LEGAL NEWSLINE

A Providence man has been sentenced to 45 years in state prison for the murder of his estranged wife, Maniriho Nkinamubanzi, in 2017. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced the sentencing, which took place on September 24, 2024, at Providence County Superior Court.

Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the latest quarterly allocation of naloxone as part of Arizona's ongoing efforts to combat the opioid crisis. This initiative follows Arizona's settlement with Teva Manufacturing to address the harms caused by the opioid epidemic.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland addressed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas, expressing gratitude towards law enforcement partners and public servants for their ongoing efforts in protecting communities.

Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the conviction of Henry Joiner, 62, for murder. Joiner was convicted in the Montgomery County Circuit Court on November 10, 2022.

Attorney General Josh Stein announced that North Carolina’s price gouging law is now in effect due to Hurricane Helene. The Department of Justice will closely review price gouging complaints, and Stein emphasized accountability for those breaking the law.

The Justice Department has announced coordinated actions with the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, and other federal and international law enforcement partners to address Russian money laundering operations. These efforts include unsealing an indictment against a Russian national for his role in operating multiple money laundering services for cybercriminals and seizing websites linked to three illicit cryptocurrency exchanges.

The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear a case on October 4, 2024, in Nashville. The hearing will start at 9:00 a.m. CDT at the Tennessee Supreme Court building and will be livestreamed on the TNCourts YouTube page.

The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the state tax commissioner to recalculate the tax rates for wooded areas near farmland. This decision comes after a unanimous ruling that found the current agricultural use values (CAUVs) for woodlands from 2015 to 2020 were not based on accurate, reliable, and practical data, as required by the Ohio Administrative Code.

Acadia Healthcare Company Inc., a Delaware corporation based in Franklin, Tennessee, has agreed to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and related state statutes. The company is accused of billing for medically unnecessary inpatient behavioral health services or services that did not meet federal and state regulations.

The Second Annual Mental Health and the Courts Summit will be held on September 26, 2024, at the Vermont Statehouse and via Zoom. Information with program details, including which portions will be livestreamed, can be found on the Vermont Judiciary Commission on Mental Health and the Courts webpage.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has called on Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to support bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing an IRS policy that complicates state child support programs. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Act, with similar legislation now pending in the Senate.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined 22 other attorneys general in supporting a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule aimed at curbing illegal gun trafficking. The coalition filed an amicus brief in Texas v. ATF, arguing that the rule is necessary to protect public safety by preventing domestic abusers and other dangerous individuals from obtaining guns illegally.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has approved settlements in rate increase requests from the Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation (MGUC) and Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO), as announced by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The settlements result in significant reductions in the requested rate hikes, partially due to the Attorney General's intervention.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated a multistate lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Biden Administration officials. The suit aims to block a new rule that redefines "gender dysphoria" as a disability under federal law.

Following the close of a two-week collective effort, Attorney General Charity Clark, the Vermont Bar Association (VBA), the Vermont Paralegal Organization (VPO), and the Vermont Foodbank announced the positive impact of the Vermont Legal Community Fighting Hunger Food Drive. For the past eight years, legal professionals across the state have come together to run the food drive during 'Hunger Action Month' in September. With economic hardships such as inflation and high housing costs, as well as multiple flooding events, it has been difficult for many households to keep food...

The 24th annual Community Response to Child Abuse Conference is set to take place on October 3, 2024, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center in Pierre, South Dakota. This year, over 500 participants from 130 regional organizations, schools, and businesses are expected to attend.

On September 26, 2024, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Justice Department announced findings from an investigation into civil rights violations by the Lexington, Mississippi Police Department and the City of Lexington. Clarke was joined by Todd W. Gee, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.

A job announcement has been made for a temporary law clerk position in Bismarck, ND. The role is full-time, non-exempt, and does not include benefits. The salary is set at $20.79 per hour, Grade 4. Applications are due by May 1, 2025.

Today, in Dakota County District Court, Jason Jones, 44, was found guilty of the first-degree murders of Michele Ebeling and Gene, Janet, and Dana Twiford on August 4, 2022, in Laurel, Nebraska. Jones was also convicted of two counts of second-degree arson and four counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony.

Attorney General Tim Griffin announced the arrest of Charlotte Dedmon, 48, of Little Rock, on a felony charge of Medicaid fraud. In his statement, Griffin said, "I congratulate my office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for securing the arrest of someone stealing from the hardworking taxpayers of Arkansas. A caregiver cannot marry a Medicaid beneficiary and then bill the state for services."