3rd Circuit Court

Drew U Sued, Accused of Purloining Poetry Program & Students

A federal judge in New Hampshire has given the green light to a lawsuit accusing New Jersey’s Drew University of stealing a competing college’s graduate-level poetry program and many of its students. Poet Anne Marie Macari created the Drew program while serving for less than a year as interim director…

Oct 26, 2009 6:39 PM CDT

Pa. Jail Taped Inmate Calls to Counsel, Sent Some to Feds, Lawyer Says

Adding another jurisdiction to those in which defense lawyers have previously accused officials of improperly recording inmate phone calls to their legal counsel, Federal Public Defender Lisa Freeland says in an e-mail this week to the Allegheny County defense bar that this has been happening at their local jail, too.…

Oct 23, 2009 10:14 PM CDT

Nokia Sues Apple Over iPhone Technology, Seeks Unspecified Royalties

Nokia Oyj has sued Apple Inc.over the technology used in the company’s iPhone, contending that it infringes on 10 patents held by the world’s largest phone manufacturer. The suit, which was filed in federal court in Delaware, seeks royalties from Apple dating back to the iPhone’s introduction in 2007 but…

Oct 22, 2009 4:51 PM CDT

Judge Ends Probation in Brothel Case as Ex-Prosecutor Awaits Trial for Murder

A New York judge cut former prosecutor Paul Bergrin a break today on his sentence for operating a Manhattan brothel, ending the defense lawyer’s probation in the misdemeanor case and sentencing him to time served. But that’s because the 53-year-old Bergrin, who is accused of arranging to have a witness…

Oct 20, 2009 9:40 PM CDT

3rd Circuit Nixes Lawyer’s $14M Age Suit Despite ‘Younger & Cheaper’ Note

Even though his employment file at Moser Patterson & Sheridan contained a note “older & better paid/younger & cheaper,” attorney John Kelly’s age discrimination suit against the New Jersey law firm was properly dismissed on summary judgment, a federal appeals court has ruled. Kelly was 52 when he was fired…

Oct 15, 2009 9:10 PM CDT

3rd Circuit OKs $567M Legal Bill for Work By 72 Firms on Fen-Phen Case

A $567 million fee awarded by a federal district judge for 350,000 hours of legal work logged by 72 law firms in Fen-Phen diet drug litigation has been approved by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Rejecting arguments over the cost to plaintiffs who opted out of the complex…

Oct 9, 2009 5:50 PM CDT

Telling ‘Dr. Phil’ Audience of Claimed $1M Shoplifting Scam Gets Couple Indicted

Allen Eaton, 34, and his 26-year-old wife, Laura, were already under investigation in a potential misdemeanor shoplifting case in San Diego County when they approached the Dr. Phil television show and offered to tell their story. But their appearance on the nationally televised program last year catapulted their case into…

Sep 21, 2009 8:27 PM CDT

Mace General Counsel Gets 6 Months Home Confinement Over Illegal Workers

The general counsel of Mace Security International Inc. was sentenced yesterday by a federal judge to six months of home confinement and a year of probation for his role in hiring undocumented Mexican immigrants to work at company car washes in the Philadelphia area. Robert Kramer pleaded guilty in June…

Sep 16, 2009 11:34 PM CDT

Pfizer GC Loses Compliance Chief Role Under $2.3B Drug Marketing Settlement

The general counsel of Pfizer Inc. will no longer oversee the drug manufacter’s compliance program under the terms of a record-breaking $2.3 billion criminal and civil settlement by the company with the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations that it illegally marketed several drugs. Instead, a corporate integrity agreement (PDF)…

Sep 11, 2009 6:58 PM CDT

Hard-Fought N.J. Governor Race Puts Ex-US Attorney’s Driving Record at Issue

A hard-fought campaign for the office of New Jersey governor has put the driving records of two major party candidates under a spotlight. And, since one of them is a former U.S. attorney for the state, questions have been raised about whether his role as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor…

Sep 4, 2009 9:26 PM CDT

Pfizer Whistle-Blower’s $51.5M Payday Could Spark More Qui Tam Suits

Five whistle-blowers will share $102 million as part of a record-breaking $2.3 billion settlement by Pfizer Inc. of a federal criminal probe and civil qui tam litigation over the company’s drug-marketing practices. Among those expecting a hefty payday under the False Claims Act is a former Texas sales representative for…

Sep 3, 2009 12:09 AM CDT

Sued By Both Parties in N.J. Store Sale, Pa. Lawyer Wins Both Cases

A Pennsylvania solo who was sued by both parties over the papers she drew up for the $1.9 million sale of a New Jersey liquor store has won dismissals of both malpractice cases. But despite the rare double play executed by her defense lawyer, Michael Malin, the disgruntled liquor store…

Sep 2, 2009 7:22 PM CDT

Pfizer to Pay Record $2.3B, Subsidiary to Plead to Felony in Drug Marketing Case

A $2.3 billion global settlement by Pfizer Inc. detailed by federal authorities today reportedly includes a number of record payments to resolve both a federal criminal probe and a pharmaceutical whistle-blower case. The case concerns the company’s alleged illegal off-label marketing of multiple drugs and related claimed Medicare/Medicaid fraud, according…

Sep 2, 2009 5:41 PM CDT

3rd Circuit Allows Suit by Gay Man Claiming Bias Due to Mannerisms

A federal appeals court has ruled that a gay man who claims his effeminate mannerisms led to workplace discrimination may sue under Title VII. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Brian Prowel may pursue a Title VII claim alleging discrimination stemming from failure to conform to gender…

Aug 31, 2009 12:57 PM CDT

Accused Record ID Theft Mastermind to Plead Guilty in 2 Earlier Cases, Feds Say

A 28-year-old Florida resident accused of masterminding what authorities say is the largest-ever computer hacking and identity theft case is expected to plead guilty in two earlier cyberfraud conspiracy cases, prosecutors say. Paperwork filed in federal court in Boston today states that Albert Gonzalez will plead guilty by Sept. 11…

Aug 28, 2009 8:15 PM CDT