News from October 2011
Ore. appeals court judge candidate for high court seat
Brewer SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline) - Oregon Court of Appeals Chief Judge David V. Brewer is running for the state Supreme Court.
Mich. lawmakers looking at plan to reduce judgeships
Young LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) - Michigan's House Judiciary Committee is taking up a plan that calls for eliminating a significant number of judgeships statewide.
Pa. SC establishes Twitter feed
Eakin PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reconvened in Old City Hall in Philadelphia's historic district in mid-September, the first time it met there since 1802, it was like the justices took a step back in time.
EPA chief went too far, federal judge says
Jackson WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson exceeded her authority by imposing new water quality rules on mountaintop coal mines, a judge has ruled.
Health professionals refute report that Texas tort reform is a failure
Perry AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - In spite of a recent report calling the Texas reform of medical liability litigation a "failed experiment," a group of medical professionals in the state still maintains the reforms are a success.
Va. AG attacks EPA's stance on greenhouse gases
Cuccinelli WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, in a brief filed Monday, argues the federal Environmental Protection Agency did not follow its own rules in declaring that greenhouse gases are dangerous to human health.
Former Minn. AG joins consumer protection agency
Humphrey WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced Wednesday that it has selected Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III, a former Minnesota attorney general, to lead its Office of Older Americans.
Report: Dominatrix quits N.Y. AG's office
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - An assistant New York attorney general who moonlights as a dominatrix has reportedly stepped down.
Schneiderman reviewing breast cancer campaigns
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced on Thursday that his Charities Bureau will review cause marketing campaigns that promise to benefit breast cancer charities with the sale of certain services and products.
Make bath salts illegal, R.I. AG says
Kilmartin PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - On Wednesday, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin requested that the state's Department of Health place the main chemicals in the drug known as "bath salts" on the list of Schedule I drugs.
TRO entered against mortgage modifier
Kilmartin PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin announced on Thursday that his office has received a temporary restraining order against a mortgage modification company that allegedly violated state laws.
Okla. SC: Couple's status as investors not subject to full trial
Edmondson OKLAHOMA CITY (Legal Newsline) - The Oklahoma Supreme Court said last week there is no disputing a couple's status as "non-innocent" investors in various check-kiting and Ponzi schemes.
Attorney: Voucher redemption in AG Hood case not surprising
Hood JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - An attorney who fights settlements that provide coupons to consumers and millions of dollars to attorneys says he was not surprised by the outcome of Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's settlement with Microsoft.
Neb. SC: No preemption on plaintiff's claim
Stephan LINCOLN, Neb. (Legal Newsline) - The Nebraska Supreme Court last week partially reversed a district court's judgment in favor of Union Pacific Railroad Co.
Ore. SC says AG's language on ballot not sufficient
Kroger SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline) - The Oregon Supreme Court has referred a ballot measure asking residents to vote on a petition that would phase out taxes on higher-valued estates back to state Attorney General John Kroger for modification.
Borders customers given more time to stop personal info transfer
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley alerted former customers of Borders bookstores on Wednesday that they now have more time to stop the transfer of their personal information to Barnes & Noble.
Mo. AG: Online donations never reached Joplin churches
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has obtained a consent judgment against a Puerto Rico-based foundation that he says fraudulently solicited donations online to help victims of the Joplin tornado.
Madigan alleges debt settlement scams
Madigan CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed lawsuits against three Chicago area companies on Tuesday for allegedly fraudulent mortgage rescue and debt settlement schemes.
Barbier dismisses 66 oil spill suits
Barbier NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Owners of vessels that fought the fire from the Deepwater Horizon explosion owe nothing to those who suffered damage from the oil spill that followed, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier decided on Oct. 12.
Jury instruction improper, N.Y. high court rules
Lippman ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - The New York Court of Appeals said a trial court erred in giving a jury emergency instruction in favor of a defendant who accidentally hit and killed a pedestrian.