6th Circuit Court

Dozens of Judges Are Getting LinkedIn, Blogger Notes

Dozens of judges have posted profiles on the professional networking site LinkedIn, including six federal appeals judges. Blogger Robert Ambrogi found the judges through his own search, and wrote about them on Legal Blog Watch. Among the federal appeals judges with public profiles are Richard Clifton of the 9th Circuit,…

Aug 20, 2009 5:50 PM CDT

Ex-Lawyers Get 20-25 Years for Bilking Fen-Phen Clients of $94M

A federal judge in Kentucky today sentenced to ex-lawyers to 20- and 25-year prison terms for bilking their former clients out of $94 million in fen-phen settlement money. U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves also ordered Shirley Cunningham Jr. and William Gallion to pay $127.7 million in restitution to 421 ex-clients…

Aug 17, 2009 10:29 PM CDT

Obama Nominates ERISA Expert, Federal Judge for 6th and 3rd Circuits

Corrected: President Obama has nominated a lawyer known for her ERISA expertise and a federal judge from Pennsylvania for spots on two federal appeals courts. Jane Stranch, a labor and ERISA expert at the Nashville law firm Branstetter, Stranch and Jennings, was nominated for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of…

Aug 7, 2009 4:09 PM CDT

A Supreme Case of Contempt

A tragic legal saga paved the way for civil rights protections and federal habeas actions

Jun 2, 2009 4:50 AM CDT

Miller Canfield Lawyer Charged in Biker Gang Case to Resign Detroit Post

Updated: Before his orientation was even finished, a Detroit lawyer announced Wednesday that a member of the new city mayor’s volunteer crisis turnaround team has effectively been fired. Meanwhile, the mayor is taking it on the chin from a political opponent for his choice of Hatim “Tim” Attalla, who works…

May 15, 2009 7:37 PM CDT

Ohio Lawyer Gets 1-Year Suspension; Bought Jag & Boat, Let Taxes Go Unpaid

When John Large received a $72,000 fee in 2002 for settling a personal injury case, he bought a used Jaguar and his boat. But the Ohio attorney didn’t use the money to catch up on his unpaid income tax, reports the Vindicator. In practice since 1997, Large soon got behind…

May 7, 2009 6:49 PM CDT

Once-High-Flying Ohio Lawyer is Sentenced to 2 Years in Fed’l Drug Case

Despite his earlier tearful testimony, a former legal eagle in Cincinnati was sentenced today to two years in prison in a federal drug conspiracy case, following a hearing that lasted all day yesterday and continued this morning. Once-revered trial lawyer Ken Lawson must also perform 1,000 hours of community service…

Apr 8, 2009 9:41 PM CDT

‘I Just Wanted to Die,’ Former Ohio Legal Eagle Testifies

Updated: Once a top trial lawyer in Cincinnati, Ken Lawson was taking 100 pills a day when he hit bottom in 2006. As his admitted addiction to prescription drugs destroyed his law practice and put him, potentially, en route to a prison sentence, “I just wanted to die,” Lawson testified…

Apr 8, 2009 12:51 AM CDT

The New Tarasoff? 6th Circuit OKs Hospital Suit Over Ax-Wielding Ex-Patient

Decades ago, the groundbreaking Tarasoff decision made the tort law casebooks after the California Supreme Court found that a treating psychotherapist had a duty to warn a third party of potential danger posed by his patient. The rule applied by the court was was later codified into state law, and…

Apr 7, 2009 8:49 PM CDT

High Court Says Gov’t Must Pay for Clemency Counsel

In a 7-2 opinion Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the government should pay federally appointed lawyers for working on state clemency requests for death row inmates. The underlying case involved a clemency petition by Edward Jerome Harbison, who wanted the government to pay for his petition to the…

Apr 1, 2009 3:30 PM CDT

Web-Savvy iPod Repairman Allegedly Outwitted Apple, Netted 9,000 Shuffles

A Michigan man who allegedly understood more about Apple’s computerized repair system than the technology giant itself has been criminally charged for allegedly making off with 9,000 iPod Shuffle music players. Nicholas Woodhams, 23, is facing federal fraud and money-laundering charges after allegedly tricking Apple into sending more than 9,000…

Mar 19, 2009 9:59 PM CDT

New Win for Dismissed Dental Student: $321K Legal Fee Caps $1.7M Award

In another federal court victory for an unfairly dismissed University of Michigan dental student, Alissa Zwick has been awarded not quite $321,000 in attorney fees and costs. The university argued that the attorney fee sought was excessive, but U.S. District Judge Marianne Battani awarded all but $2,300 of the amount…

Mar 17, 2009 5:25 PM CDT

Ex-Bookkeeper for Ky. Law Firm is Convicted in $93.5K Theft Case

A federal jury has convicted a former bookkeeper for a law firm in Catlettsburg, Ky., of 17 charges related to the theft of nearly $100,000 from her ex-employer, Pruitt & Thorner. Ronda Nixon was found guilty Thursday of 11 wire fraud counts, two bank fraud counts, three aggravated identity theft…

Feb 17, 2009 6:18 PM CST

US Appeals Court Tosses Geoffrey Fieger’s Challenge to Civility Rule

A federal appeals court has dismissed a suit by Michigan lawyer Geoffrey Fieger challenging an ethics rule requiring lawyers to use courtesy and civility. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Fieger and and Detroit lawyer Richard Steinberg did not have standing to bring the suit, according to…

Jan 20, 2009 7:51 PM CST

Dismissed Dental Student Wins $1.72M Verdict Against Professors

A former dental student at the University of Michigan who was dismissed after her third year due to claimed academic deficiencies has won a $1.72 million verdict from four faculty members there. After a 14-day trial, a federal court jury found earlier this month that the four violated the due…

Dec 24, 2008 3:50 PM CST