Katharine Jackson….Mother of All Mothers
By: Debra Opri - As Mother's Day approaches, I find myself thinking alot about Michael Jackson's mother, Katharine Jackson, and what this Mother's Day will be like for her. This Mother's Day, Katharine will be preparing for yet another court appearance involving her son Michael, in what will probably be the very last trial in which she will ever have to listen to the good and bad about her son, Michael, a legend who died too young and probably in a way that never should have happened. I find myself wondering about what this very special woman may be thinking about all of this, her life, and how it came to be that she should still be struggling for the peace of old age, instead of her struggles of still having to raise young children and still to be suffering as she is with the loss of her son, Michael, and when if ever, her grief will finally leave her. I am not saying that Katharine Jackson has not had [...]
Countdown to an Unnecessary Trial [Kim Kardashian Adv. Kris Humphries]
By: Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Many years ago, I studied acting in college and appeared in a play called “Hello Out There…” It was basically a story of a young girl who felt emotionally trapped in the life she led in her small town; how she longed to get herself out of this ‘jailed’ life, and how she sought the assistance of a man who was locked up in the local jail behind actual bars, unable to free himself from the prison cell in which he sat. I thought of this long ago play as I watched Kim Kardashian walk out of the Los Angeles Superior Court today. She looked ‘jailed’….’locked up’ as she walked ‘encapsulated’ between the numerous deputy sheriffs surrounding her. Her face was ashen, sad, and her eyes were that of a caged animal not knowing which way to go to break free of this lack of freedom as she walked forward in between the sheriffs’ deputies and past the cameras that surrounded her [...]
And in the Matter of ‘Paternity’ Cases
By: Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Paternity cases seem to be everywhere today. The latest paternity case filing in the media and its subsequent dismissal has many wondering – not whether Michael Jordan is the father of a 16-year-old boy – but what took this child’s mother so long to file a paternity action in the first place. Having handled high-profile paternity cases over the years, I think this is not favorable for either the mother or Michael Jordan. So a woman has a child 16 years ago, assumedly by Michael Jordan, But we never hear about it. Why? Because a paternity action was never filed. Why? Maybe the woman didn’t want the media attention. Maybe she didn’t need the money; maybe she was independently wealthy, married to someone else, or just plain out of touch with legal issues protecting her minor child’s financial support. Maybe, in fact, she and Michael Jordan reached an out-of-court settlement as to the issue of support. Maybe there was a paternity test [...]
Katharine Jackson….Mother of All Mothers
By: Debra Opri - As Mother's Day approaches, I find myself thinking alot about Michael Jackson's mother, Katharine Jackson, and what this Mother's Day will be like [...]
Countdown to an Unnecessary Trial [Kim Kardashian Adv. Kris Humphries]
By: Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Many years ago, I studied acting in college and appeared in a play called “Hello Out There…” It was [...]
And in the Matter of ‘Paternity’ Cases
By: Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Paternity cases seem to be everywhere today. The latest paternity case filing in the media and its subsequent dismissal [...]
How To Use A Divorce
By: Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst The latest divorce news surrounds Ashton Kutcher/Demi Moore and her recent 'response' filing in the court system based upon [...]
When your ‘Valentine’ Files for Divorce
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst It has been a banner year for divorce filings. Let's face it, with the Hollywood breakups and ongoing divorce [...]
When Credibility is an Issue, It’s a Killer on the Witness Stand
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst And Casey Anthony has credibility problems. No, she must not take the stand. Now that the prosecution has presented [...]
Paternity and the Two Parent Saga
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst “A child’s life is in play right now. This shouldnot be a tug-of-war between two strong-willed personalities. In the [...]
Media Matters: Change of Venue for Tucson Shooting Trial?
By Debra Opri Transparency issues and the need to appear fair are impacting federal authorities in their plan to move the trial of alleged gunman Jared Loughner [...]
Formula For Fear
By Debra Opri "Take one mentally-ill, delusional college student... Add a whopping overdose of long-term media saturation of ‘commentary’ in the form of political ‘news reporting’... Absorb [...]
The Media as the 13th Juror
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Take note of the temper of the times. We are witnessing the consistent and methodical tactics of a new [...]
Michael Jackson – Reality TV
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Flashback! 1993. Michael Jackson is on television. He's giving an interview. He is proclaiming his innocence regarding allegations of [...]
Why California Needs “Caylee’s Law”
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst Support for the recently proposed initiative, "Caylee's Law," which resulted from public outcry following Casey Anthony's acquittal, has been [...]
“M” is for Murder in Marriage
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst To the outside world, Laci Peterson had it all. Even her parents did not suspect that her daughter was [...]
Epilogue: The Michael Jackson Trial – Truth & the Media
by Debra Opri - Attorney and Legal Analyst I waited until the Michael Jackson verdict was in and for a sufficient time to have passed before writing [...]
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