Tort Law

Former Prosecutors Sue Anonymous ‘Lawyer’ Commenter over Online Sex-for-Promotion Allegation

A couple in Las Vegas who once worked together as prosecutors have filed a defamation suit against an online commenter who goes by the name “Lawyer.” The suit by former prosecutors Mary and Phil Brown target Lawyer’s assertion that Mary Brown “had sexual relations in order to get promoted,” the…

Apr 11, 2012 2:52 PM CDT

Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Will Be Deposed re 1980s Police Torture Scandal

Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, who served as Cook County’s top prosecutor before moving on to the city’s number-one job, will be questioned under oath about his knowledge, if any, of a police torture scandal from the 1980s. Lawyers for both Daley and one of the alleged victims of…

Apr 10, 2012 5:03 PM CDT

Judge Sanctions Lawyer and Plaintiff for Sex Claim Lawsuit Against Boxing Champ

A New York judge has tossed a false imprisonment lawsuit filed against boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya and sanctioned both the plaintiff and her lawyer. The plaintiff, Angelica Cecora, had claimed she and her roommate had sex with De La Hoya while at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, but she…

Apr 6, 2012 2:17 PM CDT

Inmates Will Get $153K, Lawyers Have Earned Nearly $1.6M as 9-Year-Old Chicago Jail Suit Settles

After nine years of legal battle, the Cook County Board has agreed to settle for $1 million a lawsuit over a since-amended weekend lockdown policy at its Chicago jail. The bulk of the money, $850,000, will go to the lawyer who represented four female inmates in the suit, which they…

Apr 4, 2012 5:56 PM CDT

After Seeing Dashcam Video of Deputy Shooting Family Dog, Jury Awards $620K in Civil Rights Case

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins says his deputy “has felt bad … since day one” about shooting a family pet of Roger and Sandi Jenkins (no relation) on Jan. 9, 2010 at their Taneytown, Md., home. But that doesn’t mean Timothy Brooks did anything wrong by defending himself against their…

Apr 4, 2012 3:55 PM CDT

Judge Stays Duncan Law Litigation, Denies School’s Motion for Reconsideration

A federal judge on Monday refused to reconsider his January denial of a Tennessee law school’s request for injunctive relief in its antitrust suit against the ABA. The judge also granted the ABA’s motion to stay the litigation while the school pursues its administrative remedies but denied without prejudice the…

Apr 2, 2012 10:25 PM CDT

HOA Could Face Hefty Bill If Sued by Trayvon Martin’s Family or Asked to Pay Shooter’s Defense Costs

Attorneys who represent homeowner associations say residents of the Florida development in which an unarmed teenager was shot and killed last month by a neighborhood watch captain could be looking at a hefty bill if Trayvon Martin’s family pursues a wrongful death claim. “They may wind up getting sued and…

Apr 2, 2012 4:29 PM CDT

Government Witnesses Who Lie to Grand Juries Are Protected from Civil Suits, Supreme Court Says

An investigator accused of lying to a grand jury has the same immunity from civil suit as a witness at trial, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. wrote the unanimous opinion (PDF). He said factors justifying absolute immunity for trial witnesses also apply to grand…

Apr 2, 2012 4:09 PM CDT

Attractive Nuisance? When Fun Factor Overshadows Risk, Lawsuits Are Sure to Follow

Admit it, you’ve always been kind of intrigued by the Segway. It’s that battery-powered gizmo that sort of looks like a high-rise handlebar attached to a couple of wheels. The Bedford, N.H.-based manufacturer calls it a “personal transporter.” It’s used by mall security guards and by police in many urban…

Apr 1, 2012 5:30 AM CDT

Around the Blawgosphere: Suit Against Avvo Dismissed; Ex-Associate Starts Book on Cross-Country Walk

Was NYLS Suit Dismissal a Win for Law Schools? At Balkinization, Washington University law professor Brian Tamanaha (whose book Failing Law Schools comes out in July) wonders if the dismissal of a lawsuit against New York Law School by nine of its graduates is really a victory. Tamanaha said that…

Mar 30, 2012 1:30 PM CDT

Brooke Astor Estate Fight Settles; Her Son Gets Reduced Share of $14.5M Due to Criminal Conviction

After a five-year legal battle that the presiding judge feared could continue on until it ate up most of the $200 million or so in heiress Brooke Astor’s estate, the warring beneficiaries have settled. The pact frees up $100 million for various charities, and slashes to a mere $14.5 million…

Mar 28, 2012 9:02 PM CDT

Federal Judge: Motley Rice, 2 Other Law Firms Must Pay $395K in Legal Fees re ‘Frivolous’ Suit

A federal judge in Indianapolis has ordered Motley Rice and two other law firms to pay nearly $395,000 in legal fees for bringing what the judge called a frivolous whistle-blower suit “based on a completely false story.” ITT Educational Services said it spent millions defending the False Claims Act suit,…

Mar 28, 2012 6:12 PM CDT

Ex-Partner Sues His Ex Law Firm, Alleges ‘Machiavellian Plot’ to Steal Rival Firm’s Asbestos Files

The former partner in charge of the Los Angeles office of Weitz & Luxenberg has filed suit against the personal injury law firm in California state court, contending that it stole asbestos files potentially worth millions from a rival law firm. Plaintiff Joseph Maher says he was fired by the…

Mar 26, 2012 10:36 PM CDT

ABA Sends Letter to House Objecting to ‘Troubling Tort Reform Language’ in Medical Bill

The ABA has sent a letter to the members of the U.S. House of Representatives objecting to “troubling tort reform language” in a bill regulating medical malpractice suits. The House debated the bill on Wednesday and will likely pass the legislation this afternoon after considering amendments, according to The Hill’s…

Mar 22, 2012 4:51 PM CDT

Cleared in Claimed Rape, Prosecutor Plans to Sue re What He Calls a Politically Motivated Case

Cleared in a rape case concerning a junior colleague and reinstated to his $150,000-a-year job, a 55-year-old California sex crimes prosecutor today announced his intention to sue the county and city of Martinez over what he called a politically motivated case. Michael Gressett said he had had kinky sex with…

Mar 21, 2012 10:12 PM CDT