General Crab Update Click HERE to Bring Up Full Post

I am working on the police survival manual in the few next weeks in between diaper-changings, 3 am feedings and my day job.

As my wife and I get the opportunity to enjoy things in life in the near future, there will be more entries of the Mallet, Jimmies and Crabpot.

Thanks for dropping by the blog of a new lawyer Dada.

-- Bruce Godfrey

Diaper Dada Click HERE to Bring Up Full Post

It has been a long month, and I apologize to my friends who have been searching for crabbiness and have not found one here.

I have been hine-hine deep in diaper management. Two now in diapers, and the job is getting more stressful than ever. I have been playing some relatively high-stakes Circuit Court gamesmanship. While it has been good, professionally satisfying, and I have learned a lot, sort of like riding a bike well will teach you bike riding, my brain needs a break.

Noah and Sam are wonderful. Noah is looking more and more like a person, i.e. a unique person with a unique face. Sam is slowly learning more words. The psychologist says that Sam is autistic, although high-functioning. We are worried but we have the strength to handle whatever needs handling.

Sunday, my wife for those who don't know us personally, has been absolutely amazing through it all.

Anyway, enough personal chatter. If you came here, you came for some crabbiness and I will try to deliver.

-- Bruce Godfrey

"How to Survive the Police" - Coming Soon Click HERE to Bring Up Full Post

I will be publishing a manual on how to survive the police in the next several months.

It may sound funny or even offensive to suggest that one would need to learn how to "survive the police." In theory, the police help the entire community by fighting crime. Nonetheless, everyone should know that when the police have cuffs, dogs, back-up and loaded service weapons, and a pedestrian, motorist or other citizen does not, there is an imbalance of power in favor of the police in which bad communication can have very bad consequences. A motorist who is jittery or foolish stopped by a young officer having a very bad day can result in tragic results for all involved.

My hope is that the police survival manual will help reduce risk and bloodshed for both civilians and law enforcement by helping to make officer stops safer (to the extent that a manual can help such matters.) It might be an appropriate gift to give a teenage son (or daughter) upon giving him the car keys after a new driver's license, for example, or to a friend who is coming out of probation, or to a family member coming from another country, or for yourself if you would like to increase your odds at a traffic or motorist stop.

Excerpts of the manual will be posted here and the manual will be available for mail order purchase at a modest charge.

-- Bruce Godfrey

Crawling Out of the Crabpot Click HERE to Bring Up Full Post

For a while, I have attempted to put a barrier between myself and this blog, identifying myself only as "the Crab." While I am arguably crabby by personality, I do not see any reason to hide behind the name when I post here.

My reason for doing so was to protect my family's privacy and to avoid any potential compromise of any area of my professional practice; I did not want my web log and my law practice to meet in any unforeseen way. As I have recently learned, however, several old and new friends have put two and two together and figured out that Bruce Godfrey and Crablaw are one and the same - without me specifically identifying myself/the Crab with my legal name or even knowing that I have a website. That tells me that anyone who is not a friend already knows how to do so or would be able to do so. In addition, my ownership of the crablaw.com domain name is essentially in the public record as well. Accordingly, the kabuki theatre of hiding my name on my bylines ends now.

Hi, I'm Bruce Godfrey, a practicing attorney, diaper-changing Dada and crabby Marylander. Hope you enjoy my site.

Jimmies - Infantino SlingRider Click HERE to Bring Up Full Post

The Infantino SlingRider has been a wonderful way for us as parents of a newborn to keep our baby near us while we go. The sling fits comfortably around a neck and shoulder, keeping our little critter near us without interfering with my wife's surgical healing or my ability to operate a desktop computer. It is surprisingly comfortable and the baby loves being near warm Mama or Dada, snug, comfortable and safe in a velcro-fastened "harness." Very highly recommended as the first "Jimmies." While most "Jimmies" will be kids' toys and the like, this "Jimmies"-award winner makes both baby and parents more comfortable.