News from May 2024
St. Clair County man charged with sexual assault and child pornography
Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed charges against a Mascoutah man for sexual assault and manufacturing and disseminating child pornography. This case forms part of Raoul's continuous efforts, in partnership with federal and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois, to apprehend individuals who download and distribute child pornography online.
Fourth Judicial District offers free Family Law Day on June 7
The Fourth Judicial District, in partnership with several legal organizations, is set to host a free Family Law Day on June 7, 2024. The event will be held in Colorado Springs, CO, specifically serving the communities of El Paso and Teller counties.
Gov. Stitt signs bill enhancing protections for vulnerable adults
Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed his gratitude to Gov. Kevin Stitt for signing into law House Bill 3668, which enhances Medicaid fraud protections and helps protect elderly and vulnerable adults. The bill was signed on May 15, 2024 in Oklahoma City.
South Carolina men arrested on child sexual abuse material charges
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Nicholas Michael Lehner, 25, of Summerville, S.C., and Davron Ulugbekovich Madaminov, 22, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., on five total charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office and Mount Pleasant Police Department conducted the arrests in these unrelated cases. Homeland Security Investigations, also a member of the state's ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.
Goodwin dismisses medical monitoring class action against Union Carbide
CHARLESTON – A federal judge has dismissed a proposed class action lawsuit alleging Union Carbide’s South Charleston plant released a cancer-causing emission.
DCA Live Recognizes Morgan Lewis Partner Jocelyn Cuttino Among Emerging Women Leaders
Morgan Lewis partner Jocelyn Cuttino has been named to DCA Live’s 2024 list of Emerging Women Leaders in Law, which recognizes female lawyers in the Washington, DC area who are poised to become leaders within their firms and the region’s broader legal community.
Ballard Spahr Serves as Underwriter's Counsel for $245M in New Jersey Housing Bonds
Ballard Spahr served as underwriter’s counsel for the issuance of $245.5 million in New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) bonds to finance mortgage loans for single-family, owner-occupied residences throughout the state in a transaction that closed.
Justice Department accuses Nebraska of violating civil rights laws
The Justice Department has declared that Nebraska is in violation of federal civil rights laws, due to the unnecessary segregation of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) in assisted living and day program facilities. This segregation breaches the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Olmstead v. L.C.
Warren County landlord settles over unlawful water shut-off allegations
Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced a settlement with Miller Properties Group, LLC, a property management company based in Warren County. The company and its owner, Jason Miller, were accused of unlawfully disconnecting water service to occupied rental properties as a means of "self-help" - an illegal tactic used by landlords to force eviction or removal of tenants without first obtaining a court order of possession, as mandated by the Pennsylvania Landlord Tenant Act and relevant civil procedure rules.
Rokita leads 25-state challenge against new EPA rule threatening utility costs
Attorney General Todd Rokita, in conjunction with 24 other attorneys general, has initiated action to prevent the implementation of the Biden administration’s “Clean Power Plan 2.0”. This plan is viewed as an imposition on states and their residents, particularly those in Indiana who rely on coal and gas for their heating, cooling, and lighting needs. Attorney General Rokita's office is spearheading a motion to halt this new rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which imposes stringent anti-coal & gas mandates on power plants.
Idaho Joins Multistate Suit Asking Court to Declare EPA’s New Rule on Power Plants Unlawful
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador joined a coalition of 25 states in a lawsuit asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to review and declare unlawful the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently-released rule on existing coal, natural gas, and oil-fired power plants.
Carr: We’re Creating Georgia’s First Statewide Organized Retail and Cyber Crime Unit
Attorney General Chris Carr is set to create Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail and Cyber Crime Unit, with funding provided in the state’s FY 2025 budget signed today by Governor Brian Kemp.
Attorney General Merrick Garland commemorates 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board decision
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland recently delivered remarks to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. The event took place in the Justice Department’s Great Hall, with Secretary Cardona representing the Department of Education.
Kauaʻi Self-Help Center Attorney Training equips attorneys for statewide initiative
On May 14, 2024, more than 20 attorneys participated in the Kauaʻi Self-Help Center Attorney Training. This event, which provided continuing legal education, was designed to equip participants with the necessary skills to contribute to the statewide initiative aimed at enhancing access to justice for Hawaiʻi residents requiring assistance with civil legal matters.
Veterans Treatment Court celebrates first anniversary with success
The Veterans Treatment Court in Unit 1 marked its first anniversary with an official celebration. Since its inception, the program has seen increased participation and has proven to be successful. To date, one graduate has emerged from the program and eight veterans are currently taking advantage of this unique opportunity.
Maintenance scheduled for North Dakota appellate case system public portal
The North Dakota Appellate Case System Public Portal is scheduled for maintenance today, May 14th, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM CST. The system will be unavailable during this time. "Sorry for the inconvenience."
AFL files petition against FCC's collection of broadcasters' race and sex data
America First Legal (AFL), in conjunction with co-counsel Boyden Gray PLLC, has lodged a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The petition is on behalf of the National Religious Broadcasters and American Family Association, against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC has issued an order that allegedly unlawfully mandates television and radio stations in the United States to publicly disclose the race, ethnicity, and sex of their employees.
Attorney General secures $25k settlement with North Carolina landlord
Attorney General Josh Stein announced today that he has secured a $25,040 consent judgment against Lisa Eustathiou and her company, Apollon LLC, for violations of state consumer protection and debt laws. The defendants are required to repay $25,040 in security deposits and establish a 90-day lookback period to review refund requests from individuals who did not file complaints with the office but may be entitled to a refund.
Attorney General Griffin Announces Conviction in Elder Abuse Case
Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the conviction of Sarah Mazander, 39, of Judsonia after she pleaded guilty in White County Circuit Court to the charge of Abuse of an Endangered/Impaired Person, a Class C Felony.
Attorney General Taylor Announces Settlement with Major Wireless Carriers Over Deceptive and Misleading Advertising Practices
Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor announced a $10.25 million, 50-jurisdiction settlement with wireless carriers, AT&T Mobility, LLC, Cricket Wireless, LLC, T-Mobile USA, Inc., Cellco Partnership, d/b/a Verizon Wireless, and TracFone Wireless, Inc., which resolves an investigation by a coalition of state attorneys general into these wireless carriers’ deceptive and misleading advertising practices.