News from February 2012
ExxonMobil suing insurers over asbestos litigation costs
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - ExxonMobil Corp. is suing dozens of insurers, including Lloyd's, London, in a New York state court to get back money it spent in asbestos litigation.
W.Va. AG warns homeowners of mortgage deal scam
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw on Friday told state homeowners to beware of companies claiming to be working with banks as part of the recent nationwide mortgage foreclosure settlement.
Former Miss. AG criticizes sunshine bill
Pittman JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Former Mississippi Attorney General and state Supreme Court Justice Edwin Pittman says he is concerned about a bill aimed at limiting current Attorney General Jim Hood's authority.
Mo. AG gets judgment against home building company
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced a judgment on Thursday against a log home building company and its past president that will require the defendants to pay restitution to customers.
Ill. AG's synthetic drug bill advances
Madigan SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced a unanimous decision on Thursday by the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee to send an amendment to the full House to address the synthetic drug epidemic.
Ohio AG suing window company
DeWine COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a lawsuit on Wednesday against a basement window seller for allegedly engaging in multiple violations of Ohio consumer law, including failure to deliver.
Miss. SC upholds ruling against city, police officer
King JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Mississippi Supreme Court last week affirmed a lower court's ruling in favor of a woman who claimed she was sexually harassed by a fellow police officer.
N.H. AG assesses penalty for asbestos removal
Delaney CONCORD, N.H. (Legal Newsline) - New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney announced a penalty on Wednesday against a construction company and its owner for allegedly disposing of asbestos illegally in 2005 and 2006.
Schneiderman settles suit with discount club for $2M
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a $2 million settlement on Thursday to resolve allegations that New York consumers were tricked into enrolling in a discount club with hidden fees.
Ill. SC: State law doesn't give laid-off teachers right to be rehired
Freeman SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - The Illinois Supreme Court last week ruled that the state's School Code does not give laid-off tenured teachers the right to be hired again after an economic layoff.
Labor union suing over Indiana's new right-to-work law
Zoeller HAMMOND, Ind. (Legal Newsline) - A labor union is suing the State of Indiana in federal court over a new right-to-work law.
Report: Drug company settles lawsuits for more than $250 million
CARSON CITY, Nev. (Legal Newsline) - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. reportedly will pay more than $250 million to settle nearly 100 lawsuits over the sedative propofol.
Miss. SC allows new defendants post-settlement
Chandler JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Earlier this month, the Mississippi Supreme Court allowed a silicosis plaintiff to add several new defendants after he had settled with the original four.
Calif. AG: Settlement has global consequences
Harris SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris says an agreement she reached Wednesday will strengthen privacy protections for users of mobile applications.
Former BP employee files whistleblower suit over oil spill cleanup
Barbier NEW ORLEANS - A former BP employee from has filed a suit under the Louisiana Environmental Whistleblower Act in federal court claiming he was terminated over concerns he brought up in BP's oil spill cleanup effort following the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010.
Despite opposition, Obama-appointee confirmed for N.Y. court
Obama WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A group that campaigns against judicial activism had a problem with Jesse Furman, the recently confirmed newest judge on a New York City federal court.
'Minor violator' paying $90M in oil spill settlement
Hood NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - A shareholder in a well owned by BP that failed and helped create the Gulf oil spill has settled with the federal government and five states.
Report: Mo. AG appealing science fund ruling
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster will appeal a ruling by a Cole County judge that declared a law that establishes a new state science startup fund to be unconstitutional.
AGs write Google over new privacy policy
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Thirty-one state attorneys general and five territorial attorneys general have requested that Google revise its recently changed privacy policy.
Dog breeder shut down by Mo. AG
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced on Tuesday that he has shut down a Dallas County dog breeder for allegedly violating the state's Canine Cruelty Prevention Act and the Animal Care Facilities Act.