LEGAL NEWSLINE

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, along with Topher Hamblett, Executive Director of Save The Bay, Senator Victoria Gu, Representative Terri Cortvriend, and other advocates, have called for the passage of a bill to reform the Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC). The proposed legislation aims to transform CRMC into a Department of Coastal Resources under the executive branch. This change would replace the current structure of politically-appointed board members with a state department staffed by experts in coastal issues.

On May 22, 2024, Attorney General Josh Stein emphasized the importance of public safety in North Carolina. “Keeping people safe is job one for the state,” said Stein. “I will continue to fight to protect children and families, including advocating for more law enforcement resources. Law enforcement go straight into danger to protect us all – we must put our money where our mouths are and do more to support them. That includes more resources for solving cases, fighting against fentanyl, and recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers.”

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Christopher Newhall, 38, of St. George, Vermont, was arraigned today on three felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, two felony counts of use of a child in a sexual performance, and two misdemeanor counts of voyeurism. The charges brought against Mr. Newhall are the result of a criminal investigation conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), Homeland Security Investigations, Burlington Police Department, and Vermont State Police.

The Yankton County Drug & DUI Court team has announced a graduation ceremony to honor participants who have successfully completed the program. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. CDT in Courtroom A of the Yankton County Courthouse and Safety Center at 410 Walnut St., Yankton.

A Chinese citizen linked to a major gift-card counterfeiting operation targeting Coshocton-area consumers has been sentenced to four to six years in prison for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.

Two alleged members of a transnational money laundering organization were arrested on criminal charges related to their involvement in laundering millions of dollars in illegal drug proceeds for Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels.

On Thursday, June 13, the Iowa Court of Appeals will hold a special ceremony to mark the retirement of Chief Judge Thomas Bower. The public ceremony is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in the supreme court courtroom on the fourth floor of the Iowa Judicial Branch Building, located at 1111 E. Court Ave., Des Moines. Overflow seating will be available. Chief Judge Bower will officially retire on July 1, 2024.

PIERRE, S.D.—South Dakota is developing a new statewide office to improve how legal representation is provided to those who cannot afford an attorney and have a right to counsel under state or federal law. During its first meeting on May 16, 2024, the Commission on Indigent Legal Services approved posting a job announcement to hire a chief defender to lead the new Office of Indigent Legal Services. This person will direct a team of public defense professionals to provide statewide indigent representation services in appeals of criminal, habeas corpus, and abuse or neglect of...

TOPEKA—The 31st Judicial District Nominating Commission has selected Zelda Schlotterbeck to fill a district magistrate judge vacancy in Woodson County.

A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, on September 9, 2022, a Hanover County deputy sheriff performed a traffic stop on a car in which Jarec Dominique Brown, 23, was a passenger. At the time, Brown possessed a backpack at his feet. The deputy lawfully searched the backpack and recovered a 9mm firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), rendering the firearm capable of fully automatic fire. Brown was also in possession of three ammunition magazines and 66 rounds of ammunition....

Richard Irish, 57, of South Royalton, Vermont, was sentenced today in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to one count of felony possession of child sexual abuse material. Judge Heather Gray presided over the court and sentenced Irish to 10 years of probation with conditions that restrict his access to the internet and contact with minors. If Irish violates the terms of his probation, he may face up to five years in jail. Additionally, he is required to register as a sex offender until 10 years have elapsed after the completion of his...

Attorney General William Tong has issued a statement criticizing a petition filed by 19 Republican state attorneys general with the U.S. Supreme Court. The petition seeks to block cases brought by Connecticut and four other states, which aim to hold ExxonMobil accountable for alleged deception regarding climate change.

OVW conducted a live web-based pre-application information session for its Fiscal Year 2024 Electronic Service Protection Order Court Pilot (ESPOC) Program solicitation. During the presentation, OVW staff reviewed this program’s requirements, discussed the solicitation, and allowed for a brief question-and-answer period.

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that Wisconsin ranked second in the nation for the most prescription medications collected during the spring 2024 Drug Take Back event. The state collected 55,122 lbs. of unwanted medications this spring.

The Washington State Court of Appeals, Division I, will convene at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon on May 29, 2024. A panel of appellate judges will hear oral arguments beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Tarro Theater on the college's Mount Vernon campus.

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 22, 2024) – Following an investigative tip from the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, agents of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) led a raid on May 21 on an illegal marijuana grow operation west of Watonga. The operation resulted in the confiscation of more than 17,500 untagged marijuana plants and 600 pounds of untraceable, processed marijuana. This joint effort involved the OAG’s Organized Crime Task Force and the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, with additional support from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) and the Oklahoma City Police...

Columbus, OH – On Wednesday, The Buckeye Institute presented testimony before the Joint Committee on Property Tax Review and Reform, offering several recommendations aimed at alleviating the property tax burden on Ohio residents.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by former basketball player John Stockton, two doctors accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation, and an organization founded by presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The lawsuit aimed to halt the Washington Medical Commission's enforcement of its unprofessional conduct regulations against the physicians.

Kindred Elementary School fourth graders, teachers, and chaperones recently visited the state capitol, meeting with Justices Daniel Crothers, Lisa McEvers, and Douglas Bahr, as well as Attorney General Drew Wrigley. The group of nearly 100 had the opportunity to ask a variety of questions related to the roles and responsibilities of these officials.

The Justice Department announced today that Pen Yu, also known as Ben Yu, 51, of Gibsonton, Florida, and Gregory Muñoz, 45, of Minneola, Florida, have each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy. The charges stem from their involvement in a scheme to fraudulently procure deeply discounted products from Massachusetts biochemical company Sigma-Aldrich Inc., doing business as MilliporeSigma, and export them to China using falsified export documents.