News from December 2008
Hood's attorneys giving water suit another try
Barrett NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Outside counsel hired by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood are trying to breathe new life into a dispute with the City of Memphis over allegedly stolen groundwater.
Justices to decide whether to hear Obama citizenship challenge
Barack Obama (D) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The U.S. Supreme Court will decide Friday whether to hear a lawsuit by challenging President-elect Barack Obama's qualifications to be president.
Canadian telemarketer agrees to fine, discontinue U.S. calls
William Sorrell (D) MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) -- Canadian telemarketer Wolfgang Loss-Wells has agreed to a lifetime ban on telemarketing in the United States and to pay $20,000 in penalties.
Arkansas justices hear challenge to no-bid state contracts
Arkansas Supreme Court justices LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - The Arkansas Supreme Court heard a case Thursday challenging a state law that allows no-bid contracts for buildings worth more than $5 million, excluding the cost of land.
Ethics commission hears complaint against Texas SC justice
Nathan Hecht (R) AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - The Texas Ethics Commission today is considering a complaint filed last year against state Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht.
Montana justices reject newspaper's request for lawyer disciplinary records
Montana Supreme Court justices
BILLINGS, Mont. (Legal Newsline) - The Montana Supreme Court has declined to hear a newspaper's challenge to a court rule that keeps some lawyer disciplinary records confidential.
Florida AG mulls U.S. Senate run
Bill McCollum (R) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) -- The announcement by Florida's junior U.S. senator, Mel Martinez, that he will not seek a second term has opened up the race for both major political parties.
Kansas AG asks judge to toss utility's lawsuit
Steve Six (D) TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline)- Kansas Attorney General Steve Six is asking a federal judge to dismiss Sunflower Electric Power Corp.'s lawsuit against the state for denying its request to build two power plants.
Blumenthal files suit against wood pellet company
Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is suing Enfield-based New England Pellet, LLC for failure to deliver thousands of tons of wood pellets to customers.
Hood, waiting on documents, files suit against Entergy
Hood JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has taken the next step in his increasingly contentious fight with power provider Entergy over alleged misconduct and a records request.
U.S. Supreme Court hears Oregon cigarette case, again
U.S. Supreme Court building WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday heard for the third time arguments over a $79.5 million punitive damages award against tobacco company Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA unit.
Proposed Conn. natural gas pipeline stopped by Supreme Court
Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) -- A proposed natural gas pipeline in Connecticut has been stopped by the U.S. Supreme Court, upholding Connecticut's denial of a key environmental permit, ending an almost decade long fight to stop the pipeline's construction.
Maine Democrats choose new AG
Mills with her catch at the House/Senate Fishing Derby AUGUSTA, Maine (Legal Newsline) - Maine lawmakers have nominated Janet Mills to become the first female attorney general in the state's history.
Legal group says Clinton can't be secretary of state
Hillary Clinton (D) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton is constitutionally ineligible to serve as secretary of state, a legal watchdog group said Tuesday.
Report: Loser-pay rule would curb frivolous lawsuits
Marie Gryphon NEW YORK (Legal Newsline)-Forcing losers in lawsuits to pay the winner would help stem the tide of frivolous lawsuits flooding many U.S. jurisdictions, a report released Tuesday said.
W.Va. SC rejects illiterate's educational malpractice suit
Maynard CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - The West Virginia Supreme Court has refused the argument of a man who says the public school system didn't adequately prepare him to become a functioning member of society.
Brown challenges feds, state Capitol on global warming
Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California Attorney General Jerry Brown has stepped up his attacks on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its years of "shameful inaction" on global warming.
Suit over Nigerian incident fails in U.S. court
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Chevron Corp. is not liable for the deaths of two Nigerians and injuries of several others who protested the company's alleged pollution, a jury unanimously decided Monday.
Gants chosen to join Mass. SC
Gants BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Former U.S. Attorney and Superior Court Judge Ralph Gants was appointed as Massachusetts' newest Supreme Court justice Monday by Gov. Deval Patrick.
Hood gets support in Entergy records dispute
Hood JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The state Public Service Commission is backing up Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood in his request for documents from power provider Entergy.