News from August 2012
Lawmakers approve first phase of Nev. AG's plan
Masto CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline) - Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's plan to use $11.7 million in funds from a nationwide mortgage settlement was passed by state lawmakers last week.
W.Va. SC candidate responds to motion in financing case
Loughry CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Supreme Court candidate Allen Loughry argues in a federal court filing that Charleston attorney Michael Callaghan's recent motion to expedite is "replete with inaccurate and unsupported" facts and the result of his own "dawdling."
Ind. AG sues former superintendent
Zoeller TELL CITY, Ind. (Legal Newsline) - Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller filed a lawsuit on Friday against a former Cannelton school superintendent who allegedly misspent more than $615,000 in public school funds.
Mass. AG says charity violated law
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a court order on Friday requiring a veterans charity and its professional fundraiser to stop allegedly deceptive money-raising practices.
Koster settles with Calif. company
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced a settlement on Friday with a California-based company and its owner for allegedly failing to abide by state telemarketing laws.
Sixth Circuit upholds NLRB ruling
CINCINNATI (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on Thursday upheld a 2010 National Labor Relations Board ruling.
Boston Water and Sewer paying civil penalty
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - For the second time in as many days, a Boston institution has been penalized for water pollution.
Del. judge allows shareholder suit against Oracle to continue
Strine WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) - A Delaware Chancery Court judge ruled Wednesday that the shareholder lawsuit filed last year against Oracle and the CEO Larry Ellison can move forward.
Report: S.C. AG reaches $26M settlement with AstraZeneca
Wilson COLUMBIA, S.C. (Legal Newsline) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson's office has reportedly reached a $26 million settlement with pharmaceutical maker AstraZeneca over allegations that the company violated the state's Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Eleventh Circuit rules for Wal-Mart in personal injury suit
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court this week upheld a ruling in favor of retail giant Wal-Mart in a personal injury lawsuit.
Madigan alleges fraud on part of Autism charity
Madigan SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit on Thursday against a woman who allegedly cheated families out of thousands of dollars in payments for service dogs to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Coakley sends letter to Fannie, Freddie
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley sent a letter on Thursday to government-sponsored mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stating that they must offer commercially reasonable loan modifications.
D.C. Circuit rules against graphic tobacco labels
Leon WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court has ruled cigarette companies do not have to display graphic images of diseased lungs and a cadaver with chest staples on their packaging.
McKenna says scammers claming to work for state
McKenna OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna issued a consumer alert on Thursday warning consumers about phone solicitors trying to sell reverse mortgages while falsely claiming to work for the state.
Miss. SC declines to answer noneconomic damages question
Randolph JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Mississippi Supreme Court declined Thursday to answer a question, certified to it by a federal appeals court, over whether the state's limit on noneconomic damages is constitutional.
Harris: $323M SCAN settlement record recovery for Calif. program
Harris SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris said Thursday her office has reached a $323.67 million settlement with a Los Angeles-based health maintenance organization over excess Medi-Cal and Medicare payments.
Mo. SC allows debtors to plead the Fifth
Stith JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - The Missouri Supreme Court said in a ruling last month that a trial court was wrong in forcing two debtors to reveal their assets.
New poll: Vermont AG Sorrell leading Democratic opponent
CASTLETON, Vt. (Legal Newsline) - Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell is leading his Democratic opponent, T.J. Donovan, according to poll results released this week.
Payday lender must cancel loans made to Ark. residents
McDaniel LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced a settlement on Tuesday against the operator of multiple payday lending websites to prevent the offering of illegal payday loans to consumers in the state.
Schneiderman places order on head shop
Schneiderman WATERTOWN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a consent order and judgment on Wednesday demanding that a Watertown head shop permanently remove mislabeled or unlabeled products from the store's shelves.