http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-25T20:52:55-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/top_aeg_in-house_lawyer_calls_michael_jackson_a_freak_in_writing/ Jurors in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death action Wednesday were shown an email from the defendant’s top in-house lawyer, referring to the late performer as “the freak.” According to the Los Angeles Times, the email was written by Ted Fikre, chief legal and development officer with Anschutz… Celebrities, Trials & Litigation Thu, 23 May 2013 12:45:53 -0500 44334.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/jury_that_convicted_him_is_should_be_shot_says_girls_gone_wild_fou/ Updated: After being convicted of false imprisonment, Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis told the Hollywood Reporter that his jury was “retarded,” and should be killed. "I want that jury to know that each and every one of you are mentally f--ing retarded and you should be… Bankruptcy Law, Celebrities, Criminal Justice Wed, 22 May 2013 14:34:41 -0500 44305.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/candy_issue_at_michael_jackson_trial_is_resolved/ Candy is dandy, but only if it isn't apparent to the jurors who brought it to court. After peppermints were handed out to jurors this week at the Los Angeles trial of a civil case over alleged liability of a concert promoter for Michael Jackson's death, a lawyer for the… Celebrities, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Evidence, 9th Circuit Court, States, California Wed, 22 May 2013 12:25:36 -0500 44310.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/judge_scolds_donald_trump_and_opposing_lawyer_this_is_not_a_boxing_ring/ A federal judge in Chicago scolded Donald Trump and an opposing lawyer on Wednesday after the two clashed repeatedly during a trial in a suit claiming the billionaire developer failed to deliver promised incentives to condo buyers. The Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune and… Celebrities, Contracts, Real Estate & Property Law, Trials & Litigation Thu, 16 May 2013 11:34:02 -0500 44217.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/o.j._simpson_was_somewhat_intimidated_by_his_lawyer_witness_says_in_new_tri/ Former football great O.J. Simpson was back in a Las Vegas courtroom Monday in a quest for a new trial based on alleged bad advice by the lawyer who represented him on charges he robbed two… Celebrities, Criminal Justice, Sentencing/Post Conviction, Criminal Procedure Mon, 13 May 2013 13:53:31 -0500 44156.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/kobe_bryant_battles_mom_for_ownership_of_sports_memorabilia_from_his_youth_/ Not one but two federal courts have been asked to weigh in on the issue of whether Kobe Bryant's mom had a right to clear out his boyhood bedroom and sell at auction the sports memorabilia she found there. Initially, the Philadelphia-area auction house to which Pamela Bryant consigned the… Celebrities, Entertainment & Sports Law, Real Estate & Property Law, Trials & Litigation, 3rd Circuit Court, 9th Circuit Court, States, California, New Jersey Fri, 10 May 2013 12:50:18 -0500 44128.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/did_kobe_bryants_mom_have_ok_to_clear_out_his_boyhood_bedroom_federal_judge/ Just in time for Mother's Day, basketball great Kobe Bryant is involved in a federal lawsuit against his own mother, who he says cleared out his former boyhood bedroom without his permission to obtain sports memorabilia for an unauthorized auction. After a dispute developed, a New Jersey auction house filed… Celebrities, Entertainment & Sports Law, Family Law, Real Estate & Property Law, Trials & Litigation, 3rd Circuit Court, States, New Jersey Thu, 09 May 2013 13:43:53 -0500 44110.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/author_harper_lee_sues_says_agent_tricked_her_into_signing_over_to_kill_a_m/ At 87, the author of one of the most famous trial novels ever written has failing eyesight and hearing. And in 2007 author Harper Lee was recovering from a stroke when she signed away her royalties from her 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, to her literary agent, Samuel Pinkus,… Celebrities, Contracts, Corporate Law, Elder Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, 2nd Circuit Court, States, New York Tue, 07 May 2013 14:57:01 -0500 44075.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/big-bucks_jury_question_did_concert_promoter_select_or_supervise_michael_ja/ Opening arguments began Monday in a small Los Angeles courtroom in a wrongful death case that could involve millions, or perhaps even billions, of dollars in damages. At issue is whether concert promoter AEG Live had a role in hiring or supervising Dr. Conrad Murray, who served as Michael Jackson's… Celebrities, Corporate Law, Health Law, Insurance Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, States, California Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:05:11 -0500 43962.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/insurer_offers_crisis_management_coverage_taps_former_clinton_lawyer_for_st/ A company called IronPro is touting its new crisis management insurance and the two lawyers who will provide services to policy holders needing help. The lawyers are President Clinton’s former special counsel Lanny Davis and Gordon Rees managing partner Mercedes Colwin, according to a press release. The… Careers, Celebrities, Media & Communications Law Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:49:54 -0500 43886.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/legally_blonde_actress_reese_witherspoon_arrested/ Legally Blonde star Reese Witherspoon was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge after her husband was pulled over for suspected DUI. The Los Angeles Times and Variety reports that Witherspoon tried to play her celebrity card during the incident in Atlanta early Friday. The… Celebrities, Criminal Justice Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:10:53 -0500 43847.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/actress_loses_suit_against_website_that_revealed_her_real_age/ A federal jury in Seattle has rejected claims by an actress who sued the website IMDb for revealing her real age. Jurors rejected allegations by Huong Hoang, who goes by the stage name Junie Hoang, that the website violated its user agreement by using her… Celebrities, Contracts, Media & Communications Law, Privacy Law, Trials & Litigation Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:37:13 -0500 43701.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/turow_supreme_court_decision_and_digital_advances_affect_authors_financial/ Legal-thriller author Scott Turow is blasting last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision against a publisher fighting the resale of books purchased cheaply overseas. The ruling will allow a surge of cheap imports, Turow writes in an op-ed for the New York Times, and… Celebrities, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Law in Popular Culture, Media & Communications Law Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:30:35 -0500 43653.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/retired_nfl_players_objecting_to_publicity_accord_are_like_children_denied_/ A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement in a lawsuit that contended the National Football League was misappropriating the likenesses of retired players in promotions. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson of St. Paul, Minn., blasted some retired players who had complained that the settlement didn’t directly benefit… Celebrities, Entertainment & Sports Law, Privacy Law Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:25:32 -0500 43645.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/celebrity_lawyers_offer_tips_for_dealing_with_narcissistic_clients_at_bever/ The rich are not like the rest of us, and having a client who is not only wealthy but a celebrity and likely narcissistic to boot presents special challenges even for lawyers accustomed to such representations. Trial-related publicity is a potential minefield, and attorneys need to be prepared both to… Bar Associations, Celebrities, Trials & Litigation Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:27:51 -0500 43393.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/will_lawyers_twitter_message_persuade_lindsay_lohan_to_let_him_represent_he/ Updated: There was new courtroom drama Monday for actress Lindsay Lohan, who was late to a scheduled 8:30 a.m. trial in Los Angeles on charges that she lied to a police officer about a car crash, drove recklessly and violated her probation concerning intertwined shoplifting and drunken-driving convictions Meanwhile—although a… Celebrities, Criminal Justice, Trials & Litigation, States, California Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:06:20 -0500 43323.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/after_judge_says_lindsay_lohan_needs_competent_counsel_another_attorney_may/ After a blistering hearing, in which a California judge reportedly said a New York lawyer is not competent to handle a local criminal case for actress Lindsay Lohan, she may be thinking about bringing in another attorney as co-counsel. Partner Paul Wallin of Wallin & Klarich says Lohan's lawyer, Mark… Celebrities, Criminal Justice, Trials & Litigation, States, California Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:45:20 -0500 43249.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/website_lists_person_info_for_beyonce_Eric_Holder_and_others/ Los Angeles police and federal authorities are investigating a website on which hackers posted apparently correct financial and/or personal contact information about a dozen well-known individuals including Mel Gibson, Beyonce and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Addresses and other sensitive information—no credit reports, though—about Vice President Joe Biden and former… Celebrities, Criminal Justice, Cybersecurity, International Law, Personal Lives, 9th Circuit Court, States, California Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:46:58 -0500 43219.abajournal.com