Reading .ptx transcript files on your Mac (How-to)

UDPATE 5/15/15: I wrote an updated post about the .ptx viewer installation process here.

Many colleagues know I have an IT background, so I field lots of Mac-In-Law-Office (MILO) questions. I got a question today and I thought I knew the answer about PTX transcript files. Alas, I learned that Clarity Legal's online .ptx conversion tool has been shuttered.

I've been able to use the emulation program Wine to run the Windows PTX viewer from the Mac. This is a how-to guide for installing the programs necessary to run the E-Transcript Viewer. It's a little bit involved, and requires some use of the command line.

First, install XCode from the App Store. If you are running OS X 10.9 (Mavericks), open a Terminal windows (/Applications/Terminal) and run the following command:

xcode-select --install

Run the following command to agree to the XCode license:

sudo xcodebuild -license

(You'll need to be an administrator of the computer and enter your password for the sudo command). If you're running an earlier version of OS X, open the XCode application, find the "Downloads" pane, and download and install the Command Line Tools from that pane.

Next, you'll need the Macports package installation manager, available here. Choose the version that corresponds to your operating system, and install the package. When it's finished, run the following command to update Macports to the latest release:

sudo port -v selfupdate

Next, we'll use Macports to install Wine, along with a couple of packages needed to compile Wine:

sudo port install apple-gcc42 git-core wine-devel

This will likely take a while. Take an opportunity to quench the thirst all this talk about wine and port created.

The next step is to install the transcript viewer, available here. Download the file, then type the following commands into your Terminal:

cd ~/Downloads
wine E-Transcript_Bundle_Viewer-6.1.1.exe

Of course, use the version number of the file you downloaded on the last command. This will open an E-Tran installation window. Wine may need to install a few packages to make this all work; just follow the prompts to install them if so. Check the default values for installation of the E-Tran viewer, and complete the installation.

Finally, we'll need to create a shortcut to the installed E-Tran application, which is hidden. Open the TextEdit application, and click New Document. Copy and paste the following lines into the document:

#!/bin/sh
wine "/Users/nathan/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/RealLegal/E-Bundle Viewer/EBundleViewer.exe"

Click Format > Make Plain Text. Save the file in the Applications Folder as "E-Transcript Viewer.command". Finally, go back to the Terminal window and enter the following commands so that the script we just created can be executed:

cd /Applications
chmod +x E-Transcript\ Viewer.command

Now, you should be able to double-click the 'E-Transcript Viewer.command' file in the Applications folder any time you need to open a .ptx file. Here's the result:

Goodwill is a business asset

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (paywall ahead) on a recent Arkansas Supreme Court case involving a well-known Little Rock restaurant and its divorcing owners. The Court held that the corporate entity owned the "goodwill" of A Brave New Restaurant separate and apart from the chef's reputation. Because the two spouses owned the corporation, they had to divide the business equally, including the goodwill, to the tune of $420,000 each.

Goodwill is a common concept in trademark law. The term literally means the reputation of a business, although it can include products as well. Typically, the value of goodwill is the theoretical price someone would pay for a business over and above the tangible assets of the business, like land, buildings, fixtures, and accounts receivable.

For products, goodwill is a similar concept. It means consumer recognition of a particular name, logo, or sound. Companies like Apple create an association in the mind of consumers between an apple missing a bite and computers. This happens through extensive marketing and sales of a product. The resulting association in the mind of consumers is known as goodwill. 

Goodwill is important for businesses. It is a source of new customers through word of mouth. It also means existing or former customers are more likely to return to a particular business for their next purchase. And, when it comes time to sell a business (or take it through a stock IPO), goodwill plays a significant role in the purchase price. 

At the Chaney Law Firm, we have experience protecting and valuing goodwill and other intangible assets as part of an overall business strategy. We design employment agreements for our clients so that there is no dispute over who owns goodwill and other intellectual property of a business.

We'd be happy to help you with your business. Thanks for reading.

The importance of the civil justice system

In a recent episode, CNN's Michael Smerconish discusses the importance of the civil justice system. He observes that sometimes government oversight doesn't work correctly, or even at all. In those situations, our civil justice system is what keeps our communities safe. That is, civil lawyers identify problems with products, then file lawsuits bringing those problems to light and forcing companies to correct them.

See for yourself — watch Smerconish talk about the GM ignition switch scandal below:

Attorney General appeals ruling on stricken 2013 petition law

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has appealed the ruling by Circuit Judge Mary Spencer McGowan striking portions of Act 1413 of 2013. As I reported here, Judge McGowan ruled that the Act was an unconstitutional infringement on the right of the people to petition. The appeal will likely be expedited, as the appeal transcript has already been picked up. 

This appeal will affect, for better or worse, the very first right guaranteed by the Arkansas Constitution — to petition the government for changes in laws. I've helped several counties through the local option initiative process, and the counties currently running these types of elections are watching closely. 

Judge invalidates 2013 changes to petition laws

Yesterday, a Circuit Judge in Pulaski County invalidated changes made in Act 1413 of 2013 to the Arkansas laws about petition drives. As I reported here when the lawsuit was filed, two individuals representing groups filing petitions in 2012 challenged the law as unconstitutional and unclear. Circuit Judge Mary Spencer McGowan agreed, stating:

The effect of the new provisions, especially the sections which fail to define the use of the words, disability, anything of value, material defect, etc., will mean that the citizens of the State of Arkansas will lose their ability to propose legislative measures and laws directly to the people.

While the goals of stamping out fraud, forgery and false statements are laudatory, and appear to have been met in 2012 by the Secretary of State, the effects of Act 1413 are crushing to the citizens who wish to bring their issues directly to the people. The effects of Act 1413 seem to impact the citizens rather than the special interests who always seem to have the money to further their goals.

Judge McGowan went on to enjoin the Secretary of State from enforcing certain sections of Act 1413 applicable to statewide petition drives. This is good news for Arkansans, as it preserves the right to freely petition the government. However, the Attorney General and Secretary of State have said they will appeal Judge McGowan's ruling. Most appeals take at least several months.

A hurdle remains, however, for citizens working on local option elections. A separate act, Act 1432 of 2013, passed laws creating the exact same burdens on local option elections as Act 1413 did for statewide initiatives. This initiative has yet to be challenged in Court. Whether the Arkansas Supreme Court sides with Judge McGowan will likely determine the outcome for Act 1432 as well. Those interested in local option elections will be watching.