News from January 2007
Pharmaceutical company settles over Vermont disclosure law
MONTPELIER, Vt. - A pharmaceutical company will have to abide by a Vermont disclosure law after settling with Attorney General William Sorrell Monday.
Woman goes 0-for-2 with her lawsuits
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island's Supreme Court recently upheld a Superior Court decision that a Providence law firm wasn't to blame for a woman losing her medical malpractice case.
Two AGs among small group of unsettling parties sue FERC
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The attorneys general of Connecticut and Massachusetts have jointly filed suit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, hoping to end a surcharge that was imposed to encourage the construction of new power plants.
Conn. AG wants appeal answered
Sullivan HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is asking the state's Supreme Court to rule on his appeal of a lower court ruling that prevented former Chief Justice William Sullivan from having to obey a subpoena from the Legislature.
Cox intervening in Proposal 2 case
Cox LANSING, Mich. - Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox announced Thursday he will intervene on behalf of the plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit against the University of Michigan in an attempt to force the school to comply with a recently passed law.
Conn. AG seeks to dismiss claim for tax shield
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says that property taxes must be paid on slot machines leased by a non-Indian entity that are located on sovereign Indian property.
Southwest 'despicably focused' on punctuality, Flight 1248 suits claim
After the crash A Southwest Airlines flight that skidded off the runway at Chicago's Midway Airport on a snowy evening last winter continues to spawn litigation, with two more suits filed against the airline in November 2006.
Sibelius chooses "non-partisan" GOP judge for SC vacancy
Johnson TOPEKA -- Lee A. Johnson looks like the perfect candidate to heal the political and judicial rifts that have famously turned Kansas into one of the country's most polarized states.
Incoming AG Swanson faces calls to ditch Hatch
Hatch (left) and Swanson (center) ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota's incoming Democrat attorney general Lori Swanson has laid out her forthcoming legal agenda amidst growing calls for her to sideline unpopular former Attorney General Mike Hatch.
Mass. Supreme Court overturns dismissal in doctor's malicious prosecution case
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - In an order issued the day after Christmas, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overturned the dismissal of a malicious prosecution claim brought by a neurologist against an insurance company.
Insurance company permanently changes practices after settlement
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced Tuesday that St. Paul Travelers Companies voluntarily has agreed to permanently stop paying contingent commissions to brokers and agents for certain types of insurance.
Employers can reduce coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees: Iowa SC
Iowa Supreme Court DES MOINES -- An Iowa employer is not obliged to continue as primary health care provider for a retired employee if that employee can be covered by Medicare, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled today.
Injunction issued in campaign finance reform case against Conn. AG
Blumenthal BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - A federal judge in Connecticut granted Wednesday a preliminary injunction that will keep the names of the children of campaign contributors from being posted, which previously was required by a 2005 campaign finance reform act.
Taylor re-elected Michigan's Chief Justice
Taylor LANSING, Mich. -- A vote by his fellow justices Thursday kept Clifford Taylor the Chief Justice of Michigan's Supreme Court.
Madigan faces likely legal challenges on judges' residency rules
Lisa Madigan SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- The home addresses of some Illinois judges are likely to become a major issue in 2007 thanks to a recent opinion delivered by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Nixon's governor run flushes out Democrat AG hopeful
Jeff Harris COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Attorney General Jay Nixon's first-out-of-the-gate run for the Missouri governor's mansion has also kicked off another race -- for Nixon's current job.
Tennessee Supreme Court puts halt on selection process
Bredesen NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee's Supreme Court decided Wednesday to hear the complaints of two white applicants for the vacant Supreme Court Justice position who claim they were discriminated against by Gov. Phil Bredesen.
Gansler announces assault on polluters
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland's new Attorney General Douglas Gansler recently assured residents that he will make good on the campaign promises that won his election.
Private business not subject to Ohio's open records statute
Pfeifer COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Supreme Court of Ohio recently held that a private, non-profit corporation that was contracted by a county mental health board was not subject to the state's policy of mandatory disclosure of its records.
Enigmatic Brown poses risk for business, observers say
Jerry Brown SACRAMENTO -- Incoming California Attorney General Jerry Brown will most likely, it seems, be Jerry Brown. And that's likely to be bad news for California business.