States

Execution of Texas man in ‘shaken baby’ case temporarily halted by judge

A district judge in Texas has granted a temporary restraining order, blocking the Thursday execution of Robert Leslie Roberson III after a bipartisan coalition of state House members unanimously voted to subpoena him. Roberson’s scheduled execution would mark the first time a death sentence has been imposed for a case related to shaken baby syndrome, a once widely accepted diagnosis that bolstered criminal prosecutions but has come under increasing scrutiny with evolving science.

Oct 18, 2024 8:30 AM CDT

Joyce Hens Green, a pioneering woman on the federal bench, dies at 95

Joyce Hens Green, who helped blaze a trail for women in the law while serving as a Washington attorney and federal judge, presiding over high-profile cases involving the BCCI bank fraud scandal and the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, has died. She was 95.

Oct 18, 2024 8:10 AM CDT

Florida lawyer says she used trust account funds to avoid becoming homeless

An Orlando, Florida, lawyer accused of client trust account violations has said she used some settlement funds during the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid becoming homeless when she lost her primary job as a schoolteacher.

Oct 17, 2024 1:58 PM CDT

Will diversity policy affect hiring of independent monitor in Boeing case? Federal judge wants to know

A federal judge considering a proposed plea agreement between Boeing and the U.S. Department of Justice wants to know how diversity, equity and inclusion policies will influence the selection of a monitor to assess compliance.

Oct 17, 2024 11:11 AM CDT

New Hampshire Supreme Court justice is indicted

A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice has been indicted for allegedly trying to interfere with a criminal investigation of her husband.

Oct 17, 2024 9:25 AM CDT

When queried by judge, chatbot had less faith in its output than expert witness who used it

When confronted with evidence that an expert witness used a chatbot to cross-check lost-value calculations, a judge in Saratoga County, New York, decided to query the source.

Oct 16, 2024 2:24 PM CDT

Overturning 45-year precedent, New Jersey gives disbarred lawyers second chance

Former New Jersey lawyers who are disbarred will in most cases be allowed to apply for reinstatement after five years, the New Jersey Supreme Court has decided.

Oct 16, 2024 11:55 AM CDT

The Power of Pro Bono: A fair hearing, respect and justice for all

Irene walked into the office of a young lawyer in a small town in Mississippi more than 40 years ago with an eviction notice and a two-page lease. Events that would follow turned the lawyer into a legal aid attorney and a believer in the power of pro bono legal work.

Oct 16, 2024 10:28 AM CDT

Judge orders suspension for ‘one of these lawyers’ who use ‘bombast’ and ‘practice close to or over the line’

A Connecticut lawyer is in ethics trouble again after she was disbarred for “empty and malicious claims” that a judge favored Jewish litigants and protected the sexual abuse of children.

Oct 16, 2024 10:15 AM CDT

Supreme Court orders reconsideration of appellate decision on youths carrying guns

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday told a federal appeals court to reconsider its decision that blocked a Pennsylvania ban on youths openly carrying guns during a state of emergency.

Oct 15, 2024 2:46 PM CDT

Judge reprimanded for ordering payment of restitution to himself

A judge in Putnam County, Tennessee, has received a public reprimand for accepting a guilty plea and imposing restitution in a case involving damage to his truck.

Oct 15, 2024 1:15 PM CDT

New rules issued for Utah’s regulatory sandbox program

A controversial decision allowing nonlegal entities to own or invest in Utah law firms will be subject to additional regulations, the Utah Supreme Court decided last month.

Oct 15, 2024 11:32 AM CDT

Judge suspended without pay after indictment for alleged fake layoffs

A common pleas judge in York County, Pennsylvania, has been suspended without pay following his indictment for allegedly urging four law firm employees to collect unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to work from home.

Oct 15, 2024 9:10 AM CDT

Judge with ‘highly antagonistic demeanor’ must be removed from foster care case, 5th Circuit says

A federal appeals court has removed a federal judge from foster care litigation against the state of Texas, citing her “highly antagonistic demeanor” against the defendants during a December 2023 contempt hearing.

Oct 15, 2024 8:37 AM CDT

Lawyers ordered to provide door-to-door apology after their early-morning ‘scream test’

Lawyers who wakened South Philadelphia residents with a looped recording of a screaming woman to prove a point in a lawsuit must go door to door to issue in-person apologies, a federal judge has ruled.

Oct 14, 2024 11:27 AM CDT