Ethics

Ethics Group Recommends $25K Fine for Judge’s ‘Bizarre’ Letters

A judicial ethics commission has recommended a $25,000 fine and 30-day suspension for a judge who sent two “bizarre” and “threatening” letters to the publisher of the Boston Herald. The Commission on Judicial Conduct said in its report (PDF) that the conduct by Judge Ernest Murphy was intentional and therefore…

Apr 2, 2008 2:59 PM CDT

Goodyear Loses Bid to Keep Sealed Deposition Testimony Secret

Lawyers representing Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. could be on the hot seat under a federal judge’s order allowing them to be questioned about deposition testimony in a case that was settled under a confidentiality agreement. The March 18 decision by U.S. District Judge Rudi Brewster of San Diego comes…

Apr 2, 2008 12:05 PM CDT

Grand Juror Spots Conviction Error in Unusual Oregon Case

A former Oregon man who was jailed for sex abuse, but never actually indicted is suing state authorities for $3.5 million. The federal suit filed in Portland arises from an unusual case involving David Lee Simmons, who was jailed for 30 days in 2006 after pleading guilty to felony charges…

Apr 1, 2008 10:49 PM CDT

Righting Wrongs

ABA ethics amendments confirm prosecutors’ duty to disclose new evidence

Apr 1, 2008 8:57 PM CDT

Scruggs Says Bar’s Complaint is Premature

Disgraced plaintiffs lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs has asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to reject a petition to have him disbarred, arguing that the effort is premature. The Mississippi Bar Association recently asked the state’s high court to strip Scruggs of his law license. Scruggs pleaded guilty March 14 to conspiring…

Apr 1, 2008 8:03 PM CDT

Long Live the King of Torts?

Tort lawyers don’t come any more successful than Mississippi’s Dickie Scruggs. Now that he’s been accused of bribery, there are questions about how he achieved so much.

Apr 1, 2008 4:20 PM CDT

Lawyer Writes Christian Guide to Legal Issues, Advises Against Revenge

Christian lawyer Stephen Bloom has written a new book that advises litigants to “rise above the mindset of greed and revenge so prevalent in the law.” The new book is The Believer’s Guide to Legal Issues, Legal Blog Watch reports. Bloom, a lawyer from Carlisle, Penn., says too many people…

Apr 1, 2008 12:27 PM CDT

Gibson Dunn Sued By Funds that Collapsed Along With Refco

The trustee and liquidators for Sphinx Funds have sued Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, claiming the law firm contributed to the funds’ $263 million loss when commodities firm Refco Inc. collapsed. The suit claims Gibson Dunn had a conflict of interest when it represented Sphinx Funds at the same time it…

Apr 1, 2008 11:43 AM CDT

Judge Declines to Dismiss Charge Against Once-Mighty Milberg

The federal judge overseeing the unprecedented case against the former Milberg Weiss has declined to dismiss a money-laundering conspiracy charge against the firm even though all the principal targets in the case have pleaded out. U.S. District Judge John Walter ruled Monday that the law firm was correctly charged, the…

Mar 31, 2008 10:08 PM CDT

Failed Corporate Deals Fuel Malpractice Suits Against Firms

Failed corporate deals are fueling malpractice and other deal-related claims that large law firms are finding increasingly difficult to fend off. The National Law Journal reports that during the past few years, law firms including Mayer Brown, Clifford Chance and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld have faced some of…

Mar 31, 2008 9:04 PM CDT

Ex-Judge Gets 3-Month Suspension for Alcohol Issues and Criticizing Another Judge

A former Iowa judge, after a second conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, is being barred from practicing law for three months partly because he criticized the judge presiding over his case. The Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling (PDF) Friday cited the convictions and two statements former Muscatine Judge James…

Mar 31, 2008 6:33 PM CDT

Ex-Houston DA Fined $19K for ‘Venomous’ Deletion of E-Mails

A federal judge has ordered Houston’s former district attorney Charles Rosenthal to pay almost $19,000 for his “venomous” deletion of thousands of e-mails. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt imposed the sanction after finding Rosenthal in contempt of court for violating a subpoena for the e-mail in a civil rights lawsuit,…

Mar 31, 2008 1:04 PM CDT

Ethics Commission Recommends Suspension for Miss. Judge Tied to Scruggs

Mississippi’s Commission on Judicial Performance has recommended an interim suspension for a trial judge under investigation in connection with plaintiffs lawyer Richard “Dickie” Scruggs. The commission is investigating allegations that a Scruggs associate promised Judge Bobby DeLaughter that he would be considered for a federal judgeship at the same time…

Mar 31, 2008 12:46 PM CDT

23 Long Island School Districts Count Private Lawyers as Employees

Nearly two dozen school districts on Long Island improperly reported private attorneys as employees, helping them earn public pensions totaling more than $342,082 a year, Newsday reported today. The paper brought to light the issue of independent contractors being treated as employees who could obtain public benefits when it questioned…

Mar 28, 2008 8:11 PM CDT

Group Seeks Recall of Tree-Cutting Judge for ‘Evil Terrorism’ from the Bench

A recall petition against a California judge claims he inflicts “evil terrorism” from the bench and poses an “extreme danger to children and parents.” The recall targets Judge Peter McBrien of Sacramento for two decisions in 1998 and 1989 in which he is accused of placing children in the homes…

Mar 28, 2008 2:35 PM CDT