Stalking Protections in Idaho
Being on the receiving end of unwanted intimidation, surveillance, or communication can affect every moment of the victim’s life. But how does the everyday understanding of stalking differ from federal and state legal definitions? How is stalking combated in rural communities? What protections exist for stalking victims? Federal Stalking Definition Given the federal government’s constitutional authority, 8 U.S.C. § 2261A focuses on interstate acts that have “the intent to kill, injure, harass, intimidate, or place under surveillance with in…
How Having a Child in the NICU Has Made Me a Better Attorney
Earlier this year, my brand new baby girl spent the first 28 days of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after being born 7 weeks premature. Rural Idaho has several excellent hospitals with NICU facilities. My daughter is doing great now, thankfully, but this experience taught me a lot about what matters most and how to care for people. Some of those lessons apply directly to the practice of law. Lesson 1: Helping those most vulnerable means listening to what they are telling you. Premature babies are constantly sending out sig…
3 Ideas to Make the Most of Drive Time
As an attorney practicing in predominantly rural areas, I drive a lot. It is not uncommon to spend 6 hours behind the wheel on a day when I have court or in-person appointments in a secluded county. For someone who already feels like my schedule is packed, taking that much time to drive somewhere can be frustrating. Out of that sentiment, I have developed several ideas to make the most of those days. Photo from Peter Black on Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0. Pre-Travel Checklist Developing a list of what needs to be brought makes for less prep-time and l…
Ecliptic Thoughts: Combining the Ordinary to Make the Extraordinary
The town I live and practice in was in the path of totality for the eclipse this past Monday. It was a life-highlight. I watched the crescent sun fade in my black glasses to nothing. I took off my glasses to find this in the sky: I inexplicably wanted to cry and cheer and hug everyone around me. I could see planets and stars. The temperature dropped. 11:33 a.m. became twilight. I can not overhype what I experienced. The exactness of everything that made it happen left me feeling the divine order of our universe. That said, after the eclipse p…
Immigration Rhetoric and Political Correctness
In 1980... (see video below) I have grown frustrated with the improper entanglement of being pro-American and anti-immigration. This applies to both ends of the political spectrum. Life is too complex and nuanced to reduce down to a one-size-fits-all-bumper-sticker answer. I think the over simplification and subsequent tribal chest pounding does a disservice to all involved after either side picks which outrage to use to ignite their base as opposed to presenting real solutions to problems. The way we talk about immigration is a great case-stu…
