Sentencing/Post Conviction

In ‘stunning fall from grace,’ med-mal lawyer is convicted of trying to extort medical system for $25M

A medical-malpractice lawyer once regarded as a top plaintiff’s attorney in Maryland was convicted of attempted extortion Friday, a day after a federal judge found him in contempt and ordered his detention overnight for violating court orders while representing himself.

Nov 27, 2024 8:50 AM CST

Presumed vindictiveness of increased sentence imposed by federal judge requires do-over, 4th Circuit says

A federal judge who increased a sentence of probation by six years after a drug defendant’s successful sentencing appeal will have to try again, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Nov 26, 2024 9:19 AM CST

Appeals judge told state attorney how to handle resentencing while badmouthing others, texts indicate

A Florida appeals judge who obtained a 2004 murder conviction of an alleged gang leader texted advice to the Miami-Dade, Florida, state attorney handling his resentencing while “denigrating defense attorneys and badmouthing local judges,” according to the Miami Herald.

Nov 12, 2024 11:34 AM CST

Rapper Young Thug pleads guilty in tumultuous YSL case; judge delivers a sentencing twist

The long, drama-ridden criminal racketeering and gang conspiracy trial of rapper Young Thug that began nearly two years ago ended on an abrupt note Thursday as the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop star reached a surprise plea deal in the case amid threats of a mistrial that could have started proceedings all over again.

Nov 1, 2024 8:55 AM CDT

Former Moody’s GC gets prison time for tax-filing failure on $54M income while life ‘all fell apart’

Updated: The former general counsel at the Moody's Corp., a financial services company, was sentenced to eight months in prison last week for failing to file tax returns while earning $54 million.

Oct 29, 2024 9:06 AM CDT

From behind bars, to passing the bar

Each state sets its own rules for formerly incarcerated people who want to practice law. In Kansas, Mississippi and Texas, for example, no one with a felony can practice law. But even for those who live in less restrictive states, there are other hurdles to overcome.

Oct 29, 2024 8:42 AM CDT

DA requests resentencing for Menendez brothers, opening path to release

The Los Angeles district attorney’s office announced on Thursday that it will request the resentencing of Erik and Lyle Menendez, a pair of brothers sentenced in 1996 to life in prison for killing their parents, after new evidence emerged backing the brothers’ defense that they were physically and sexually abused by their father.

Oct 25, 2024 8:20 AM CDT

Ex-BigLaw partner hit with prison time, $4.2M restitution order in tax case

A former partner at Husch Blackwell and Dykema Gossett has been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors for failing to pay $2.46 million in taxes.

Oct 18, 2024 9:35 AM CDT

No Small Matter

An unfortunate case of mistaken identity has had years of repercussions for one man and inspired a group of law students to try to correct what they see as a miscarriage of justice. It was a long shot. Innocence clinics usually don’t work with clients convicted of minor offenses.

Oct 1, 2024 12:00 AM CDT

Death row inmate held in solitary confinement for 26 years can sue, federal appeals court rules

A death row inmate with a known history of serious mental illness can sue Pennsylvania’s corrections chief for holding him in solitary confinement for 26 years, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

Sep 26, 2024 9:22 AM CDT

Man gets prison time for attorney-fraud scheme that targeted some BigLaw firms

A North Carolina man convicted in an attorney-fraud scheme has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay more than $22.5 million in restitution to 73 victims, including four BigLaw firms.

Sep 24, 2024 10:13 AM CDT

Aspiring nurse convicted in ‘utterly bonkers’ trial can’t sue for damages, full appeals court says

A would-be nurse convicted of cocaine possession in a trial in which the prosecutor moonlighted as a law clerk for the presiding judge can’t sue for damages, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Sep 19, 2024 8:47 AM CDT

Disbarred lawyer is sentenced for alleged forgery that facilitated deed thefts

A disbarred attorney accused of impersonating a practicing lawyer to forge legal documents in a deed theft scheme was sentenced last week to 18 months to three years in prison for her actions.

Sep 17, 2024 9:12 AM CDT

Trump’s NY hush money sentencing delayed until after November election

A judge on Friday delayed Donald Trump’s hush money sentencing until after the November election, which means voters will cast ballots without knowing whether the Republican nominee could face jail time for his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Sep 6, 2024 12:43 PM CDT

Lawyer is accused of charging inmates for resentencing petitions despite little chance of success

A Los Angeles lawyer is accused in an ethics complaint of charging inmates to submit requests for resentencing to prosecutors who were unlikely to take action.

Sep 5, 2024 9:17 AM CDT