http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-20T16:50:49-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_nixes_attorneys_fees_for_lawyer_in_oil_spill_case_says_clients_signat/ Saying that he believes a plaintiff's signature on a legal representation document concerning the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was forged, a federal judge in New Orleans nixed attorney fees for a Texas lawyer. Attorney Brent Coon had sought a 25 percent share of an undisclosed settlement his claimed client,… Energy Law, Oil Spill, Trials & Litigation, Attorney Fees, Verdicts & Settlements, 5th Circuit Court, States, Louisiana Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:25:42 -0500 43614.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/gun_rights_amendment_protects_felons_who_possess_firearms_judge_rules/ A Louisiana judge has struck down a state law barring gun possession by certain felons, citing a conflict with a state constitutional amendment that took effect on Jan. 1. Judge Darryl Derbigny of Orleans Parish said the law is unconstitutional because of the new amendment making gun possession a “fundamental… Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Trials & Litigation, States, Louisiana Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:35:42 -0500 43396.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/5th_circuit_nixes_state_regs_banning_casket_sales_by_monks_finds_they_lack_/ In the latest win for the Institute of Justice in a "rational basis" economic regulation case, a federal appeals court has agreed with a trial judge that the state of Louisiana overreached by preventing Benedictine monks from selling simple wooden caskets because they are not funeral directors. Finding that "mere… Constitutional Law, Government Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 5th Circuit Court, States, Louisiana Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:41:23 -0500 43379.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/fired_by_judge_after_failing_to_show_for_murder_trial_lawyer_is_back_on_the/ Summarily fired by the presiding judge after he failed to appear for a double murder trial last week because of a conflicting murder trial in another court, a Louisiana lawyer is back on the job again. After a Friday hearing at which attorney Martin Regan explained the conflict to the… Criminal Justice, Trials & Litigation, States, Louisiana Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:46:58 -0600 43123.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal_bench_trial_begins_to_apportion_fault_for_gulf_oil_spill_among_bp_a/ A federal judge in New Orleans began hearing opening statements Monday in a trial to determine how to apportion blame between BP Plc and its subcontractors for the massive oil spill that began April 20, 2010 with a blowout of an undersea well after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded… Admiralty & Maritime Law, Corporate Law, Criminal Justice, Environmental Law, Government Law, Oil Spill, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 5th Circuit Court, States, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:16:31 -0600 42993.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-associate_admits_scheme_to_divert_453k_in_law_firm_funds_takes_federal_w/ An ex-associate of a Louisiana law firm pleaded guilty to a wire fraud count Wednesday in federal court in Baton Rouge and admitted a scheme to get $453,123 of Crawford Lewis funds for his own use. James M. “Tres” Bernhard III, 36, settled last summer a civil lawsuit brought against… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Law Firms, Associates, Midsize Firm, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, 5th Circuit Court, States, Louisiana Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:49:29 -0600 42632.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/super_bowl_banner_restrictions_must_be_scaled_back_judge_rules/ A federal judge has ordered New Orleans to reduce the size of a “clean zone” where unauthorized banners, signs and flags are banned during Super Bowl week. U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday in a First Amendment lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union… Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Entertainment & Sports Law, States, Louisiana Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:13:56 -0600 42552.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/transocean_to_pay_1.4b_to_end_doj_criminal_probe_and_other_federal_claims/ The company that owned the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and safety equipment involved in the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill nearly three years ago has agreed to pay $1.4 billion to settle federal claims over the fatal environmental disaster. Transocean Ltd. will plead guilty to violating the Clean Water… Administrative Law, Corporate Law, Criminal Justice, Environmental Law, Legal History, Oil Spill, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 5th Circuit Court, States, District of Columbia, Louisiana Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:52:01 -0600 42215.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/beirne_maynard_parsons_acquires_lemle_kelleher_expects_significant_further_/ One of the oldest law firms in Louisiana has been acquired by Beirne Maynard & Parsons, a Houston-based law firm that focuses on civil litigation. Beirne Maynard & Parsons announced the merger with Lemle & Kelleher in a Jan. 1 press release in which it also said that continued growth… International Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, Louisiana, Texas Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:15:30 -0600 42195.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/federal_judge_gives_la._woman_tro_re_home_rooftop_light_display_featuring/ A federal judge in Louisiana has issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting a municipality from interfering with a resident's holiday light display. It reportedly features at least one hand, with its middle finger extended. The court order follows two separate incidents in which Denham Springs police allegedly ordered Sarah Childs… Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Government Law, Real Estate & Property Law, Trials & Litigation, 5th Circuit Court, States, Louisiana Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:17:59 -0600 42136.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/2-year_law_license_suspension_for_attorney_who_charged_client_usual_rate_to/ A divided Louisiana Supreme Court has OK'd a recommended two-year law license suspension for an attorney who charged a client nursing home resident her usual billable rate of $125 per hour to perform non-legal services such as running errands. Katherine M. Guste charged an unreasonable fee and took advantage of… Legal Ethics, States, Louisiana Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:56:33 -0600 41927.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/new_orleans_us_attorney_resigns_amidst_ethics_probes_re_top_assistants_inte/ The nation's longest-serving U.S. attorney announced his resignation Thursday at a press conference, effective in less than a week, but said he will stay on in a supporting role to help with the transition. Citing unidentified sources, the Times-Picayune said U.S. Attorney Jim Letten of New Orleans is… Careers, Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Internet Law, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, 5th Circuit Court, States, Louisiana Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:54:17 -0600 41916.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-associate_of_law_firm_charged_with_wire_fraud_accused_of_obtaining_453k_/ An ex-associate of a Baton Rouge, La., law firm has been federally charged with wire fraud for allegedly using fraudulent misrepresentations to persuade his former firm to send $93,750 to a bank account under his control. The charging document, a bill of information, also contends, however, that James M. "Tres"… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Law Firms, Associates, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 5th Circuit Court, States, Louisiana Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:08:26 -0600 41776.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/double_disbarred_in-house_lawyer_who_didnt_tell_verizon_of_disbarment_gets_/ A disbarred Louisiana lawyer who didn’t disclose the sanction to WorldCom and Verizon while working in their legal departments has now been permanently disbarred. The Louisiana Supreme Court permanently disbarred James David Turnage on Friday after he failed to respond to the ethics charges. The Legal… In-house Counsel, Legal Ethics, States, Louisiana Mon, 19 Nov 2012 07:15:56 -0600 41672.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/anonymous_blog_comments_snag_another_us_prosecutor_suit_cited_superfluous/ A New Orleans federal prosecutor who was second in command to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten has been demoted after admitting she posted anonymous comments on a newspaper website. Letten announced the demotion of First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jan Mann on Thursday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and… Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Internet Law, Legal Ethics, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Louisiana Mon, 12 Nov 2012 06:30:44 -0600 41544.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/defense_attorney_arrested_in_court_accused_of_stalking_female_prosecutor/ A Louisiana defense attorney was arrested Thursday on a warrant in a New Orleans courtroom and charged Friday with two counts of stalking after police say he harassed a female prosecutor. Maurice Tyler is accused of entering a courtroom Wednesday in which a prosecutor was working, despite being told to… Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Trials & Litigation, States, Louisiana Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:54:25 -0600 41558.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/top_la._court_nixes_lawyers_argument_that_judicial_bribery_scheme_doesnt_ca/ A suspended Louisiana trial lawyer has been permanently disbarred for his role in a Mississippi judicial bribery scheme. Rejecting arguments by Paul S. Minor that attorney discipline should not take place until his criminal appeals are final and that disbarment is too harsh a punishment, given the mitigating circumstances, the… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, White Collar Crime, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Louisiana, Mississippi Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:00:06 -0500 41227.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/louisiana_supreme_court_settles_racially_charged_dispute_over_its_new_top_j/ Bernette Johnson will become the first black chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court after the court ruled Tuesday in a dispute over seniority, The court ruled Johnson, a Democrat, had the seniority that entitled her to the job under a state constitutional provision that does not distinguish between elected… Election Law, Judiciary, States, Louisiana Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:06:24 -0500 41184.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/jones_walker_law_firms_sponsors_blood_drive_for_lawyer_shot_in_carjacking/ The Jones Walker law firm in New Orleans is sponsoring a blood drive on Monday for one of its lawyers who was shot in a carjacking earlier this week. Sanford Kaynor, a special counsel in the firm’s corporate and securities practice, was critically injured, WGNO… Criminal Justice, Law Firms, States, Louisiana Fri, 05 Oct 2012 06:27:04 -0500 41028.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/oops._nearby_cops_say_joint_fell_out_of_city_attorneys_pocket_in_court_care/ An assistant New Orleans city attorney received a municipal summons charging him with simple marijuana possession after, police say, a joint dropped out of his pocket as he was chatting with a city police officer Monday in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court while working as private defense counsel. Jason Cantrell, 43,… Criminal Justice, Government Law, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Louisiana Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:30:35 -0500 41024.abajournal.com