States

Supreme Court Upholds New York’s Judge Selection System

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld New York’s party-controlled system for choosing trial judges, saying there is no constitutional right to a fair shot at winning a nomination. Under the state’s unique system, voters choose convention delegates who then choose the judicial candidates, the Associated Press reports. Often they face…

Jan 16, 2008 4:22 PM CST

Garrison Keillor Files Suit Against Neighbor

A dispute between Garrison Keillor and his neighbor doesn’t have a Lake Wobegon ending: The host of A Prairie Home Companion has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a home addition. Keillor’s suit says the addition to his neighbor’s home in their historic district will “impair or destroy protected historical…

Jan 16, 2008 3:18 PM CST

Bill to Create Domestic Offender Database Would Aid Daters

A California lawmaker has introduced a bill to create an online database of offenders convicted of domestic violence. People who want to check out potential people to date could access the database, the New York Times reports. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, the Democratic majority whip, introduced the bill and is optimistic…

Jan 16, 2008 2:59 PM CST

Robert Blake Lawyer Argues for Reversal of $30M Verdict Due to Jury Misconduct

A lawyer for actor Robert Blake asked a California appeals court yesterday to overturn a $30 million damages verdict against him for his wife’s death. Lawyer M. Gerald Schwartzbach said his client did not get a fair trial because of jury misconduct, the Los Angeles Times reports. Court papers detailed…

Jan 16, 2008 1:32 PM CST

Ex-Lawyer Awarded $6M for Husband’s Attack

A former associate has been awarded more than $6 million in damages against her ex-husband who tried to kill her. Donna Hughes, who used to work at D’Amato & Lynch in New York, will receive $2.1 million for lost earnings and $4 million for pain and suffering, the New York…

Jan 16, 2008 12:33 PM CST

Nevada High Court Rules Against Kucinich in Debate Suit

Dennis J. Kucinich has lost his legal bid to remain in yesterday’s Democratic debate. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled yesterday less than an hour before the scheduled debate, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The court said Judge Charles Thompson of Las Vegas abused his discretion when he ruled MSNBC had…

Jan 16, 2008 11:34 AM CST

New Trial Sought After Jurors Mock Lawyer’s Heritage

A Washington state lawyer has filed a motion seeking a new trial in a medical malpractice case, saying that biased jurors mocked his Japanese heritage during closed-door deliberations and didn’t properly consider the evidence. When deliberating after the case was tried, jurors in Spokane County, in the eastern area of…

Jan 15, 2008 10:34 PM CST

Duke Rape Prosecutor’s Bankruptcy May Not End His Money Problems

The punishment continues for a disbarred North Carolina prosecutor who lost his job and his law license after pursuing a meritless rape case against three members of the Duke University men’s lacrosse team. Mike Nifong filed today for bankruptcy against creditors, including the three athletes found by the state attorney…

Jan 15, 2008 9:24 PM CST

Experts Say Design Defect Caused Minn. Bridge Collapse

Updated: Federal investigators are expected to announce today that a design defect caused the collapse of a Minneapolis bridge last summer, killing 13 and injuring more than 100 in a horrific accident that focused attention on bridge safety nationwide. As an ABAJournal.com post soon after the accident details, steel gusset…

Jan 15, 2008 8:12 PM CST

Lawyer Collects a Million Campaign Items

A New York lawyer and magazine publisher has collected more than a million items of political memorabilia. Jordan Wright started collecting at the age of 10 when he grabbed a bunch of Bobby Kennedy for President buttons. Now he his donating his massive collection to a foundation he created to…

Jan 15, 2008 7:27 PM CST

More Verrill Dana Fallout re Former Partner’s Alleged $400K Theft

The managing partner at one of Maine’s biggest and best-known law firms has resigned his post in the wake of a former partner’s alleged theft of just over $400,000 from the firm and some clients. David Warren, who is credited with leading a successful turnaround at Verrill Dana after it…

Jan 15, 2008 6:32 PM CST

Man, 61, Gets 5 Years for ‘Arborcide’

A Nevada man was sentenced yesterday to up to five years in prison for killing hundreds of trees in a suburban area near Las Vegas. Douglas Hoffman, 61, is a retired construction worker who suffers from heart, hip, back and prostate problems. He reportedly cut down more than 500 trees…

Jan 15, 2008 5:44 PM CST

Miami Court Worker Charged in Quickie Divorce Scam

A 16-year employee of the Miami-Dade clerk of courts office has been charged with using her now-former job to scam couples seeking quickie divorces. Olga Avila allegedly charged couples she met through the courts’ Self Help program $670, of which $364 represented filing fees she paid. Authorities say she filled…

Jan 15, 2008 5:11 PM CST

Associate Claims Houston Firm Retaliated for Reporting Racist Directive

A former associate with a Houston law firm alleges in a lawsuit that she was fired for reporting the comments of a top partner who told her not to hire any more black lawyers. The former associate, Sandra Perez Ard, is suing Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy, Texas Lawyer…

Jan 15, 2008 5:00 PM CST

Lawyer for ‘Judge Alex’ Faces Tough Time in Supreme Court

The lawyer for a TV judge “seemed stunned and weary” after a tough U.S. Supreme Court argument yesterday, his seventh appearance before the court, Legal Times reports. Eric Brunstad Jr. has developed an impressive Supreme Court practice from his offices at Bingham McCutchen in Hartford, Conn., but the justices “hammered…

Jan 15, 2008 4:40 PM CST