvador in Central America—a move that followed the department’s decision to place one of its lawyers on indefinite leave, apparently for his admissions in the case.

Apr 7, 2025 2:23 PM CDT

Whistle While You Work: Pursuing passions that elevate your legal career

"Whistle while you work." That's what one of my mentors routinely told me as I trained to become a better football official. He would remind me that, even at your lowest point, when it feels like the whole world is against you, it is important to remember the reason you are there.

Apr 3, 2025 9:24 AM CDT

Judge won’t block questions about book by ex-wife of slain law prof in her mom’s murder trial

A judge in Tallahassee, Florida, indicated last week that he might allow prosecutors to question the ex-wife of a slain law professor about a book that she wrote in which a character felt stuck in a small Florida town because of her husband’s job.

Apr 1, 2025 3:15 PM CDT

Managed Care: When dealing with a serious illness, lawyers should attend to themselves and clients

Lawyers who discover they have a serious or terminal illness face a slew of emotions, along with a list of decisions they must make, including whether and under what circumstances to continue working. For some, health insurance and a paycheck are powerful motivators for staying in their jobs; but lawyers with terminal diagnoses also cite continued purpose, concern for their clients and a fondness for their colleagues.

Apr 1, 2025 3:30 AM CDT

Second Chances

It’s a call you never want to receive. I was out of town. My wife called to say my father had been hospitalized with an emergency. It didn’t look good.

Apr 1, 2025 2:50 AM CDT

Sound Decisions: Meet the retired bankruptcy judge who rules Seattle’s ambient electronic music scene

When federal bankruptcy judge Marc Barreca retired in 2024, he ended both his legal career and his double life. For years, Barreca had been dividing his time, spending weekdays presiding over a courtroom and evenings and weekends in his studio, composing and recording ambient electronic music.

Apr 1, 2025 1:10 AM CDT

Changing Course: Meet 6 students with unusual paths to law school

The ABA Journal talked with six law students and recent graduates with unusual first careers: Olympic athlete, flight attendant, behavioral analyst for kids with special needs, Catholic priest, Broadway actor and chimpanzee handler. While they had unique experiences before heading to law school, their backgrounds have impacted their studies and their hopes to effect lasting change in their original fields though law.

Apr 1, 2025 12:00 AM CDT

David Souter, former US Supreme Court justice, dies at 85

Likeness of man killed in road-rage incident gives impact statement at sentencing, thanks to AI

Rocky Patel’s Road: From small-firm lawyer to selling 30 million cigars per year

Orphan Socks: A reflection on motherhood, identity and healing

‘It’s Time for You to Leave’: More immigration lawyers get notices to self-deport

Judge who shot wife, called in absence is convicted in retrial; his advice to son is ‘beyond sad,’ DA says

Business trial lawyers today through my daughter’s big green eyes

The 16-Pager: How to avoid boredom in retirement with the greatest of ease

DOJ opposes court-ordered return of immigrant, suspends lawyer who said he shouldn’t have been deported

Whistle While You Work: Pursuing passions that elevate your legal career

Judge won’t block questions about book by ex-wife of slain law prof in her mom’s murder trial

Managed Care: When dealing with a serious illness, lawyers should attend to themselves and clients

Second Chances

Sound Decisions: Meet the retired bankruptcy judge who rules Seattle’s ambient electronic music scene

Changing Course: Meet 6 students with unusual paths to law school

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Orphan Socks: A reflection on motherhood, identity and healing

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