News from 2009
Brown: Commission may cut state officials' salaries
Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)- A day after the state's gloomy financial outlook was released, state Attorney General Jerry Brown said in a formal legal opinion Thursday that the California Constitution allows elected officials' salaries to be cut.
Appeals Board: McGraw wasn't representing West Virginians
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - In penalizing the State of West Virginia $2.7 million, a federal appeals board also recently wrote that state Attorney General Darrell McGraw was not representing individual citizens when he sued OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma.
Judges breathe life into Union Pacific FELA lawsuit
Richard Sievers OMAHA, Neb. (Legal Newsline)-A Nebraska woman's lawsuit against Union Pacific Railroad Company, claiming she should have been better protected from West Nile virus, has been given new life.
Texas AG defends state medical malpractice reforms
Greg Abbott (R) AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-The Texas attorney general has urged the state Supreme Court to leave intact medical malpractice reforms.
California continues to hemorrhage red ink
Jerry Brown (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-As California Attorney General Jerry Brown considers a run for governor, officials said Wednesday the state's fiscal health is deteriorating.
Wash. AG urges Congress to target nefarious online sales practices
Rob McKenna (R) OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - Congress ought to get tough on companies that use deceptive online sales tactics, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna told a U.S. Senate committee this week.
Workman: Former justice's e-mails should be released
Workman CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Margaret Workman has filed her dissent in a public records case, arguing that 13 e-mails written by former Justice Spike Maynard should have been released to the public.
Blumenthal begins probe into sales tax on energy efficient products
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has begun an investigation into consumer complaints that a home improvement chain had charged improper sales tax on certain energy efficiency products exempt from sales tax.
McKenna's office calls for rejection of Wash. utility's rate increase
McKenna SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Proposed electric and gas rate increases by Puget Sound Energy have been challenged by the Public Counsel Section of the Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, who calls for the utility to tighten its belt instead.
Calif. AG reaches $1.4 billion settlement with Wells Fargo
Jerry Brown (D) SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline)-Wells Fargo affiliates have agreed to return $1.4 billion to investors to settle claims by the state attorney general that the banking giant misled investors over the safety of auction-rate securities, officials said Wednesday.
McGraw's OxyContin case causes $2.7M Medicaid hole
McGraw WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The federal government will withhold more than $2.7 million from its next Medicaid appropriation to the State of West Virginia because of a settlement engineered by state Attorney General Darrell McGraw.
N.C. deputy AG nominated to FTC
Obama WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - President Barack Obama has nominated a member of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper's staff to the Federal Trade Commission.
Lawsuit filed in Maine against Texas debt settlement company
Mills AUGUSTA, Maine (Legal Newsline) - A lawsuit has been filed by Maine Attorney General Janet Mills against an unlicensed Texas debt settlement company and its president for alleged unfair and deceptive trade practices in the marketing and provision of debt settlement services.
Time share repurchaser settles with Vt.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) - A Nevada-based time share repurchaser has agreed to pay more than $120,000 in restitution and penalties to settle claims it violated Vermont law.
N.Y. AG gains restitution for victims of payday loan scheme
Cuomo NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New Yorkers victimized by two companies operating a payday loan scheme will receive portions of a $5.2 million settlement, state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo has announced.
Lawsuit brought against Illinois hair regrowth institute
Madigan CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - A lawsuit has been filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan against a Chicago-based hair growth company that allegedly made false statements based on unsubstantiated claims that its services could aid in regrowing consumers' hair.
Ohio AG files suit against computer sales company
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray has filed a lawsuit alleging two companies targeted Ohioans with poor credit to sell them computers through layaway and credit sales agreements.
Civil suit against Scruggs settled
Scruggs OXFORD, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - One of the attorneys fees disputes that brought down famed plaintiffs lawyer Richard "Dickie" Scruggs has been settled.
Oversight is lax in class action-spawned foundations, legal observer says
Greve In the 10 years since Toshiba settled a class action lawsuit for $2.1 billion, class action litigation against high tech industries has become increasingly rare, experts say.
Scruggs' judge gets 18 months
DeLaughter ABERDEEN, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Former Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter received an 18-month prison sentence Friday, becoming the latest Mississippi legal figure to be punished for his role in a judicial bribery scheme.