News from December 2009
AG candidate decries FHA plan to boost loan requirements
Ted Lieu (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-It would be wrong to ask Americans to come up with more money to qualify for a federally-backed home loan, a California candidate for attorney general said Thursday.
Wal-Mart, others, claim AG's lawsuit is a class action
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw and a group of prescription drug retailers are debating how the federal law regarding class action lawsuits pertains to actions brought by state attorneys general.
New code of ethics proposed in N.J.
Milgram TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - A Division of Consumer Affairs report released by New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram has recommended new regulations meant to curtail the potential for conflicts of interest between doctors and pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers.
Corbett reaches settlement with gym
Corbett HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - Members of a suburban Philadelphia gym could be seeing partial refunds as part of a consumer protection settlement filed by state Attorney General Tom Corbett this week.
Caperton asks W.Va. SC to reconsider $50M ruling
Blankenship CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - Faced with his third disappointing decision from the West Virginia Supreme Court, Harman Mining owner Hugh Caperton is asking the court to reconsider its latest.
Hood looking on bright side of Zyprexa ruling
Hood JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Despite Tuesday's bad news, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood is remaining optimistic about his Zyprexa lawsuit against Eli Lilly & Co.
Neb. AG files antitrust suit
Bruning LINCOLN, Neb. (Legal Newsline) - The proposed merger of two infectious waste collection and treatment providers is facing an antitrust suit filed by the State of Nebraska in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Poll shows desire for tort reform in health care package
Dean WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A majority of Americans say tort reform measures should be taken to drive down healthcare costs, a new poll shows.
Natural gas company agrees to settlement over air quality violations
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Allegations that an interstate natural gas pipeline and a metering station in Dracut, Mass., violated state air quality regulations have led to a settlement between the owner and state Attorney General Martha Coakley.
Judge sides with Eli Lilly in Zyprexa case
Hood NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Calling Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's lawsuit against Eli Lilly & Co. a "slash-and-burn style of litigation," the federal judge overseeing Zyprexa lawsuits has granted Lilly summary judgment.
Wash. programs to benefit from Enron settlement
McKenna SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Utility customers who were gouged by Enron's manufactured energy crisis in 2000 and 2001 will see payback this week as Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna has sent over $9 million to programs to benefit those customers in his state.
Idaho part of 22-state vitamin settlement
Wasden
BOISE, Idaho (Legal Newsline) - Idaho businesses that were indirect purchasers of vitamins will see refunds following a legal settlement with a group of manufacturers, state Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has announced.
Blumenthal probes flu drug prices
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has begun asking major pharmacies for details about their Tamiflu pricing policies as part of an investigation into complaints of erratic and excessive prices for the flu drug.
Bondi enters Fla. AG race
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Hillsborough County prosecutor and Fox News legal analyst Pam Bondi announced Tuesday she is seeking the Republican nomination for Florida attorney general.
Paper explores medical monitoring in Illinois
Herbert Zarov CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Allowing medical monitoring claims in Illinois would be a risky move if the state Supreme Court ever decides to, a paper recently published in the DePaul University Journal of Health Care Law says.
AG: Angola Prison Rodeo must seek competitive bids
James "Buddy" Caldwell (D) BATON ROUGE (Legal Newsline)-The Louisiana State Penitentiary must seek competitive bids to award a contract for livestock and other services for the annual Angola Prison Rodeo, the state attorney general's office said.
Supreme Court won't hear appeal of airplane crash lawsuit
U.S. Supreme Court building WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by a Michigan woman who wants to sue the federal government over claims air traffic controllers acted negligently.
State attorneys general meet in Phoenix this week
Terry Goddard (D-Ariz.) PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline)-Dozens of state legal officers will meet this week in Arizona for the winter meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General.
Calif. justices slash punitive damages award in McKesson case
Kathryn Werdegar SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline)-The California Supreme Court has slashed the punitive damages award that McKesson Corp. must pay a former employee who said she was harassed in the workplace over her panic attacks and had body odor.