Hello World

I don't have any idea what this blog is eventually going to cover.

I would suspect it's going to be a bit eclectic, kinda like me.

And speaking of me: I'm a solo lawyer with a varied practice in South Louisiana. I practice mostly in criminal law, personal injury, family and some business representation. In the past I've worked as a prosecutor and for a maritime insurance defense firm. I'm sure some of that will make for interesting fodder here.

I'm also a Saints and LSU fan. Or fanatic.

I'm married with two kids, a 6-year-old son and a 17-year-old stepdaughter. That makes for some different dinner conversation.

I'm also a fan of what I consider quality television. Stuff like Game of Thrones, Mad Men, The Walking Dead etc etc. I'm sure some of that will make its way into this blog.

Finally, I'm a son of Louisiana and -- though I lived in Houston for a while -- can't imagine living anywhere else. I recognize Louisiana's many, many issues but the positives outweigh the negatives by far.

So, for the first substantive post, let's talk about criminal sentences in Louisiana. It's no secret that my state leads the nation in length of sentences handed down. But at least there are some folks who are trying to get the Legislature's attention to change that.

Here's an Advocate article discussing the issue. What's interesting, at least to me, is that most of the people and groups involved now are on the conservative side of the political spectrum.

Don't get me wrong. Criminals need to be punished. But, in my experience, the vast majority of people I end up representing are good folks who either made stupid decisions (mostly due to youth) or have substance abuse problems. Locking those people up for extended periods of time doesn't accomplish anything.

What's the answer? I don't know. I do know, though, that "tough on crime" doesn't have to mean longer sentences.

Gotta float.