News from January 2022
Lawsuit alleges House Oversight enlists unvetted donor-funded workers; Consulting group allegedly has Soros ties
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alleges that Democrats have created an unofficial staffing group to provide members on the Committee on Oversight & Reform with consultants and policy advisors who aren’t vetted by the committee.
Troutman Pepper’s Brett Tarver Named to Georgia State University’s 40 Under 40 Outstanding Alumni List for 2022
Troutman Pepper’s Brett Tarver Named to Georgia State University’s 40 Under 40 Outstanding Alumni List for 2022.
Millions for tobacco lawyers as 'local market rule' doesn't apply to fees
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - The lawyers who won an $11 million jury verdict for a lung-transplant patient who blamed her illness on smoking are entitled to $3.2 million in fees, a Florida appeals court ruled, rejecting arguments by Philip Morris that they should be paid according to prevailing rates in Jacksonville, where the trial was held.
City's decision to not carry insurance helps it defeat wrongful death lawsuit
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - A man who sued the City of Pine Bluff, Ark. over a fatal car collision with a fallen tree has no case because the city didn’t carry liability insurance, an appeals court has ruled.
Lawyers' excuses for botching case: Bad paralegals in Detroit, time spent planning daughter's wedding
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Legal Newsline) - An Alaska woman whose local attorney farmed out her medical malpractice lawsuit to a Michigan law firm lost her bid to revive the case after the Alaska Supreme Court said it should be dismissed because of missed deadlines.
Sexual abuse lawsuit hits private school after child pornography charges against teacher's aide
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - An Arkansas private school faces a lawsuit from the mother of a boy allegedly assaulted by a teacher's aide who is currently facing federal child pornography charges.
Arkansas man goes from claiming medical to legal malpractice after losing his lawsuit
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - Arkansas personal injury lawyers are accused of costing a Beebe man his shot at suing his health care provider for medical malpractice.
Morrisey chides Biden over border issues during two-day Texas briefing
WESLACO, Texas — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is visiting the country’s Southwest border in Texas where he and attorneys general from 12 other states were hosted by the governor of Texas for a briefing regarding issues at the border.
GOP lawmaker asks Interior IG to audit ethics office after watchdog complaint
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The credibility of the Department of Interior’s ethics office is at stake if it is allowed to continue to dodge questions about employees who have appearances of conflicts of interest based on previous work affiliations, according to a GOP lawmaker.
Court of Appeals issues scheduling order for legislative districting
The Court of Appeals of Maryland has released a scheduling order concerning the 2022 Legislative Districting of the State.
GOP fundraiser loses attempted block of probe by Democrat AGs
MINNEAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) – A Minnesota federal judge has ruled against the Republican fundraising platform WinRed as it battled the Democrat attorneys general of four states.
Lawyer finding success in lawsuits claiming makeup isn't oil-free
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) – A class action lawsuit that alleges Maybelline makeup is too oily will move forward after a ruling from a Chicago federal judge.
Plaintiff expert can build opinion on assumed facts, Florida court rules
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A trial court improperly disregarded the testimony of a plaintiff expert who based his opinion on the assumption a hospital had failed to get rid of every vial of contaminated heparin, a Florida appeals court ruled, breathing new life into a long-running lawsuit.
Lawsuit questions whether tin foil is made in America
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - One of the latest in a trend of class action lawsuits over "Made in America" claims has been filed over the maker of Reynolds Wrap.
Law firm blamed for disinfecting wipes company being stuck with 16 million units
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A company trying to sell disinfectant wipes is blaming its lawyers for its struggles.
Washington State says distributors caused opioid epidemic, defense attorneys say heroin abuse caused it
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys for the State of Washington argue that an overdose epidemic of opioids called the worst in the state’s history was a result of reckless distribution of the drugs by three accused companies, while their defense attorneys maintain it was societal over-pain-medicating by doctors and illegal use of heroin in the 1990s that fueled it.
Confusion over control of Cape Girardeau's courthouse undoes $475K verdict over broken leg
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) – It’s back to square one for a lawsuit in Missouri that made it all the way to a $475,000 jury verdict, only to have the state Supreme Court order a restart.
A missing bat caused a family to pay $83K for rabies vaccines and sue their city
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Legal Newsline) – An evasive bat is the subject of a lawsuit that recently made it all the way to the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Woman can't remember how she fell but jury can figure it out, court rules
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A woman who sued her sister’s landlord after falling down a pair of bathroom steps can take her case to a jury even though she doesn’t remember what happened, a California appeals court ruled.
City of New York sued over ordinance that requires customers' data from delivery services
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Portier LLC filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 3 in the Southern District of New York against the City of New York for ordering food-delivery services to turn over customers' information.