From Juvenile Law (CASA) conference in Boston: Facts – Statistic 1. Every time a child changes schools, he/she regresses approximately 6 months. Statistic 2.  There is a disproportionate number of children of color in the foster care and delinquency system. Statistic 3.  Children of color are generally detained longer after being taken into state custody, due to unsuitable or unavailable homes. Statistic 3.  Most states lack sufficient resources to adequately respond to the p

M and I moved to Arkansas and started over. We had only recently bought our first home in Gulfport and settled into our first real, adult jobs. Now we had relocated to the hills and had to find new jobs, new friends, new church – the whole thing. From scratch. That was intimidating, but we felt it was what God wanted, so we jumped in. There’s something about  a guy losing his dad (or, I would assume, a girl losing her mom) that makes you realize you’ve been playing adult unti

Oddly enough, “iuris” is latin for both “soup” (gumbo) and “legal authority.” That oddity represents 1996 pretty well for me. I was working on an appeal of a conviction of a woman – let’s call her Sue – when we found out that M had possible thyroid cancer. More recent experiences with friends have taught me that cancer is a scary and long process filled with uncertainty and worry. Some doctors are God-sends and some doctors seem to be spawns of Satan, present to make an alrea

They say country music is made up of “three chords and the truth.” The story of Bill is made up of three bullets and a lie. Of course I’ve changed the names to protect the innocent – or not-so-innocent. Bill and Peg had been married for seven years. He was often away, as many soldiers are, but she was faithful and patient and graciously said her reluctant goodbyes and enthusiastic welcome backs. For the first six years, anyway. When he returned from a tour of duty in 1996, he

Ever since I had decided to be an attorney, I thought this spot was what I was looking forward to. Working as a lawyer in a firm, representing people who needed help. Solving their problems. I wanted to represent Christ to the criminal defendants the churches wouldn’t accept. Back then, I misunderstood that season to be the start of life, and all the preceding seasons were merely preparatory. I was an associate (translation: peon) in a small firm that did criminal defense and