Episode 29 - Psychology of Control

Episode 33: Gold Fever: The Legend of Victorio Peak - Part 3

In Part 3 of the Victorio Peak series, Dr. Josh Carpenter examines the leading theories behind the alleged treasure hidden beneath the mountain, including Spanish missionary gold, Apache war caches, outlaw loot, Confederate treasure, and even claims involving ancient pre-Columbian civilizations. Drawing on historical records, archaeology, and regional history, he separates documented facts from folklore while exploring whether any of these theories can realistically explain the enormous wealth reportedly discovered by Doc Noss. The episode also explores the psychology behind enduring treasure legends and conspiracy theories, examining why stories like Victorio Peak continue to capture public imagination decades later. Through discussions of confirmation bias, government secrecy, credibility, and competing narratives, Dr. Carpenter connects the mystery of Victorio Peak to broader legal questions about evidence, truth, and how courts evaluate extraordinary claims.

Episode 32 - The Craziest Things Said to Attorneys

In this lighter but honest episode of the Associates Did It Podcast, Dr. Josh Carpenter, Todd Cohen, Jason Naumann, and LaKeisha Sanders pull back the curtain on the strange, funny, frustrating, and real things lawyers hear from clients, witnesses, and parties in litigation. From "my cousin told me" legal advice to social media disasters, ChatGPT legal hallucinations, family law chaos, courtroom meltdowns, revenge litigation, self-representation nightmares, and clients who believe deleting evidence solves everything. The team shares true stories from years of practice across family, criminal, business, and civil litigation.

Episode 31 - Gold Fever: The Legend of Victorio Peak - Part 2

In Part 2 of this series, Dr. Josh Carpenter explores the history and mystery surrounding Victorio Peak, the remote New Mexico mountain tied to one of America’s most famous lost treasure legends. The episode examines the life of Apache leader Victorio, the role the peak played during the Apache Wars, and how the area later became linked to stories of hidden gold, underground caverns, and secret tunnels beneath the San Andres Mountains. Dr. Carpenter also dives into one of the leading theories behind the alleged treasure — the lost wealth of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico. Separating documented history from folklore, the episode explores missing treasury records, treasure caravan legends, and the enormous logistical questions surrounding whether such a treasure could ever have been hidden at Victorio Peak at all. The episode concludes by setting up the legal battles to come, raising questions about who would actually own the treasure if it exists: the discoverers, the federal government, the State of New Mexico, or even Apache descendants connected to the mountain’s history.

Episode 30: Gold Fever: The Legend of Victorio Peak - Part 1

In this episode, Dr. Josh Carpenter dives into the strange and legally tangled legend of Milton Ernest “Doc” Noss and the alleged treasure hidden inside Victorio Peak. The episode explores how Noss evolved from a lightly educated Oklahoma-born “foot doctor” into a secretive treasure hunter obsessed with recovering what he believed was an enormous cache of gold, artifacts, and historical riches hidden beneath the mountain. Carpenter carefully separates documented facts from folklore, examining conflicting timelines, missing records, hidden gold bars, lawsuits, suspicious partnerships, and the violent dispute that ended Noss’s life in 1949. The episode also sets the stage for future installments by teasing the story’s connections to government secrecy, the military takeover of the site, Watergate, the Kennedy assassination, and decades of legal battles over whether the treasure was ever real at all.

Episode 29 - Psychology of Control

What really drives lawsuits and human behavior? In this episode, Dr. Josh Carpenter pulls back the curtain on the legal system and reveals a powerful truth: it’s not about justice as much as it is about control. From high-stakes courtroom battles to everyday relationships, the same psychological forces are at play, our need to control outcomes, avoid chaos, and make sense of an unpredictable world. Through real-world insights and thought-provoking stories, this episode explores how power, fear, and identity shape the way people fight, negotiate, and sometimes self-destruct. Why do some people push forward while others shut down? Why do conflicts escalate instead of resolve? And how can understanding these patterns give you an edge, both in court and in life? If you’ve ever wondered what’s really going on beneath the surface of legal disputes, or your own decisions, this episode will change the way you see it.