News from March 2011
Ohio AG wants Internet cafes regulated
DeWine COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Thursday that he is seeking to enact legislation that would create oversight of gambling that happens at Internet cafes and similar establishments.
Miss. SC: Great-nephew not a beneficiary in wrongful death suit
Kitchens JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld a trial judge's decision in a wrongful death lawsuit that said a great-nephew lacked standing because he is not considered a beneficiary under the state's wrongful death statute.
Ohio SC sides with utilities commission
O'Connor COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - The Ohio Supreme Court says the decision of the state's Public Utilities Commission denying Columbus Southern Power Company's request for authority to sell or transfer two generation facilities was not unreasonable or unlawful.
N.C. SC rules in ballot access case
Cooper RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - The North Carolina Supreme Court has upheld the decision of an appeals court, saying a 2 percent signature recognition requirement in state code imposes a "reasonable hurdle" to ballot access.
Conn. SC affirms rulings in fire truck collision cases
Zarella HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The Connecticut Supreme Court, in an opinion filed March 9, has upheld a trial court's judgments in the case of a collision between two city fire trucks.
Driver ruled at fault for collision with train, $5M verdict overturned
Bolin MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - The Alabama Supreme Court has remanded a case against Norfolk Southern railroad in which one of its trains collided with a tractor-trailer carrying logs, severely injuring the driver of the rig.
Groups see two problems with N.Y.'s disqualification rule
Lippman ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - Two groups have voiced concerns over New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman's proposed plan to ban judges from hearing the cases of their campaign contributors.
Schneiderman says contractor violated court order
Schneiderman
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced on Tuesday that he is seeking to shut down a home improvement contractor for allegedly violating a court order.
Kroger suing car dealer
Kroger SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline) - Oregon Attorney General John Kroger announced on Tuesday that he has filed a lawsuit against a car dealer who has allegedly been selling vehicles without a license.
Conn. AG alleges overcharges
Jepsen HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen announced on Monday that he has filed a lawsuit against an electric aggregating company for allegedly defrauding an electrical supplier and an association of independent schools.
Drug-pricing suit sent back to skeptical judge
Brian Glasser ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court has remanded a lawsuit over generic drug-pricing to a federal judge who once called the allegations made in it "laughable."
W.Va. AG says other decisions show he hasn't filed a class action
McGraw RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw says two recent decisions from California and Connecticut show that he has not filed a class action lawsuit against a group of retail drug stores.
Feds to U.S. SC: Slow down health care challenge
Cuccinelli WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. government says there is no need to rush Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's so-far successful challenge of federal health care reform.
Former AG recommends transparency in state contracts
McCollum WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum recently wrote in an op-ed that more transparency is needed when state attorneys general hire private attorneys to represent the state.
Medical supply company changes business practices
Dow NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow announced this week that a medical supply company has agreed to revise its business practices and be subject to state monitoring under terms of an assurance of voluntary compliance.
Minn. AG sues over mortgage refinances
Swanson ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson filed a lawsuit on Monday against a California-based mortgage lender and broker that allegedly charged thousands of dollars to Minnesota homeowners to refinance their mortgages.
W.Va. congressman joins Civil Justice Caucus
Rahall WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall has joined the bipartisan Congressional Civil Justice Caucus.
Louisiana AG sues BP, others over oil spill
Caldwell NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $1 million from BP and partner companies for every day that oil was spilling into the Gulf of Mexico.
Chevron wants separate trial for judgment against Ecuador verdict
Kaplan NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Chevron Corp. is asking a federal judge for a separate and expedited trial on its request for a declaratory judgment that would say an Ecuadorian court's multibillion-dollar judgment against it is "non-recognizable" and "unenforceable."
Abbott: School board can't use funds for contingent fee lawyers
Abbott AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - The Texas Attorney General's Office, in an opinion requested by the state Board of Education, says state law doesn't allow the board to hire private attorneys to file a lawsuit on its behalf.