"Court Case Friday" Child and Animal Victims My most difficult court cases emotionally are ones in which the victims are children or animals. I avoid these cases like a plague. My feelings vacillate between extreme rage toward the defendant and devastating sorrow for the helpless victims. I also inform attorneys, semi-jokingly, that there is a … Continue reading He took his neighbor’s dog for a walk and killed it
"Court Case Friday" My favorite law school civil torts case was: the case of the “Exploding Dog.” Here are the facts: A landowner had a vacant lot downtown between high-rise buildings. He wanted to improve the property, and so he hired a land developer. However, there was a giant tree stump with deep roots in … Continue reading The “Exploding Dog” Case
"Court Case Friday" One of our new judges was assigned to preside over a dog "custody” case. A couple had divorced. Afterward, they each filed a civil court lawsuit seeking sole custody of their pet Rottweiler. The hearing in front of the new judge lasted a couple of days. On the second day, I approached … Continue reading The Dog “Custody” Case
"Court Case Friday" I spent 10 years as a D.A. prosecuting criminal cases and over 30 years as a judge presiding over them. Most of the thousands of cases I dealt with are very routine, like shop lifting, DUI, and drugs. So, I get excited when something new comes up. One morning, during my misdemeanor … Continue reading Case of the Illegal Hog Farm in Urban Irvine
Scripture Commentary One day, I got bored during personal scripture study. So, I decided to look up weird words and phrases. The weirdest phrase I found in the scriptures was “dog vomit.” I was surprised that this gross visualization illustrated a profound principle. Most of us have observed the disgusting scene where a dog throws … Continue reading The Scriptures Teach that Incomplete Repentance is Like “Dog Vomit”
I prosecuted a man for misdemeanor obstructing police. (PC 148(a)) The dumb defendant walked up to a canine police officer on the Huntington Beach pier and declared: “Your dog doesn’t scare me!” He then bent down, grabbed the police German Shepherd by both ears, went nose-to-nose with the dog, and yelled, “Growl!” The police dog … Continue reading Man Taunts Police Dog and Pays the Price
Police canine units can be a great source of entertainment. “Racist” Police Dog Attacks Hispanic Officer in Uniform One of my Santa Ana, California police officer witnesses showed up at my DA’s Office with bandages and multiple puncture wounds on his forearm. I asked him what happened. He explained that there was a break-in at … Continue reading 5 Very Short and Entertaining Police Dog Stories
In the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, not far from the towering castle, is the small ancient Greyfriars Church. Outside the entrance to the walled courtyard of the church is a unique monument. The monument is a rock and black iron pedestal. Unlike the towering monuments so typical of Britain, this pedestal is only about four … Continue reading A Dog’s Supreme Act of Loyalty Inspires the World-Greyfriars Bobby
The restored gospel has an infinite variety of wonderful doctrines. One of those principles is the concept of “turning back.” Jesus proclaimed, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Lk. 9:62) The most famous example of “turning back” in the scriptures is Lot’s wife. Jesus … Continue reading Don’t Turn Back!
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