News from March 2012
Texas will receive $61M in Risperdal settlement
Abbott AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced this week that Texas will receive a larger share than initially expected from a $158 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson that was approved by courts on Tuesday.
Ill. House passes bill protecting debtors
Madigan SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan praised the lawmakers of the House of Representatives on Thursday for passing the Debtors' Rights Act of 2012 to protect vulnerable consumers from being taken to jail for unpaid debts.
R.I. AG pleased with EPA proposal
Kilmartin PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin commended the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday for proposing regulations to limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed from new power plants for fossil fuels.
Judge eliminates advance asbestos trial setting in Madison County
Harrison EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Madison County, Ill., Associate Judge Clarence Harrison has entered an order terminating the court's 2013 advance setting of asbestos trial weeks.
Report: Pa. AG candidates agree to serving full four-year terms
Murphy HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - All four candidates for Pennsylvania attorney general say they are committed to serving at least a full four-year term before pursuing another office.
N.C. AG appealing utility rate hike
Cooper RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper wants the state Supreme Court to overturn a utilities commission's decision approving a Duke Energy rate hike.
Corporations fighting Mont. election law file petition with U.S. SC
Bullock WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Earlier this week, a group of corporations asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by the Montana Supreme Court upholding a state election law.
Motley Rice, Miss. lawyer ordered to pay fees for 'frivolous' lawsuit
Pratt INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge has ordered a group of law firms, including Motley Rice LLP, and a Mississippi lawyer to pay nearly $400,000 in fees for pursuing a "frivolous" lawsuit against a for-profit educational institution.
Mass. restaurants cited for labor violations; group blames confusing laws
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Department of Labor announced Thursday that an investigation of restaurants in Massachusetts revealed significant violations of the minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Groups want state AGs to block Express Scripts/Medco merger
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A coalition of public interest groups and leading competition advocates are calling on state attorneys general to block a proposed merger between Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions.
Scruggs make case to vacate guilty pleas
Scruggs OXFORD, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - Disgraced plaintiffs attorneys Richard "Dickie" Scruggs argued during a two-day hearing that his guilty pleas in two judicial bribery schemes should be vacated.
Philip Morris says no relief owed in suit over light cigarettes
Garman SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Lawyers for Philip Morris say that plaintiffs' arguments for reinstating a landmark $10.1 billion judgment arising out of a Madison County, Ill., court have not come close to showing and "cannot show" they meet any of the requirements for relief.
W.Va. SC candidate's recusal plan draws criticism
Chafin CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - One West Virginia Supreme Court candidate's plan to revise the rules for justice recusal already seems to have its critics on the Court.
Maryland, feds settle with Good Samaritan Hospital
Gansler BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler announced a settlement on Thursday, joined by the federal government, with Good Samaritan Hospital of Maryland Inc. to resolve allegations of Medicaid fraud.
Four cited for asbestos removal violations in Mass.
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced an order on Wednesday that will require four companies to pay the state up to $80,000 in civil penalties for allegedly removing and disposing of asbestos improperly.
N.Y. AG announces settlement over Brooke Astor estate
Schneiderman NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the settlement on Wednesday of the long-contested Brooke Astor estate, enabling $100 million that was in limbo to begin going toward charities.
Report: Miss. Bar filing complaint against AG Hood
Hood JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Mississippi Bar is reportedly filing a complaint against Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.
Pa. SC affirms ruling in favor of medical device maker
Saylor HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that trial courts are not restricted to considering a single use of a multi-use product in design defect, threshold, risk-utility balancing.
Maine SC rules in favor of insurer in road rage case
Saufley AUGUSTA, Maine (Legal Newsline) - The Maine Supreme Court said in a ruling last week that an insurer had no duty to indemnify an owner of a company it insured after he assaulted another motorist in an act of road rage.
W.Va. judge denies motion to dismiss suit by Massey investors
Berger BECKLEY, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge this week denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit by former Massey Energy shareholders.