News from June 2008
Orange County judge ousted
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-A Southern California judge was removed from the bench this week for filing a fraudulent expense report for a 2006 judicial conference and then lying about her attendance.
Florida SC justice to make history today
Peggy Quince TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Supreme Court Associate Justice Peggy Quince today becomes the first black woman to lead the state's court system as the high court's chief justice.
Full five for emotional, regretful Scruggs
Dickie Scruggs OXFORD, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - With his attorney's supportive arm around him and a federal prosecutor offering a chair, famed plaintiffs lawyer Richard "Dickie" Scruggs' knees buckled a bit Friday as a federal judge prepared to hand down his prison sentence.
Nickles nominated as DC attorney general
Peter Nickles WASHINGTON (Legal Newline)-Peter Nickles was nominated Friday by District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty to serve as the District's permanent attorney general.
Kansas Supreme Court OKs casino plan
TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline)-A unanimous decision Friday by the Kansas Supreme Court paves the way for more casinos in the Sunflower State.
AG urges consumers to get refunds from AT&T Mobility
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline)-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is encouraging customers of AT&T Mobility to apply for refunds being issued as a part of a recent settlement.
Anheuser-Busch to stop producting alcohol-containing energy drinks
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Legal Newsline)--Anheuser-Busch will stop producing alcoholic energy drinks, ceding to pressure from 11 state attorneys general who said the beverages were targeted at minors, officials announced Thursday.
Scruggs: Give me 2 1/2 years in jail
Dickie Scruggs OXFORD, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Famed plaintiffs attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs will find out the length of his prison sentence Friday, more than three months after pleading guilty to attempting to bribe a Mississippi judge.
Justices to review Nevada term limits law
Catherine Cortez Masto (D) CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsine)-The Nevada Supreme Court said Wednesday it will consider next month a case that questions the constitutionality of the state's term limits rule.
AGs celebrate landmark firearms ruling
Cox WASHINGTON, D.C. (Legal Newsline) - A victory for firearms makers, gun enthusiasists and the Second Amendment Thursday was also a victory for a group of state attorneys general.
Time-share company agrees to pay $339,000 settlement
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline)-A North Carolina-based time-share broker has agreed to pay about $339,000 to settle claims by the Missouri attorney general that the company mislead customers into buying time shares.
Election bill at center of controversy in W. Va.
Cohen CHARLESTON, W. Va. (Legal Newsline) - A West Virginia legal watchdog group is unhappy with proposed legislation that would force it to reveal its largest financial backers if it wants to make campaign contributions, claiming it is a violation of its right to free speech.
Two more employees level allegations against Dann
Dann COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) -- He resigned in disgrace over a month ago, but former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann continues to make headlines.
Garage man shut down
Cuomo SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - A garage builder is no longer able to operate in the home improvement business thanks to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
McKenna laments Exxon ruling
McKenna OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - The e-mail campaign undertaken by Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and his colleague in Maryland, Doug Gansler, proved relatively fruitless Wednesday when the U.S. Supreme Court trimmed a $2.5 billion punitive damages award against Exxon.
Florida AG fined $50K over campaign finance violation
Bill McCollum (R) TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has been fined $50,000 by the Federal Election Commission for campaign finance violations during the final days of his 2004 run for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
Brown sues home lender Countrywide
Jerry Brown (D) LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline)--Attorney General Jerry Brown joined other states in suing mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp. on Wednesday, accusing the distressed financial giant of misleading borrowers and pushing loans on people who could never afford to repay.
Legal expert calls Exxon Valdez decision 'limited'
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Legal reformers praised the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday for its decision to slash the punitive damages award in the long-running Exxon Valdez case, but one expert said the maritime case will have little effect on the overall legal landscape.
Aetna underpaying students, Blumenthal says
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Health insurance provider Aetna has been cheating college students in Connecticut, state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday.
Supreme Court slashes Exxon Valdez award
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday reduced the $2.5 billion punitive damages award in the long-running Exxon Valdez lawsuit to no more than $507.5 million.