In a closely- watched case, a Denton County jury has decided that an individual and his new company should pay the individual’s former employer $700,000 for theft of trade secrets and breach of fiduciary duty.
The individual, Kevin Wolfe, had worked for 5 years as general manager for a manufacturing company, Medical Extrusions Technologies-Texas, Inc., located in Lewisville, Texas. In 2010, Wolfe decided that he wanted to start a competing business, Heat Shrink Innovations, LLC, in Carrollton, Texas. The jury found that Wolfe took trade secrets belonging to METT, and breached his fiduciary duty to METT. The jury also found that Wolfe’s new employer, Heat Shrink Innovations, LLC, participated in the breach of fiduciary duty and conspired with Wolfe and his wife to harm METT.
Among the allegations was that Wolfe had used METT’s internal financial data to obtain an SBA-backed loan for his new company.
After secretly working on his new business venture for over a year, Wolfe sent notice of their resignation in a one-line email to METT’s president in late April. Wolfe promptly moved several miles away and formally became an employee of his new company.
METT obtained a temporary injunction against Wolfe, his wife and their new company shortly thereafter.
The Plaintiff was represented by Virginia Hammerle and Craig Price of Hammerle Finley Law Firm.
“There is a line that former employees cannot cross when they decide to compete with their former employer. It is clear that the jury believed that Mr. Wolfe and his new company crossed that line” said Hammerle. “This verdict should send a message to both employees and employers

The Texas Legislature is in session. No person or property interest is safe.

To comprehend the danger, you must first understand the legislative process. A legislator introduces a bill – a representative introduces it in the House, and a Senator introduces it in the Senate. The text of the bill, which is actually a proposed law or change to an existing law, may be drafted by the legislator, his staff, attorneys hired by the government, a lobbying group, a committee, or anyone else with some power and influence, Any and all bills can be introduced in the first 60 days of the session. This is important, because if the legislator misses the 60 day period, then the bill can only be considered if it is included as an amendment to another bill. Thus comes the race at the end of each session to attach completely unrelated amendments to popular bills.
The head of each chamber refers the bill to committee. The committees are formed at the beginning of each legislative session. If the bill is complex, it goes first to a subcommittee.

Meanwhile One New Law in California this year:
Plastic surgery is expensive and now the cost will be going up again, thanks to our legislators.  Now the recipient must first submit to “an appropriate physical examination within 30 days” of the plastic surgery and gets written clearance by a doctor, nurse practitioner or physicians’ assistant.  By the way, the new law is Donda West law, named after the deceased mother of rapper Kanye West.  Maybe we need a new law to keep West off the stage at awards shows when he has no reason to interfere at said awards shows?

The committee then makes a decision. If it takes no action, then the bill “dies in committee.” If it takes action, then it issues a report with a recommendation of passage, passage with amendments, or passage with an entirely new bill.

After all of that work, the committee’s decision is merely advisory and not binding on either the House or the Senate. The chief clerk of each chamber puts the bill on the calendar for consideration and vote. Placement on the calendar is subject to a number of complex and arcane rules. The political games ramp up accordingly. The bill is supposed to be read (by caption only) for three days in a row in the chamber. The Senate usually suspends the second reading, while the House insists on all 3 days. There are various amendments and votes, all in accordance with the rules adopted by each Chamber on the first day. Again, political games are rampant.

If the bill passes one Chamber, then it is engrossed (all of the changes and corrections are incorporated into it) and sent to the other Chamber for consideration.
When the second chamber passes it, the bill and any amendments are sent back to the first chamber. If there are a lot of changes to the original bill, it may be sent to the Conference Committee to work out the differences. If the Conference Committee can’t agree on a version, then the Bill is “killed.” If they do agree, then the new version is again sent to both Chambers for vote.

The passed Bill is sent to the Governor, who has 10 days to sign, veto or do nothing. Only a Veto will prevent it from becoming law. The Senate and House can override a Veto with 2/3 vote. If only 10 days are left in the session when the Governor receives the bill, then he has 20 days to decide. If he vetoes it, the bill is dead because the Legislature is out of session and can’t vote to over-ride the veto. The Legislature meets every two years for a ridiculously short period of time to make monumental decisions with often catastrophic consequences. Looking at the convoluted process, it’s a wonder that anything gets done.

This story from the Terrell Tribune highlights the problem with cannabis prohibition and opportunity costs.

From the TT

DRUG SELLING OPERATION INTERRUPTED

Authorities arrested Kristi Rene Resendez, 29, of Kaufman, for delivery of marijuana.
Published: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 4:08 PM CDT

KAUFMAN – After a two-month long undercover operation by Kaufman County Narcotics investigators, along with the cooperation of Kaufman Police Department, another drug dealer has been arrested for selling drugs in the city limits of Kaufman.

Kristi Rene Resendez, age 29, of Kaufman, was arrested on July 23. Resendez was taken to the Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center and charged with two counts of delivery of marihuana more than 1/4 oz. and less than 5 lbs.

Bond was set at $5,000 for each count

Two months, to take down one meaningless alread replaced dimebag dealer? What’s next, a 2 week investigation into a possible seatbelt violation in Mabank?

Think, for a moment, if the cops who spent two months on this bust had spent those same two months solving a real crime, that is, one with a victim? Is that a better use of our limited law enforcement resources? Or do you feel safer knowing that it’s was, for a few moments, marginally harder to buy weed in Terrell, Texas?

Opportunity costs are real. Taxpayers and LEO will never get those two months back. By keeping cannabis a class B misdemeanor and banning recreational/medicianal use Texans are choosing these two months pot stings over other law enforcement priorities.

Finally, can we quit calling pot “drugs”. It’s intellectually laziness to lump all contraband substances in one category. I know journalism trends towards sensationalist headlines . “Low level Cannabis Retailer Arrested”, wouldn’t get as much reader attention. But if we are going to make progress and change our State’s inane drug laws, we could start by actualling differentiating between the drugs that can kill you, and the non toxic plant that can’t.