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After an extended holiday break, we are back for Season 3 with new episodes. In this episode, we tackle Rebecca's theme for 2023: Chess Not Checkers. We look at the divorce between Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen and what you can learn from playing the long game.

After years of service to the family bench, Judge Brennan is officially departing to join the civil/criminal bench. Judge Brennan discusses her decision, why now is the time to leave, how family law courts can be improved, and what the future holds.

Every state has an office that assists the court in matters involving minor children. We are joined by the Oakland County Friend of the Court, Suzanne Hollyer, who talks about the functions of these offices, what they are doing to help families, and what makes Michigan so special when it comes to services for families across the Mitten State.

Judge Brennan and Judge Cunningham are back to talk about best practices, how to avoid upsetting your judge, and common mistakes made by lawyers. Whether you practice in Oakland County or across the country - you are sure to learn something from our judicial roundtable.

This podcast is all about best practices - and who better to learn from then the judges who are hearing your case. We are joined by Judge Mary Ellen Brennan from the Oakland County Family Division and Judge Jacob Cunningham of the Oakland County Civil/Criminal Division. Learn about how to tackle difficult issues, what to avoid, and how to make sure your client gets the best possible outcome.

Defamation expert Diana Warshow joins Ryan and Rebecca to break down her thoughts on the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation trial. Diana also wrote about the trial for Above the Law and NJ.com. You can read her articles here:

https://abovethelaw.com/2022/06/why-johnny-won-an-explanation-of-the-jurys-decision-in-depp-v-heard/

https://www.nj.com/opinion/2022/06/victory-for-johnny-depp-is-not-a-setback-for-women-opinion.html

After 6 weeks and a few days of deliberations - the jury has returned a verdict. We examine what the verdict means, whether it mattered at all, and what is next for Captain Jack and Mera.

The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is rolling on. Rebecca and Ryan examine the testimony of Johnny and Amber, what lawyers can learn from each side's strategy (or lack thereof), and what the verdict is going to be - and why it probably does not matter.

The defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard has been a gold mine for meme creators, but the trial has also illustrated a variety of legal issues. Ryan and Rebecca explore the differences between toxic relationships and domestic violence, Johnny's mastery of hearsay, and when not to object. (Special thanks to Tik Tok user @ mculokii for the trial audio).

The hit movie Mean Girls not only provided the world with countless jokes and quotes, it also gave legal nerds a question to ponder: Is the Burn Book defamatory? Based upon an Above the Law article written by Diana Warshow, Ryan and Rebecca look at the pages of the Burn Book and debate whether any of the characters would have a cause of action for libel.

Make sure to read Ms. Warshow’s article on Above the Law: https://abovethelaw.com/2022/01/mean-girls-or-liable-girls-was-the-burn-book-defamatory/