All posts by BowTieLawyer

Matthew operates the Thompson Law Firm, pllc, a Mississippi based Family Law firm emphasizing; Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Modification, Contempt and Appeals, handling family law cases throughout Mississippi. (601) 850-8000 Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms www.BowTieLawyer.ms
Divorce

Rocky Wilkins: Best of Jackson- Personal Injury Attorney

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I’ve known Rocky for over 15 years. He’s been a personal injury attorney for about 19 of his 20 years of law practice. He is as good as they get.

Left to Right, Matthew Thompson, Tamica Jeuitt, and Rocky Wilkins

Rocky has been nominated for Best Personal Injury Attorney. There are some good ones on the list, but I can attest to Rocky’s legal skill and experience, legal ethics and his ability to help people who are not in a position to help themselves. Rocky is my #1.

There’s a link up above to go to the voting. Now, the website has not made it easy or user friendly. Below are the step-by-step, instructions;

  • 1) Click Link (above)
  • 2) Scroll to bottom of landing page and click “Next,”
  • 3) Vote for Your choice. Rocky is the last name in the #3 category “Best Personal Injury Attorney.”
  • 4) Scroll all the way down and click “Next.”
  • 5) Enter your name, email and phone number. (the site is doing this to verify votes from real persons and to dissuade ballot stuffing)
  • 6) Click “Submit.”

Rocky Wilkins was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1996 and the University of Mississippi School Of Law in 1999.

Still us, left to right.

Mr. Wilkins practiced personal injury law at his own law firm in Jackson, Mississippi for over 15 years before joining Morgan and Morgan in May 2017 as a partner with the firm.

Mr. Wilkins focuses primarily on personal injury, product liability, automobile accident litigation, 18-wheeler cases, premises liability, and fire cases. Mr. Wilkins has had involvement with litigation regarding Baycol, the Rouse Polymerics Plant explosion in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and the Lakeview Manor Apartment fire that resulted in the deaths of four children.

Mr. Wilkins has tried over 40 cases to verdict and obtained several substantial jury verdicts in his career, including some in excess of $1 million. Mr. Wilkins has been a featured speaker at numerous seminars on the topics of trial practice, personal injury litigation, and evidence. He also taught Trial Practice as an adjunct professor at Mississippi College School of Law.

Mr. Wilkins is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, Mississippi Association for Justice, and the American Board of Trial Advocates and was chosen as a Super Lawyer from 2014-2017 and Rising Star from 2009-2012 in the area of personal injury. He is the co-host of Law Call, which is a live weekly television show to discuss legal topics and answer questions from viewers.

Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce

Love your Child MORE than you Hate the Other Parent…

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Your job as the parent is to do what is best for your child every time.

It can be hard to show grace to a spouse/other parent who does not deserve, but most of the time it is what is best for your child.

It does not mean that they are not held accountable, but what it does mean, is that short of placing your child in true danger, you encourage and promote a relationship between the child and the other parent.

Just not saying hateful things (like they do ) is not enough. Your child is half of them and half of you. If you convince them that the other parent is ALL bad, then you are telling your child that half of their identity is bad.

Exceptions, of course, are made for abuse and dangerous conduct, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

Matthew Thompson is a Child Custody lawyer in Mississippi and thinks the Family Law world needs a little more love.

(601)850-8000

alimony, Child Custody, Divorce, Opinion

Why Settling isn’t Settling for less…

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Most cases settle. Most cases should settle and “settlement” is not a dirty word.

Court, despite preparations, always has a level of unpredictability. Witnesses who you thought would be great, are nervous and are not great. Evidence that you knew was significant was prevented from being used due to an objection. What you believed to be the facts morphed into something else because of other testimony.

The judge was cranky. The air conditioner broke. Your lawyer forgot to ask you a question.

Settlement eliminates the risk and unpredictability of Court. Also, you just may get the outcome you would have gotten without the stress, anxiety and burning bridges that sometimes comes with contested litigation.

Sometimes settling your case is the way to go.

Matthew Thompson is a litigation attorney in Mississippi and still advises that sometimes settlement is best.

Celebration, humor

Happy Area 51! An Anniversary Celebration.

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We’ve heard a lot about Area 51 lately and other fictional rarities. My parents are celebrating their own, their 51st wedding anniversary!

Some years ago I was asking what the secret to their success was. Dad said the secret was mom “never forgot anything.”  Mom laughed out loud.

What I did NOT get were the clichés of never going to bed angry, that they just grew apart, or that the empty nest left them with nothing in common.  

So what did I takeaway from that?  Keep a sense of humor.  It was a big part of my life growing up. Laughing at yourself and others.

The cliché that did work and is still working, “laughter is the best medicine.”

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer 

(601)850-8000

Divorce, Modifications

5 Rules for Testifying.

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I recently presented and attended several CLEs. It’s a great way to learn new things and be exposed to differing points of view.

Today’s gem comes from Jon Powell. Jon’s a great attorney in Rankin County. Here’s Jon’s 5 Rules for Testifying.

  1. Listen to the question.
  2. Think about your answer.
  3. Answer only the question asked.
  4. Stop talking once answered.
  5. Tell the Truth.

Great advice!!

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney that always appreciates great advice!

(601)850-8000

http://www.BowTieLawyer.ms

General Legal

MS Bar Convention; Day 6 – Closing Time.

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That’s a wrap. By day 6 the vendors and free stuff are packed for the next convention.

The farewell brunch and annual awards are given out and the convention is over by 11:00 a.m.

Most attendees have pulled out by now and are heading home, dreading the Mobile Bay bridge and tunnel.

We reflect on the week of learning new things, meeting new people, catching up with old friends.

And thinking about Monday, back to the real world.

Matthew Thompson is a proud member of the Mississippi Bar Association.

http://www.BowTieLawyer.ms

(601)850-8000

General Legal

MS Bar Convention; Day 5 Section Meetings and Family Fun

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Day 5 of the MS Bar Convention brings the specific section meetings, alumni lunches and the family Beach Bash.

Sections meetings, i.e. Family Law section of the MS Bar, are used to elect new officers, report to the members and gain an additional CLE hour or two. This meeting is well attended by family law attorneys and chancellors and is not a stuffy meeting. Other sections have their meeting as well.

Next comes the alumni lunches. The various law schools have there lunch of generic banquet food and talk about how great things are going…never better. We persevere through it.

Friday afternoon brings on the Build-a-Bear Workshop. This is a GREAT benefit of the Bar. Hundreds of children descend to claim their bears, dogs, cats, bunnies and whatever the popular character-of-the-moment is. The animals are complimentary, the accessories are not. Good luck escaping without a suitcase of accessories.

Friday brings on the President’s reception. The newest installed bar president shakes hands and takes pictures with the member. There is music and h’ors doevures, somewhat of a repeat from Wednesday night, but still good and still fun. There’s usually a chocolate fountain that ends in a huge mess of cake pieces, strawberries and a few chocolate covered build-a-bears, accidently!

Friday night culminates in the Beach Bash. Glow necklaces are your admittance ticket for crab hunting, limbo and the coveted hula hoop contest. Prizes for the most, biggest and smallest crab insure everyone has a chance. Limbo includes children and adult categories. And the hula hoop contest rounds out the night. Usually 2-3 heats and 3-4 rounds. This isn’t just standing and hula hooping. It’s on one leg, now hop, squat down, turn around hula hooping.

The night culminates in a booming, echoing show of fireworks that would make any 4th of July jealous. They are shot off of the beach and because of the height of the buildings the sounds resonate. There is no early bed time on Friday night.

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and looks forward to Fridays at the Bar Convention. His daughter just might be the three-time reigning hula hoop champion as well.

General Legal

MS Bar Convention Day 4; Breakfast and May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor

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Day 4 of the MS Bar convention starts with a bevy of competing breakfasts, but culminates in the most serious of games in the Sunshine State, BINGO.

• Christian Legal Society Prayer Breakfast, Fellows of the Young Lawyers, MS Chapter American Board of Trial Advocates Meeting, MS State Alumni all have Breakfasts, to name a few.

There are various judicial conferences throughout the day, but everything is wrapped up by 2:30 for the annual Hunger Games…aka BINGO!

BINGO Thursday is the most competitive event at the Convention, including the golf and tennis tourneys and the crab hunt. Hands down BINGO is the most serious.

Get there early as the large ballroom fills quickly. Dozens of 12-top tables span the room, with a plethora of prizes on the dais up front. Show up 5 minutes late and you will be sitting on the floor or standing against the wall.

Action is quick. The games cover the gamut of bingo card challenges and the prizes – – the prizes include; pottery, yard art, home decor, inflatable rafts, animals and desserts, bird houses, candle sticks, tea towels, kitchenware, small electronic gizmos and large beach towels.

When a player shouts “BINGO!,” audible groans come from the judge’s table. “Double check that card!,” can be heard throughout the building. It was a BINGO!

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and has won every year he has attended bingo…May the odds be ever in your favor.