Everything’s Bigger in Texas, Including The Laws
Practicing law in Texas can bring some interesting situations to your attention that are very uncommon in the majority of the United States. While becoming a lawyer in the state is done through the typical means and requires the same educational degrees as any other state, once you are practicing you may have some surprising clients. Any lawyer in Texas is expected to have a Pre-Law degree, a Juris Doctor Degree, and to have passed the state bar. There are more advanced degrees available to those ambitious about their Texan legal careers. LL. M’s or a Master’s of Law degree allows a lawyer to claim a special concentration in a specific area of law such as business, accounting, or international law. This however, may not make one immune to the sometimes outrageous and archaic laws that are still on the books in Texas. Some of the most basic and surprising laws that might take you by surprise if you are coming from another state deal with money and property that people concern themselves with on a daily basis. There is no requirement to pay certain types of income tax. But that is made up for on the back end by raising property taxes. Automobile registration is not required to be carried in a vehicle at all times. This seems strange in that this requirement has proven to be an effective way for law enforcement to track down stolen vehicles. Texas is a ‘Right-to-Work’ state, meaning that no worker can be forced to join a union, regardless of the job. This law effectively has cut down on the number and strength of the unions operating in the state. One the end of high strangeness are some laws that are lesser known, but the situation or time period can be imagined in which these laws seem perfectly reasonable. One cannot hold a public office in Texas without acknowledging their belief in a ‘higher power.’ If you are a farm owner, it may interest you to know that it is illegal to milk someone else’s cow. Though controversial and not enforced today, the display any type of homosexual behavior is a misdemeanor offense. While Texas does have many strange laws on the books, as a lawyer in this state it is unlikely that your skills will ever be tested by having to defend a person that attempted to sell their own eyeball, which in Texas, is illegal.Want to know more? Go ahead: IT’S AS IF THE EPA IS MAKING A SPECIAL EFFORT TO HURT TEXAS or something. “Three blue states and tw…
