News from January 2012
Pa. AG candidate McCaffery exits race
McCaffery PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - Former Philadelphia prosecutor Dan McCaffery has dropped out of the race to become Pennsylvania's next attorney general.
Mo. AG suing gas station over underground tanks
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster filed a lawsuit on Thursday against a Lafayette County gas station operator who allegedly operated a station without insurance in violation of state law.
Report: Calif. AG rejects proposed foreclosure settlement
Harris SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris has reportedly rejected a proposed settlement with the nation's top mortgage servicers.
NLRB chief says he wants easier organizing rules
Pearce NEW YORK -- The chairman of the National Labor Relations Board told the Associated Press he wants new rules that would make union organizing efforts easier.
Two corporations sentenced for environmental crimes
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - Two corporations have pleaded guilty for their role in managing and owning a ship engaged in deliberate discharges of waste oil and plastic garbage in Baltimore's harbor, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
Wash. AG candidate troubled by legislation
Dunn OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - A candidate for Washington attorney general says a bill that would strip the Attorney General's Office of some of its powers is "partisan retaliation" for current Attorney General Rob McKenna joining the federal health care lawsuit.
Wis. justice sees no need to recuse self
Gableman MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman says he will not recuse himself from any cases in which a law firm that represented him in the past is involved.
Coakley resolves allegations of campaign finance violations
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced a settlement on Tuesday with the former treasurer of former Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola's campaign committee that resolves allegations of campaign finance violations.
Mortgage deal talks push on
Miller DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said Tuesday a group of state attorneys general and federal officials haven't yet reached an agreement with the nation's top mortgage servicers.
La. AG receives judgment in cemetery case
Caldwell BATON ROUGE, La. (Legal Newsline) - Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell announced a consent judgment on Tuesday restricting Lymus Washington from engaging in business at Gilbert Memorial Park cemetery.
Fla. law firm banned in North Carolina, paying $1.2M
Cooper RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced on Tuesday that a Florida law firm that allegedly claimed it would reduce consumers' debts has been banned from doing debt relief work in the state.
Ill. AG sues credit rating agency over housing market crash
Madigan CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is putting some blame for the housing market crash on the credit rating agency Standard & Poor's.
Home loan investigation to be led by N.Y. attorney general
Schneiderman WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will co-chair a national mortgage crisis unit aimed at investigating home lending by banks.
Companies agree to fund cleanup of PVC site
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with the current and former operators of a Superfund site in Pennsylvania.
Harris wants to join fight over San Diego transit plan
Harris SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris said Monday she plans to file a motion to intervene in a lawsuit seeking improvements to San Diego's regional transit plan.
La. SC denies insurance company's motion; appeal in works
Weimer BATON ROUGE, La. (Legal Newsline) - The Louisiana Supreme Court said it will not rehear a case in which it already ruled that state law does not require a showing of bad faith by an insurer, only proof of notice and inaction for more than 30 days.
Kan. AG: City's driveway tax is against the law
Schmidt TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline) - Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says a city's so-called "driveway tax" is illegal.
Business groups in favor of change to Philly courts
Moss PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - The business community would like Philadelphia's courts to make permanent the suspension of mass tort cases that are tried using a process that determines damages first and liability second.
NYC hotel employees file union complaint
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Three employees of a New York City Marriott hotel have filed multiple complaints with the National Labor Relations Board against their employer and organizers of New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council Local 6 Union.
Gas company reduces rate request
Cooper NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper has announced an agreement with Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. to reduce the company's pending request for a rate increase by nearly 30 percent.