http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-18T17:51:03-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_sponsors_guns-for-groceries_buyback_program/ A personal injury law firm in Michigan is sponsoring a gun buyback program this Saturday at a Detroit church. The Southfield personal injury law firm Goodman Acker is backing the “guns for groceries” program, report MLive.com, the Associated Press and ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Criminal Justice, Law Firms, States, Michigan Thu, 16 May 2013 05:35:39 -0500 44194.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/tyranny_and_dark_money_in_the_michigan_supreme_court_former_justice_writes_/ The intrigue includes untraceable “dark money,” abuse of power, and a secret club holding sway over ordinary citizens. It’s not a plot in a new crime novel, however. It’s a book about the Michigan Supreme Court, written by one of its controversial former members, the Traverse… Election Law, Judiciary, States, Michigan Mon, 06 May 2013 06:35:41 -0500 44029.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/appeals_court_says_client_must_pay_law_firms_fees_unless_there_is_a_finding/ An appeals court in Michigan has agreed with a lower court that a law firm and its attorney did not commit malpractice by signing a settlement agreement on behalf of a group of clients, even though one client objected to the pact. Defendant IGC Management Inc. had appealed the lower… Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Attorney Fees, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Michigan Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:40:56 -0500 43875.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/oops._judge_holds_himself_in_contempt_when_his_own_cellphone_rings_during/ When a cellphone rang Friday during a prosecutor's closing argument in a domestic violence trial, a Michigan judge didn't have to look far to find the culprit. It was Chief Ionia District Judge Raymond Voet himself who was to blame, MLive.com reports. He had recently gotten a new… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Judiciary, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Michigan Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:35:50 -0500 43729.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_accused_of_signing_her_own_lawyers_name_on_divorce_filing_fights_susp/ A Michigan family court judge accused of signing her own lawyer's name, without permission, on a personal divorce filing and lying under oath is fighting a recommendation by the state Judicial Tenure Commission that she be suspended for 180 days. The divorce case for Wayne County Circuit Judge Deborah Ross… Family Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, Michigan Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:15:29 -0500 43690.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/anonymous_blogger_wins_round_in_cooleys_defamation_suit/ The Thomas M. Cooley Law School lost a round in its bid to unmask an anonymous blogger when the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled last week that a trial judge erred when denying a protective order in the case. The appellate opinion (PDF) said the trial court failed… Internet Law, Law Schools, Privacy Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Michigan Tue, 09 Apr 2013 07:07:17 -0500 43643.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/cooley_mulls_formal_affiliation_with_western_michigan_university/ Talks are under way to determine whether the Thomas M. Cooley Law School and Western Michigan University should enter into a formal alliance. Under the plan that is being considered, both institutions would retain their independent governance and separate finances. However, the connection that has been demonstrated by a number… Law Schools, States, Florida, Michigan Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:50:14 -0500 43527.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/detroits_clark_hill_to_meld_with_pittsburgh-based_thorp_reed_forming_300-la/ A longtime Pittsburgh law firm has agreed to join forces with Clark Hill, a 200-attorney counterpart based in Detroit. Together, Clark Hill and Thorp Reed & Armstrong will have 300 lawyers in 12 offices when they formally merge in the second quarter of this year, reports the Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners, States, Michigan, Pennsylvania Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:38:25 -0500 43492.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_admittedly_had_sex_in_chambers/ A lawyer for an embattled Michigan judge who is facing an ethics complaint has said he doesn't believe the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission will be able to prove charges that Wayne County Circuit Judge Wade McCree made a false report of a felony, made misrepresentations to the commission and engaged… Family Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, Michigan Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:55:43 -0500 43480.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/banned_from_campus_for_submitting_hot_for_teacher_essay_college_student_sue/ Booted out of Oakland University after writing an essay titled "Hot for Teacher" to fulfill a creative writing class assignment, a former student has filed a federal lawsuit against the public university, its trustees and other officials. Joseph Corlett, 57, says in the suit that the public… Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Education Law, Government Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 6th Circuit Court, States, Michigan Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:23:26 -0500 43407.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/following_layoff_of_22_lawyers_prosecutors_office_stops_covering_all_court_/ After last week's layoff of 22 lawyers, a Detroit prosecutor says her office is stretched too thin to cover all traffic court and domestic violence cases. So, starting Monday, the Wayne County Prosecutor's office has failed to appear to pursue a number of cases. That has been a windfall for… Careers, Layoffs, Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Government Law, Judiciary, Trials & Litigation, States, Michigan Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:54:45 -0500 43355.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/jones_day_lawyer_is_detroits_new_emergency_financial_manager/ Jones Day restructuring partner Kevyn Orr has a new job that is expected to last about 18 months, if he succeeds. Orr was appointed on Thursday to be Detroit’s new emergency financial manager, report the Am Law Daily, Bloomberg News and the Bankruptcy Law, Careers, Government Law, Law Firms, States, Michigan Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:01:05 -0500 43285.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_reverses_order_regulating_content_of_attorneys_facebook_page_about_cl/ After civil rights groups went to bat on his behalf, a Michigan lawyer is once again free to use his Facebook page to post about class action litigation over chicken described as halal that was served at a local fast-food restaurant outlet. Dearborn attorney Majed Moughni, who was not directly… Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Consumer Law, Internet Law, Judiciary, Media & Communications Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Michigan Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:37:15 -0500 43233.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-detroit_mayor_convicted_of_racketeering_in_corruption_trial/ Kwame Kilpatrick, the disgraced former mayor of Detroit, has been convicted of racketeering. The racketeering count could mean up to 20 years in prison for Kilpatrick, who was convicted on 23 other charges, according to news reports. Michigan Live has tallied the… Criminal Justice, States, Michigan Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:30:45 -0500 43195.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_orders_lawyer_to_take_down_facebook_posts_re_mcdonalds_settlement/ Updated: A Michigan judge has ordered a lawyer to take down Facebook posts concerning a settlement by McDonald's concerning its halal food offerings. The order also required Dearborn attorney Majed Moughni to post a copy of the actual settlement in a class action against McDonald's and provide the court with… Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Consumer Law, Internet Law, Judiciary, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Michigan Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:23:31 -0600 42849.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_accused_of_having_relationship_with_party_in_child-support_case_is_su/ A Michigan judge accused of having a relationship with a party in a child-support case before his court has been suspended while a sealed disciplinary matter is resolved. Meanwhile, pay for Wayne County Circuit Judge Wade McCree will be held in escrow, reports Detroit Fox News affiliate WJBK.… Family Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, States, Michigan Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:07:58 -0600 42757.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-judges_plea_ends_ticket-fixing_trial/ A former Michigan judge took a misdemeanor plea after the prosecution rested its case in a felony trial over tickets he admittedly dismissed for his wife and court personnel. James Justin was removed from the Jackson County District Court bench a little over a year ago. the Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, Michigan Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:31:33 -0600 42710.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_associates_dying_declaration_justin_bieber/ The pool is drying up To an extent, in-house law departments and "New Normal" law firms are benefiting from the investment that "old normal" law firms make in training new associates. "My recollection of the stat is that after five years only two out of ten new… ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Legal Technology, Criminal Justice, Internet Law, Law Firms, Associates, Legal Writing, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Michigan, Minnesota Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:45:51 -0600 42641.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/multiple_lawyers_take_pleas_in_mortgage-related_criminal_cases/ Multiple attorneys have recently been making headlines as defendants in mortgage-related criminal cases. Last Friday, Pennsylvania attorney Lisa Gerideau-Williams, 46, pleaded guilty in federal court to 16 counts including wire fraud and filing false income tax returns, concerning what prosecutors described as a multi-faceted $1.7 million fraud, reports the Pittsburgh… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Judiciary, Real Estate & Property Law, 2nd Circuit Court, 3rd Circuit Court, 6th Circuit Court, States, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:51:12 -0600 42608.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/former_state_supreme_court_judge_takes_plea_in_bank_fraud_case/ A now-retired Michigan supreme court justice facing a bank fraud case took a plea in federal court in Ann Arbor on Tuesday. Diane Hathaway, 58, could get anything from probation to 18 months of prison time when she is sentenced on the felony bank fraud charge to which she pleaded… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, White Collar Crime, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, 6th Circuit Court, States, Michigan Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:15:43 -0600 42594.abajournal.com