News from 2018
Mich. farm denied new trial after being found liable for falling cardboard boxes
LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) – On Sept. 27, the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s ruling in which a jury found a company liable for two negligence theories in an incident where a man was injured on the property.
Maryland court upholds $7.2 million award to couple over husband's mesothelioma diagnosis
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) – A Maryland appellate court has upheld a $7.2 million award to a couple in an asbestos injury case.
Discovery still stayed in defamation case against the Presbyterian Church by fired reverend
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) – The Supreme Court of Kentucky affirmed the Court of Appeals’ decision to grant in part and deny in part the Presbyterian Church’s request for an order to block a trial court from removing its stay of discovery amid a former worker’s defamation lawsuit against it.
A bale of hay and a block of cheese: How Mark Lanier won the $4.7 billion talcum powder verdict
ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) - Partway through a trial over allegedly asbestos-tainted baby powder that ended with a $4.69 billion verdict against Johnson & Johnson in St. Louis earlier this year, attorney Mark Lanier whipped a knife from out of his pocket and held it over a large block of yellow cheese.
Two Massachusetts companies allegedly involved in illegal asbestos work
BOSTON — A consent judgment entered into a Suffolk Superior Court settles Worcester's allegations against two Massachusetts companies charged with allowing illegal asbestos work during renovation of two multifamily homes.
Massachusetts attorney general seeks Columbia Gas' restoration plans following explosion
BOSTON — The fires and explosions that took place in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley last month have prompted state Attorney General Maura Healey to request Columbia Gas' plans for the safe restoration of gas and compensation for the residents affected.
Louisiana attorney general seeks to stop governor's appointment to Red River Waterway Commission
NATCHITOCHES, La. — Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has filed a lawsuit against the Red River Waterway Commission, alleging the state's governor unlawfully filled a vacancy on the commission.
Illinois attorney general, Chicago mayor seek to implement consent decree for city police reform
CHICAGO — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the city of Chicago have announced their proposed plan for selecting an independent monitor to implement a consent decree which will reform Chicago's police department as a federal court schedules a fairness hearing to obtain feedback from the public on the proposed decree.
50 attorneys general, D.C. reach $148 million settlement with Uber over data breach
ANCHORAGE — Alaska Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth is one of 49 other attorneys generals and the District of Columbia who have reached a $148 million settlement with Uber over allegations of delayed reporting of its data breach.
SEC alleges Tesla CEO Musk's Tweets violated federal securities law
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tesla Inc. CEO and Chairman Elon Musk, has been charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with securities fraud, stemming from Tweets regarding taking his company private.
Indiana Supreme Court rules in favor of Norfolk Southern Railway over state's blocked crossing regulations
INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) – The Indiana Supreme Court affirmed a summary judgement for Norfolk Southern Railway Co. on Sept. 24 after the state of Indiana handed the transportation entity nearly more than 20 blocked-crossing citations.
Supreme Court of Florida rules loaders are 'dangerous instrumentalities' in case over man's severed finger
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) – On Sept. 27, the Supreme Court of Florida stated a company’s 8,000-pound piece of equipment really is dangerous, voiding the ruling of a lower court as the ruling infringed on decisions the Court and other district courts have made in the past.
Connecticut Supreme Court rules family in wrongful death suit was improperly denied discovery
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) – The Connecticut Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s judgment and determined the family of a woman who died after allegedly not being notified about her medical condition should get more discovery options in their lawsuit against Radiologic Associates of Middletown PC on Sept. 25.
Connecticut Supreme Court sides with widow in Workers' Comp case over husband's alleged asbestos-related death
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) – On Sept. 18, the Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed a Compensation Review Board’s decision that would award a widow with workers’ compensation benefits after it was determined her husband’s passing from lung cancer was work-related.
Washington Supreme Court rules employer's payment plan is not a piecework plan under state code in Xerox case
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) – The Supreme Court of the state of Washington has responded no to a question posed by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case over employee pay.
N.H. Supreme Court upholds trial court decision in case of 13-year-old stepped on by horse
CONCORD, N.H. (Legal Newsline) – The Supreme Court of New Hampshire affirmed a trial court decision that granted immunity from liability to the defendant in a case where a minor was seriously injured in a horseback riding incident.
Lawsuit against taxi company over drunk man's death fails; Driver looked for man after he ran off at stop light
LANSING, Mich. (Legal Newsline) – The Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld a summary disposition decision in the case of a taxi passenger who died of hypothermia after voluntarily leaving the taxi.
D.C. suspends lawyer Steven Donziger after fraud ruling in multibillion-dollar fight against Chevron
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – On Sept. 14, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals suspended attorney Steven R. Donziger from practicing law in Washington, D.C., effective immediately.
New Jersey chiropractic office alleged to have submitted fraudulent charges to GEICO
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – An insurance company is seeking more than $900,000 in reimbursement from a New Jersey chiropractic professional corporation over allegations it submitted fraudulent insurance charges.
Cocrystal Pharma securities owner alleges he was damaged when share prices fell
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – A clinical stage biotechnology company headquartered in Georgia is alleged to have deceived the investing public and engaged in a scheme to inflate the prices of securities.