Category Archives: Opinion

Child Custody, Divorce, Opinion

Do Not Answer a Question with “Sure.”

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Testifying in Court can be hard. It causes stress, anxiety, and it is seldom a great experience. However, some responses should be eliminated from your vocabulary.

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(adjective) surer, surest.

1.  free from doubt as to the reliability, character, action, etc., of something:

to be sure of one’s data.

2.  confident, as of something expected:

sure of success.

3.  convinced, fully persuaded, or positive:

to be sure of a person’s guilt.
(Slang definitions & phrases for sure)
Yes; certainly: Sure, I’ll support you (1842+)
While a slang use for sure could mean yes, it does not sound like it in Court.
NOT GOOD
Q: Mr. Witness, don’t you agree that telling your child that the other parent is a deceitful, hateful train-wreck is inappropriate.
A: Sure.
It sounds dismissive. It could be treated as a “whatever” response. You do not want to create an impression with the Court that you do not take the matter seriously.
BETTER 
Q: Mr. Witness, don’t you agree that telling your child that the other parent is a deceitful, hateful train-wreck is inappropriate.
A: Yes, I did. It was wrong. I regret it. I will not discuss grown up things with the child again. I’m sorry for that.
This response is not dismissive. It answers the question. It demonstrates remorse and that the conduct will not repeat itself.
BEST*
Q: Mr. Witness, don’t you agree that telling your child that the other parent is a deceitful, hateful train-wreck is inappropriate.
A: Yes, I agree that would be inappropriate, but I never did that, nor would I.
This response is the best. It answers the question directly and advises the Court you did not do the conduct being complained of. (This response is only possible if it is the truth.*)
Of course you can say the word sure and use it in other responses, but it should likely not be a one-word response.
Matthew Thompson is a Family Law attorney in Mississippi and is sure that you should not answer a question with “sure” most of the time.
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Child Custody, Child Support, Opinion, Visitation

Judge gets Benched!

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Pearl Youth Court is closed for business.

John Shirley

The City of Pearl’s Youth Court judge, John Shirley, has resigned and Pearl’s Youth Court has been permanently closed. The abrupt closure comes after a complaint was lodged accusing the judge of entering a No Contact Order against a mother from contacting her 4-month-old child until she paid court-imposed fines and this continued for a period of 14-months.

According to The Clarion Ledger, an order was entered on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, reversing Judge Shirley’s earlier decision and returning the child to the moth

 “Judge Shirley said Thursday he couldn’t specifically discuss the woman’s case, but said, whenever he issued a no-contact order, it was due to abuse or neglect of a child that hadn’t been corrected. Also, Shirley said he resigned his Pearl Youth Court judge position because of dispute with the city’s mayor.” Id.

” ‘I didn’t resign because of any pressure,’ ” Shirley said. ” ‘I resigned because I got tired of the policies in that administration.’ “

Judge Shirley was no stranger to criticism, though that is not too uncommon for Judges that rule on matters involving Family Law and Custody.  While his resignation was abrupt and the closure of the Youth Court a surprise, to many it was a welcome surprise.

The Rankin County Youth Court in Pelahatchie is hearing the Pearl Youth Court matters that are pending.

Matthew Thompson is a family law and child custody attorney in Mississippi and previously practiced in Pearl Youth Court. 

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Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

Don’t Chew Gum in Court.

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Do NOT chew gum in Court.

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It does not matter if you are an attorney, party, witness or spectator, do not chew gum in Court.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney and advises all persons, from hence forward, do not chew gum in Court.

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Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

Don’t Put this on FaceBook…

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FaceBook can be used for comparing yourself to others and investigating persons you just met. It can also be used to brag on yourself, your child’s latest, cutest thing and driving up “hits” on your blog. However, it is NOT to air your DIVORCE DRAMA!

“81 percent of divorce attorneys surveyed by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said they’d seen an increase in the number of cases using social networking evidence in the five years prior. The attorneys said Facebook was the number one source for finding online evidence, with 66 percent admitting they’d found evidence by combing the site.”

What are some of the things NOT to post on FaceBook?

  • Don’t put the sordid details of your case.
  • Don’t take cheap shots at the other’s parenting ability.
  • Don’t post inappropriate pictures of yourself or others.
  • Don’t call out the Judge or Court system on your page.
  • Don’t put out false information to garner sympathy.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney in Mississippi and recommends you not post your business on FaceBook.

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Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

BowTieLawyer nominated for Expert Institute’s Best Legal Blog.

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It’s an honor just to be nominated.

BowTieLawyer.ms was nominated for The Expert Institute’s third-annual Best Legal Blog Contest! More nominations than ever were received for this year’s competition and included a diverse field of legal blogs that span the full spectrum of the legal landscape.

For Immediate Release:  BowTieLawyer.ms has been nominated for The Expert Institute’s Best Legal Blog Contest. Vote here.

From a field of hundreds of potential nominees, BowTieLawyer.ms has received enough nominations to join one of the largest competitions for legal blog writing online today.

Now that the blogs have been nominated and placed into their respective categories, it is up to their readers to select the very best. With an open voting format that allows participants one vote per blog, the competition will be a true test of the dedication of each blog’s existing readers, while also giving up-and-coming players in the legal blogging space exposure to a wider audience.

Each blog will compete for rank within its category, while the three blogs that receive the most votes in any category will be crowned overall winners.

The competition will run from September 25th until the close of voting at 12:00 AM on November 3rd, at which point the votes will be tallied and the winners announced.

The competition can be found at https://www.theexpertinstitute.com/blog-contest/

About The Expert Institute:

Founded in 2011, The Expert Institute is a technology-driven platform for connecting qualified experts in every field with lawyers, investment firms, and journalists looking for technical expertise and guidance. The Expert Institute combines a vast database of pre-screened experts with a talented case management team capable of custom recruiting experts to fit the specific needs of our clients. The Expert Institute also maintains one of the internet’s most visited blogs on expert witnesses, in addition to an extensive case study archive and expert witness resource center.

Vote here.

Matthew Thompson is the BowTie Lawyer, practicing family law throughout Mississippi.

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Divorce, General Legal, humor, Opinion

Telling someone to Calm Down doesn’t help them Calm Down. 

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Advice for the Day:

When you tell someone to calm down they usually do not and it could escalate the situation. 


Matthew Thompson~ http://www.BowTieLawyer.com (601) 850-8000

Divorce, General Legal, humor, Opinion

There’s an old story about…

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…a lawyer that would raise the “Jolly Roger” outside of his office on days he was in trial. The Jolly Roger was flown to identify a pirate ship about to attack. These were used during the early 18th century (the later part of the “Golden Age of Piracy“).

The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today, the skull and crossbones symbol on a black flag, was used during the 1710s by a number of pirate captains including Black Sam Bellamy, Edward England, and John Taylor, and it went on to become the most commonly used pirate flag during the 1720s.

The more you know.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law attorney and warns you to watch out for the folks flying pirate flags.

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Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

Witnesses, Facts and What you are Told.

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You’re entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.

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Testifying as a witness can be intimidating and scary. However, you do not have to let it get to you. Your job as a witness is to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If you are testifying as a witness it is usually because you know something about the case and can help provide factual information. Your job as a witness, however is not to guess, speculate or even give your opinion, usually.

To be a good witness answer the question asked. Answer it with a “yes” or “no” or “I don’t know.” You may explain if you need to. Be direct. It is usually wise to only answer what is asked and it is also wise not to assume “facts” if you do NOT have personal knowledge of the underlying situation.

Also, someone telling you something does not make it a fact within your personal knowledge, even if they seem like they are telling the truth.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney in Mississippi and reminds you to stick to the facts, just the facts.

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