ABA Journal

South Carolina

306 ABA Journal South Carolina articles.

Judge delays 3M ‘forever chemicals’ trial after 3 other companies announce settlement

A federal judge has delayed the trial of a claim that “forever chemicals” made by 3M, a multinational conglomerate corporation, contaminated the municipal water system in Stuart, Florida.

3M faces trial over ‘forever chemicals’ in firefighting foam in ‘bet-the-company’ litigation

3M faces its first trial out of about 4,000 lawsuits claiming that its cancer-linked “forever chemicals” known as PFAs have leached into groundwater.

Brown v. Board of Education should be renamed, group plans to tell Supreme Court

A lawyer in Camden, South Carolina, plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rename Brown v. Board of Education for the first case taken to federal court in a quest to eliminate the separate-but-equal doctrine.

Ex-lawyer Murdaugh, in prison for murder, is charged with stealing from clients

A disbarred lawyer who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife and one of his sons has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly stealing money from clients and his housekeeper’s family.

Celebrity trials inspire new wave of online merchandise

Several online retailers are jumping on a new trend—creating and selling mugs, hats and sweatshirts that are inspired by celebrities and their legal mishaps.

Top South Carolina court vacates ‘phantom order’ granting early release of convicted murderer

The South Carolina Supreme Court acted “in rare haste” when it vacated a judge’s secret order for the release of a convicted murderer 16 years before the end of his sentence, according to a published report.

My car was towed twice while I was working late and legally parked, lawyer’s latest suit says

Zealous car towing has served as inspiration for a song popular in Chicago and two lawsuits filed by a lawyer in Little River, South Carolina.

Alex Murdaugh and whether to testify in your own defense

“At the end of the day, I do believe juries want to see someone get on the stand and say, ‘I didn’t do it.’ But at what cost?” writes ABA Journal columnist and Oklahoma lawyer Adam Banner.

Once-prominent lawyer Murdaugh gets life in prison for murders of wife and son

Disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison Friday, a day after jurors found him guilty of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son Paul at the family’s South Carolina hunting property in June 2021.

In murder trial cross-examination, prosecutors focus on ex-lawyer Murdaugh’s financial misdeeds and his ‘new story’

Prosecutors cross-examining disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh on Friday suggested he made up a “new story” to align with trial evidence and accused him of “manufacturing an alibi.”

South Carolina laws that prosecute kids for ‘disorderly’ conduct are unconstitutional, 4th Circuit says

A federal appeals court on Wednesday struck down two South Carolina laws that punish elementary and secondary school students who act “disorderly,” use “obscene” language or “act in an obnoxious manner” in or near a school.

Caretaker’s testimony hurts alibi of once-prominent lawyer Murdaugh, who’s charged with murdering wife and son

Double murder suspect Alex Murdaugh, a now-disbarred lawyer, spent only 15 to 20 minutes at his mother’s home on the night that his wife and son were killed, the mother’s caretaker testified at his trial in South Carolina on Monday.

Prosecutors in murder trial of ex-lawyer Murdaugh can introduce evidence of alleged financial crimes, judge rules

Prosecutors in the double murder trial of once-prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh may introduce evidence of his alleged financial crimes to rebut defense evidence of good character, a judge ruled Thursday.

Cellphone video places Murdaugh at murder scene, says prosecutor in once-prominent lawyer’s trial

A prosecutor described cellphone video and gun residue on a raincoat Wednesday to support his contention that once-prominent South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh killed his wife, Maggie, and son Paul.

Merger will create Southeastern law firm with more than 550 lawyers

Alabama-based Maynard Cooper & Gale and Carolinas-based Nexsen Pruet have announced a merger that will create a law firm with more than 550 lawyers.

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