Trials & Litigation

Challenge of Astor Will Called ‘Absurd’

Court-appointed guardians for socialite Brooke Astor, who died this week at the age of 105, are challenging her latest will and several amendments to it. Court papers filed Tuesday argue Astor was incompetent or unduly influenced when she signed a 2002 will and the amendments, the New York Times reports.…

Aug 16, 2007 1:58 PM CDT

NY Gun Suit Survives

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the city of New York that claims 15 out-of-state gun sellers engage in retail practices that lead to illegal gun use. U.S. District Judge Jack Weinstein of Brooklyn rejected defendants’ argument that the court did not have personal jurisdiction…

Aug 16, 2007 11:35 AM CDT

Great Expectations: Law Clan in 14-Year Estate Battle

Corrected: When Walter L. Green died in 1993, the prominent Prince George’s County jurist, lawyer and businessman left an estate variously estimated as worth between $17 million and $30 million, as well as a detailed 10-page will explaining how to divide it. The basic plan, however, wasn’t particularly complex: after…

Aug 15, 2007 10:57 PM CDT

FL Fights for Internal State Farm Docs

A battle between Florida regulators and the state’s biggest property insurer is capturing the attention of lawyers there and elsewhere, because of what’s really at issue. Property insurance rate-setting is the official topic. But attorneys on both sides are waiting to see whether State Farm, a Bloomington, Ill.-based insurer, has…

Aug 15, 2007 5:26 PM CDT

Tale of 2 Cities: Tampa Porn Dorm Legal, But Miami’s Isn’t

A so-called porn dorm in Tampa, in which women live and participate in sexual activities that are videotaped and publicized over the Internet, is apparently legal. But that doesn’t mean that a comparable business—featuring buffed-up young men who are paid $1,200 plus room and board to live in a house…

Aug 15, 2007 4:34 PM CDT

Judge Summons Qualcomm Lawyers

A federal magistrate has ordered former lawyers for Qualcomm Inc. to appear in court later this month to face possible misconduct sanctions stemming from their roles in a cell phone patent case. The LA Times reports that U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major has ordered more than a dozen lawyers from…

Aug 15, 2007 4:09 PM CDT

Suits Expected to Mount Against Mattel

Toymaker Mattel Inc. already has massive image problems since its toy recalls in the last month. But it is likely to face a mass of litigation as well. Already one suit has been filed and others are likely, reports Reuters. Mattel is still in the midst of its global recall…

Aug 15, 2007 3:14 PM CDT

Secret-Case Strategy: Guess US Argument

In 27 years of practice, Jon Eisenberg has never had a more difficult case than Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. George W. Bush. One reason why is the extraordinary secrecy imposed on the litigation process because of terrorism-related national security concerns. When it came time to file one brief in his…

Aug 15, 2007 3:12 PM CDT

Rutgers Player Accuses Imus of Libel

A Rutgers women’s basketball player has filed suit against radio personality Don Imus, accusing him of libel, slander and defamation for comments he made on air about the team in April. The comments cost Imus his job at CBS and resulted in a contract settlement that was reported this week.…

Aug 15, 2007 3:03 PM CDT

BDO Socked With $351 M in Punitives

Updated: A Miami jury has ordered BDO Seidman to pay $351 million in punitive damages for failing to uncover fraud at a financial services firm. With punitives, the total damages award now comes to $521 million, the Associated Press reports. (See this ABAJournal.com post for more information on the $170…

Aug 15, 2007 2:15 PM CDT

Padilla Case Goes to Jury

Jurors begin deliberations today in the trial of Jose Padilla, accused of a terrorist plot to murder and maim people overseas. In closing arguments yesterday, Padilla’s lawyer said his client traveled to Egypt to study Islam rather than to join a terrorist cell, the Miami Herald reports. Public defender Michael…

Aug 15, 2007 1:50 PM CDT

Pants Judge Files Appeal

The administrative law judge who lost his $54 million lost-pants lawsuit against a dry cleaners has filed an appeal. Roy Pearson Jr. decided to appeal despite the dry cleaners’ decision to drop a request for $82,000 in attorney fees, Legal Times reports. The cleaners’ owners have raised more than $100,000…

Aug 15, 2007 12:29 PM CDT

If Horses Win, Lions Lose: All-Beef Diet?

A possible federal ban on slaughtering horses for their meat isn’t supported by at least one group of animal-lovers: lion-keepers and other fans of big cats. It turns out that zoos, which often feed horse meat to their carnivorous animals, are the biggest consumer of domestic horse meat. Nonetheless, some…

Aug 14, 2007 11:05 PM CDT

Free Advice to Mattel: Use ‘Iron Triangle’

As Mattel Inc. faces its second toy recall in two weeks over lead-paint issues, a lawyer reportedly is offering some free advice—use the “Iron Triangle Defense.” In plain English, those handling Mattel’s litigation, public-relations and government regulatory work need to put their heads together to figure out how best to…

Aug 14, 2007 8:43 PM CDT

First Legal Action in Bridge Collapse

The first litigation has reportedly been filed in the Minneapolis bridge collapse case, by a law firm seeking access in order to investigate before the site is cleaned up. It was filed Monday in federal court because the firm, Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben of Minneapolis, has been told that federal…

Aug 14, 2007 7:41 PM CDT