News from December 2011
Third Circuit reverses tax court
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an appeal by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of a U.S. Tax Court holding that PPL Corporation, a Pennsylvania company, was entitled to a foreign tax credit for the 1997 tax year.
Guilty pleas reached in $10 million bank fraud
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has announced a guilty plea in a bank fraud and bank bribery scheme.
Mo. AG says auto dealer breaking the law
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster filed a lawsuit on Thursday against a St. Louis-based auto dealer and its operators for allegedly violating multiple laws.
Mass. AG files lawsuit, seeks cleanup of property
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a lawsuit on Thursday against an Osterville man and his businesses for allegedly failing to complete the assessment and cleanup of a contaminated property.
Coakley reaches $82K agreement
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced an $82,000 agreement on Thursday with a premium finance company that allegedly prematurely canceled auto insurance policies belonging to state small businesses and consumers.
GE Funding Capital Services agrees to $70 million fine
Madigan WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - GE Funding Capital Market Services Inc. has agreed to pay $70 million in restitution, penalties and disgorgement to federal and state agencies over its role in anticompetitive activity in the municipal bond investments market.
3M files amended complaint against Lanny Davis
Davis WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The ongoing litigation between 3M Company and former adviser to President Bill Clinton, political pundit and attorney Lanny Davis, continues.
EPA announces new clean air standards
Borelli WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The Environmental Protection Agency announced new mercury and air toxics standards -- the first national standards related to power plant emissions.
Ill. AG, feds reach $335M settlement with Countrywide
Madigan WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a $335 million joint settlement on Wednesday with Countrywide, a subsidiary of Bank of America, over allegations of discriminatory lending.
Group says Wis. justice violated state ethics code
Gableman MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - A Democratic coalition in Wisconsin has filed an ethics complaint against state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.
Coakley, credit insurer reach settlement
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced an agreement on Wednesday with a credit insurance company resolving allegations that the company charged excessive credit insurance rates.
Coakley settles with health care provider
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a settlement on Wednesday with a California-based health care provider and its affiliates for allegedly failing to pay vacation wages to employees who were separated or terminated from employment.
Former R.I. AG candidate files suit against state SC justice
Suttell PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - A Rhode Island lawyer who made an unsuccessful run for attorney general in 2010 is suing the state's Supreme Court chief justice and others in federal court for an "unfounded" investigation of his law practice.
NLRB adopts amendments to controversial ruling
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The National Labor Relations Board has announced that it has adopted a final rule amending its controversial new election case procedures.
Lawsuits on the long-term rise in California
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Civil filings in California superior courts totaled more than 1 million during fiscal year 2009-10, according to a new report by the state's Judicial Council.
N.Y. high court: Martin Act doesn't bar private investor suits
Graffeo ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - The New York Court of Appeals, in a ruling Tuesday, said a plaintiff's breach of fiduciary duty and gross negligence claims against an investment firm are not barred by the state's Martin Act.
Third Circuit reinstates $295 million DeBeers class action
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has reversed an earlier three-judge panel's decision, reinstating a $295 million settlement of a price-fixing class action against DeBeers diamond company.
La. SC reinstates $93 million award against insurer
BATON ROUGE, La. (Legal Newsline) - The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled Friday that state law does not require a showing of bad faith by an insurer, but simply requires proof of notice and inaction for more than 30 days.
Judgment against N.J. paving company includes $16.8M in penalties
Dow NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow announced a judgment on Tuesday against a South Jersey paving company and six individual defendants resolving allegations that they violated state laws and regulations.
Merck to pay Mass. Medicaid program $24 million
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said Tuesday the nation's second largest drug manufacturer has agreed to pay $24 million to the state's Medicaid program.