News from October 2011
Tobacco company pays up in Ohio
DeWine COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a settlement on Wednesday with a tobacco maker for allegedly failing to establish an escrow account for the sale of its cigarettes as required by law.
Company settles Schneiderman's lawsuit for $1.6M
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement on Wednesday with a food service provider that allegedly overcharged school districts and other education providers.
N.Y. Comptroller says Chevron should settle Ecuador lawsuit
DiNapoli NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is urging Chevron to "do what's right for its investors" and "its future viability," and negotiate a fair settlement with a group of Ecuadorians suing the company.
Tenn. AG: Amazon must collect sales tax
Cooper NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper says online retailers, such as Amazon, do have to collect sales taxes if they open warehouses in the state.
Movie theater food subject to normal tax, Mo. SC rules
Teitelman JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - The price of popcorn at Missouri movie theaters will not be going down any time soon, following a ruling from the state Supreme Court.
Ill. SC reverses $43M verdict against Ford
Theis SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Ford Motor Co. undertook no duty to warn luxury car owners that contents of their trunks could puncture their fuel tanks when Ford helped police prevent punctures in similar cars, the Illinois Supreme Court decided on Sept. 22.
Appeals court nominee Thacker testifies before judiciary committee
Thacker WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia attorney Stephanie Thacker touched on her experience as both a prosecutor and private practice attorney while testifying before a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Gansler to company: Get a license
Gansler BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler announced a cease and desist order on Wednesday requiring two tree service operators to pay restitution and to stop selling landscaping services unless they obtain a license.
N.Y. AG files $2B suit against BNY Mellon
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has filed what his office says is a landmark lawsuit against Bank of New York Mellon, which is calling his claims "baseless."
Inhofe wants look into EPA's greenhouse gas finding
Inhofe WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - U.S. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. has called for hearings to address how the Environmental Protection Agency arrived at its greenhouse gas endangerment finding.
Wachovia repurchases $441M in auction rate securities
Dow NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow announced consent orders on Tuesday requiring two financial investment companies to repurchase auction rate securities from New Jersey clients.
Motorcycle insurers paying $5.7M in settlements
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced settlements on Monday with three insurers for allegedly overcharging policyholders.
Conn. AG: Agency complied with law
Jepsen HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said last week that a state agency complied with state law in asking utility regulators to temporarily suspend proceedings on the issue of smart meters.
U.S. SC won't hear appeal of asbestos firm in fraud case
Peirce WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court will let stand a ruling that reopened a fraud case against a Pittsburgh asbestos law firm.
Magistrate wants explanation from rig workers invoking the Fifth
Miller NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Five Deepwater Horizon workers must explain how they can pursue personal injury claims against rig owner Transocean while they plead Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination, U.S. Magistrate Sally Shushan ruled on Sept. 27.
Verizon employee alleges union illegally seized dues
Mix NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Legal Newsline) - A Verizon employee has filed unfair labor practice charges against Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 2205 for actions the union allegedly took during a recent strike.
Ill. court says utility can't charge extra fee
Madigan CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - An Illinois appellate court ruled last week that Peoples Gas cannot charge Chicago residents an extra fee to foot the bill for replacing old gas mains.
W.Va. high court says Pep Boys didn't violate federal law
Ketchum CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals last week upheld a circuit court's ruling in favor of a popular tire and auto parts chain.
Solyndra bankruptcy trustee proposes taking over if execs keep invoking Fifth
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) - U.S. bankruptcy trustee Roberta DeAngelis proposes to take over management of solar panel maker Solyndra if its leaders keep pleading Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination.
Solyndra employed no union workers, according to bankruptcy petition
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) - President Obama's former favorite green enterprise, solar panel maker Solyndra, employed as many union members as an aircraft plant he won't let Boeing build in South Carolina: zero.