Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Are Special Masters, And Why Are They Appointed?
Here in Florida, as across the nation, many people have heard a new legal term of late: special master. Former President Trump was granted one to evaluate materials that were seized by the FBI, and that is being challenged by the U.S. Attorney General. What’s this all about? Are special masters used with regularity… Read More »
Domestic Violence And Substance Abuse
Is there a connection between intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance abuse? While the two exist in tandem quite often, there are plenty of instances where one or the other occurs and the other does not. Furthermore, there are cases where the two issues present themselves in a relationship, and the violence continues even… Read More »
Bankruptcy And Single Mothers
What is the number one risk factor to predict poverty in America? The answer may surprise some people: being a single mother is the biggest indicator of poverty. This is true regardless of race or education. Single mothers—even middle-class mothers—are more vulnerable to financial crises, in fact, than any other group in this country…. Read More »
Can Being In Debt Lead To Incarceration?
Having bill collectors pounding down your door is exceedingly stressful, to say the least. But could things get even worse? The unfortunate truth is that yes, excessive debt could actually lead to incarceration in this country. The History of Debtor’s Prisons Centuries ago over half of the people in jails in England were there… Read More »
Revlon’s Bankruptcy Forebodes Trouble
Revlon has been selling cosmetics for 90 years. So when they filed for bankruptcy in June 2022, it gave many observers cause for concern. Yes, the company was having some serious problems with debt, and has certainly been surprised by some of its modern competition. Those issues were specific to Revlon. But there were… Read More »
Intimate Partner Violence Among Transgender Populations
Domestic violence has a stereotypical picture associated with it for most Americans. But the truth is, violence in intimate relationships isn’t just a problem between burly men and their fragile wives. It can be a matter of women abusing men, men harming male partners, or women battering female partners. Something most people may not… Read More »
How Reliable Is Expert Testimony Related Deaths In Custody?
It’s far from uncommon for police to deploy tasers in an attempt to mollify suspects. Supposedly, it is short of lethal force, and to be used with non-compliant individuals. Even so, there are over 500 recorded deaths related to the use of Tasers in this country in the last decade or so. Grieving families… Read More »
When Medical Bills Turn Your Life Upside Down
Allyson and Marcus Ward know what medical debt can do to life. Their twins were born weeks before Allyson’s due date and were then diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Before they knew it, they were facing thousands of dollars in medical bills. They were insured, but many of the therapies were deemed inessential by their… Read More »
Eight Myths About Domestic Violence
With as rampant as domestic violence is in this country, it’s surprising how many misconceptions there are about it. The fact of the matter is, women suffer from battery more often than any other kind of injury in America. Domestic violence causes more injuries than car accidents, rape, and mugging combined. Perhaps it’s time… Read More »
When Technicalities Mar The Quest For Justice
Prisoners’ rights were dealt a major blow recently when the Supreme Court ruled that the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) of 1996 may eliminate the power of the federal court to reverse decisions made in the lower courts. The majority opinion writer, Justice Clarence Thomas, argued that the issues of serial litigation… Read More »