‘Robo-Signing’ of Mortgage Docs ‘Still an Epidemic’

Despite investigations and corrective measures taken by the nation’s biggest banks over so-called robo-signing of mortgage documents, the practice continues and appears to be widespread, reports the Associated Press in a lengthy article that names some names. While those involved in foreclosures may have cleaned up their act, thousands of…

Jul 18, 2011 11:30 PM CDT

Former Harvard Law Prof Elizabeth Warren Bypassed for Consumer Protection Bureau

President Obama is expected to nominate the chief of his new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today—and his pick won’t be Elizabeth Warren, the former Harvard law professor. Obama will tap former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, according to the Associated Press, the Washington Post and USA Today. Warren praised Cordray,…

Jul 18, 2011 2:18 PM CDT

Alabama Bar Group Files Suit to Ban LegalZoom

The DeKalb County Bar Association asked a judge Friday to permanently prohibit online forms company LegalZoom from doing business in the state of Alabama for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. LegalZoom, founded by O.J. Simpson lawyer Robert Shapiro and partners, offers standardized legal documents such as wills and…

Jul 15, 2011 8:48 PM CDT

Conn. AG Probes Groupon on Expiration Dates

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen announced a request for more information about the business practices of Chicago-based Groupon this week. The move was prompted by concerns over the expiration dates imposed on discounts sold by the coupon company to consumers, which may violate Connecticut law, LegalNewsline reports. “It appears that…

Jul 15, 2011 8:17 PM CDT

Homeowner Liable for Craigslist Post Slamming Driveway Contractor

A driveway contractor has won a $2,000 defamation judgment against a Minnesota homeowner whose daughter slammed the business owner on Craigslist. The post on the “rants & raves” section of Craigslist stems from Kyong Kessler’s legal battle against a contractor she accuses of leaving pockmarks in her driveway and damaging…

Jul 14, 2011 12:35 PM CDT

Miss. AG Sues Ken Feinberg for Oil Spill Claims Information

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has asked a court to force Ken Feinberg to turn over records regarding BP oil spill claims for Gulf Coast residents who sought help from the state. Hood claims Feinberg, who oversees the claims process, failed to fully comply with a subpoena for information, the…

Jul 13, 2011 1:21 PM CDT

Fishing Captain Fights Court Battle for Moon Rock He Says He Saved from Museum Trash

A piece of the moon presented to the state of Alaska in 1969 by President Richard M. Nixon was missing for almost 37 years. But it surfaced against last year, after a lawyer who has made it his life mission to track down the 230 moon rocks presented to various…

Jul 12, 2011 9:21 PM CDT

Customer Sues Chase, Says Bank Ruined Her Credit By Declaring Her Dead

A funny thing happened when Curtis and Wrenella Pierre tried to get a modification of the $460,000 in mortgage debt they held with Chase Bank USA on their Florida home, the couple say. The bank inexplicably decided that Wrenella Pierre was dead and notified other creditors of her purported demise,…

Jul 12, 2011 4:34 PM CDT

Mich. Woman Faces Misdemeanor Trial Over Veggie Garden in Her Front Yard

Editor’s note: Charges against Bass have been dropped. Read our update. At first Oak Park warned Julie Bass. Then she got a ticket from the Michigan municipality. And when that didn’t work, she was criminally charged. Her alleged crime? Growing vegetables in the front yard of her home, according to…

Jul 11, 2011 8:15 PM CDT

Some Companies Behind Shrinking Belly Ad Are Conning Consumers, FTC Alleges

Those online ads showing a shrinking waistline and offering “1 Tip for a Tiny Belly” have linked to some diet companies that are conning consumers, the Federal Trade Commission has alleged. Independent promoters sell the ads to companies hawking diet products made from foods such as acai berries and African…

Jul 7, 2011 1:16 PM CDT

New York AG Probes Life Insurers’ Efforts to Find Beneficiaries

The New York attorney general is investigating whether nine companies are trying hard enough to find beneficiaries of life insurance policies after the holder dies. If a case results, an unidentified source tells Bloomberg, the office of AG Eric Schneiderman could invoke the Martin Act, which doesn’t require proof of…

Jul 5, 2011 5:05 PM CDT

Debt Be Not Proud: Unpunctual Payors Bristle at Collectors’ Tacky Tactics

Jul 1, 2011 5:20 AM CDT

Documentary on ‘Hot Coffee’ Case Airs on HBO; Public Approves, Tort Defense Blog Sees Flaws

Over the years, the words “hot coffee” have become virtually synonomous with the phrase “frivolous litigation.” It all dates back to the notorious case of Stella Liebeck, the elderly woman who was awarded nearly $3 million in a lawsuit against McDonald’s in 1994 over a cup of spilled coffee that…

Jun 28, 2011 11:20 PM CDT

Best Buy Not Amused by Competitor’s Ad, Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter

Nearly 600,000 YouTube viewers to date have enjoyed an amusing new 30-second commercial by Newegg, the online consumer electronics retailer. In the commercial, shot from the vantage point of a potential customer, a clueless teenage salesman in a blue shirt at a big box store tries to explain the difference…

Jun 28, 2011 9:48 PM CDT

Racketeering Suit Filed Against Lady Gaga Over Charity Wristbands

Lawyers from Michigan-based 1-800-LAW-FIRM have filed a federal racketeering suit against international sensation Lady Gaga, claiming the entertainer improperly profited from “We Pray for Japan” charity wristbands sold on her website. Gaga began selling the $5 wristbands on her site shortly after a tsunami struck Japan in March, promising fans…

Jun 27, 2011 10:59 PM CDT