John J. Hopkins News
Thank You for Smoking
Hopkins The Libertarian philosophy, the short version any way, succinctly states that every man has the right to go to Hell in his own way, without the annoying interference of the government, be it local, state or federal.
Professor Harold Hill runs for President
Hopkins Sen. Obama may have much to give in public life, much value to this state, this nation and indeed, in time, this planet. Just not now.
It's a Wonderful County!
"One case, one judge, one lawyer, and we go from an unknown Illinois county to the poster child for Tort Reform overnight. Every single argument in Springfield or D.C. ends up railing about the mess in Madison County."
Judge Larsen: Courage Under Fire
The winds of fearful political consequences notwithstanding,in an act of true courage, Cook County Judge Diane Larsen struck down the damage caps, finding they violate both the separation of powers provision as an impermissible infringement on the judicial process, as well as seeing the law for what is always was, an unabashed attempt to give even more special indemnities under the law to an already overly privileged class.
A Touch of Class -- The Passing of a Legend
True to his heritage, on behalf of Randall all who came to pay respects were given the words of the old Irish blessing, "May the road rise with you, May the wind always be at your back, May the sun shine upon your face, And the rain fall soft upon your fields, And until we meet again, May God keep you in the hollow of His hand."
Elvis: That's the Way it Is...2007
"Elvis: That's the Way it Is," is a great, if somewhat hard to find concert documentary, featuring Elvis Presley in 1970, after the decade long exile from performing live, returning to the stage in Las Vegas, at the top of his game.
Courage, faith and the true Spirit of '76
No matter your personal agenda - liberal Democrat frustrated at the continuation of a war you thought you voted to stop, or conservative Republican incensed at the immigration amnesty bill -- you yearn for the time when leaders truly led and not just followed.
Selecting the next associate: Do the right thing
...[T]he circuit judges are charged by statute to select the best lawyer for the job. Not the most popular, not the prettiest, not the one that provides the most political advantage. But the best.
The Pursuit of 'Happyness,' Father's Day 2007
No longer will Hershey bark frantically at the sound of the late night arrival of the Ford Focus or the phone ring with the inquiry of "Hello, Mr. Hopkins. Is Bridget there?" Silence is the price of progress, a high and tearfully hard price from which there is no escape.
The Sting--the art of the big con
The conspiratorial brilliance lies in the lie, boldly and loudly told about the authors of the bills, banking on a guilt by association defeat, a guilt generated by the negative image incessantly promoted by the conspirators themselves, the truth notwithstanding.
The Natural...opening night reflections
One of the best baseball movies of all time is the 1984 classic, "The Natural."
Norma Rae, call 692-6200, ask for Judge Callis
For my long overdue first column of 2007, I have chosen as metaphor the 1979 film "Norma Rae." Sally Fields won her first of two Academy Awards with a performance of a lifetime as the title character, telling an all-too-familiar story of the noble fight against the status quo.
It's a Wonderful County!
Editor's note: "It's a Wonderful County," written by columnist John J. Hopkins, first appeared in the Dec. 20, 2004 edition of the Record. A timeless gem, it is being reprinted in this year's Christmas edition.
What's love got to do with it? Election day reflections
Without question, from a legal or political standpoint, the biggest event of the year was Election Day 2006. Having keenly observed the ongoing battles for lo these many months, I offer up some modest commentary.
Madison County Bar Assn. WWII tribute
Opening remarks made by John J. Hopkins at the Madison County Bar Association World War II Tribute Committee ceremony on Nov. 9:
World Trade Center : 9-11 Remembered
Director Oliver Stone has a well deserved, much cultivated reputation as a brilliant but controversial film director. With movies such as "Platoon," "Born on the Fourth of July," "Alexander," and especially "JFK," Stone is no stranger to argument.
The ghost of Tom Joad...a Labor Day saga
The John Ford-directed classic "The Grapes of Wrath" is ranked 21st on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest films, and is one of my personal favorites.
Mr. Bush comes to Collinsville
Editor's note: The following is an encore presentation of a Sidebar colum that ran in The Record last year.
This is the business we have chosen
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America - ATLA - met in convention in Seattle during the week of July 17th. In an act of panic and unbelievable cowardice that would embarrass even the French, by a 2-1 margin ATLA's Board of Governors voted to drop "Trial Lawyers" from the name, changing to the "American Association for Justice."
Mad as Hell...
This week's column returns to form, with the 1976 classic "Network," as its theme. The winner of multiple Oscars, the film was nosed out for Best Picture by sentimental favorite, "Rocky."