http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-25T18:18:13-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/aba_offers_help_to_law_firms_and_individuals_hit_hard_by_oklahoma_tornadoes/ The president of the American Bar Association has extended her sympathies to victims of the Oklahoma tornadoes and says the ABA is organizing relief efforts to provide legal help to survivors of this week's storms. “There are no words to ease the pain of the families who lost loved ones… Bar Associations, ABA, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Pro Bono, Natural Disasters, States, Oklahoma Fri, 24 May 2013 13:13:31 -0500 44355.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/tardy_juror_doubles_down_fails_to_appear_for_contempt_hearing/ Jailed for four hours last week after he was late to court two days running, a prospective juror failed to appear on Tuesday for a contempt hearing. Rickey Christopher had been dismissed from the jury pool after being late for the second time. And Oklahoma County District Judge Ray C.… Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Trials & Litigation, Juries, States, Oklahoma Tue, 14 May 2013 16:10:09 -0500 44177.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_who_borrowed_48k_from_jailed_client_without_his_permission_loses_lic/ An Oklahoma lawyer who spent over $48,000 from a jailed client without his permission has had her law license suspended for two years. Lagailda F. Barnes didn't suffer a more severe sanction because she repaid the money in full before an attorney discipline case got going, was cooperative in the… Legal Ethics, States, Oklahoma Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:32:33 -0500 43595.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/oklahoma_judge_raises_eyebrows_after_sentencing_a_teen_to_church/ Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Criminal Justice, States, Oklahoma, Opening Statements Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:00:22 -0600 42835.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/barefoot_man_accused_of_firing_gun_outside_courthouse_pleads_not_guilty_due/ A man accused of walking barefoot onto the grounds of an Oklahoma courthouse last year and firing a handgun into the air pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity on Monday to various charges he faces as a result of the March 2012 incident, according to Criminal Justice, Judiciary, Court Security, States, Oklahoma Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:10:08 -0600 43001.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_charged_with_offering_to_cut_legal_fees_in_return_for_sex_with_clien/ An Oklahoma lawyer was charged with a felony Tuesday, accused of offering to cut a criminal defense client's legal fees in exchange for sexual favors from the woman's 13-year-old daughter. Sheriff's deputies were with the woman when they say Jeremy Daniel Oliver texted her Sunday offering a discount for nude… Criminal Justice, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Oklahoma Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:19:51 -0600 42721.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/tax_commission_asks_judge_to_close_law_firm_says_180k_owed_re_employee_tax_/ The Oklahoma Tax Commission has asked a judge to shut down an Oklahoma City law firm until the lawyer who operates it posts bond, contending that attorney Doug Friesen has failed to file required paperwork and owes nearly $180,000 in employee tax withholding he is supposed to send to the… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Law Firms, Partners, Solos/Small Firms, Tax Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Oklahoma Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:44:32 -0600 41925.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/police_chief_says_sorry_re_2500_ticket_given_to_woman_after_son_3_drops_pan/ Dillan Warden is being potty-trained, so when he got the urge to go on Sunday, a teenage family member encouraged him to drop his pants and try to pee in the family's front yard. But that resulted in a $2,500 ticket for public urination from Piedmont, Okla., police, to his… Criminal Justice, Government Law, Trials & Litigation, States, Oklahoma Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:50:22 -0600 41552.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/paralegal_celebrates_50_years_with_law_firm/ A wrong turn en route to lunch with her sister led to a 50-year career at an Oklahoma City law firm for Jo Balding. Stepping off the wrong elevator, she found herself at the firm then known as Crowe, Boxley, Dunlevy, Thweatt, Swinford & Johnson, reports the Oklahoman.… Careers, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Paralegals, States, Oklahoma Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:34:48 -0600 41469.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/divided_okla._supreme_court_censures_lawyer_after_3rd_booze-related_driving/ After three alcohol-related driving incidents over a period of roughly three years, all of which resulted in either his arrest or the issuance of a citation, an Oklahoma attorney received a censure from the state's top court. However, a divided Oklahoma Supreme Court declined in a 5-4 ruling to impose… Criminal Justice, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Oklahoma Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:53:45 -0500 40792.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/1_okla._judge/ The resignation of a former Oklahoma judge from not only her job on the bench but the state bar association has been accepted by the state's top court. Oklahoma County District Judge Tammy Bass-LeSure stepped down and gave up her bar membership after pleading guilty in March to two counts… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Judiciary, Legal Ethics, States, Oklahoma Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:11:23 -0500 40652.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/death_penalty_is_sentence_for_two_brothers_convicted_in_separate_crimes_25_/ Brothers Roger and Rodney Berget are a rarity in the criminal justice system. Both were condemned to die for murders. There are at least three other cases in which brothers got the death penalty, the Associated Press reports. But the Bergets are unusual because they were sentenced… Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, States, Oklahoma, South Dakota Wed, 30 May 2012 09:56:44 -0500 39008.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/2_okla._lawyers_temporarily_suspended_after_taking_alford_pleas_in_police/ Two Oklahoma City lawyers have been temporarily suspended from practice after taking Alford pleas earlier this month in a misdemeanor case involving alleged obstruction of a police officer. Robert Samuel Kerr IV, 33, and Josh T. Welch, 43, each paid a $500 fine and received two years of probation. Under… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, White Collar Crime, Law Firms, Partners, Solos/Small Firms, Legal Ethics, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, States, Oklahoma Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:35:42 -0500 38409.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/what_happens_to_your_facebook_page_after_death_nebraska_bill_gives_say-so/ A bill pending in Nebraska would make the state the second to give estate representatives the power to handle social media accounts after the death of state residents. The bill would treat Facebook, Twitter and email accounts as digital assets that would be managed by appointed representatives, according to the… Internet Law, Privacy Law, Real Estate & Property Law, Trusts & Estates, States, Nebraska, Oklahoma Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:00:57 -0500 37840.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/deputies_shoot_and_wound_barefoot_man_firing_gun_outside_tulsa_courthouse/ A man firing a gun into the air in a plaza outside the Tulsa County Courthouse on Wednesday was shot and wounded by deputies after he pointed the firearm at them, according to Tulsa County sheriff’s police. The suspect is Andrew Joseph Dennehy, 23, of Tulsa, according to the Criminal Justice, Judiciary, States, Oklahoma Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:41:22 -0600 37679.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/a_juror_walks_into_a_bar_and_gets_a_med_mal_defense_verdict_reversed_b/ A juror who walked into a bar after the conclusion of a medical malpractice case and talked to a stranger who happened to be an attorney about his bias against the plaintiffs and insistence on trying the case according to his own rules has managed to achieve the opposite of… Constitutional Law, Legal Ethics, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, Juries, Verdicts & Settlements, States, Oklahoma Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:30:16 -0600 37676.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_steps_down_gets_deferred_sentence_re_adopted_twins_she_allegedly_gave/ An Oklahoma judge and her husband have taken a plea bargain in a fraud case brought over the adopted twins who prosecutors alleged the couple gave to the sister of a bailiff in her courtroom to raise. Tammy Bass-LeSure resigned yesterday from her job as an Oklahoma County district judge… Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, White Collar Crime, Judiciary, States, Oklahoma Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:39:58 -0600 37604.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ex-partner_of_indicted_lawyer_testifies/ Testifying in a federal bribery case that began this week in Oklahoma City against a former state senate leader who is also an attorney, a former law partner of another defendant in the case said said his law firm had performed legitimate legal work. "I had no knowledge of any… Criminal Justice, White Collar Crime, Government Law, Law Firms, Legislation & Lobbying, 3rd Circuit Court, 10th Circuit Court, States, New Jersey, Oklahoma Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:52:45 -0600 37420.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_ousted_from_her_arraignment_on_drug_charges_reportedly_for_talking_t/ A suburban Oklahoma City lawyer was removed from the courtroom on Tuesday during her arraignment on drug charges, reportedly because she was talking too much. Amy McTeer of Nichols Hills is charged with methamphetamine possession, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication, NewsOK reports. A court officer… Criminal Justice, Legal Ethics, States, Oklahoma Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:26:39 -0600 37268.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/top_okla._court_revives_young_lawyers_suit_against_co-counsel_who_gave_her_/ A recent law school graduate who lined up a client for a wrongful conviction case early on in her legal career, then helped him file suit in federal court and retain more experienced counsel to pursue the case to a $14.5 million jury verdict is entitled to sue for a… Appellate Practice, Contracts, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Attorney Fees, Verdicts & Settlements, 10th Circuit Court, States, Oklahoma Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:47 -0600 37130.abajournal.com