Civil Procedure

Appeals Court Tosses Fieger Suit Against State AG

Lawyer Geoffrey Fieger’s vindictive-prosecution lawsuit against Michigan Attorney General Michael Cox won’t be heard in federal court. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the lawsuit and affirmed a federal trial court’s order requiring Fieger to pay attorney fees as a sanction for making unsupported allegations against another…

May 6, 2008 4:20 PM CDT

Lawsuit That Claimed J. Lo Stole TV Show Idea Gets Tossed

A New York federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that claimed Jennifer Lopez helped steal an idea for a television show called South Beach. Writer Jack Bunick claimed the show South Beach that aired briefly on UPN was based on his idea. But U.S. District Judge Richard Berman said there…

May 1, 2008 3:36 PM CDT

Do You Swear… ?

Litigant’s Language Leaves Lawyer Livid, Court Cites Counsel for Failing to Control Client

May 1, 2008 1:01 PM CDT

Allegations That Rambus Shredded Documents Are Moot, Court Says

Memory chip technology developer Rambus protected itself from a judge’s stinging opinion when it offered to pay opponent Samsung’s legal fees after allegations Rambus shredded documents in advance of patent litigation. U.S. District Judge Robert Payne of Virginia had criticized the company two years ago for its actions, but yesterday…

Apr 30, 2008 4:14 PM CDT

Yahoo Director’s Honeymoon to Delay Deposition in Pension Fund Suit

Delaware Chancellor William Chandler III says he is “a bit mystified” why a Yahoo director can’t find time for a deposition before he begins a delayed honeymoon on May 4, but the judge has refused to order the official to appear for the proceeding. Director Arthur Kern says he’ll be…

Apr 30, 2008 12:45 PM CDT

‘Bad Dads’: New Fox Reality TV Program Collects Child Support

Forget about watching cops place the cuffs on badly behaved adults after breaking up fights and catching them with illegal narcotics. The truly compelling law enforcement reality program may be watching an expert child support enforcer confront deadbeat dads. Viewers will soon have a chance to find out for themselves:…

Apr 24, 2008 9:37 PM CDT

Stolen Human Egg Cases Revived; News Coverage Didn’t Notify Plaintiffs

A California state appeals court has revived tort claims by eight fertility clinic patients against the university hospital where doctors reportedly implanted eggs stolen from unsuspecting women into other infertile patients. Although the University of California at Irvine promised to notify those affected, once the scandal broke, it never did…

Apr 24, 2008 8:36 PM CDT

Ind. High Court Allows ‘Serial Filers’ to Keep Litigating

After filing dozens of lawsuits against the prison system and threatening a judge, convicted arsonist Eric D. Smith has finally set precedent. And it’s a precedent that has some predicting will create an influx of prisoner lawsuits, further clogging the court system, the Indianapolis Star reports. At issue is a…

Apr 23, 2008 3:23 PM CDT

Group Wins Jury Instructions Award; Here is the Plain-Language Text!

A California task force has won a first-time award for jury instructions from the National Center for State Courts. The group’s revision, starting in 1998, of the state’s civil and criminal pattern jury instructions has created plain-language jury instructions that are now widely in use throughout California and much easier…

Apr 18, 2008 5:53 PM CDT

Judge Refuses to Dismiss Malpractice Suit Against Paul Hastings

A New York judge has refused to dismiss a malpractice suit against Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker on statute of limitations grounds. The suit by investor Ronald Katz claims the law firm failed in its due diligence work when it represented him in connection with a $3 million investment he…

Apr 16, 2008 2:08 PM CDT

Dozens of Lawyers at Custody Hearing for 416 Kids from Texas Ranch

In preparation for a massive custody hearing Thursday concerning 416 children taken by the state of Texas from a ranch run by a renegade Mormon group that advocates polygamy, a preliminary hearing was held today that drew some 48 lawyers. District Judge Barbara Walther “was clearly struggling with how to…

Apr 14, 2008 4:16 PM CDT

Appeals Court Dismisses Suit Over Judge’s R-Word Ban in Rape Trial

The lawyer for a woman who was banned from using the word “rape” in the trial of her alleged sexual assailant says she will take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. The St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week dismissed a lawsuit that had…

Apr 7, 2008 2:22 PM CDT

Appeals Court Bars Class Action Against Makers of Light Cigarettes

A federal appeals court has tossed an $800 billion class-action lawsuit against the makers of light cigarettes. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said questions of whether plaintiffs relied on marketing that promoted light cigarettes as a safer alternative could not be resolved in a class action, the New…

Apr 4, 2008 3:49 PM CDT

E-Discovery Rule Changes Boost Legal Outsourcing to India

Changes to federal rules governing the discovery of electronic documents have boosted legal outsourcing to India. E-discovery is producing thousands of pages of documents in lawsuits that require a careful—and potentially expensive—review, Time Magazine reports. The cost of document review by lawyers is only about $1 a page in India…

Apr 4, 2008 2:37 PM CDT

Making the Case for Change

Recent developments are affecting how commercial cases are litigated in the federal courts

Apr 1, 2008 9:05 PM CDT