SJCBA News

I am a millennial family law attorney. I married late in life, and I have a lot of friends who are either taking their time getting to the altar or opting out of marriage altogether. I hear it often: the community property laws are oppressive, divorce is expensive, prenups aren’t romantic, and why does my love need a label? Conventional wisdom says that you are saving yourself stress, money, and potentially an emotional court case by opting out of marriage. We’ll just stay together as long as it feels right and then, if it ends, we will peacefully go our separate ways.

Right?? Well…. Maybe.

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, established to recognize the impact that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on the world. LGBTQ+ groups acknowledge the month with Pride parades, memorials for those lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS, and other group gatherings. The last Sunday in June is LGBTQ+ Pride Day. June is also Immigrant Heritage Month, which celebrates immigrants across the United States and their contributions to their local communities and economy and gives all Americans an opportunity to explore their heritages and celebrate the shared diversity that forms the unique story of the United States; and Caribbean American Heritage Month, which was established in June 2006 to honor and celebrate the rich and diverse culture of the Caribbean American population.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869; the majority of the workers who laid the tracks on the project were Chinese immigrants. May is also Older Americans Month, established in 1963 to honor the legacies and contributions of older Americans and to support them as they enter their next stage of life; Jewish American Heritage Month, which recognizes the diverse contributions of the Jewish people to American culture; and Mental Health Awareness Month or Mental Health Month, which aims to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental illnesses.  

April is Celebrate Diversity Month, recognizing and honoring the diversity surrounding us all; Autism Acceptance Month, raising awareness about and acceptance of the developmental disability that impacts an individual’s experience of the world around them; and National Arab American Heritage Month, celebrating the Arab American heritage and culture and paying tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans.

March is Women’s History Month; established in 1987, Women’s History Month recognizes all women for their valuable contributions to history and society. March is also National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month established to increase awareness and understanding of issues affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month established to raise public awareness of the autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, and National Irish American Heritage Month celebrating the Irish American heritage and culture and paying tribute to the contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. March 13 to April 15 is Deaf History Month; this observance celebrates key events in deaf history including the founding of Gallaudet University and the American School for the Deaf. 

February is Black History Month in the United States and Canada, a month designated to remember and celebrate the contributions of people of the African diaspora. February 1 is National Freedom Day which celebrates the signing of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery in the United States in 1865. February 1 is St. Brigid of Kildare, a feast day for St. Brigid celebrated by some Christian denominations. February 1–2 is Imbolc, a Gaelic, Pagan, and Wiccan traditional festival that represents making way for spring and the rebirth of nature. February 2 is Candlemas, a Christian holiday that celebrates three occasions according to Christian belief: the presentation of the child Jesus, Jesus’ first entry into the temple, and Virgin Mary’s purification. February 3 is St. Blaise Day (The Blessing of the Throats), the feast day of St. Blaise of Sebaste celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches. February 3 is Setsubun-Sai (Beginning of Spring), the day before the beginning of spring in Japan which is celebrated annually as part of the Spring Festival. February 3 is Four Chaplains Day which commemorates the anniversary of the sinking of the U.S. Army transport Dorchester and the heroism of the four chaplains aboard. February 5 is Maghi-Purnima, a Hindu festival especially for worshippers of Lord Vishnu; devotees take a holy bath on this day and carry out charity work. February 5 is Magha Puja Day (or Maka Bucha), a Buddhist holiday that marks an event early in the Buddha’s teaching life when a group of 1,250 enlightened saints ordained by the Buddha gathered to pay their respect to him; it is celebrated on various dates in different countries. February 6 is Lantern Festival, the first significant feast after the Chinese New Year; participants enjoy watching paper lanterns illuminate the sky on the night of the event.

January 1 is Feast Day of St. Basil, a holiday observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church to commemorate the death of Saint Basil the Great. January 3 is Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church to commemorate the naming of the child Jesus. January 4 is World Braille Day, observed to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication for blind and partially-sighted people; it is celebrated on the birthday of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille. January 5 is Twelfth Night, a festival celebrated by some branches of Christianity that marks the coming of the Epiphany. January 6 is  Epiphany or Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day), a holiday observed by Eastern and Western Christians that recognizes the visit of the three wise men to the baby Jesus twelve days after his birth. January 7 is Mahayana New Year, a holiday celebrated by the Mahayana Buddhist branch on the first full-moon day in January. January 9 is the Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs who initiated the Sikhs as the Khalsa (the pure ones) and who is known as the Father of the Khalsa. January 13 is  Lori-Maghi, an annual festival celebrated by Sikhs commemorating the memory of forty Sikh martyrs. January 14 is Makar Sankranti, a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. 

Once we get our bar cards, people think we know everything about everything, and pepper us with questions on all aspects and arenas of law.

So, what do you do when you get a call from a friend in jail, Court is tomorrow, and there’s no time to consult with another attorney? Can you help?

“In an emergency a lawyer may give advice or assistance in a matter in which the lawyer does not have the skill ordinarily required if referral to, or association or consultation with, another lawyer would be impractical. Assistance in an emergency must be limited to that reasonably* necessary in the circumstances.”

This article should familiarize you with the basic themes in criminal court: felony vs. misdemeanor, arraignment, types of plea, time waivers, reading and advisement of the charges, and review of custody status.

By Susan Bartman

It has been an exciting and exhausting six months for me.

My team and I started the year with assisting in the preparation of our MCLE Masters Series. The MCLE Committee of Shellie Lott, Thomas Keeling, Gregory Meath, Megan Hall and Cristal Ruiz truly outdid themselves. Eleven programs were presented in a variety of areas including credit for legal ethics, bias and competency.

Our members and sections continue to provide MCLE programs throughout the year...