News from July 2013
ISTA Pharmaceuticals to pay $15 million in multi-state settlement
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced Friday that Wisconsin joined a multi-state and federal settlement with ISTA Pharmaceuticals Inc. to resolve allegations of off-label marketing.
Alabama AG announces more actions against electronic bingo casinos
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange and District Attorney Bill Adair announced additional law enforcement actions Friday in an ongoing joint initiative to shut down electronic bingo casinos in Walker County.
S.D. AG issues warning about paving, roofing scams
PIERRE, S.D. (Legal Newsline) - South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley warned South Dakota consumers Friday about transient roofing and paving scams that are targeting state residents.
MyFord system target of federal class action
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) -A federal class action has been filed against Ford Motor Co. concerning alleged defects in the MyFord Touch dashboard systems that are found in some Ford manufactured vehicles.
Plaintiffs' expert in lead paint trial says studies not California-specific
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) -- The expert health witness in a $1 billion public nuisance lawsuit against former manufacturers of lead-based paint and pigments never investigated lead exposure specific to California.
BP's request to put emergency stop on claim process during fraud investigation denied
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Federal Judge Carl Barbier has ruled against a temporary stop to claims payments stemming from the 2010 Gulf oil spill while an investigation is underway into potential wrongdoing in the office of Claims Administrator Patrick Juneau.
Va. AG files lawsuit against Internet payday lender
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) -- Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed a lawsuit Thursday against an Internet payday lender that allegedly made illegal loans to Virginians without a valid payday loan license.
Conn. AG asks PURA to deny Aquarion rate increase application
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) -- Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen filed a brief on Thursday with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority requesting the authority reject a water company's application to increase customer rates by $33 million over three years.
Wis. AG announces $40,000 judgment against waste storage facility
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced Thursday a $40,000 judgment against a Dodge County-based liquid waste storage facility that allegedly violated state water pollution and permit laws.
Plaintiffs' attorneys respond to NY Times columnist's biting critique of BP claim process
NEW ORLEANS - Two attorneys on the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee have responded to New York Times' columnist Joe Nocera's op-ed published on July 8, alleging that the claims process awarding damages to those affected by the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill is not just flawed, but likely evidence of corruption within Louisiana's legal profession.
Report: Head of committee to investigate Utah AG has ties to St. George businessman
SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) -- The head of a nine-member legislative committee tasked with investigating embattled Utah Attorney General John Swallow reportedly has ties to a St. George businessman who has made allegations against Swallow.
Report: Ill. House GOP leader says he won't run for AG
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) -- Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross said he no longer is considering a run for state attorney general.
Texas lawmaker expected to announce run for AG
DALLAS (Legal Newsline) -- Texas lawmaker Dan Branch is set to officially kick off his campaign for state attorney general next week.
Report: Cuccinelli cleared in ethics probe
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) -- Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who also is running for governor, reportedly has been cleared in an ethics probe over gifts he received from the head of a dietary supplement company.
Plaintiffs' expert in Calif. lead paint trial never investigated lead exposure in state
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) -- The expert health witness in a $1 billion public lawsuit against former manufacturers of lead-based paint and pigments never investigated lead exposure specific to California.
Wis. SC sides with property owners in suit against transmission company
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- The Wisconsin Supreme Court this week ruled that a couple's property, after a transmission company's taking of a pair of easements to construct high-voltage lines, was left an "uneconomic remnant."
N.M. SC: Out-of-state Internet retailer had 'substantial nexus' with state
SANTA FE, N.M. (Legal Newsline) -- The New Mexico Supreme Court last month sided with a state agency in a tax dispute with a popular online book retailer.
Neb. AG looking into deceptive practices by patent trolls
LINCOLN, Neb. (Legal Newsline) -- Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said Thursday his office is looking into whether recent patent infringement efforts by a Texas law firm are in violation of state law.
Schneiderman co-hosts tech test of security features on smartphones
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) -- New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Thursday co-hosted a test of security features on the latest smartphones.
N.Y. AG settles with two moving companies that underpaid workers
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) -- New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Thursday his office has settled with two New York City-based moving companies that allegedly failed to pay legal wages to their employees.