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
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.

Divorce

MS Bar Convention; Day 3= “Free Junk”

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It’s Day 3 of the MS Bar Convention. This means “summer school” is wrapping up by noon and the vendors/exhibits are being set up!

Starting at noon on the 3rd day, dozens of vendors set up a dizzying array of exhibits. Banks, Insurance, and Legal Research companies are vying for attorney business. And, how do they woo you? Free junk.

Totes, pens, pencils, pop sockets, glasses cloths, zippy pouches, beach balls, frisbees, stress balls, candy, t-shirts, sunglasses, sanitizer, sun screen, hats, note pads, cups, first aid kits, among other items that you cannot possibly live without…

All you have to do is visit with the vendor, make eye contact and sometimes just be standing nearby to gain some loot. A visit to a vendor also gets you in the running for the good stuff.

The good stuff is dealt out via a raffle. You enter it by visiting a certain number of vendors, getting the corresponding sticker or stamp and turning in your card.

These prizes are good; Yeti coolers, RayBans, iPads, drones, remote control doo-dads, gigantic stuffed animals, autographed footballs, and gift cards.

Day 3 also brings on the Welcome Reception. This is a family-friendly event with a kid’s dinner served in a beach pail; hot dogs and chips and such, and there are heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks for the adults. This party always has a theme, usually related to whatever family movie is playing on one end of the ball room.

Attendees mix and mingle and have a good time. Lawyers, Judges and their families from all over the state attend. It really is a fun event.

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney and regular attendee of the Mississippi Bar Convention.

General Legal

MS Bar Convention; On the 2nd Day…CLE

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The Mississippi Bar Convention is the annual meeting where lawyers attend mandatory Continuing Legal Education (CLE).

2019 Agenda (partial)

Lawyers are required to attend 12 hours of CLE each year including an hour of ethics. Typically lawyers attend a session that coincides with their practice area.

The attorneys at TLF routinely are presenters at CLEs throughout the year for the MS Bar Center, MC Law, Ole Miss law, MVLP and the MS Center for Legal Services, among others.

Matthew Thompson is a frequent speaker at CLEs throughout the state and speaks on Family Law, Ethics and Gun Law.

http://www.BowTieLawyer.ms

(601)850-8000