HeyAnnette

Elin's got a lawyer (but why is he out of California)?

Elin Woods has lawyered up, and Florida lawyers holding their baited breath can exhale.  She's reportedly signed on with Wilshire Blvd. lawyer Sorrell Trope, an 82-year old fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.  Trope law firm profile    Referred to as the "dean of the California matrimonial bar", and having previously represented Cary Grant, Rod Steiger, Nicole Kidman, Nick Cage, Britney Spears and Hugh Grant (??), he certainly seems qualified to tackle this case, but considering that the Woods resided in Central Florida and Mr. Trope is licensed only in California, the choice is interesting.

Elin has stayed quiet about the whole process, and it's obvious any lawyer she consults with will also remain completely quiet, so it's not expected that the separation, settlement and divorce process will be widely publicized.  But it's fun to speculate.

Best Reason to Postpone a Trial Date, Part I

Best Motion to Continue Ever

Sometimes I just really like practicing law, including those times when one receives a motion like this.   While this one comes from the great State of Alabama, we can hope that Phoenix-area lawyers need to file something like this soon. 

N.D. high court considers Lasik, breast implants values in divorce case | StarTribune.com

N.D. high court considers Lasik, breast implants values in divorce case | StarTribune.com

The arguments just get weirder and weirder. Divide up breast implants as marital property, based on what they cost? What about depreciating the cost based on the benefit the marital community already got from them? An interesting sidenote in this North Dakota case is the attorney's argument that he wasn't given sufficient time to cross-examine all his witnesses. This is a common complaint in Arizona trial courts.

SCRAM bracelets offer an alternative to random testing for alcohol use

SCRAM, as in the SCRAM bracelet, stands for Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring.  It's a bracelet (actually, normally an anklet) that can continuously monitor use of alcohol transdermally, to either prove alcohol abuse or discredit a false claim of it.    The device tests the surface of the skin every 30 minutes to detect the presence of alcohol in "insensible" perspiration that is simply ethanol vapor emanating from the skin.

The device detects how much alcohol a person consumes, and when. The information is downloaded remotely (once a day, or more frequently), and reports can be reviewed to determine if there is a violation.

The SCRAM bracelet is now primarily used in criminal cases, especially drunken driving cases.    Its use in family court is limited, but more and more family court judges in Arizona are aware of the device, and even more mental health professionals are in favor of it.

Most professionals in the family law field are aware of the limitations of urine testing for alcohol consumption.    Even random testing usually allows the testing party several hours to arrive at the test facility, and alcohol is quickly assimilated in the body and may not show up in testing just a few hours after consumption.

More information can be found at the SCRAM official website at SCRAM bracelets

The Most Expensive Golf Swing in the World?

It's hard to believe, but the scuttlebutt is already out about what it will cost Tiger to keep his news from getting even worse right now.   While there was  talk of him having to buy a house for her finger, a la Kobe, it sounds like Tiger is in deeper rough  than that. 

What Tiger Will Pay for Wife to Stay