Trials & Litigation

15 More to Go Free in Ohio Drug Case Built on Informant’s Lies

Only because a federal informant relented and recanted his false testimony, it appears, are 16 wrongfully convicted defendants being freed from prison. After informant Jerrell Bray got into a fight in Cleveland in May and was arrested for allegedly shooting a man, he admitted, while in prison, that he had…

Jan 23, 2008 10:34 PM CST

No Courtroom, No Case: Ala. Judge Dismisses 220 Tickets

The 15th of January was a good day to be defending a traffic offense case in the Alabama courtroom of Judge Michael Newell. After Winston County officials failed to assign him a courtroom because of a scheduling conflict, Newell dismissed all pending cases on his docket except for defendants accused…

Jan 23, 2008 10:17 PM CST

Ohio AG Sues Freddie Mac for Housing Fraud

Contending that one of the nation’s mortgage finance giants is responsible for a massive national housing fraud, the Ohio attorney general has filed a federal securities class action suit against Freddie Mac on behalf of a pension fund. The federally chartered private company “secretly and intentionally participated in one of…

Jan 23, 2008 8:20 PM CST

City’s Plan to Waive Attorney-Client Privilege Aggravates Insurer

Municipal officials in a small town in Washington state apparently thought they were doing the right thing by embracing an open records policy that potentially allowed residents to take a look at privileged documents and those relating to legal negotiations. Their insurer, however, had a different view. News that members…

Jan 23, 2008 7:46 PM CST

Anger Over $500M ‘Big Dig’ Settlement

News of an apparent $400 million settlement that concludes a potential criminal case against the project manager of a controversial Boston tunnel project has sparked anger among Massachusetts residents. The approximately $400 million to be paid by Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff is part of a $500 million civil settlement with the state…

Jan 23, 2008 7:06 PM CST

Allen & Overy Fields New Trial Management Team

One of London’s biggest and best-known law firms has restructured its litigation management team, adding a steering group of international partners and a newly created firmwide general counsel to help the global head of litigation oversee the magic circle firm’s worldwide operations. As part of this change in focus, the…

Jan 23, 2008 5:53 PM CST

Author Put Dad in Prison for Child Abuse, But Still Loves Him

A British author who says she was sexually abused by her father since age 8 has written a book about the experience—and the strong emotional bond she still has with both of her parents, as an adult, despite their failure to protect her as she was growing up. After she…

Jan 23, 2008 5:35 PM CST

Citigroup Rolls Dice on Trial in Enron Creditor Litigation

It wasn’t just Enron Corp. that was responsible for the massive fraud that wiped out the once-mighty energy trader, creditors contend. Nearly a dozen banks also participated, they argue. And, of the 11 financial institutions accused of wrongdoing, 10 have settled for a total of $1.73 billion, upping the ante…

Jan 23, 2008 4:54 PM CST

Probe of US Prosecutor Firings Heats Up

Ongoing investigations by Congress and the Department of Justice of the alleged politically motivated dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys are reportedly heading toward the boiling point. Citing anonymous sources, the Hill reports that investigations by the DOJ’s Office of Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility, in particular, may result…

Jan 23, 2008 12:08 AM CST

Partner Offers $10K Bounty for Blogger’s Identity

A Chicago lawyer who is being criticized, along with his law firm, in an anonymous Internet blog supposedly authored by a fellow attorney has offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who can provide him with the identity of “Troll Tracker.” The anonymous blogger, who claims to be “just a lawyer;…

Jan 22, 2008 11:28 PM CST

Kasowitz Firm Makes Clear: We Fired Former IP Head

The former head of Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman’s intellectual property practice group reportedly didn’t jump ship to accept a job at a 52-lawyer New York City intellectual property boutique. Jeremy Pitcock was fired, his former firm says in a press release. Issued by name partner Daniel Benson, it states…

Jan 22, 2008 10:07 PM CST

Slap on Wrist for Alleged Santa Assailant

A Connecticut woman who is accused of having inappropriately touched an elderly Santa Claus while sitting on his lap in a local shopping mall is likely to get off lightly for the alleged offense. Sandrama Lamy, 33, has applied for a special program of accelerated rehabilitation available to first offenders,…

Jan 22, 2008 8:29 PM CST

Inmate’s Freedom Hinges on Lawyers’ Revelation That Dead Client Killed Guard in ‘82

Almost 26 years ago, as two Chicago public defenders were representing a client accused of murdering two police officers, their case suddenly got a lot tougher. A lawyer defending another man accused of murdering a security guard in an unrelated case told the two PDs that his client said that…

Jan 22, 2008 6:32 PM CST

Vioxx Settlement Amended to Allow Attorney Advice to Clients

Attorneys overseeing a proposed $4.85 billion settlement with Merck & Co. over its withdrawn Vioxx drug have reportedly amended a controversial provision that could have required some plaintiffs’ lawyers to advise all or none of their clients to take the deal. Initially, some attorneys expressed concern about language barring lawyers…

Jan 18, 2008 11:12 PM CST

BigLaw Masses Troops in Subprime Feeding Frenzy

A growing tsunami of investigations, class actions and bankruptcies resulting from the U.S. mortgage meltdown has created a business boom in some BigLaw practice areas. “Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom alone says it has roughly 100 lawyers across the firm working on subprime-mortgage fallout for clients such as Wells…

Jan 18, 2008 9:48 PM CST