Ethics

Judge Lance Ito Criticized in Opinion Overturning Murder Conviction

Judge Lance Ito, who presided over the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, was criticized Monday in a California Supreme Court opinion for actions he took while he was a prosecutor. The court overturned a death sentence for inmate Adam Miranda in the murder of Gary Black because of failures by…

May 7, 2008 2:16 PM CDT

Report Slams Tactics by Plaintiffs Lawyers in Asbestos Cases

A report released today by the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Legal Policy takes aim at a “business model” in asbestos cases that relies on “flimsy medical diagnoses” and seeks to overwhelm defendants and courts with mass claims. “An epidemic of lawsuits, many riddled with fraudulent allegations, has distorted our economy…

May 7, 2008 1:37 PM CDT

Convicted Murderer Gets New Trial Because of Lawyer’s Stalking Indictment

A New Jersey lawyer who had been indicted for criminal stalking had an obligation to disclose the charge to a client accused of murder, according to the New Jersey Supreme Court. The opinion issued yesterday (PDF) said the client, Mylee Cottle, was entitled to a new murder trial because of…

May 7, 2008 12:42 PM CDT

Lawyer Fined for Client’s F-Bombs Wants Sanction Lifted

A lawyer fined more than $29,000 for failing to stop his client from dropping variants of the F-word 73 times in a deposition is asking a federal judge to lift the sanction. Lawyer Joseph Ziccardi of Chicago is also asking for permission to drop the client, Aaron Wider, who is…

May 7, 2008 11:27 AM CDT

‘Pants Suit’ Judge Back in Court, Now Suing for Job and $1 Million

A former administrative law judge in Washington, D.C., who infamously filed suit against his dry cleaner for $67 million (he later reduced his claim to $54 million) is back in court again. Now Roy Pearson is seeking reinstatement to the job he may have lost, at least in part, as…

May 6, 2008 11:51 PM CDT

Phila. Judge Booted from Bench Over 24-Year-Old Use of Bogus SS#

A Philadelphia municipal judge can no longer serve on the bench because she pleaded guilty to two federal felony counts related to her use of a bogus social security number on credit applications 24 years ago, Pennsylvania’s highest court has ruled. Deborah Griffin is banned from being a judge by…

May 6, 2008 11:00 PM CDT

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

HALT Report Blasts States for Secretive Judicial Ethics Oversight

A report by the nonprofit group Help Abolish Legal Tyranny calls the system of judicial oversight in Washington, D.C., among the most secretive in the country. The District got a D grade on the group’s Judicial Accountability 2008 Report Card, the Washington Post reports. Maine and Mississippi got Fs, while…

May 6, 2008 1:49 PM CDT

Judge Refuses to Sanction JetBlue for Destroying Document

A magistrate judge in New York has refused to impose a sanction on JetBlue for destroying a document in a passenger’s lawsuit against the airline for failing to protect her from another passenger. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak said the plaintiff had failed to show she was prejudiced by the destruction…

May 6, 2008 1:05 PM CDT

Accused of Padding Timesheets, N.Y. Lawyer Quits Part-Time Job & Law Firm

Updated: A New York law firm at which 12 attorneys reportedly have been under investigation in an ongoing statewide probe of school district pension payments to lawyers is now in the news for another reason. James McCarthy, who was counsel to the Albany, N.Y., law firm until Friday, has resigned…

May 5, 2008 7:35 PM CDT

Prosecutors Who Withhold Evidence Should Be Jailed, Texas DA Says

Wrongful convictions of 45 Texas defendants since 2001 reportedly have cost the state $8.6 million. And in 22 of those cases, prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense, reports the Dallas Morning News. If they do so intentionally, prosecutors should potentially be disbarred and even jailed, says the Dallas County district…

May 5, 2008 6:53 PM CDT

Ohio AG Admits to Affair, Fires Two Aides Tied to Sex Harassment Probe

The former Democratic chairman of Ohio is calling for the resignation of Attorney General Marc Dann following a sexual harassment scandal in his office. James Ruvolo told the Dayton Daily News that Democrats “can’t stand by and hem and haw” about the scandal. “We [Democrats] came into office because of…

May 5, 2008 2:59 PM CDT

Rebuke for Lawyer Who Forged Judge’s Signature to Avoid 2nd Trip

An Iowa lawyer who improvised the signature of a judge who forgot to sign a document has received a public reprimand from the Iowa Supreme Court. Lawyer Mark Newman of Forest City had to drive to another town to get a judge’s signature on two documents, Radio Iowa reports in…

May 5, 2008 2:19 PM CDT

Shearman Axes In-House General Counsel Job

Shearman & Sterling has decided to buck the trend by eliminating the full-time position of general counsel. John Shutkin was hired as full-time general counsel in 2004 to oversee risk management, the American Lawyer reports. Shutkin told the Lawyer he is leaving the firm because his job has been eliminated.…

May 5, 2008 12:54 PM CDT

Judge Files Defamation Suit Against New York Daily News

A Brooklyn judge has filed a $10 million defamation suit against the New York Daily News for publishing two columns that claimed he improperly presided over a case involving a lawyer who had represented him before the judicial conduct commission. Judge Larry Martin claims in the lawsuit that lawyer Ravi…

May 5, 2008 11:51 AM CDT