News from September 2008
Judge OKs Van Hollen's lawsuit against elections officials
J.B. Van Hollen (R) MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen will be allowed to sue state elections officials to force them to verify thousands of voters' identities, a judge has ruled.
Madigan blasts ICC for approving Ameren rate hikes
Lisa Madigan (D) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan lashed out at state regulators for approving a $162 million rate increase for most Ameren Corp. utility customers in the state.
Blumenthal recommends clairification on medical payment law
Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has recommended the state's insurance commissioner seek legislative clarification on an issue involving the payment of out-of-state health care providers.
Corbett targets Pittsburgh-area home improvement companies
Tom Corbett (R) HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - The Pennsylvania attorney general is suing two Pittsburgh-area home improvement companies, accusing them of charging customers for more than $440,000 of unperformed work.
DuPont makes case for appeal before W.Va. SC
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - Lawyers for industrial giant DuPont argued Wednesday that the West Virginia Supreme Court should hear its appeal of a $381 million verdict against it.
Ketchum catching flak for comments
Walker CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - Beth Walker, a Republican candidate for the West Virginia Supreme Court, says she is disappointed with the comments of one her competitors.
Sprint loses bid for appeal in iPCS case
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to hear an appeal by Sprint Nextel Corp. over its lawsuit with affiliate iPCS Inc.
McGraw, CALA turn to editorials to state cases
Hughes CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw's controversial 2004 settlement with a pharmaceutical company is the subject of dueling editorials by his office and a legal reform group.
Housing critics challenge Brown as hearing looms
Jerry Brown (D) BOSTON (Legal Newsline)-A panel of federal judges will hear arguments from at least six plaintiffs on Thursday, including lawyers from the California attorney general's office, asking the court to return the collection of lawsuits against Countrywide Financial Corp. to their local jurisdictions.
Bluemnthal blasts DPUC decsion about under-billing mistake
Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on Wednesday criticized a Department of Public Utility Control decision regarding the under billing of thousands of ratepayers.
Washington Democrats sue over Rossi's GOP designation
Dino Rossi (R) OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline)-The Washington state Democratic Party has sued a gubernatorial candidate to force him to list his party preference as Republican rather than "GOP Party."
Payday lender to leave Arkansas, blames McDaniel
Dustin McDaniel (D) LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline)-The largest payday lender in Arkansas says it is leaving the state amid threats of legal action by Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.
Judge to determine whether AG should be disqualified from voting lawsuit
J.B. Van Hollen (R) MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -A judge will consider today whether to disqualify Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen from a lawsuit he filed demanding that state election officials confirm thousands of voters' identities.
Brown sues baby furniture manufacturers
Jerry Brown (D) OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-Following recent efforts to curb dangerous products used by children - most notably lead in toys - California Attorney General Jerry Brown sued five manufacturers of baby furniture on Tuesday.
Abbott calls for transparent, accountable pension funds
Greg Abbott (R) AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)--Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Wednesday issued a statement reiterating his call for accountable, transparent taxpayer-funded pension plans.
Behind the paperwork- Following two decades of asbestos legal strategy
BEAUMONT, Texas-Case No. B-126,986, filed in the District Court of Jefferson County, Texas was just one of hundreds of thousands of similar cases filed over a period of 30 years on behalf of plaintiffs injured from exposure to asbestos.
Brockovich appears in ad for GOP state Senate candidate
Erin Brockovich VENTURA, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-Erin Brockovich, a prominent figure in trial attorney circles, is appearing in ads for a conservative California Republican running for the state Senate.
Arizona justices reject challenge to green energy tariff
Terry Goddard (D) PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline)-A lawsuit challenging a requirement that public utilities in Arizona can be required to obtain a portion of their electricity from renewable resources was rejected by the state Supreme Court.
Study: Tort reforms save policyholders money
J. Tyler Leverty IOWA City, Iowa (Legal Newsline)-Tort reform efforts have saved American policyholders money, but just how much depends on where the laws pass, a university study found.
Miss. businesses warned against selling Salvia Divinorum
Jim Hood (D) JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - A crackdown on Salvia Divinorum, a herb known to induce strong psychedelic effects, has begun in Mississippi, state Attorney General Jim Hood said.