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AG Kaul Opens Public Comment Period for Request for an Attorney General Opinion on Constitutional Amendment regarding Election Officials
MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul has announced the opening of the public comment period for a request for an Attorney General (AG) opinion on a constitutional amendment concerning election officials. The request, initiated by the Dane County Corporation Counsel, seeks clarification on the recent amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution regarding election officials.In accordance with the process, the Wisconsin Department of Justice is inviting public input on the proposed AG opinion topics before the opinion is finalized. The AG opinion request document can be...
Two Former Missouri Health Care Charity Executives Sentenced for Roles in Multimillion-Dollar Bribery and Embezzlement Scheme
Two former executives of a Springfield, Missouri-based charity were sentenced for their roles in a multimillion-dollar public corruption scheme that involved embezzlement and bribes paid to multiple elected public officials in the State of Arkansas."Bontiea and Tom Goss were the former chief operating officer and chief financial officer, respectively, at Preferred Family Healthcare Inc.," the court documents stated.Bontiea Bernedette Goss, 65, was sentenced to three years in prison, and her husband, Tommy “Tom” Ray Goss, 68, was sentenced to six years in prison. They...
America First Legal Partners With State of Texas to Sue Biden Administration Over Title IX Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal joined Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in filing a critical lawsuit against President Biden’s Secretary of Education and others to stop the Biden Administration’s newly promulgated Title IX rules from wreaking havoc on women, children, and schools across the country.Title IX is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program that receives federal money, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. The new rule contorts these protections for women by forcing schools to...
New York fights appeal of ghost gun makers
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Letitia James is hoping to block the appeal of the makers of "ghost guns" after a federal judge ruled they are probably firearms and should be regulated as such.
Former NBA ref fired over COVID vaccine wins $3 million
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - An NBA referee fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine has won nearly $3 million after filing a lawsuit.
DraftKings faces class action over promotions to new users
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A gambler unhappy with "risk-free" bets earned for signing up to DraftKings has filed a class action lawsuit.
Lawsuit filed after bus hits moped, kills driver
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A wrongful death lawsuit in Massachusetts state court seeks compensation for the estate of a man killed while driving a moped in Chelsea.
COVID could be occupational disease, as split Nebraska SC rules for nurse
LINCOLN, Neb. (Legal Newsline) - The Nebraska Supreme Court overturned the denial of a woman’s claim for workers compensation over a COVID-19 infection early in the pandemic, although dissenters including the court’s chief justice said the opinion misinterpreted the law and may not have any legal effect.
Former Maryland Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Activities
A Minnesota woman, Kymberly Starr, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for preparing false tax returns on behalf of her clients. Starr, who owned and operated The Tax Lady in Maryland, inflated her clients' tax refunds by submitting false tax returns to the IRS, resulting in approximately $400,000 of tax loss.Furthermore, Starr obtained over $83,000 in COVID-19-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through fabricated IRS forms and filed a false claim for unemployment insurance with the Maryland Department of Labor, receiving over $55,000.U.S. District...
Richmond Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
A Richmond man, Walter Lavelle Allen, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentencing comes after Allen, a previously convicted felon, was found with a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol in his possession.According to court documents, Richmond Police observed Allen displaying the firearm in an Instagram story before finding him asleep in a parked vehicle with the weapon under his leg. Allen's previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine prohibited him from legally owning a firearm or...
Disruptive Technology Protection Network Summit Strengthens US, Japan, and ROK Collaboration
The Departments of Justice and Commerce, in collaboration with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), held the first high-level trilateral summit in Washington, D.C. to launch the Disruptive Technology Protection Network. The summit aimed to strengthen collaboration on technology protection measures and enhance connections between the enforcement agencies of the three countries.Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division emphasized the global importance of preventing sensitive technology from falling into the wrong...
Law firm must defend claim it botched case over non-compete agreement
DOVER, Del. (Legal Newsline) - A law firm that was fired midway through litigation over an insurance broker’s non-compete agreement must defend itself against claims the case could have been won absent the malpractice of the attorneys, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled.
Supreme Court wrong, California right: Worker with no claim can sue on behalf of others
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - Stating a U.S. Supreme Court decision “is not binding on California courts,” an appeals court restored a worker’s lawsuit under the state private attorneys general law on behalf of hundreds of fellow employees although she didn’t file an individual claim for herself.
Nuclear power company sues New York over discharge rules
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Holtec International says the State of New York has usurped the exclusive power of the federal government to regulate discharges at nuclear power plants.
Maryland Payroll Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes and Embezzlement
Maryland Payroll Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes and EmbezzlementA Maryland woman, Michelle Leach-Bard, pleaded guilty to failing to pay employment taxes to the IRS and embezzling from an employee benefit plan. Leach-Bard, the owner and sole corporate officer of iProcess Online Inc., was responsible for withholding taxes from employees' wages but failed to pay them to the IRS as required. This resulted in a tax loss of $2,663,264.12.Additionally, Leach-Bard did not pay approximately $207,180.41 in wages withheld from employees' paychecks to the 401(k) Plan,...
Panel: Democratizing info on judges for law clerkship database raises 'ethical concerns'
In spite of growing participation among state and federal judges in Legal Accountability Project's LAP Pledge, the Committee on Codes of Conduct of the Judicial Conference advised 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jerome Holmes that distributing post clerkship surveys to current and former clerks, and other facets of the pledge, "gives rise to ethical concerns."
Boston Cipro lawsuit alleges lifelong injuries
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A Massachusetts couple allege the prescription drug Cipro has given the wife lifelong injuries.
Williams-Sonoma to Pay Record Civil Penalty for Misleading 'Made in the USA' Claims
The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have announced that Williams-Sonoma Inc. will be paying over $3 million in civil penalties for falsely marketing imported goods as "Made in the USA." The settlement also requires Williams-Sonoma to cease making misleading claims about the origins of its products.Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton stated, "The Justice Department will vigorously enforce laws to stop deceptive advertisers from making misleading and fraudulent claims to sell products." This comes in response to...
Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon Addresses Challenges and Initiatives in the Corrections Field
Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon recently delivered remarks at the Elevating Our Profession Corrections Conference and Medal Of Honor Ceremony in Chicago. During her speech, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to honor the distinguished Medal of Honor recipients and acknowledged their exceptional contributions to the corrections field and the safety of communities. Solomon commended One Voice for recognizing heroes in the corrections field and for their leadership on behalf of America's corrections professionals.Reflecting on her extensive career...
Kansas Man Indicted for Stealing 41 Firearms
A federal grand jury indictment has been unsealed charging Frank Guereca, 22, of Olathe, with stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Missouri. Guereca was arrested while crossing the border from Mexico back into the United States and made his initial court appearance in El Paso, Texas. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco emphasized the importance of cooperation with Mexican law enforcement in stopping the flow of firearms into Mexico, where they can end up in the hands of violent cartels.Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and...