e-bar (Volume 10, No. 49)
Article Date: Tuesday, December 07, 2010
MCCULLOUGH APPEARS POISED FOR RETURN TO COURT OF APPEALS
As final tabulations of the Nov. 2 election for Judge James Wynn’s seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals are being made public, it appears that Doug McCullough will prevail over Cressie Thigpen in their “instant runoff.” AP’s Gary Robertson reported Monday that McCullough, who served on the Court of Appeals from 2000-08, had overtaken Judge Thigpen, who was appointed to the seat in September and led McCullough following the first round of vote tabulations. Access the link below for details.
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/12/mccullough-overtakes-thigpen-nc-court-race?cid=ltst
E-FILING EXPANDS INTO COURTS OF APPEALS; BUDGET IMPACTING N.C. EFFORTS
The expansion of e-filing into courts of appeals, the subject of a Texas Lawyer article accessible via the link below, may be of interest to lawyers in North Carolina, where e-filing pilots are currently under way in three counties. Barriers such as budget cuts and inadequate funding of the courts have made it difficult to expand the program into all 100 North Carolina counties, but the NCBA stands ready to further assist the Administrative Office of the Courts when that day arrives.
http://www.law.com/jsp/lawtechnologynews/PubArticleLTN.jsp?id=1202475787839&EFiling_Holds_Promise_and_Peril_for_Appellate_Attorneys
IN MEMORIAM
William Owen Cooke of Greensboro, who was inducted in 2002 into the NCBA’s General Practice Hall of Fame, died Nov. 29 at the age of 93. He formed Cooke and Cooke with his brother, Arthur, in 1948 and was later joined in the firm by his sons, Barden and William Jr., with whom he practiced until his retirement in 2005. Access the link below for additional information; click here to honor a North Carolina lawyer through an online memorial contribution to the NCBA Foundation Endowment.
http://www.ncbar.org/membership/in-memoriam.aspx
YLD NEWS: WILLS FOR HEROES IN HICKORY, LIBERTY BELL NOMINATIONS
The 16th installment of Wills for Heroes, presented Saturday in Hickory by the NCBA Young Lawyers Division, proved successful as free estate planning documents were prepared for more than 70 first responders and their spouses. Click here for details. In other news, nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 Liberty Bell, presented annually by the YLD at Law Day on behalf of the NCBA in recognition of an individual “who has strengthened the American system of freedom under law.” Access the link below to nominate a deserving individual. The deadline is Friday, Jan. 7; the award will be presented on Friday, May 6.
http://younglawyers.ncbar.org/media/8669328/libertyBellNominationpacket_2011.pdf
WHAT TO DO FOR THE LAWYER WHO HAS EVERYTHING?
A recognition paver on the Liberty Garden's Lakeview Terrace overlooking Lake Crabtree at the N.C. Bar Center is a great way to express the spirit of holiday giving. The 12" x 12" concrete pavers already recognize and remember dozens of N.C. lawyers who have been dedicated partners, helpful mentors and exemplary lawyers in their firms. A $250 paver includes the lawyer's full name while a $500 paver includes the name and hometown. Use the paver order form at the link below or contact thull@ncbar.org for more information.
http://www.ncbar.org/media/22310/libertygardenpullout.pdf
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
The editors of the ABA Journal have selected their top 100 legal blogs for 2010. Access the link below to review the fourth annual Blawg 100 and vote, if you wish to do so, for best blawgs in the categories of Court Watch, Law Biz, News, Law Prof Plus, Torts, In Labor, IP Law, Criminal Justice, IMHO, Niche, For Fun and Legal Tech.
http://www.abajournal.com/blawg100