News from October 2009
King responds to district attorneys with op-ed piece
King MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - Alabama Attorney General Troy King wrote in an editorial that the five district attorneys who filed prescription drug pricing lawsuits did so because they were promised a "huge payoff" by the private attorneys they hired.
Pharmaceutical giant settles with Idaho over drug's side effects‏
Lawrence Wasden (R) BOISE, Idaho (Legal Newsline) - Pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company has agreed to a $13 million settlement with the state of Idaho over allegations of failing to warn about the serious side effects of an anti-psychotic drug.
New law boosts penalties for Calif. polluters
Pedro Nava (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-Local prosecutors in California will be able to seek jail time for polluters, under a new law authored by a Democratic candidate for state attorney general.
Survey: Corporate litigation to increase
Stephen Dillard NEW YORK (Legal Newsline)-Corporate litigation is widely expected to continue to increase over the next year, a poll of corporate counsel indicates.
Ariz. A.G. settles with two companies accused of foreclosure scams‏
Terry Goddard (D) PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline) - More than $1.37 million in civil penalties and restitution were recovered by Arizona's attorney general as a result of two mortgage fraud lawsuits filed earlier this year.
California's landmark med-mal law called a national model
Lisa Maas SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)- As congressional lawmakers hammer out legislation to overhaul the U.S. health care system, they ought to look to California's landmark medical malpractice law as a successful model for cutting unnecessary heath care costs, experts told Legal Newsline.
Penn. A.G. files lawsuit against company that secretly stopped paying health care premiums‏
Tom Corbett (R) HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - The Pennsylvania attorney general's Health Care Section has filed a lawsuit against a Texas-based aviation parts manufacturing business and three of its corporate officers for allegedly failing to pay health care premiums for its Harrisburg, Penn.-area employees.
AG calls on Congress to approve proposed consumer protection agency
Terry Goddard (D) PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline)-The Obama administration is correct to seek to merge existing consumer protection authorities into one blanket agency, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said Wednesday.
Operator of illegal N.Y. mine hit with $400,000 in fines‏
Andrew Cuomo (D) BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - The operator of a bluestone mine in New York's Chenango County and his associates will pay $400,000 in civil penalties for illegal mining and refusing to remedy environmental abuses following a court judgment obtained against them.
Butcher shop that falsely claimed Kosher status fined by attorney general‏
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A butcher shop that was not certified as kosher but advertised in Hebrew for its kosher meat has agreed to a settlement over the violation.
Mass. continues efforts to stem sale of fake health insurance
Martha Coakley (D) BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Four companies alleged to have been involved in the deceptive marketing and sale of a medical discount plan to Massachusetts residents have been hit with a lawsuit by Attorney General Martha Coakley's office.
Wisconsin waste management company settles over lack of construction permit‏
FRANKLIN, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Wisconsin's attorney general has settled a case with a waste management company alleged to have violation Wisconsin's air pollution laws.
Another home loan modification scam shut down by Wisconsin A.G.‏
J.B. Van Hollen (R) MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - A lawsuit was filed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice against a California-based company that allegedly violated Wisconsin law in soliciting and selling purported loan modification services to homeowners.
Ala. district attorneys at odds with AG King
King MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - The Alabama District Attorneys Association feels state Attorney General Troy King was wrong to intervene in five lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, and three judges have agreed with it so far.
Ohio SC fines companies over annuity scheme
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)--The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered two out of state companies -- American Family Prepaid Legal Corp., Heritage Marketing and Insurance Services Inc. -- to pay over $6 million in fines.
Company wants AG intervention in layoff issue limited
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Submitting an amicus brief should be all Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal can do in the case of a company defending its plan to move 1,000 jobs out of state, the company argued Tuesday.
Groups criticize Senate Democrat's health care bill
Max Baucus (D-Mont.) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Health care overhaul legislation approved Tuesday by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee falls woefully short when it comes to reducing costs and curbing lawsuit abuse, groups say.
Republican steps up to challenge Illinois AG
Steve Kim (R) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline)-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is no longer running unopposed for reelection next year.
Suit filed against Tenn. woman over fraudulent employment agencies‏
Bob Cooper (D) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - Tennessee's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against a woman who is alleged to have mislead the public about what services her four employment agencies offered.
Calif. chief justice's 'unusual' speech draws applause
Ronald George LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline)-California Chief Justice Ronald George's comments this weekend critical of the state's initiative process have some court observers clapping their hands.