Tag: courts

Sumissura Review: Affordable, Ethically Produced Custom-Made Suits and Clothes

- Alexis 5 Comments
Me in my new Sumissura suit, post-alterations (apologies for the poor-quality cell phone photos)

Alexigraph is not a fashion blog, and I rarely post product reviews here, so this post is a little out of the ordinary for me.  It is not a sponsored post, just an honest review of a service that I thought might be of interest to some of you.

A few years ago, I made the decision only to purchase clothes that are made by people working in safe conditions or that are second-hand (you can read more about my reasons here).  For the most part, it’s been a fun challenge to seek out brands and retailers that meet my standards, and the change has significantly cut down on impulse shopping.

Read more

Favorite Legal Podcasts for Non-Lawyers and Lawyers

- Alexis 2 Comments

A pair of wireless headphones for podcast listening

The U.S. legal system is complicated.  Even if you were born and raised in the United States, you likely didn’t get a thorough overview of our legal principles in your schooling unless you went to law school.  With legal topics frequently in the news, you may be left wondering about aspects of American law.  Why do courts decide cases the way they do?  Why don’t legal rulings always comport with what seems like common sense?

As long-time readers know, I like to listen to podcasts, particularly educational ones.  In this post, I thought I’d round up some of my favorite law-related podcasts that can help you gain a better understanding of the legal concepts that shape current events and daily life in the United States.  Readers, what are your favorite legal podcasts?  Please tell us in the comments.

Read more

The Weekend Listen

- Alexis Leave a comment

A pair of wireless headphones for podcast listening

I listen to a lot of podcasts while driving, working out, and doing chores around the house. In this weekly feature, I’ll tell you about one episode I particularly enjoyed that week.

I try not to post about legal topics too often because I know most of my readers aren’t lawyers.  I think this subject will be interesting even to people who aren’t immersed in the law on a daily basis, though.  This week’s podcast recommendation is the ABA Journal’s Modern Law Library episode What Can Neuroscience Tell Us About Crime?  This episode is an interview of Kevin Davis about his new book, The Brain Defense: Murder in Manhattan and the Dawn of Neuroscience in America’s Courtrooms.  He discusses how jurors perceive and understand science and the potential benefits and drawbacks of using brain scans in court.

Are you listening to a podcast I haven’t mentioned yet?  Let us know about it in the comments!

Five Things Your Lawyer Can’t Do

- Alexis Leave a comment

This post is not intended as legal advice. Please read the Disclaimer posted above.

Lawyers get a bad rap. I’ve had the “lawyers and liars are the same thing” jab thrown at me before, and there’s no short supply of jokes painting lawyers as bad guys. Are there less-than-honest lawyers in the world? Sure–there are bad apples in any bunch. But day in and day out, I see dedicated, hardworking attorneys counseling clients to do the right thing and fighting for their clients’ rights in court.

Non-lawyers might be surprised to know that attorneys are governed by strict ethical rules, and violations of the rules are taken seriously. Attorneys and judges are encouraged to report violations to disciplinary boards, and investigations often lead to suspension of lawyers’ licenses to practice or disbarment.

Here are five things your lawyer can’t do:

Read more

Ask Alexis: What’s a Federal Case?

- Alexis 1 Comment

The following information is not intended as legal advice. Please see the disclaimer posted above.

If you’ve ever heard the saying, “Don’t make a federal case out of it,” you may have been left with the impression that federal cases are the most serious kinds of legal cases. Actually, federal cases aren’t inherently more serious than cases in state courts. In the U.S., some kinds of cases will always be heard in federal court, while others will always be heard in state court, and some can be heard in either.

Read more