The Dirty Verdict

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with Judge Christine Weems of the 281st District Court in Harris County, Texas for a wide-ranging conversation about law, trial work, mock trial, theater, and the unexpected path that shaped her career.

Judge Weems shares how she went from an English major at the University of Texas to South Texas College of Law, where mock trial helped her overcome a fear of public speaking and discover her love for advocacy. She talks about early trial experience, mass tort litigation, moving between Houston, Dallas, and New York, working document review while pursuing theater, and eventually returning to Texas to build a litigation career that led to the bench.

The conversation also covers what motivated her to run for judge, the importance of trial experience on the bench, and her continued work in the arts through Cone Man Running Productions, including lawyer-cast theater productions that even offer CLE credit.

Episode Highlights
Judge Weems’ unconventional path from English major to trial lawyer to district court judge
How mock trial helped her overcome fear of public speaking and discover courtroom advocacy
Early lessons from working as a law clerk and being handed real litigation responsibility
The impact of tort reform on asbestos and silica litigation work in Texas
Her time in New York pursuing acting, theater, and entertainment work while still practicing law
Returning to Texas for Hurricane Ike litigation and rebuilding a trial-focused career
Why trial experience matters for judges and how courtroom experience shaped her decision to run
The story behind Cone Man Running Productions and its lawyer-led theater productions
How legal professionals can participate in or attend theater productions while earning CLE credit
Chapters / Major Topics

00:00 — Introduction to Judge Christine Weems
01:43 — College background, UT, English major, Spanish minor, and unusual classes
05:26 — Discovering mock trial and meeting Brett Dressler
07:02 — Growing up in Spring and the early pull toward law
07:57 — How mock trial helped her overcome fear of public speaking
08:43 — South Texas College of Law and early work with Robert Clark
09:22 — Choosing litigation over transactional law
10:29 — First jury verdict and early trial experience
11:12 — Moving to Dallas after 9/11 and working in asbestos litigation
12:39 — Missing the courtroom and returning to plaintiff-side trial work
14:08 — Houston theater, acting, and finding a creative outlet outside law
15:12 — Going to New York for acting conservatory
16:06 — Tort reform, asbestos/silica litigation, and a shifting job market
18:51 — Document review, theater work, and extra roles on 30 Rock and Law & Order
21:57 — Meeting her husband, family life, and deciding where to practice law
22:36 — Returning to Texas for Hurricane Ike litigation
23:30 — Personal injury work, board certification, and trying cases
24:12 — Judicial discretion, courtroom experience, and what sparked the idea of running
26:17 — Why she decided to run for judge
26:48 — The 2018 judicial race and life on the bench
29:51 — Founding Cone Man Running Productions
31:07 — Lawyer-cast theater productions and CLE credit
36:18 — Promoting And Then There Were None at Spring Street Studios

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict Podcast, Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with trial lawyer Alice Lima Lovchik for a wide-ranging conversation about law, trial work, immigration, civility, and heavy metal.

Alice shares her story of moving from Brazil to Houston, rebuilding her legal career from the ground up, learning English, working her way from file clerk to paralegal, and eventually passing both the New York and Texas bar exams. She also talks about her work in personal injury, immigration law, and why she feels called to serve Houston’s immigrant community through her trial practice.

The conversation also gets into Alice’s life outside the courtroom as a metal vocalist, her love for grindcore and thrash metal, and how her intense stage presence contrasts with the calm, measured way she handled a highly controversial trial incident involving opposing counsel. The hosts and Alice also discuss courtroom civility, trial nerves, lessons from losses, mentorship, and the kind of wisdom trial lawyers would give their younger selves.

Major Topics Discussed

00:00 — Opening, host introductions, and Peter’s son being drafted by the Miami Dolphins

02:19 — Introducing Alice Lima Lovchik and her reputation as both a trial lawyer and metal vocalist

03:01 — Thrash metal, death metal, grindcore, and Alice’s former band Evocation

05:09 — Alice’s background in Brazil, moving to Houston, and meeting her husband at a rock show

07:49 — Starting over in the U.S., learning English, and entering the legal field as a file clerk

09:42 — Earning her LLM, passing the New York bar, and later passing the Texas bar

11:59 — Alice’s early legal career, working with Darrell Barger, and deciding insurance defense was not for her

14:03 — Working with Javier Marcos, moving into immigration law, and later returning to personal injury

16:20 — Marcos & Associates, trying cases frequently, and serving Houston’s Hispanic and immigrant communities

18:43 — How Alice evaluates cases, prepares for trial, and manages a large litigation docket

21:06 — Trying 25 cases in 12 months and the rush of being in trial

23:12 — Judges, livestreamed courtrooms, and how public clips can shape perceptions

28:46 — The controversial trial incident involving opposing counsel taking a photo of Alice’s notes

32:38 — How Alice handled the incident, why she chose restraint, and what civility looks like under pressure

38:18 — Maintaining professionalism with opposing counsel after serious conflict

43:13 — Houston’s metal scene, White Swan, and Alice’s next musical chapter

45:32 — Alice’s book project collecting stories and lessons from trial lawyers

48:45 — The hosts and Alice answer questions about their best moments as trial lawyers

54:42 — Trial losses, humility, and advice for younger lawyers

57:04 — Balancing legal work, mental health, family, and professional ambition

58:54 — Where to find Alice online, her music, and her firm information

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden sit down with trial lawyer and settlement planner Dan Horowitz for a conversation that starts with classic Dirty Verdict chaos and eventually lands on some genuinely valuable guidance for lawyers handling serious personal injury cases.

Dan walks through his path from Bay City, Texas, to the University of Texas, South Texas College of Law, Abraham Watkins, and eventually opening his own firm. Along the way, the group covers law school networking, the realities of partnership points, going out on your own, and why relationships matter just as much as legal skill.

The second half of the episode shifts into Dan’s current work in settlement planning, structured settlements, trusts, tax-free growth, fee deferrals, and how lawyers can better protect clients after a major recovery. Dan explains why settlement planning should not be treated as an afterthought, especially in cases involving minors, catastrophic injuries, long-term care needs, or clients receiving life-changing sums of money.

Main Topics with Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction / Meet Dan Horowitz
01:20 – Growing Up in Bay City, Texas
02:20 – Getting Expelled Senior Year
05:30 – Getting Into UT and Coasting Through the End of High School
07:00 – Driving Buses at UT / Early Work Stories
13:20 – Studying Business at UT
15:10 – Law School Path
16:20 – Biggest Law School Regret: Not Networking More
22:10 – Dan’s Professional Background and Recognition
23:20 – Early Legal Career and Firm Progression
25:45 – Becoming an Equity Partner
28:45 – Leaving to Start His Own Firm
31:25 – Transitioning Into Settlement Planning
33:00 – Getting His Insurance License
35:30 – Getting His Securities License
37:15 – Structured Settlements Explained
38:40 – Downsides of Structured Settlements
40:30 – Inflation Risk and Long-Term Planning
42:00 – Planning for Minors and Catastrophic Injury Cases
46:00 – When Lawyers Should Bring in a Settlement Planner
48:30 – Deferring Attorney Fees
51:00 – Structures as Protection From Bad Decisions or Pressure
52:40 – Customizing the Plan for Each Client

This week on The Dirty Verdict Podcast, Peter Taaffe, Kyle Herbert, and Bill Ogden sit down with renowned jury consultant Robert Swafford for a deep dive into the strategy behind jury selection, witness preparation, and trial storytelling. Robert explains how he helps lawyers maximize strikes for cause, sharpen voir dire, and prepare witnesses for high-stakes moments in court.

The episode also explores Robert’s work on major cases like the Alex Jones trial, his thoughts on why most lawyers misuse voir dire, and what separates effective trial prep from wasted effort. Along the way, the conversation mixes practical courtroom insight with memorable stories about legendary trial lawyers like Joe Jamail and Warren Burnett.

Main topics discussed:

0:00 – Robert Swafford joins the show and explains his background as a jury consultant, along with the types of services he offers to trial lawyers.
5:00 – What jury consultants actually do, from writing voir dire scripts to courtroom coaching, witness prep, focus groups, and settlement videos.
13:00 – How to maximize strikes for cause and why jury selection is really about removing the worst jurors rather than finding the “perfect” panel.
25:00 – The language of voir dire, including why wording matters, how to ask better questions, and why most lawyers make it harder than it needs to be.
39:00 – Lessons from the Alex Jones trial, including written juror questionnaires, identifying problem jurors early, and navigating a highly charged panel.
47:00 – Legendary courtroom stories, featuring Joe Jamail and Warren Burnett, plus what those stories reveal about advocacy and jury work.
59:00 – Witness preparation in high-stakes cases, including Robert’s work preparing Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis for powerful testimony in the Alex Jones case.

In this wild and wide-ranging episode of Dirty Verdict, the hosts sit down with legendary criminal defense attorney Dan Cogdell for an unfiltered conversation that moves from legal commentary to cultural criticism and back again. Dan talks about the unexpected rise of his own podcast and social media presence, then dives into his sharp perspective on the steep decline in white collar prosecutions, shifting federal priorities, and what that means for defense work today.

The conversation also explores Dan’s representation of the EPIC Muslim community development in Plano, including the political backlash, lawsuits, and broader questions about religious liberty, fear-based politics, and how certain communities get turned into convenient political targets. Along the way, the episode detours into Enron, jury strategy, high-stakes litigation, the Harris County DA’s office, and the changing business of law—making this one of the most candid, chaotic, and thought-provoking episodes yet.

Major Topics

Dan Cogdell’s new podcast, social media growth, and why short-form content has taken off for him
The dramatic slowdown in federal white collar prosecutions and shifting enforcement priorities
Fraud investigations, immigration enforcement, and changes inside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI resources
Dan’s representation of the EPIC Muslim community in Plano and the political controversy surrounding it
Islamophobia, media narratives, and the use of fear in modern politics
Enron, Jeff Skilling, Andy Fastow, and Dan’s firsthand stories from major white collar cases
Harris County criminal justice, the DA’s office, and Sean Teare’s leadership compared to the prior administration
Jury consulting, mock trials, AI-driven trial tools, and how litigation strategy is evolving
Big verdicts, wrongful death litigation, and the differences between criminal and civil trial work
The business of law, influence, branding, and how lawyers are adapting to media and public attention