About Andrew Brandt
Andrew Brandt is the associate editor on Super Lawyers‘ staff. He serves as the editor for the Missouri-Kansas, Mountain States, Oklahoma, and Texas Rising Stars magazines, and he additionally writes, fact-checks and proofreads for numerous other Super Lawyers issues (and for the website). He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in English literature and environmental studies, and his byline has appeared in a variety of places, both online and in print.
Articles written by Andrew Brandt
Not Everything Is a Pearl
Charles Stern on a hard lesson learned at the U.S. Supreme CourtThere was a hotel in New Orleans called the Fountainbleau Hotel, built on the site of a former minor league baseball stadium in the early ’60s. It had been through a bankruptcy sometime in the late ’80s, and was then sold to a company for redevelopment into a storage facility. The new owner, out of nowhere, got sued in a foreclosure action based on an old mortgage that was in existence at the time of the bankruptcy. That suit was filed at the end of 1994, and I got involved shortly after. …
Navigating the Complexities of International Family Law
Even compared to other areas of the law, when it comes to international family law, there is no cookie-cutter solution; every single case — whether it involves a divorce case, a child custody dispute, or potential relocation — hinges entirely on the finer details. Figuring Out Which Country Has Jurisdiction Over the Family Law Issue “When you get into international law, there’s never one answer that’s going to apply,” says Jay P. Dahlin, a family law attorney in Chicago. “You’re …
What Makes a Good Estate Plan?
Many people have a will and think that's all they need for their estate planning. However, a will is only part of what makes a good estate plan. With proper estate planning, you can provide for your family members and loved ones without burdening them with estate taxes and the probate process. A good estate plan can include trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents. For legal advice about what makes a good estate plan where you live, contact an experienced estate planning …
The Fight for Victims' Rights
The horrific crime that made a lawyer out of Steven KellyBack in 1988, my sister was sexually assaulted and murdered, we believe, by someone we knew, but the guy was never prosecuted. He was a local in the [Harford County] community, who had been suspected in other murders and had an alleged history of violence against women—including attacks on his own mother. The local prosecutor didn’t think there was enough evidence, and it didn’t hurt that this guy was adopted into a very wealthy, connected family. The dad hired a very good defense lawyer, …
Can You Sue for Elder Financial Abuse?
Many older people are vulnerable to various forms of abuse. This includes financial abuse, such as theft or embezzlement, targeting an older person's money or property. In the most serious cases, elder financial abuse can take away a person's entire life savings and deprive them of the ability to support themselves. Elder exploitation can involve family members and caregivers as perpetrators. For legal advice about protecting vulnerable adults, talk to an experienced elder law attorney. Elder …
Does My Life Insurance Policy Cover Suicide?
If you or someone you know is struggling, consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for support. Call or text 988, or chat online at https://988lifeline.org/. Life insurance policies help provide for your loved ones if you unexpectedly pass away. Life insurance plans pay a death benefit to the beneficiaries after the policyholder dies. Life insurance will cover the most common causes of death. However, there are challenges when the policyholder dies by suicide. Some insurance …
Upholding Animal Welfare: California’s Law on the Treatment of Confined Farm Animals
In its 2018 general election, California passed Proposition 12, the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act. According to Bruce A. Wagman, an animal law attorney at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila in San Francisco, the law “provides for humane housing of three kinds of farm animals: veal calves, gestating pigs, and egg-laying hens.” The proposition, which received 63 percent “yes” votes from California voters, established minimum confinement square-feet space requirements for those …
An Uphill Battle
Fighting medical malpractice isn’t easy, but Mike End is up to the taskAmong the numerous medical malpractice cases that have come and gone from his plate over the past five years, Mike End has one that just won’t, well, end. In 2011, his client, a woman in her 40s, had lower back surgery. After the operation, the surgeon left the operating room to tell the family how well the procedure had gone, leaving in place the two drainage catheters—which simply drain blood by gravity—at the site of the incision. The surgical assistant, upon sewing up the wound, …
Shelter from the Storm
Humaira Mirza helps victims become survivorsWhen she enrolled in the University of New Mexico School of Law, Humaira Mirza knew she wanted to spend her career in the service of others. But it wasn’t until she took a family law class with Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, a longtime UNM professor and current New Mexico state senator, that she figured out how. “My professor, also my mentor, was a domestic violence survivor, and she was doing a training for people who wanted to represent domestic abuse victims,” says Mirza. “I gave that a …
Can I Refuse To Take a Breathalyzer Test?
There are many ways to get charged with a DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated), and numerous fines and penalties that result from them. For example, you can get a DWI on private property, in a parking lot, and in a drive-thru. You can even get one if you’re sleeping in a motor vehicle that’s in park. But whether you should refuse a breath test is not as clear-cut. This article explains the factors that go into making that decision on a case-by-case basis. …
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