Clear Eyed Media

08/20/2025

A $100 million verdict almost didn’t happen because a temp worker had co***ne in his system.

Keeping that fact out of the trial was key to a historic outcome in a case that left a man paralyzed.

That was just one twist in the story of the largest bodily injury verdict in Connecticut history.

There was also an alleged corporate cover-up undone by what was found in a trash can, and a visual tool that proved critical to winning the case.

In this episode of Make Your Case, I spoke with Andrew Garza, Alexa Mahony, and Andrew Ranks about the strategy, the turning points, and the lessons for trial lawyers.

🎧 Full episode link in the comments.

07/24/2025

"I cry every night."

Words that haunt me as a legal storyteller from a case that shows, in a raw and harrowing way, the kind of work I do.

It’s what a mother told me when I reported this story about her daughter dying in jail, and the $650,000 wrongful death settlement that followed.

I produced this TV report as a journalist in one day in 2017. Today, I create settlement documentaries, which are often longer, that help attorneys present the full human impact of a case.

The report has:
✔️ A clear timeline
✔️ Real people telling their own story
✔️ Documented facts that are impossible to ignore

I can’t share examples of my work for Clear Eyed Media. They’re used in private mediation. But I can share this.

If you’re a trial lawyer and want to talk about using video in your next case, which can boost leverage and settlements, feel free to reach out.

07/18/2025

Biting, hitting, and even sexual misconduct didn’t get teachers fired in the Sunshine State. But using a student’s preferred name did.

That’s not hyperbole. It’s what I found in disciplinary records across Florida.

Teachers who struck students, made graphic sexual comments, took nonconsensual photos, or failed to report abuse? They kept teaching, some for years.

But Melissa Calhoun, a high school teacher who used a student’s preferred name without written parental consent?

She lost her job. Her teaching license is now under review.

This wasn’t an outlier. It’s a pattern.

I combed through state documents, misconduct complaints, and official reprimands to tell the full story. And what emerged was a troubling picture of misplaced enforcement priorities.

I do this work because I’ll always be passionate about investigative journalism. It drives me, and it’s why I’m effective at helping lawyers build leverage and boost settlements. When you show institutions what you’ve found and what you can prove on camera, things change.

Read the full investigation here:
https://discrepancyreport.com/florida-teacher-fired-for-name-use-others-kept-jobs-after-abuse/?zp_reload=a2116dad-d573-46f9-8a3a-323b0753a782

If your case needs a storyteller who can dig, verify, and make the facts hit harder, reach out. I make legal videos your opponents don't want anyone to see.

Biting, hitting, and even sexual misconduct didn't get teachers fired in the Sunshine State. But using a student's preferred name did.

07/18/2025

Remembering a genuinely messed-up discovery I made this Throwback Thursday:

In Oregon, there is no agency that holds police accountable when they violate body-worn camera laws.

That’s not a gap. That’s by design.

I broke this story after uncovering what happened during a late-night traffic stop involving an off-duty deputy.

He admitted to drinking, vomited, fell, and blacked out, yet was never given a blood alcohol test, not arrested, and not charged.

Two officers gave him fist bumps. Another drove his car to a gas station. Then they drove him home, along with his gun and backpack.

The police department fought hard to keep the footage hidden. I fought back, and won. They released one video, but they’re still demanding nearly $1,700 for two more.

I made a short video to show what actually happened, and how Oregon’s lack of oversight helped make it possible.

Watch the footage. Read the full investigation:

👉 https://discrepancyreport.com/body-cam-video-shows-police-release-off-duty-deputy-after-he-vomits-falls-blacks-out-and-admits-to-drinking-during-traffic-stop/

If your legal team or newsroom needs help telling hard stories that get results, I’m Joe Douglass, founder of Clear Eyed Media.

Let’s talk.

The deputy was not given a blood alcohol content (BAC) test during the incident in Newberg, Oregon. The police department released the footage of the first responding officer after the district attorney’s office ordered the agency to honor a public records request. Police charged Discrepancy Repor...

07/02/2025

“Their best offer was $30.”

That’s how Oregon trial lawyer Michael Fuller opens the story of a 'catnapping' case that sat dormant for four years, until it finally went before a jury.

What followed?

A surprise witness.
An emotional backstory.
And a verdict almost no one saw coming.

Fuller joined me on Clear Eyed Media's Make Your Case podcast to talk strategy, delay tactics, and how storytelling helped shift the balance in a case most firms would’ve walked away from.

Clip below. Full episode in the comments.

06/14/2025

Why do so many people record family events, only to never watch the footage again?

As a longtime TV journalist (three Emmy nominations and a couple of decades in newsrooms), I’ve seen this over and over: people take hours of video at graduations, youth sports games, and award ceremonies… and then those videos collect digital dust.

Why? Because they’re recording the wrong things.

It’s not your fault. Most people hit record and try to capture the entire event, from start to finish. But that’s a recipe for a giant, boring file no one has time to watch.

Here’s a better approach, one that we used in newsrooms for years:

Get the highlights.

You don’t need to film the entire soccer game or every name being called at graduation. Get the big moments—the walk across the stage, the goal (yes, this can take time), the hug afterward.

Then capture the heart.

Pull the kid aside. Hit record. And ask a few simple questions:

What is this event, and what does it mean to you?
What was your favorite part?
Least favorite part?
Did anything funny happen?
What did you learn today?

Let them answer in their own words. Don’t rush. Don’t coach. Just be quiet and listen. Awkward silences are your friend! Let the subject (your kid) fill them.

That’s the stuff people remember.

Later, you can overlay those candid, adorable answers with your best shots of the event. Suddenly, you’ve got something people actually want to watch again, because it tells a story. A real one.

And that’s exactly what I do at Clear Eyed Media.

In the legal world, I use this approach (and others) to help lawyers build compelling settlement videos that combine key evidence with real human storytelling. So the other side feels what happened, not just sees it.

In personal projects, I help families turn birthdays, anniversaries, and life milestones into emotional, unforgettable tribute videos—using cell phone footage, old home videos, and heartfelt interviews.

Whether it’s for a case or a celebration, I believe great video doesn’t come from capturing everything. It comes from capturing what matters.

Want to create something that actually gets watched—and remembered?
Let’s talk.

06/13/2025

Trial lawyers, want to position your case for a strong resolution without overwhelming your team?

Want a powerful settlement video without the production headaches?

Want to show the full story—body cam, depo clips, photos, documents—
without losing focus or impact?

Clear Eyed Media helps attorneys build compelling, evidence-driven settlement videos that get noticed by mediators, adjusters, and defense counsel.

Without high-maintenance back-and-forth.

Without inflated pricing.

Without losing control of your case narrative.

Just a thoughtful, thorough process—and a final product that weaves everything together: depo footage, visuals, narration, and supporting evidence.

The result?
A seamless story that puts pressure on the other side, without ever feeling like an overwhelming production.

Let’s build something that moves your case forward. Without the usual friction.

06/03/2025

The son of a judge calls the justice system a “giant machine” that sometimes locks up innocent people.

Kurt London used to fight wrongful convictions. Now he fights insurance companies that treat injured clients the same way, as if they're just cases to process, not people.

He’s one of four attorneys featured in the launch of Make Your Case, Clear Eyed Media’s new podcast.

You’ll also meet a personal injury lawyer who found purpose after getting yelled at...
A former prosecutor turned defense attorney who "did every single wrong" but still won...
And a litigator who used science, skepticism, and a VHS tape to win a $36.5 million verdict.

Watch the clip. Then check out his full episode, and the others, here: https://www.cleareyedmedia.com/post/from-wrongful-convictions-to-personal-injury-lawyer-wins-how-attorney-kurt-london-wins-big

05/26/2025

Memorial Day reminds me why I am driven to pursue justice as a journalist and legal video producer.

In 2004, my father, George “Corky” Douglass, died at 57 of cancer, most likely caused by his exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.

He was a wonderful, funny, warm, and caring dad who imbued confidence, love, and discipline in his children. And he nurtured many other people as a manager, union shop steward, and coach.

When he passed away, I was starting my career as a TV news writer and producer in Los Angeles. I’d go on to work for 16+ years in the field, earning three Emmy nominations for my producing and investigative reporting achievements.

I helped many people along the way, some of whom have written recommendations for me on my LinkedIn page and in five-star reviews of my business, Clear Eyed Media. You can see examples of my work on its website.

Through that business, I help attorneys achieve justice for their clients nationwide. I also make settlement documentaries, day-in-the-life videos, wrongful death videos, and more.

My competition includes videographers who know how to make professional-looking material. I do that, too. But unlike them, I have a proven track record of successfully using stories to achieve substantial legal results.

I’m driven to achieve justice in every case, as I was when I reported stories that resulted in multimillion-dollar lawsuits and settlements and helped write the final appeal that got the VA to acknowledge the reason for my father’s death.

I’m a collaborative partner who listens and will do whatever you need to achieve the best outcome for your clients.

Reach out today to get started.

05/23/2025

If you're a lawyer looking for new clients, call your local TV station and pitch yourself as an expert.

You’ll likely get tons of free publicity, depending on your area of expertise.

Personal injury lawyers can offer great tips on how to avoid liability and keep everyone safe when hosting Memorial Day barbecues, pool parties, road trips, Independence Day gatherings, you name it. They can also offer tips on how to avoid liability for small businesses.

You probably have all kinds of war stories you can keep anonymous but still share.

This can work for tax lawyers or CPAs as well during tax season.

Constitutional and immigration law experts are in high demand by media outlets right now, as well as folks well-versed in Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security.

Stations always need new content, and having a credible, well-regarded expert they can talk with about current issues is extremely valuable.

If you want to do this, figure out when you're available and make those times clear. Set up a solid remote/Zoom call station with a light source (often a window works great) in FRONT of you with a professional but real-looking background.

Talk like you're having a conversation with a friend who's not a lawyer, one who's busy and only has a couple of minutes to listen.

This can really work and get your name out there, not just on TV but in the many web articles and social media posts that stations produce.

DM me if you have questions or would like some more help.

03/28/2025

A man wrongly imprisoned in Mexico. A family fighting for his freedom. And a story that helped bring him home.

In Portland, I covered the case of Troy Bachmann for KATU. His brother later told me the coverage was “instrumental." It caught the attention of U.S. senators and led to Troy’s release.

These days, I use that same approach to help attorneys through Clear Eyed Media, crafting legal videos that build a compelling case. Most of my work can’t be shared publicly because it’s used in private mediation, but the goal is always the same: to tell stories that move people to act.

If you're building a case that deserves more than just facts on paper, let's talk.

03/13/2025

Jurors are skeptical. Really skeptical. And a recent Gallup poll shows that only 16% of Americans trust lawyers. So, how do you win them over? The answer might come from an unexpected place. See how journalists’ trust-building tactics can help in the courtroom. My article is the lead story right now on Attorney at Work.