It`s OK to Hug Your Lawyer
\nBy Hal Haralson<\/p>\n
Hal Haralson is a churchman, a family man, a lawyer, and a full-time human being. He is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the University of Texas Law School. He is active on numerous boards and in a variety of worthy causes. His law practice and his unique Christian ministry are based in Austin. Hal Haralson seems like kin-folks.<\/p>\n
The lady whose name had appeared on my appointment schedule stood as I entered the waiting room.<\/p>\n
She appeared to be about thirty-five, was well-dressed, and from the look on her face, was very distressed.<\/p>\n
That`s a familiar look on the faces of people who need to see a lawyer.<\/p>\n
"I`m Hal Haralson," I said. She offered her hand and replied, "My name is Mary Adams" (not her real name).<\/p>\n
We walked down the hall to my office and I invited her to sit down.<\/p>\n
"You were recommended to me by another lawyer." She told me his name. It was not a name I recognized.<\/p>\n
"What can I do for you?," I asked.<\/p>\n
She held out a sheet of paper for me to read. It was notice of arraignment proceedings in two weeks in Odessa, Texas. She was charged with resisting arrest.<\/p>\n
"Why don`t you tell me what happened?", I asked.<\/p>\n
"My husband and I divorced about nine years ago and I got custody of our son, who is now eleven.<\/p>\n
"My ex-husband is a Baptist minister. He remarried and is pastor of a church near Waco. I have stayed active in the church and that remains an important part of our lives.<\/p>\n
"I got a job with the Austin Police Department and remained with them for seven years. I had a very good employment record.<\/p>\n
"An offer came from the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency. It was a substantial increase in salary and offered more opportunity for advancement.<\/p>\n
"I took the job and was assigned to the Odessa, Texas office. Things went well for about three years. I liked my work and was good at it.<\/p>\n
"Then I began acting strangely. I couldn`t sleep. I was very discouraged and everything seemed to be bad.<\/p>\n
"Then that changed and I felt invincible. I spent money on things I didn`t need. I ran up excessive charge accounts.<\/p>\n
"I`m normally a very conservative person.<\/p>\n
"My work began to suffer and I was asked by my supervisor to see a psychiatrist.<\/p>\n
`After extensive testing and interviews, I was diagnosed to be a manic depressive.<\/p>\n
"Over the next two months, I was committed to a private mental hospital on two occasions. Those were voluntary commitments. I cooperated because I was afraid I would lose my job.<\/p>\n
"I got out and things were better. Then I began to feel very agitated and there were signs that the problem was coming back. I was really scared.<\/p>\n
"One Saturday morning I was watching cartoons with my son when the doorbell rang. I opened the door and stood face to face with two uniformed police officers. `We have a warrant to pick you up and take you to the State hospital,` the police said.<\/p>\n
"I knew my rights and asked to see the warrant. They pushed the door open and asked me to come with them. I was afraid that if I was committed to the State hospital I might never get out.<\/p>\n
"I`m not going unless I see the warrant," I said, and began to back away from them.<\/p>\n
"They grabbed me, put hand cuffs on me, and dragged kicking and screaming across the yard to their car.<\/p>\n
"After spending the night in the State hospital, I was released the next day because my doctor said I did not need to be there.<\/p>\n
"I was given notice of termination by the DEA. My son aniI I moved to Austin where I`ve been living with my mother. I`ve been in counseling and am working with the Texas Rehabilitation Commission for retraining.<\/p>\n
"We`ve been in Austin about three months. I`ve about used up my termination pay and my savings but things were going pretty well. They told me at the Texas Rehabilitation Commission that with my college degree I stood a good chance of finding employment in another line of work."<\/p>\n
"Where did you go to college?," I asked.<\/p>\n
"A small West Texas college you probably never heard of," she said.<\/p>\n
"Try me," I replied.<\/p>\n
"It`s called Wayland Baptist University. It`s in Plainview, Texas."<\/p>\n
"Are you feeling better now?"<\/p>\n
"Yes, my doctor put me on lithium and it has really made a difference."<\/p>\n
"I was beginning to feel like myself again and then this came," she said nodding at the arraignment notice.<\/p>\n
She began to cry.<\/p>\n
"I`ve tried to be brave, and I`ve prayed and prayed. Sometimes, I feel if I could have some answer from God to assure me He knows how afraid I am and how painful this is, that would really help.<\/p>\n
"I`m afraid they will put me in jail at that hearing. I have no money to post bond. I have only $300.00 and you can have it all. Can you help me?"<\/p>\n
"Mary, do I understand that you know nothing about me. You don`t know my background?"<\/p>\n
"No, that lawyer just said I needed to see you.<\/p>\n
"Mary, I think I can give you an answer to your question about whether God knows what`s happening and cares about your pain."<\/p>\n
"What are the odds that you would see an attorney, about whom you knew nothing, and find out that he was a Baptist preacher for ten years before he went to law school?;<\/p>\n
"That he grew up in West Texas and graduated from the only other Baptist college in that area, Hardin-Simmons University?;<\/p>\n
"That he spent two years in the Army as a military policeman?;<\/p>\n
"That at age 27 he attempted suicide and spent three months in the San Antonio State hospital?; and "That he was diagnosed a manic depressive thirty years ago and for the past twenty one years he has been on lithium?<\/p>\n
"I think I hear God saying, `Mary, I haven`t forgotten you. I`ve been here all along."`<\/p>\n
She was overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
"Keep your $300.00," I said. "I`ll go to Odessa with you for the hearing."<\/p>\n
Mary left and I picked up the phone and called the District Attorney`s office in Odessa. After a ten minute conversation with a young lady who was the Assistant District Attorney in charge of Mary`s case, she said, "I see no useful purpose in pursuing this any further. You need not come to Odessa. I`ll dismiss the case.<\/p>\n
My secretary called Mary and asked her to come in the next morning. I told her that her case was dismissed and after she gained her composure, she stuck out her hand and asked, "How can I ever thank you?" Instead of shaking her hand, I said, "It`s OK to hug your lawyer." She did.<\/p>\n
There are times when the sum total of God`s dealing with us allows us to be his message. "I`ve been here all along."<\/p>\n
This was one of those times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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