Administrative Law

Md. Attorney Discipline Questioned, Decades of Data Disclosed

Short of committing—or at least plotting—murder, it reportedly hasn’t been easy, historically, for the relatively small number of Maryland lawyers who misbehave professionally to qualify for severe professional discipline. “Maryland lawyers who plan to murder their spouse or have sex with minors have been swiftly disbarred, but many who repeatedly…

Dec 19, 2007 9:38 PM CST

FCC OKs Media Cross-Ownership

Overturning a 32-year ban, the Federal Communications Commission voted today to allow broadcasters in the nation’s 20 largest media markets to own newspapers there, too. The issue is highly contentious, reports the Associated Press, and the FCC’s move today could potentially be reversed in the U.S. senate, according to Reuters.…

Dec 18, 2007 8:16 PM CST

Fed Seeks to Restrict Subprime Lending

After a national foreclosure crisis, the Federal Reserve has introduced proposed new regulations that, if adopted, would restrict subprime mortgage lending and essentially require lenders not to give borrowers mortgages that they clearly can’t afford to repay. The proposed regulations require more disclosure from lenders, define specific practices as misleading…

Dec 18, 2007 4:31 PM CST

Realtors Win, FTC Loses Multilist Case

An administrative law judge in Washington, D.C., has sided with a Realtor group against the Federal Trade Commission, in one case in an ongoing national legal battle over efforts by Realtors to protect their turf from discount brokers. Realcomp II Ltd., of Farmington Hills, Mich., near Detroit, does not have…

Dec 13, 2007 9:19 PM CST

CIA Director to Testify About Tapes

The director of the CIA will testify before Congress tomorrow and Wednesday about at least two videotapes the agency destroyed of its interrogations of terrorism suspects in their custody. The interrogations are controversial because CIA agents reportedly use harsh techniques that some consider tantamount to torture. CIA Director Michael Hayden…

Dec 11, 2007 1:05 AM CST

Judge Helped Spouse Shield Assets

Lawyers recommended to a disciplinary panel at a hearing today that a New Hampshire judge be publicly reprimanded for helping her husband shield assets from creditors as he was being disbarred several years ago. Superior Court Judge Patricia Coffey says she didn’t realize at the time that she was doing…

Dec 10, 2007 9:37 PM CST

Judge Talks Himself into Trouble

A routine training session led to another, in-depth program for a Washington state judge censured for his “demeaning, offensive and shocking” behavior at a Los Angeles conference last summer. Judge John Wulle, 57, who sits in Clark County Superior Court, made a number of ill-advised comments at the training program,…

Dec 10, 2007 6:37 PM CST

Big Disability Backlogs Can Mean Financial Ruin, Despondency

As the backlog of Social Security disability cases grows, more people are waiting longer for decisions on their appeals—up to three years, in many cases. In the meantime, some lose their homes, declare bankruptcy or even die while waiting for the outcome, the New York Times reports. The average wait…

Dec 10, 2007 1:20 PM CST

Mortgage Mess Gets Messier

Despite cleanup efforts, the mortgage mess continues. The Bush administration announced today a plan to freeze the interest rate on some subprime mortgages for five years, which could help more than a million homeowners. As an article on the CNN Money.com website details, the plan would grant those current on…

Dec 6, 2007 8:24 PM CST

New ID Rules for Travel Outside U.S.

In a little over one month, more stringent identification requirements will apply to Americans who travel abroad, even if they are only going to Canada or Mexico or the Caribbean. Under a new law that takes effect on Jan. 31, 2008, adults and children who don’t have a passport will…

Dec 4, 2007 5:32 PM CST

It’s Confirmed: Judge Who Sued Over Lost Pants Lost His Job

The administrative judge who sued a dry cleaners for $54 million for losing his pants will not be reappointed, a Washington, D.C., lawyer has confirmed. Sources had told the Washington Post and the Examiner last month that Judge Roy Pearson will not be reappointed. Now the city’s general counsel, responding…

Nov 14, 2007 2:57 PM CST

ABA Experts: Cut Crack Cocaine Sentences

In testimony this week before the U.S. Sentencing Commission, experts representing the American Bar Association are among the scheduled witnesses expected to call for the reduction of relatively high prison sentences imposed on a largely African-American group of defendants convicted of crimes related to crack cocaine. In written statements concerning…

Nov 13, 2007 5:00 PM CST

Judge to White House: Save Those E-Mails!

Ruling on lawsuits brought by two private groups, a federal judge has ordered the White House to retain e-mail copies while the court system sorts out whether the Bush administration has violated federal law requiring the preservation of e-mail records. The suits contend that some 5 million White House e-mails…

Nov 13, 2007 12:31 AM CST

Are New U.S. Accounting Rules Bad News for Banks?

The last few months have not been good ones for the global banking industry, as rapidly rising mortgage defaults sparked a credit crisis. But the situation may get even worse before it gets better. And, if so, new U.S. accounting standards may be one big reason why, a British columnist…

Nov 12, 2007 8:10 PM CST

Former Freddie Mac CEO Settles for $16.4M

A few weeks into what was expected to be a lengthy trial before an administrative law judge, a former chairman and chief executive of Freddie Mac has agreed to settle his case for $16.4 million, without admitting liability. While a stunning sum, the $16.4 million is a fraction of the…

Nov 8, 2007 1:33 AM CST