News from January 2012
Wis. AG settles drinking water suit
Van Hollen MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced a settlement on Monday with Franklin Mobile LLC and its owner, David Steinberger, over allegations of drinking water code violations.
Senators write DOJ over Cordray appointment; 35K sign petition
Obama WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - More than 35,000 Americans have signed a petition that opposes President Barack Obama's recent decision to appoint Richard Cordray as the head of a federal agency without approval from the U.S. Senate.
Texas AG's Risperdal suit goes to trial
Abbott AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's case against Janssen Pharmaceutical over its prescription antipsychotic drug Risperdal was scheduled to go to trial Tuesday.
La. AG lashes back after authority stripped in BP litigation
Caldwell NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell protests to appellate judges that U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, Gov. Bobby Jindal and Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange snatched away his authority in Deepwater Horizon litigation.
Groups approve of Tenn. SC's new ethics rules
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Two nonpartisan groups are coming out in support of the Tennessee Supreme Court for adopting new ethics rules for its judges.
Supreme Court to hear union dues case Tuesday
Rotunda WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the appeal of eight California non-union civil servants over an assessment they say the Service Employees International Union wrongly collected from them.
Colo. AG files counterclaim against company suing state
Suthers DENVER (Legal Newsline) - Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced a counterclaim lawsuit on Monday against a Westminster-based firm for allegedly providing debt management services to Colorado consumers without meeting registration and reporting requirements.
Schneiderman settles with dental clinic for $325K
Schneiderman BUFFALO, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement on Monday with an Erie County dental clinic resolving allegations of Medicaid fraud involving excess payments received on dental service claims.
Colo. AG sues debt settlement company
Suthers DENVER (Legal Newsline) - Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced on Monday that he has filed a consumer protection lawsuit against a Westminster-based debt settlement company and its principal for allegedly fraudulent debt management practices.
Supreme Court to hear Texas redistricting arguments
Abbott WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will step into the fight over Texas' redistricting maps.
Federal judge denies Chevron's motion to attach
Kaplan NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge has denied Chevron Corp.'s motion to attach the assets of the Ecuadorian plaintiffs suing the oil giant.
Ill. court overturns $5.5M asbestos conspiracy verdict
Knecht SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Five months after Illinois Fourth District appellate judges reversed a McLean County jury's asbestos conspiracy verdict against Honeywell International, another panel of the same court tossed out another conspiracy verdict against Honeywell.
Madison County board member says asbestos docket 'killing us'
Callis EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Madison County, Ill., Board Member Mike Walters told Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis and members of the county judiciary meeting Friday morning that being on an annual Judicial Hellhole list "scares the hell out of me."
Calif. SC refuses to hear Apple tax case
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - The California Supreme Court last week declined to review an appeals court decision forcing the state's Franchise Tax Board to refund more than $900,000 in taxes that it charged Apple Inc. in the 1980s.
Report: Firing of Fla. assistant AGs prompted by performance, not politics
Bondi TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi did nothing wrong when she fired two assistant attorneys general who led foreclosure fraud investigations under her predecessor.
Auto parts recyclers tell McGraw to stop using term 'junkyard parts'
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - The Automotive Recyclers Association last week sent a formal letter of complaint to West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw, urging him to stop using the term "junkyard parts" when referring to recycled or salvaged auto parts.
Business group files brief in ObamaCare lawsuit
Obama WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A business organization challenging President Barack Obama's health care reform submitted a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court Friday that calls for the entire package to be struck.
Mo. AG files suit against N.Y. telemarketers
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster sued two New York telemarketing companies on Thursday for allegedly making solicitation calls to Missourians who had placed their names on the state's no-call list.
Wash. SC: State not providing enough funds for education
Stephens OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - The Washington Supreme Court this week ruled that the State is not complying with its constitutional duty to "make ample provision for the basic education of all children in Washington."
Tenn. SC adopts new ethics rules for judges
Clark NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - The Tennessee Supreme Court has adopted new ethics rules for judges that specifically outline recusal procedures, among other things.