Judge accused of ‘partisan glee’ after $8B verdict says high-five allegations were fabricated

A Philadelphia judge accused of showing “partisan glee” and high-fiving jurors after they awarded $8 billion in a Risperdal case denied the allegation Wednesday and focused on the lawyers who made the accusation.

Oct 31, 2019 10:32 AM CDT

Motion accuses judge of ‘partisan glee’ after $8B Risperdal verdict

A Philadelphia judge is accused of showing “partisan glee” after jurors awarded $8 billion in punitive damages in a case brought by a man who contended his childhood use of the drug Risperdal had caused him to grow breasts.

Oct 22, 2019 10:10 AM CDT

Judge urges former teen serial killer to donate his brain to science

A Pennsylvania judge who resentenced a convicted serial killer on Tuesday urged the man to consider donating his brain to scientists studying criminal behavior.

Oct 17, 2019 2:10 PM CDT

Chief public defender is accused of giving comp time to employees for election day campaign work

The chief public defender of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, is facing charges for allegedly giving compensation time to employees for election day campaign work.

Oct 8, 2019 1:49 PM CDT

Former BigLaw leader is reprimanded for inappropriately touching lawyers at bench-bar conference

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s disciplinary board on Wednesday ordered a reprimand for a former law firm leader accused of becoming inebriated and inappropriately touching female lawyers at a bench-bar conference. The lawyer is Timothy McMahon, a former managing partner at the Harrisburg office of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin,…

Oct 7, 2019 11:57 AM CDT

Ex-lawyer gets jail time for stealing from and vandalizing law firm; judge cites ‘vengeful’ sex toy purchase

A disbarred Pennsylvania lawyer was sentenced to 1½ to 3 years in prison on Wednesday for stealing from her Harrisburg law firm and vandalizing its offices after she was fired.

Oct 3, 2019 10:54 AM CDT

State supreme court sides with farmer over pig manure plan

A divided Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided Thursday that a farmer did not have to obey his township’s regulations when managing manure on his hog farm.

Sep 27, 2019 10:39 AM CDT

Ex-client sued by lawyer for alleged libel in negative review that stays atop ratings through editing

A Pittsburgh lawyer has sued a former client for alleged libel in a negative online review that stays atop Google ratings because of reposting and editing.

Sep 9, 2019 3:55 PM CDT

Gunlike hand gesture is disorderly conduct, appeals court says

A Pennsylvania appeals court has upheld a disorderly conduct conviction for a man who made a gunlike hand gesture at a neighbor. The Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled Aug. 27 that Stephen Kirchner’s gesture constituted a crime because of the unique circumstances of the case. Pennlive.com, the Washington Post and the…

Sep 3, 2019 10:34 AM CDT

Judge was too quick to find contempt and too slow to write opinions, ethics complaint says

An ethics complaint filed Tuesday against a Philadelphia family court judge claims that the judge was too quick to fine or jail people for contempt but too slow to write opinions in cases involving child abuse and neglect. The ethics complaint against Judge Lyris Younge was filed after state appeals…

Aug 22, 2019 1:01 PM CDT

Firm settles suit alleging it solicited fake online reviews that tricked woman into becoming client

Kraemer Manes & Associates has settled a lawsuit claiming that a client got bad legal advice after she was tricked into hiring the Pennsylvania law firm because of fake online reviews. Plaintiff Tabatha Wolfe filed a notice of the settlement in Allegheny County court Aug. 8, Law360 reports. Reuters had…

Aug 13, 2019 11:28 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: First Step Act frees crack cocaine offender; judge vacates port-of-entry asylum rule

• A San Antonio man sentenced to life in prison for dealing crack cocaine has been freed under the First Step Act, the criminal justice reform measure that reduces the sentencing disparity for crack and powder cocaine offenses. Alta Lee Kemper, 62, had served 27 years in prison. (My San…

Aug 5, 2019 4:00 PM CDT

Ethics panel, citing ‘egregious’ violations, recommends 33-month suspension for Larry Klayman

Jul 29, 2019 3:46 PM CDT

Citing contradictory evidence, judge overturns sex assault verdict; juror is ‘absolutely appalled’

Advocates for victims are expressing concern after a Pennsylvania judge granted a defense motion for a judgment of acquittal in a sexual assault case. Judge Alexander Bicket of Allegheny County acquitted 24-year-old Joon Woo (Jason) Baik on July 22 after jurors had found him guilty of sexual assault, report the…

Jul 29, 2019 2:13 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of defrauding his law firm by secretly referring its clients to outside lawyers

Federal prosecutors have accused a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer of defrauding his law firm out of about $4.2 million in legal fees and costs by secretly referring its clients to outside lawyers and taking a cut of the recovery. Prosecutors in Philadelphia charged 64-year-old Neil Mittin of Huntingdon Valley with…

Jul 23, 2019 3:37 PM CDT