http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-26T01:42:24-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/3rd_law_student_charged_in_beheading_of_exotic_vegas_bird_takes_misdemeanor/ A third law student from the University of California-Berkeley has been charged with playing a role in the beheading death last year of an exotic bird at a casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Hazhir Kargaran, 26, was charged with three misdemeanors in the Clark County case and pleaded no… Animal Law, Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Law Students, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Nevada Thu, 23 May 2013 11:10:12 -0500 44335.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/urban_dictionary_defines_slang_for_some_court_cases_but_is_it_accurate/ Confronted with unfamiliar words that aren't defined either by Webster's or Black's dictionaries, some lawyers and judges are turning to a street-slang resource, the Urban Dictionary. It has been used by courts to define terms including "iron" (a handgun), "catfishing" (Internet predators using fabricated identities) and "dap"… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Government Law, Law in Popular Culture, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Nevada Tue, 21 May 2013 09:10:37 -0500 44287.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/oj_simpsons_lawyer_says_he_knew_about_guns_said_no_deal_no_way_when_told_of/ Reluctantly testifying about his former client, O.J. Simpson, a Miami attorney on Friday contradicted key aspects of Simpson's earlier testimony during a hearing about whether the former football great should be granted a new trial in his Nevada armed robbery case. Called to the stand by prosecutors and reminded that… Appellate Practice, Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Nevada Fri, 17 May 2013 17:35:48 -0500 44238.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/o.j._simpson_i_gave_500k_to_lead_lawyer_for_costs_he_was_supposed_to_defend/ Testifying this week at a hearing in which he hopes to win a new armed robbery trial, O.J. Simpson said he gave $500,000 to his lead defense lawyer, Yale Galanter. But that was for expert witnesses and other costs, Simpson contended—Galanter was supposed to defend the former… Appellate Practice, Celebrities, Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Trials & Litigation, States, Nevada Thu, 16 May 2013 14:33:55 -0500 44224.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/oj_simpson_is_allowed_to_have_one_hand_free_as_he_argues_for_new_armed_robb/ In an effort to curtail the prison term he is serving for the armed robbery of sports memorabilia from a Las Vegas casino hotel, former football great O.J. Simpson is arguing for a new trial in a Nevada courtroom. His lead counsel, Yale Galanter, is being portrayed… Appellate Practice, Celebrities, Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Nevada Wed, 15 May 2013 10:50:54 -0500 44180.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/states_top_court_to_televise_oral_arguments_in_case_over_euthanesia_of_dog_/ The Nevada Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in July concerning a 120-pound dog that killed a toddler at a birthday party in 2012. The Rhodesian ridgeback mix, known as Onion, was surrendered by its owner to animal control authorities in Henderson after the death of Jeremiah Eskew-Skahan. However, animal… Animal Law, Appellate Practice, Government Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Nevada Tue, 14 May 2013 14:42:01 -0500 44176.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/doctor_and_nurse_at_trial_in_major_criminal_case_over_hep_c_transmission_at/ Last month, a Nevada jury awarded a record $524 million to three individuals over a Hepatitis C outbreak that allegedly was caused by extreme cost-cutting measures at a medical provider's endoscopy clinics. Although the civil verdict is being appealed by the defendant health management… Criminal Justice, Health Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Nevada Wed, 08 May 2013 10:25:35 -0500 44080.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_abused_discretion_by_jailing_defendant_for_attitude_setting_1m_bail/ A Nevada judge said Juan Perez had an "attitude" when he sent the defendant to jail for 15 days and raised his bail from $3,000 to $1 million on a drug trafficking charge. However, a video of the Jan. 16 hearing shows Perez, if anything, was merely casual, the Appellate Practice, Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Nevada Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:26:35 -0500 43858.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer/ A lawyer working as a real estate agent has been convicted in a $50 million Las Vegas mortgage fraud and faces as much as 30 years or more in prison when he is sentenced this summer. David Mark, 37, of New Orleans, La., was convicted of bank fraud, mail fraud… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Real Estate & Property Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Nevada Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:01:46 -0500 43738.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/jury_awards_record_524m_in_hep_c_case_lawyer_calls_verdict_a_wake-up_call/ In what is being billed as a record-high verdict in Nevada for a single case, a jury has awarded a total of $524 million to three individuals, two of whom said they got Hepatitis C as a result of treatment by a doctor who contracted with the defendant health insurer… Consumer Law, Health Law, Insurance Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Nevada Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:26:11 -0500 43680.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/massive_robo-signing_case_dismissed_over_allegations_of_prosecutorial_misco/ A massive mortgage fraud case against two California title officers has been dismissed over allegations of prosecutorial misconduct by the Nevada attorney general's office. Lawyers for the two defendants claimed that prosecutors in the attorney general's office gave a grand jury an improper definition of what constitutes forgery and threatened… Banking Law, Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, California, Nevada Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:57:28 -0600 43045.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_who_had_jury_deliberate_at_3_a.m._to_save_her_vacation_agrees_to_repr/ A Nevada judge who admittedly had a jury deliberate for nearly 18 hours in December 2010 in order to ensure that she could go on vacation as planned has agreed to a public reprimand. District Judge Valorie Vega also admitted that on six occasions she recessed the trial in the… Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Juries, States, Nevada Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:13:29 -0600 42732.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-prosecutor_wont_be_disciplined_for_relationship_with_judge/ A former prosecutor won't face attorney discipline over a relationship she had with a judge before whom she appeared. Although Family Court Judge Steven Jones is facing a complaint by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, ethics charges won't be pursued against attorney Lisa Willardson, the Criminal Justice, Prosecutors, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, States, Nevada Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:10:08 -0600 42624.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/courthouse/ A reclusive Nevada man who died without a will last year has left some unusual issues for a court in Carson City to deal with. One of the biggest: What to do with the gold coins found in Walter Samasko Jr.'s garage, among cans of tuna fish? Although he had… Judiciary, Court Security, Trusts & Estates, States, Nevada Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:11:08 -0600 42602.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/got_a_25-cent_gambling_dispute_a_hearing_officer_stands_ready_to_resolve_it/ What happens when a gambler thinks he's won a jackpot and a Nevada casino sees the situation differently? The state Gaming Control Board is one option for resolving the dispute administratively, reports the Las Vegas Sun on its VegasInc blog. For those who aren't happy with… Administrative Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Entertainment & Sports Law, Judiciary, States, Nevada Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:29:54 -0600 42457.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/hoa/ As two lawyers among the latest 11 defendants federally indicted in a massive Nevada homeowner association corruption case pleaded not guilty in a Las Vegas courtroom on Wednesday, a news report described another local attorney, who died last year, as a key figure… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, White Collar Crime, Real Estate & Property Law, 9th Circuit Court, States, Nevada Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:35:27 -0600 42428.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/2_lawyers_among_11_federally_indicted_re_massive_alleged_homeowner_associat/ Two Las Vegas lawyers were among 11 defendants federally indicted Tuesday in an alleged massive scheme to take over area homeowner associations. Keith Gregory and Barry Levinson and the other nine defendants were all charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Some defendants face additional… Corporate Law, Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Real Estate & Property Law, 9th Circuit Court, States, Nevada Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:29:31 -0600 42396.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_takes_plea_in_30m_federal_mortgage_fraud_case/ A Las Vegas lawyer has pleaded guilty to a felony bank fraud conspiracy charge concerning his role in a mortgage scheme that cost lenders $30 million, according to federal prosecutors. Gerry Zobrist was accused of participating in a scheme in which federal authorities said banks were persuaded by misrepresentations to… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Real Estate & Property Law, 9th Circuit Court, States, Nevada Tue, 15 Jan 2013 13:40:56 -0600 42377.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/berkeley_law_student_pleads_to_animal_cruelty_misdemeanor_in_death_of_bird/ A law student at the University of California-Berkeley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge Thursday concerning the death of an exotic bird beheaded last year at a Las Vegas casino. Eric Cuellar, 24, was sentenced to 48 hours of community service, required to pay $150 restitution, fined $200… Animal Law, Criminal Justice, Law Students, States, Nevada Fri, 11 Jan 2013 07:15:46 -0600 42301.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/prosecutors_charge_2_berkeley_law_students_in_bird_beheading_one_faces_a_fe/ Prosecutors have filed new criminal charges against two law students at the University of California-Berkeley who are accused of a role in the decapitation of an exotic bird at a Las Vegas casino last year. Late last month, prosecutors there charged Justin Teixeira, 24, with felony killing and felony torturing… Animal Law, Criminal Justice, Law Students, States, Nevada Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:28:37 -0600 42183.abajournal.com