Oregon

Random investigative questions by cops during traffic stops are unconstitutional, state supreme court rules

Police officers who pull over drivers in Oregon can’t ask investigative questions that are unrelated to the purpose of the stop unless they have independent justification for doing so, the Oregon Supreme Court has ruled.

Nov 26, 2019 3:12 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Law firm settles age bias suit; SCOTUS reviews Oracle’s $9B copyright claim

Pryor Cashman settles associate’s age bias suit Pryor Cashman has settled a lawsuit by an associate who said the firm violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act when it fired him after 18 years on the job. The associate, Alan Laufer, was 61 when he was fired. The law firm…

Nov 15, 2019 4:37 PM CST

Oregon bar considering paraprofessional licensing and bar-takers without JDs

The Oregon State Bar's board of governors took major steps to liberalize rules around paraprofessional licensing and allowing people without law degrees to sit for the bar exam.

Oct 7, 2019 10:49 AM CDT

Cops altered mug shot after witnesses said suspect didn’t have tattoos; should ID evidence be tossed?

A lawyer for a defendant charged with bank robbery noticed something amiss when he received the six photos shown to four tellers to see whether they could identify the suspect.

Aug 20, 2019 10:21 AM CDT

Sidley Austin is among defendants settling investor class action for $220M

Sidley Austin and Deloitte are among five professional firms agreeing to pay $220 million to settle claims for aiding securities sales by a now-defunct investment firm accused of operating as a Ponzi scheme. None of the defendants were charged with any wrongdoing, according to the proposed settlement filed in Oregon…

Jul 11, 2019 1:22 PM CDT

Top 10 rules to be a successful lawyer

“We are here to live life and be as successful as we can possibly be,” writes trial attorney James Gray Robinson. Check out his top rules about practicing law—and life in general—that can help lawyers to be successful, whether they are young or old.

Jun 20, 2019 6:30 AM CDT

Supreme Court remands case of Oregon bakers who refused to make same-sex wedding cake

The U.S. Supreme Court told Oregon courts Monday to take another look at the case of former bakery owners who were fined $135,000 for refusing to bake a custom wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The Supreme Court vacated an Oregon Court of Appeals decision upholding the fine and told…

Jun 17, 2019 12:17 PM CDT

Anonymous anarchists claim responsibility for flooding lawyer’s office because of ICE union work

Anonymous anarchists are claiming responsibility for flooding the law office of an Oregon lawyer who represents a union for immigration agents.

May 1, 2019 11:53 AM CDT

Oregon may finally join 49 other states that require unanimous jury decisions in criminal cases

In 49 U.S. states and the federal court system, a 10-2 vote would not have been enough to convict. Oregon is currently the only state that permits convictions (for felonies other than murder) on a 10-2 or 11-1 vote of the jury. That practice has come under criticism in recent years by people who say it was enacted for racist reasons; it denies minority viewpoints on the jury a voice and removes an important safeguard against wrongful convictions.

May 1, 2019 2:30 AM CDT

Are unanimous juries required in state criminal cases? SCOTUS will consider overruling precedent

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider whether to overrule a 1972 case that allowed nonunanimous verdicts in state criminal trials. The court agreed to decide whether the Sixth Amendment requires unanimity in the case of Louisiana inmate Evangelisto Ramos, who was sentenced to life in prison after…

Mar 18, 2019 3:00 PM CDT

District attorney says testing rape kits is ‘our moral imperative’

In less than four years, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s national rape kit testing program has led to 186 new arrests and 64 new convictions, including 47 felony sexual assault convictions. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. also announced that more than 55,000 rape kits have been tested in 32…

Mar 14, 2019 3:42 PM CDT

Lawyer gets prison time for shooting into another lawyer’s office

A lawyer who practiced law in Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Wednesday for firing shots into the office of another lawyer. The lawyer, Erik Graeff, was sentenced after pleading guilty in October to unlawful use of a weapon and recklessly endangering another person, report the…

Jan 25, 2019 9:32 AM CST

Lawyer stole money to pay for plastic surgery, overdue income taxes, party with Hawaiian band and more

An Oregon attorney who pleaded guilty to stealing money from client trust accounts and her law firm, and not paying income taxes for six years, was sentenced Thursday to serve 46 months in federal prison. Pamela S. Hediger, who had a Corvallis personal injury practice, was ordered to pay $1.9…

Jan 11, 2019 2:30 PM CST

When judges get angry, the most vulnerable suffer; one judge sees his behavior as reminder

Trial judges should be “a model of dignity and impartiality” who are able to control their tempers and emotions, according to ABA standards on special functions of trial judges. Too often, however, judges exhibit anger and unprofessional behavior, Rewire News reports. And the targets of their wrath often are the…

Dec 17, 2018 7:00 AM CST

As judges rule for sanctuary cities, Chicago sues Sessions for blocking new public safety grants

Litigation over President Donald Trump's order restricting federal grants to sanctuary cities continues, despite several rulings favoring the cities and other jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Oct 25, 2018 12:10 PM CDT