News from July 2011
Vt. AG takes issue with Entergy filing
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) - Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell, in a court filing last week, moved to strike certain portions of Entergy Corp.'s supplemental proposed findings of fact in the fight over the relicensing of its nuclear power plant.
Woman loses rape case against former employer
Jones HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) - A federal jury has ruled Jamie Leigh Jones, whose case became a call-to-action for reform in arbitration clauses in contracts, was not raped.
CALA: W.Va. deputy AG should be fired over Medicaid dispute
Hughes CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - A West Virginia legal reform group says Attorney General Darrell McGraw's top deputy should be fired for orchestrating two settlements that may lead to the federal government withholding Medicaid funds.
Lawsuit abuse bill passes House committee
Smith WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved legislation aimed at reducing frivolous lawsuits and improving attorney accountability.
AGs file brief in support of ObamaCare
Harris SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris has joined nine other attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's federal health care reform.
Petition aims to oust Wis. SC justice after alleged attack
Prosser MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - A Wisconsin non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group is calling for state Supreme Court David Prosser to resign.
Wis. lawmaker working on Open Meetings Law
Walker MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Wisconsin lawmaker Jon Richards said Thursday he has introduced a constitutional amendment that would hold the state Legislature to Wisconsin's Open Meetings Law.
Ala. AG concerned with potential settlement
Strange WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said Thursday that he fears a settlement with the nation's top mortgage servicers could lead to too many regulations and slow the housing market's recovery.
Ky. AG candidate would side against ObamaCare
P'Pool HENDERSON, Ky. (Legal Newsline) - Todd P'Pool, the Republican candidate for Kentucky attorney general, said Thursday if elected he will fight President Barack Obama's federal health care reform.
AAJ holding summer conference in NYC July 9-13
Begala The American Assocation of Justice is holding its summer conference in New York City this year from July 9 to 13.
Koster's office had hand in new bill
Koster TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced on Thursday that he has signed auto extended warranty legislation into law that includes consumer protection language drafted by the Service Contract Industrial Council.
Texas AG files suit against debt collector
Abbott HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott charged Encore Capital Group on Friday with state debt collection law violations.
Ohio AG sues over alleged Craigslist scam
DeWine COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced lawsuits on Friday against two Ohio residents who allegedly ran a Craigslist scam offering to sell video game systems and video games, phones and phone cards.
24 states, D.C. settle with Chase for $92 million
Jepsen WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A $92 million multistate settlement with JP Morgan Chase & Co., was announced on Thursday as part of an ongoing nationwide investigation of an alleged anticompetitive scheme.
Mass. AG says gas utility improperly collecting legal fees from customers
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced on Thursday that she has asked the Department of Public Utilities to look into a gas company's allegedly improper collection of $18 million in legal fees from customers.
Environmental damage lands Wis. golf facility in the rough
Van Hollen WAUKESHA, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced on Thursday that his office has settled a civil environmental prosecution against a Waukesha County golf facility and its owner.
Ill. SC: Jury instruction not sufficient
Kilbride SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - The Illinois Supreme Court, in a ruling last month, said that a version of the state's civil jury instructions does not accurately state Illinois law.
Calif. court denies company's motion to disqualify firm
Aronson SANTA ANA, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - A California appeals court has upheld a trial court's order denying an engineering company's motion to disqualify a law firm from representing the Orange County Water District in a dispute.
Report: N.Y. AG has antitrust concerns with NFL lockout
Schneiderman
ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is reportedly investigating whether the National Football League's ongoing lockout violates New York's antitrust law.
Texas court says tort reform law doesn't apply to case
Jennings HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) - A Houston appeals court has ruled asbestos plaintiffs who were too sick to undergo the required testing set forth in a 2005 law shall not have that held against them.