A federal prisoner was convicted by a Fort Worth federal jury on Dec. 11th of attempting to solicit the murder of U.S. District Judge John McBryde. An FBI special agent alleged that Phillip Monroe Ballard was willing to pay $100,000 in cash to have McBryde killed.

Houston attorney Michael G. Busby Jr. paid a “fortune teller” $500 for a “ritual to reunite husband and wife.” He also alleges in a lawsuit that he gave her $2,700 in cash so she could “cleanse” it, but she has failed to return the money.

An Austin personal-injury firm has nonsuited its claims against an ex-associate in a case that raises questions about the proper way for a lawyer to leave a firm for a new job.

Allen DeBard wanted to make very sure that an appeal of his clients’ state-court defense victories was dead. So, he pursued the plaintiff from state court into bankruptcy court, to U.S. district court and, ultimately, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

‘Tis the season to hire last minute for the holidays, which means that in the hurry to get a few more retail employees for the fourth-quarter sales rush or a few more elves for Santa’s mall workshop, it’s tempting cut corners when it comes to looking into the backgrounds of potential hires.