News from May 2011
Tax dispute not meant for Ind. tax court
Zoeller INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - The Indiana Supreme Court ruled last week that a case may proceed in superior court, and not in tax court, even though it relates to a tax refund sought by the State.
McGraw, feds give arguments to Fourth Circuit
McGraw RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw and the federal government argued last week over more than $400,000 in Medicaid funds being withheld from the state.
Miss. SC overturns $2.5M verdict
Lamar JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Mississippi Supreme Court has overturned a $2.5 million judgment in favor of a cable company worker who was injured after touching a live electrical wire.
Conn. SC sides with utility board in case over fee
Rogers HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The Connecticut Supreme Court has upheld the ruling of a trial court dismissing a lawsuit against the state Department of Public Utility Control over an electric utility fee.
Deepwater Horizon captain to take the Fifth
Barbier NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Lawyers litigating the Deepwater Horizon explosion have identified hundreds of witnesses for a trial in February, but the star of the show won't perform.
Federal judge dives into Digitek lawyer fees
Thompson CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin staged a 31-day test of wills between lawyers with so much drama he could have sold tickets.
Coakley, Mortgage Master reach civil rights settlement
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a civil rights settlement on Tuesday with the commonwealth's largest residential mortgage lender.
John Hancock reaches agreement with Florida
Bondi BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - John Hancock Financial announced Wednesday that an agreement has been reached between the financial services group and the state of Florida regarding abandoned property.
Ala. AG clarifies gambling enforcement
Strange MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange issued a memorandum Tuesday to law enforcement and district attorneys throughout the state to settle the legal position his office will take when investigating gambling activities.
Ark. SC affirms class certification
Baker LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - The Arkansas Supreme Court says it found no abuse of discretion in a circuit court's order granting a class certification motion.
Ala. SC rules against drivers license fees class
Murphy MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - The Alabama Supreme Court has granted a former director of the state Department of Public Safety a writ of mandamus directing a circuit court to vacate its judgment against him.
Calif. SC rules against attorney who opposed former client
Baxter SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - The California Supreme Court says a free speech law doesn't apply to an attorney who campaigned against his former employer.
AGs push for IP theft legislation
Kilmartin PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, along with 41 other state attorneys general, is urging Congress to make intellectual property theft, particularly online, a legislative priority.
Report: N.Y. AG seeks info from Wall Street giants
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is reportedly meeting with and seeking records from Wall Street banking giants Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.
Harsh words from defense in Minn. drug-pricing case
Brian Glasser MINNEAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys for a group of prescription drug retailers say the actions of plaintiffs attorneys suing them should not be tolerated and that their ignorance of federal class action rules is no excuse for their behavior.
Circle K reaches agreement with AGs
Madigan WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia announced an agreement on Tuesday with two convenience store companies to prevent the sale of tobacco to children and teens.
Dunkin Donuts cited for child labor law violations
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced on Tuesday that two Dunkin Donuts franchise owners were cited and fined for violating Massachusetts child labor laws.
N.C. AG wants shutdown of loan modification company
Cooper RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday that a Winston-Salem foreclosure rescue operation has been temporarily barred from offering foreclosure and loan modification services.
AGs succeed in opposing class action settlement
Cooper NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge in Connecticut issued an order Monday rejecting a proposed class action settlement with wholesale buying club DirectBuy Inc.
Asbestos attorneys file appeals brief over fraud verdict
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Two asbestos attorneys found by a jury to have committed fraud against a railroad made their argument to a federal appeals court in a brief filed Friday.