Mark Geragos Removed from CIA Case

Updated: A federal judge in San Diego has removed Mark Geragos from representing a defense contractor in a CIA fraud case, because the high-profile California defense lawyer refused to submit to background checks to obtain a security clearance. U.S. District Judge Larry Burns said yesterday that it was necessary to…

Jul 10, 2007 6:35 PM CDT

Judge Considers Backdating Motion

The trial of the ex-CEO of Brocade Communications is continuing as the judge overseeing the proceedings considers a defense motion to dismiss the charges. Lawyers for Gregory Reyes contend the charges should be dismissed because he lacked criminal intent when he backdated stock options. They say Reyes wanted to retain…

Jul 10, 2007 4:20 PM CDT

CA’s Asset Seizure Policy is Changing

In recent years, the California officials have increased the amount of money they spend to locate dormant assets that the government can seize. But they’ve decreased the amount of money they spend to notify owners first—to almost zero. As a result, even when owners could be located with relative ease,…

Jul 9, 2007 10:28 PM CDT

CEO Intent Critical in Options Case

Federal prosecutors will file briefs this morning backing up their assertion that the former CEO of Brocade Communications acted with criminal intent when he authorized backdated stock options. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ordered the briefs on Friday after the government wrapped up its case against Gregory Reyes, the Recorder…

Jul 9, 2007 12:49 PM CDT

Dueling Motions Denied

A federal judge has denied dueling motions in a patent infringement case that seek to disqualify the other side’s lawyers. Senior U.S. District Judge William Schwarzer of San Francisco ruled in a suit that claims RealNetworks infringed patents for organizing and playing video and audio files, the Recorder reports. Because…

Jul 6, 2007 1:10 PM CDT

Milberg Lawyer: Charges Arbitrary

A former partner at the securities class-action firm Milberg, Weiss & Bershad contends in expanded court filings that government charges against him are arbitrary and vague. Steven Schulman has been indicted along with another partner and the firm itself for allegedly paying kickbacks to lead plaintiffs. In a motion to…

Jul 5, 2007 1:39 PM CDT

Macy’s Wins Antitrust Case

Macy’s has won a suit that claimed it conspired to force high-end tableware suppliers to boycott Bed Bath & Beyond. Federal jurors in California deliberated for only five hours before returning a defense verdict on Monday, the Recorder reports. Price-fixing suits are usually settled before trial because of the risk…

Jul 5, 2007 12:29 PM CDT

Last Resorts of Court

One date that’s on almost every federal judge’s calendar this summer is the meeting of his or her circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, at which trial and appellate judges review the work of the court and socialize at some of the nicest resorts and hotels in the nation.…

Jul 1, 2007 7:04 PM CDT

DOJ Fights State Wiretap Probes

A San Francisco federal judge today considers whether the federal government can stop states from investigating telephone companies suspected of providing information for a terrorist surveillance program. Officials in five states are investigating whether AT&T and Verizon violated privacy laws by providing information to the National Security Agency, Henry Weinstein…

Jun 21, 2007 8:15 PM CDT

Backdating Defense Takes a Blow

The defense of the ex-CEO of Brocade Communications suffered a setback yesterday, when a witness was allowed to testify about a statement acknowledging that stock options backdating is wrong. June Weaver, who had worked in Brocade’s human resources department, testified that ex-CEO Gregory Reyes once told her, “It’s not illegal…

Jun 21, 2007 1:28 PM CDT

Brocade Lawyer Protests Surprise Statement

A federal judge in San Francisco will hold a hearing today on whether to admit evidence showing the former CEO of Brocade Communications knew backdating stock options was illegal. The evidence would be a blow to the defense of ex-CEO Gregory Reyes, the Recorder reports. In opening statements on Monday,…

Jun 20, 2007 12:30 PM CDT

RFRA Ruling Riles Developers

A March ruling by a federal appeals court has boosted tribal efforts to block developments that threaten lands they hold sacred.

The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protected the tribes’ sacred grounds. The ruling blocked a plan to make snow from reclaimed wastewater for skiers at a resort near Flagstaff, Ariz.

Developers worry the case will hamper development, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports.

Jun 8, 2007 7:49 PM CDT

Kennedy Overturns Former Clerk

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy overturned his former law clerk in a decision yesterday saying that state courts are in the best position to make decisions on potential jurors. Kennedy wrote for the majority in a 5-4 ruling that said federal courts should defer to a state judge’s judgment that the…

Jun 5, 2007 12:51 PM CDT

Exxon Valdez’s Next Stop is High Court

Litigation in the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill case will come to an end if the U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear a punitive-damages appeal. About 22 percent of the $2.5 billion award will go to attorney fees, the Legal Intelligencer reports. Last month the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of…

Jun 4, 2007 2:11 PM CDT

ACLU Sues Boeing Subsidiary re U.S. Rendition Aid

A subsidiary of airline giant Boeing Co. has been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union for allegedly aiding “extraordinary rendition” efforts by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The suit, which the ACLU says it is filing today in federal court in California, claims Jeppesen Dataplan Inc. provided transportation for…

May 30, 2007 8:02 PM CDT