News from September 2008
City wins legal right to vote on plan for growth
Jerry Brown (D) STOCKTON, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - A last-minute court appeal to block a deal over future growth hammered out between the city of Stockton and the Attorney General Jerry Brown and the Sierra Club failed Monday.
Fitzgerald named Illinois chief justice
Thomas Fitzgerald SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Fitzgerald is the state's new chief justice, becoming the high court's 115th leader.
Mich. Chief Justice has Democratic opponent
Taylor LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) - Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Diane Hathaway will face off against state Supreme Court Justice Clifford Taylor in a heated race for a spot on Michigan's highest court.
Nestle cancels bottling contract in seek of 'clean slate'
Jerry Brown (D) McCLOUD, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-The largest distributor of bottled water has cancelled its contract with the McCloud Community Services District to build a manufacturing plant on the banks of the pristine McCloud River.
Smokers will avoid jail time in S.C. town
Moore COLUMBIA, S.C. (Legal Newsline) - Disobeying the historic ban on smoking in Sullivan's Island, S.C., can't be a criminally punishable offense, the state Supreme Court decided Monday.
Restore jobs, Blumenthal tells AT&T
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will soon take action against AT&T in an effort to change the company's customer service practices.
Report calls for greater oversight in the Ohio AG's office
Nancy Rogers (D) COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)-A new report in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal in the Ohio attorney general's office calls for increased oversight.
AG Brown targets So-Cal trucking companies
Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California Attorney General Jerry Brown on Friday filed lawsuits against two trucking companies operating at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach over alleged labor violations.
Abbott sues Houston diet and skin care company
Greg Abbott (R) AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)- A Houston-area weight loss and skin care company is being sued by Texas attorney general's office over claims the company engages in unfair and deceptive business practices.
BofA prepared to settle auction-rate securities probe
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Bank of America Corp. says it's ready to settle investigations into its marketing of auction-rate securities.
Nevada justices block three tax-related ballot petitions
Nevada Supreme Court building CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-Three tax proposals cannot appear on Nevada's Nov. 4 ballot because petition gatherers did not follow a signature collection law, the state Supreme Court ruled.
Damage cap credited for drop in Texas malpractice premiums
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-Thanks to a tort reform law in Texas, physicians in the Lone Star State will have reduced liability premiums, officials said this week.
Kroger notches endorsements from AG, governor
John Kroger (D) SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline)-Oregon attorney general candidate John Kroger, who won the Democratic and Republican nominations, notched a bevy of endorsements from the Beaver State's Democratic establishment after they opposed him in his primary race against a veteran state lawmaker.
Madigan opposes Nicor's application for rate increase
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-Nicor Gas should not be allowed to raise the company's revenues by $140 million, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told state regulators.
Milgram has "no tolerance" for Wal-Mart, Target
Milgram NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram's latest lawsuits target two retail giants, Target and Wal-Mart, alleging that they sold expired infant formula.
Cuomo, new Healthfirst management come to agreement
Cuomo ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - The largest Medicaid Managed Care provider in New York has settled allegations that it violated state and federal contracts by reimbursing representatives based on productivity.
AG praises Palin; Says Obama 'blundered'
Sarah Palin (R) SEATTLE (Legal Newsline)-Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has shown she can connect with Middle America and has the crossover appeal needed to help ensure a general election win for the Republicans, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna told Legal Newsline on Thursday.
Conn. SC gives Blumenthal power to progress antitrust probe
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's antitrust investigation against a Florida insurance intermediary will continue as a result of a ruling by the state Supreme Court.
W.Va.'s 'out-of-state' debate continues in DuPont saga
Manchin CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - Businesses complain about out-of-state plaintiffs lawyers trying to run West Virginia's courts, while out-of-state attorneys gripe about out-of-state corporate interests attempting to influence state officials.
Debt settlers still on McGraw's radar
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced Wednesday that more consumers will have their debts wiped out because of his office.