News from June 2012
D.C. Circuit: Vt. officials too late in appeal over power plant license
Schneiderman WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court says Vermont state officials were too late appealing a final order by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission issuing a renewed license to the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.
Swallow wins GOP nomination in Utah AG race
Swallow SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) - John Swallow has won the Republican nomination for Utah attorney general, according to state election results.
Barclays to pay $200M penalty
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued an order Wednesday fining Barclays Bank $200 million for alleged attempted interest rate manipulation and false reporting to benefit its derivatives trading positions.
Del. AG commends military protections in $25B foreclosure settlement
Biden WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden praised the recent $25 billion national settlement with five mortgage servicers on Tuesday for including provisions that protect service members and their family members.
W.Va. AG files suit against 'pill mills'
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw's office on Tuesday filed lawsuits seeking to crack down on prescription drug distributors who he says are behind a "major scourge" in West Virginia.
OSHA fines four at Jersey City construction site
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday cited four New Jersey contractors for exposing workers to hazards following a December 2011 inspection.
Court approves settlements with former Bear Stearns portfolio heads
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Settlements between two former Bear Stearns portfolio managers and the Securities and Exchange Commission were approved June 18 by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Court finds Bay Area hedge fund manager in contempt
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - A judge for the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California on June 2 issued an Order Finding Defendants in Civil Contempt against Lawrence R. Goldfarb and Baystar Capital Management.
Baker: Lawsuit financing debate likely to continue in state legislatures
Baker ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) - Legislation aimed at regulating the lawsuit financing industry - or, as critics call it, "lawsuit lending" - has been in introduced in about one-third of states.
Facebook joins privacy agreement with Calif. AG
Harris SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced on Friday that Facebook has signed the Joint Statement of Principals to strengthen consumer privacy protections worldwide for users of online applications.
Cuccinelli settles with auto title lender
Cuccinelli RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced a nearly $10,000 settlement on Friday with a Northern Virginia auto title lender to resolve allegations of making illegal car title loans.
N.M. public defender takes action against union
Mix ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Legal Newsline) - An Alamogordo, N.M., public defender filed a complaint Tuesday against a local union for wrongfully charging her with failure to pay union dues for the past five years.
Wis. SC justice asks for another recusal in ethics case against him
Prosser MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser are asking yet another member of the Court to not sit on an ethics case against him.
SEC obtains TRO in alleged Ponzi scheme
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freeze against a Utah man and company it alleges operated a $100 million nationwide real estate-based Ponzi scheme.
Task force releases report on N.Y.'s commercial division
Lippman ALBANY, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - A task force on commercial litigation issued a report Tuesday recommending various reforms to enhance the state's business court.
Serial lawsuit filer claims rapper, girlfriend 'terrorists' in new suit
Riches CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - A former prison inmate known for the thousands of lawsuits he has filed is now claiming, in a recent federal court filing in West Virginia, that rapper Kanye West and girlfriend, reality television star Kim Kardashian, are "terrorists."
DOJ alleges bribery scheme to open medical marijuana store
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - The FBI on Friday arrested the mayor of Cudahy, Calif., a member of the Cudahy City Council and the head of the City's Code Enforcement Division on federal bribery charges.
Wis. SC affirms $9M in damages for state Medicaid program
Gableman MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday affirmed a jury verdict of $9 million in damages for the state's Medicaid program.
Republican challenger leading W.Va. AG in funds
McGraw CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - Republican Patrick Morrisey has raised nearly $150,000 more than his Democratic opponent, longtime West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw, according to recent campaign finance reports.
NLRB grants review for grad assistant issue; strong dissent issued
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The National Labor Relations Board has granted review in two cases to determine whether graduate student assistants should be considered employees covered by the National Labor Relations Act and be able to be represented by a union.