News from August 2010
Rand's asbestos report shows lucrative outcome for lawyer trust fund managers
Kazan SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Giants of asbestos litigation hold half the power in seven trust funds that paid $2.4 billion in claims in 2008, according to tables in a new Rand Corporation report.
Cuomo probes health care credit cards
Cuomo NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday his office has issued subpoenas to 10 health care providers statewide and four financial institutions in an investigation into predatory health care lending.
Cordray files suit against driving school
AKRON, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray filed a suit Wednesday against a driving school that allegedly committed multiple violations of the state's Consumer Sales Practices Act.
Stay ordered in $2.7M dispute between McGraw, feds
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge has granted a stay in West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw's challenge to a withhold of $2.7 million in Medicaid funds that stems from one of his settlements.
Va. AG's health care challenge will move on
Cuccinelli RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge has decided Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli can sue the federal government over health care reform.
N.Y. AG-hopeful comes clean on past drug use
Rice NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Kathleen Rice, the Democratic candidate for New York attorney general, admitted Tuesday to trying both marijuana and cocaine in college.
Whitman outspending AG Brown in Cailf. gov race
Whitman SACRAMENTO (Legal Newsline) - California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman outspent her Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Jerry Brown, by an 86-1 margin in a five-week period ending June 30.
Six has November opponent
Six TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline) - Kansas Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt has won the Republican primary for state attorney general.
Cox upended in Michigan
Cox LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) - Political newcomer Rick Snyder emerged victorious in Tuesday's primary election in Michigan that determined the Republican candidate for governor, defeating state Attorney General Mike Cox.
Trial lawyer tax break attracts attention of two dozen senators
Thune WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - One-quarter of the U.S. Senate has expressed concern that the U.S. Department of the Treasury may be planning to issue an order giving trial lawyers tax breaks on contingency fee lawsuits.
Corbett reaches settlement with oil company
HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett announced on Monday that he has reached a settlement with an oil company accused of overcharging customers.
Kagan debate begins
Kagan WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Senate floor debate over Elena Kagan's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court began Tuesday morning.
AG King's outside counsel choice for BP suit once thwarted State
King MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - The law firm that Alabama Attorney General Troy King has hired to fight BP is the same one that helped another giant oil company overturn a multi-billion-dollar judgment for the State.
Asbestos fees drama between Umphrey, Coon ends
Thomas Walter Umphrey BEAUMONT, Texas (Legal Newsline) - The ongoing legal battle between the Provost Umphrey law firm and attorney Brent Coon over attorneys fees garnered from asbestos litigation ended Thursday, as appellate justices dismissed an appeal.
Settlement reached over N.C. home loans
Cooper RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced on Monday that he has reached a $4.5 million settlement with a mortgage lender accused of violating state housing laws.
Bi-State awaits Ill. SC decision on statute of limitations
Cueto SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Bi-State Development Agency commissioners anxiously wait for the Illinois Supreme Court to decide whether the agency enjoys the same protections from personal injury claims as cities and counties.
Coakley reaches rate-reducing agreement
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced on Friday that her office has reached a deal with Cape Wind Associates that will reduce the costs for ratepayers on a proposed contract by nearly 10 percent.
E-books on Blumenthal's radar
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced on Monday that his office has started looking into potentially anticompetitive e-book deals between large e-book publishers and two of the industry's biggest sellers.
Ind. AG secures more than $125K in restitution
Zoeller INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced on Monday that his office, thanks to a new state law, has helped customers who were allegedly taken for more than $125,000 by a Chicago-based escrow company recover their money.