www.elpasobar.com 110th Anniversary November/December 2007 In this issue Ft. Bliss Holds Judges Sacked, El Paso Site of Texas’ 1,500 Mexican Packed, and First Documented civilians Hacked (Pt 2) Land Transfer PAGE 15 NOVEMBER P2007AGE 6 PAGE 16 FORT BLISS PICTURES/ COURTESY OF EL PASO PUBLIC LIBRARY EL PASO B AR BULLETIN W. Reed Leverton, P.C. Attorney at Law • Mediator • Arbitrator Alternative Dispute Resolution Services 300 EAST MAIN, SUITE 1240 EL PASO, TEXAS 79901 (915) 533-2377 - FAX: 533-2376 on-line calendar at: www.reedleverton.com Experience: Licensed Texas Attorney; Former District Judge; Over 900 Mediations Commitment to A.D.R. Processes: Full-Time Mediator / Arbitrator Commitment to Professionalism: LL.M. in Dispute Resolution Your mediation referrals are always appreciated. My time is your time. online calendaring HardieMediation.com 845-6400 / 845-5099 fax NNOVEMBEROVEMBER 2007 2007 3 THE PRESIDENT’S PAGE e are familia—members of an extended family with shared training and values. I am a parent fi gure in the courtroom. State Bar of Texas Award of Merit As your President I am also for one brief, but I hope, shin- 1996 – 1997 1998 – 1999 2000 – 2001 – 2006 ing moment, your family patriarch. As such, I write about Star of Achievement 2000 familia values. State Bar of Texas Best Overall Newsletter – 2003, 2007 WI want to discuss today our role as members of the larger familia that we serve, Publication Achievement Award the community at large. 2003 – 2005 – 2006 – 2007 NABE – LexisNexis Community Many of us serve our community as spiritual, religious, and political leaders. & Educational Outreach Award 2007 Lawyers are educated, skilled, and, most important, respected. We are members JUDGE ROBERT ANCHONDO, President of a “secular priesthood.” We are members of a profession that makes our de- CORI HARBOUR, President Elect CARLOS CARDENAS, Vice President mocracy work because of respect for the “rule of law.” CHANTEL CREWS, Treasurer But respect for lawyers and the “rule of law” is dimin- JUDGE DICK ALCALA, Secretary JUSTICE ANN MCCLURE, Immediate ishing. Past President 2007-2010 BOARD MEMBERS If we lose the respect of the lay community, the “rule of Laura Gordon law,” and therefore our democracy itself, will be at risk. I Bruce Koehler Scott Mann suspect you think I exaggerate. The judiciary, as well as Oscar Ornelas the legal profession itself, has many critics. Amy Sanders Stephanie T. Allala What led to this state of affairs? Let’s consider a few— Robert Belk Judge Oscar Gabaldon not all—of the issues we face today. Joseph Strelitz First, some lawyers advertise distastefully. Somehow Ann Ward Judge Regina Arditti health care providers seem to be able to advertise with Katari Buck more restraint and taste than we do. Each one of us needs to compete, but dis- Walker Crowson Anna Perez tasteful advertising degrades our collective image. Can’t we do better? Jaime Sanchez Second, according to a recent survey commissioned by the American Bar As- EX-OFFICIO ELIZABETH ROGERS, State Bar sociation (as reported in the October, 2007 issue of the ABA Journal) civility Director, District 17 between lawyers has declined in recent years. Clients love a good fi ght, and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Nancy Gallego some of us want to build reputations as great warrior chiefs. Can’t we fi ght fair, [email protected] and with courtesy—just as we should fi ght fair and with courtesy at home? STEPHANIE T. ALLALA, Editor Third, the ABA reports that the cost of litigation has become prohibitive in JUDGE OSCAR GABALDON, Assistant Editor recent years. Again, fi ghting pays. But shouldn’t we lawyers remember our CLINTON CROSS, Assistant Editor peacemaker role, even if making peace is less profi table than making war? NANCY GALLEGO, Assistant Editor So, the fi rst thing we have to do is try to clean up our own act. The El Paso Bar Bulletin is a monthly Next, we need to keep doing many of the things that many of us have done publication for the El Paso Bar Association. Articles, notices, suggestions and/or com- well in the past, and that many of are continuing to do well today. ments should be sent to above address to the attention of Nancy Gallego. All the submis- In many ways, we are all community leaders. Don’t be afraid to stand up sions must be in the offi ce on or before the and lead. We can maintain respect for the law if we ourselves are respectful and 10th of the month preceding publication. You may either fax or email your submission. respected. Our ancestors did it. Every lawyer interviewed in this Journal as a Articles published in the Bar Bulletin do not necessarily refl ect the opinions ofthe El Paso “Senior Lawyer” did it. We must keep doing it. Bar Association, its Offi cers or the Board In addition, we shouldn’t be afraid to boast about how we have contributed of Directors. Calendar listing, classifi ed ad, display ad, and feature articles should not be to our community at large. Lawyers helped build this city, economically and considered an endorsement of any service, product, program, seminar or event. Please contact our offi ce for ad rates. Continued on page 4 NOVEMBER 2007 4 EL PASO BAR ASSOCIATION November Bar Luncheon Tuesday, November 13, 2007 El Paso Club, 201 E. Main, 18th Floor, Chase Bank - $14 per person 12:00 Noon Guest Speakers will be Col Randy T. Kirkvold, Staff Judge Advocate and CaptainCasey Z. Thomas, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, who will speak about the Ft. Bliss expansion and what the Judge Advocates do across the world, plus a discussion on some specfi c Law of War cases that magnify the importance of law training for our Soldier’s in harm’s way. Approved for ½ hour of MCLE by the SBOT Please make your reservations by Monday, November 12, 2007 at noon by calling Nancy at 532-7052 or via email at [email protected] December Bar Luncheon Tuesday, December 11, 2007 El Paso Club, $14.00 per person Guest Speaker TBA President’s Message continued from page 3 spiritually. We should be proud of what have helped build the El Paso of today. we might all get some good will and re- we have done, and what we are continu- However, that won’t help us much with spect by using a magazine to communi- ing to do. the general public. If we want to improve cate with others, a magazine that would This year, we will be highlighting in the our reputation, and thus maintain our otherwise just get tossed in the trash. El Paso Bar Journal contributions that we leadership role and respect for the “rule of Little steps will help you with your lawyers have made in the past to the larger law,” we must communicate our message larger familia, as I’m sure they also help familia that we serve—economic, spiri- to others, people who live and work out- you at home. Good communication and tual, and religious. Because our Bar As- side the legal profession. courtesy at home, in the workplace, in sociation has limited resources, our Board As one small step, I recommend that the courthouse, and with the community recently voted to limit distribution of this you share your Bar Journal with others, at large is the key to successful relation- Journal to El Paso Bar members, and to rather than throwing it away. Put a copy ships--and perhaps to success at home, in reduce the number of issues published. in your waiting room. If an issue might be the offi ce, and in the marketplace. Reading our Bar Journal, we all may of special interest to someone you know, JUDGE ROBERT ANCHONDO feel better about ourselves--about how we share it. With help from each one of you PRESIDENT The El Paso Bar Journal is combining the November and December issues in this edition. Please be sure and get your January and February announcements to Nancy Gallego by December 10th. NOVEMBER 2007 5 CALENDAR OF EVENTS November, 2007 DECEMBER, 2007 Thursday, November 1 Tuesday, December 4 EPWBA Monthly Meeting EPBA Board Meeting Thursday, November 1 Thursday, December 6 Immigration Section Meeting EPWBA Monthly Meeting Friday, November 2 Friday, December 7 Coffee & Donuts in Bar Offi ce Coffee & Donuts in Bar Offi ce Friday, November 2 Friday, December 7 FBA – Supreme Court Review MABA General Meeting Friday, November 2 MABA General Meeting Tuesday, December 11 Tuesday, November 6 EPBA Monthly Luncheon EPBA Board Meeting Friday, December 14 Thursday, November 8 EPCLSA Chinese Auction EPYLA Comedy Night Friday, December 21 Monday, November 12 Coffee & Donuts in Bar Offi ce EPBA Offi ce Closed – Veteran’s Day Monday & Tuesday, Tuesday, November 13 December 24 & 25 EPBA Monthly Luncheon EPBA Offi ce Closed – Wednesday, November 14 Christimas Holiday EPYLA Monthly Meeting Monday & Tuesday, Friday, November 16 December 31 & January 1 Coffee & Donuts in Bar Offi ce EPBA Offi ce Closed – Thursday & Friday, November 22 & 23 New Year’s Holiday EPBA Offi ce Closed – Thanksgiving Upcoming Events Friday, February 15 & Saturday, February 16, 2008 12th Annual Civil Trial Seminar, Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, NV PLEASE NOTE: Please check the Bulletin for all the details regarding all above listed events. If your club, organization, section or com- mittee would like to put a notice or an announcement in the Bar Bulletin for your upcoming event or function for the month of January & February, 2008, please have the information to the Bar Association offi ce by Monday, December 10, 2007. In order to publish your information we must have it in writing.