Bitcoin and the State of Nature

Satoshi Nakamoto.
Remember that name. Whether he actually exists or not is an open question. But there is little doubt Nakamoto’s 2008 paper describing the creation of Bitcoin was one of the most revolutionary acts of the earIy 21st century.
What is Bitcoin?
The governments of the world can’t tell you. They can’t agree. Some define it as property. Some call it currency. Sometimes, it is regarded as both currency and property.
There are millions of Bitcoin in the world, but you’ll never see one. Bitcoin, you see, are digital events, pulses of...
September 26, 2016

Bitcoin and the State of Nature

Satoshi Nakamoto.
Remember that name. Whether he actually exists or not is an open question. But there is little doubt Nakamoto’s 2008 paper describing the creation of Bitcoin was one of the most revolutionary acts of the earIy 21st century.
What is Bitcoin?
The governments of the world can’t tell you. They can’t agree. Some define it as property. Some call it currency. Sometimes, it is regarded as both currency and property.
There are millions of Bitcoin in the world, but you’ll never see one. Bitcoin, you see, are digital events, pulses of...
September 26, 2016

The Dark Art Of "Justice"

I envy physicians their proximity to death. It goes without saying that those who master the ups and downs of the life cycle must learn a thing or two about bracing folks for the end of life. I imagine that physicians-in-training get some counsel on how to advise a patient that his days are numbered, or to tell a family their loved one is gone, now forever absent.
We lawyers aren’t so lucky. No part of our training deals with the dark arts of despair, yet we too shepherd folks through devastating transitions. We too sit with families and individuals in crisis.
The dark...
September 8, 2016

Arbitrary Security Rules

There's a new security rule in the state courthouses. At least I think there is a new rule. As with so many security measures, practices across the state are inconsistent. It's maddening.
I was asked the other day in Bridgeport to show my bar card. The request surprised me. So far as I know, bar association identification cards aren't mandatory. The only reason I carry one is that it is virtually impossible to get into an out-of-state prison without one. (Unless, of course, you commit a crime in that state; then leaving is difficult.)
I generally try to oblige the marshals. They...
September 7, 2016

Life, Death and Extradition

September 1, 2016
For a few tense hours the other day, it appeared my 71-year-old client, Robert Stackowitz, was going to be led from the courtroom in handcuffs,...

Sovereign Immunity Is Medieval Harlotry

August 28, 2016
Odds are you did not know that the United States government can be sued only with its consent. That’s because a legal doctrine called sovereign...

The Abyss Claims Another Lawyer

August 12, 2016
I am deflated suddenly, staring out the window wondering about the point of it all. News is just now breaking that another lawyer has committed...

The Kzhir Khan Sideshow

August 3, 2016
The decision to have Khizr Khan address the Democrat’s national convention at the coronation of Hillary Clinton was a stroke of...

The Mandibles and Donald Trump

July 28, 2016
If you’re looking for a good summer read, I’ve just the book: Lionel Shriver’s, “The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047.”...

Social Media, Marketing and Domestic Tranquility

July 27, 2016
It’s hard to avoid online commentary about the value of social media to practicing lawyers, so my decision to leave Twitter and...

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Taking Back the Courts
Norm Pattis Taking Back the Courts

The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorites movies as a kid. Little did I know judges were so much like the wizard, hiding behind empty trappings of power. This book tells you things you need to know about what really goes on in court. Read it, weep, and then demand that the courts do better.

In the Trenches
Norm Pattis In the Trenches

Plenty of lawyers write about the law, but few who write try cases. Judge for yourself whether I talk the talk and walk the walk in this collection of occasional essays about life in the law's trenches.

Juries and Justice
Norm Pattis Juries and Justice

How prepared are you to take seriously the notion that 'we the people' are, in fact, sovereign? Discover the secret, and unused, power of jurors. 'Ask why; then nullify.'

Norm Pattis

About Norm

Norm Pattis is a Connecticut based trial lawyer focused on high stakes criminal cases and civil right violations. He is a veteran of more than 150 jury trials, many resulting in acquittals for people charged with serious crimes, multi-million dollar civil rights and discrimination verdicts, and scores of cases favorably settled.

© Norm Pattis is represented by Elite Lawyer Management, managing agents for Exceptional American Lawyers
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