OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline)-A Seattle civil rights attorney was disbarred Thursday for intimidating his clients into accepting settlements and charging excessive fees.

MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - A forfeiture award of $4,578,000 has been levied against a pharmaceutical company for misrepresentations that defrauded the Wisconsin Medicaid program.

Lisa Madigan (D) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-The Illinois attorney general has sued a Texas-based debt settlement company, accusing the firm of failing to provide services it agreed to provide consumers.

Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on Thursday announced a lawsuit against a children's charity and its owner over allegations of fraud.

Terry Goddard (D) PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline) - Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard is suing a Nevada-based business over allegations the company violated the state's Consumer Fraud Act.

Lori Swanson (D) ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline) - Two lawsuits have been filed by Minnesota's attorney general against companies that allegedly scammed Minnesota citizens struggling with the high cost of health care.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)-An Ohio law that limits damages that local government must pay injured parties is constitutional, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Tom Hanks BOISE, Idaho (Legal Newsline)-The Idaho Supreme Court this week ordered a second arbitration in the construction case actor Tom Hanks and his wife brought against a construction company.

Lisa Madigan (D) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is taking aim at unscrupulous debt settlement companies she says do little other than leave consumers deeper in the hole than they were before the firms.

Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-The California governor's race is state Attorney General Jerry Brown's to lose given his high profile in the Golden State, leading political observers told Legal Newsline.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-Pedro Nava, the California legislator who is running for state attorney general, is urging Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign his bill that would protect struggling homeowners from predatory firms.

Singer WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Former District of Columbia Attorney General Linda Singer is heading to Cohen Milstein, a plaintiffs firm known for its class action lawsuits.

McMaster COLUMBIA, S.C. (Legal Newsline) - South Carolina has settled its Zyprexa lawsuit Eli Lilly & Co., and state Attorney General Henry McMaster said Friday he will return campaign contributions from the two attorneys who worked the case.

CONCORD, N.H. (Legal Newsline) - Violations of state wetland laws landed a New Hampshire company a $60,000 penalty.

HELENA, Mont. (Legal Newsline) - Montana's attorney general has announced plans to create a drug diversion unit as a means to fight rampant prescription drug abuse.

Mark Shurtleff (R) SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline)-Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff on Friday hammered U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett, his fellow Utah Republican, for sponsoring health care legislation that will cost American jobs.

Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on Friday sent a notice to five state health insurers asking them to produce materials they sent to their customers in regards to changes in Medicare coverage.

CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-- The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled Primadonna Resort, now called Primm Valley Hotel, is not liable for injuries suffered by guest whom had been thrown out of the casino.

U.S. Supreme Court building WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the federal government's appeal of a tax law that could cost taxpayers at least $19 billion in royalties on energy leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

John Kroger (D) SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline)-Keeping with a campaign promise, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger on Monday named a lawyer to head his office's new civil rights division.