News from January 2010
Brown, Coakley square off in last debate
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and the two other candidates for a U.S. Senate seat had their third and final debate Monday night.
Court tosses $20 million award to Michael Jackson attorney
Mark Geragos LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline)-A now-defunct charter plane company that secretly videotaped Michael Jackson and his attorneys in 2003 on Monday had the $20 million judgment against them overturned.
Committee rejects suspending Calif. greenhouse gas law
Dan Logue (R) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-A business-backed measure to put California's landmark climate change law on hold until the state's beleaguered economy improves was rejected Monday by a legislative committee.
Supremes ask White House what to do with Janus
U.S. Supreme Court building WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday asked the Obama administration to weigh in on whether the high court should hear Janus Capital Group Inc.'s appeal in a long-running securities class action lawsuit against it.
New trial to begin in "Judicial Hellhole"
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - The maker of a popular treatment for severe acne will get a new trial Tuesday, 10 months after the New Jersey Appellate Division struck down a $2.6 million verdict against it.
McDaniel: Senate deal would give 'special status' to Nebraska
Dustin McDaniel (D) LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Monday he wants a controversial Medicaid deal stripped from federal health care legislation but stopped short of threatening to sue if the provision is included in a final bill.
Madsen becomes Washington's chief justice
Barbara Madsen OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline)- Barbara Madsen was sworn in Monday as the Washington Supreme Court's new chief justice.
AGs to testify before financial crisis commission
John Suthers (R-Colo.) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-State attorneys general John Suthers of Colorado and Lisa Madigan of Illinois are scheduled to testify this week before a congressionally-created panel about the 2008 banking crisis that nearly toppled the nation's financial industry.
Blumenthal sues former non-profit head
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The former executive director of a medical supply charity is being sued by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal over allegations that she diverted approximately $100,000 in charitable funds for trips, concerts, spa services and other non-business personal expenses.
Judge sides with Tenn. AG
Cooper NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - Thousands of consumers have moved another step closer to obtaining refunds from an online computer seller and liquidator that a judge says misrepresented its products, Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper has announced.
Conn. AG to fight proposed utility rate increase
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has vowed to fight a proposed 5 percent rate increase by Connecticut Light & Power.
Cuomo asks for bonus info from banks
Cuomo NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has requested bonus payment information from eight banks that received federal bailout funds.
Plan would suspend Calif. greenhouse gas law
Dan Logue (R) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California's landmark climate change law could be put on hold under legislation set for a committee hearing today.
Schweitzer to headline again at national trial lawyer convention
Brian Schweitzer (D) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)- Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will one of the featured speakers at the American Association for Justice's winter convention in Hawaii next month, the trial lawyer group said.
Schwarzenegger faces 'uphill battle' getting tort reforms
Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has made tort reform part of his five-point economic agenda for his final year in office, but it's unlikely the Republican governor will get the changes he seeks to the state's civil code, political and legal observers said Sunday.
Edmondson trails in race for Oklahoma governor
Drew Edmondson (D) OKLAHOMA CITY (Legal Newsline)-Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson is trailing in his race for governor, a poll released Sunday indicates.
Republican law school dean considers run for Calif. AG
John Eastman (R) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-One of California's leading conservative legal minds, John Eastman, is considering a run for state attorney general.
First Democratic AGs come out against Nebraska health care deal
Richard Cordray (D-Ohio) COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)-At least two Democrats on Friday became the first came out against a provision in the federal health care overhaul being debated in Congress that would allow Nebraska to avoid increased Medicaid costs.
Kansas AG outlines legislative agenda
Steve Six (D) TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline)-Kansas Attorney General Steve Six said Friday that he wants to curb unwanted robo-calls from politicians and businesses.
Settlement to fund Abandoned Property Rehabilitation Program
Martha Coakley (D) BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Monies obtained from the 2009 Fremont Settlement will be used to fund over $1 million in grants for the Abandoned Property Rehabilitation Program, Attorney General Martha Coakley has announced.