Verdicts & Settlements

30-Day Execution Reprieve for Hood, But Judge’s Claimed Affair Not the Reason

It reportedly never has happened before in this state known for its many executions. But time was on Charles Dean Hood’s side last night as Texas officials waiting through an appeal-filled evening eventually decided to call off his lethal injection because of a lack of time to complete the execution…

Jun 18, 2008 7:39 PM CDT

Counsel Explains Why Milberg Settled: Law Firm Survival

In the aftermath of the official announcement of a $75 million settlement in the never-before-seen criminal indictment of a major U.S. law firm, a lawyer representing Milberg explains why the firm entered into the plea agreement. The answer to that question, attorney William Taylor III tells American Lawyer, is simple:…

Jun 18, 2008 7:07 PM CDT

Judge Certifies Non-Wisconsin Law Grads, Axes Bar Admission Class Action

Not law graduates for nothing, a small group of juris doctor degree holders have successfully sought federal class action status over Wisconsin’s policy of allowing only graduates of in-state law schools to practice without passing the bar exam. But, at least for now, they have lost their U.S. commerce-clause case…

Jun 18, 2008 6:22 PM CDT

Dispute Over Red Cross Symbol Settled

The cross symbol will continue to be used by a health-products company and a charity under a settlement reached yesterday. Johnson & Johnson had sued the American Red Cross last August, claiming the charity infringed its trademark by licensing the cross for commercial purposes. The Red Cross countersued. The litigants…

Jun 18, 2008 2:13 PM CDT

Judge Approves $11M Va. Tech Settlement

An $11 million settlement that was reportedly agreed to several months ago by victims and survivors of last year’s shooting massacre at Virginia Tech has now been approved today by a Virginia judge. “Families of 24 victims—out of 32 killed by Seung-Hui Cho—will be compensated under the settlement approved by…

Jun 17, 2008 11:21 PM CDT

Texas Judge Halts Planned 6 PM Execution, Appeals Court Overrules, Clock Ticks

Updated: Barely an hour before Charles Dean Hood was scheduled to be put to death by the state of Texas at 6 p.m. tonight, a Collin County judge withdrew his execution warrant, in the first of a series of dramatic developments as the evening progressed. Prosecutors immediately sought a reversal…

Jun 17, 2008 10:54 PM CDT

Okla. Attorney Disbarred; Court Cites ‘Unbelievable’ Testimony

An Oklahoma attorney has been disbarred by the state supreme court after allegations that he forged a letter under another lawyer’s letterhead, purporting to sign it with that lawyer’s name, and sought to trade legal services for sexual favors, among other claimed misconduct. The lawyer, Michael Gassaway, “obtain[ed] the signature…

Jun 17, 2008 9:36 PM CDT

Activists Spurring Grand Jury Probes More Successful Fighting Porn than Abortion

For months, a Kansas grand jury, impaneled by citizen petition, has been investigating whether an abortion provider performed illegal late-term abortions. So far, anti-abortion activists in the state have not succeeded in getting an indictment through use of an 1887 law that permits citizens there to call a grand jury…

Jun 17, 2008 1:25 PM CDT

Objectors Claim Morgan Stanley Settlement Was ‘Lawyer Driven’

A federal judge is considering an evidentiary hearing into a contention that a $16 million Morgan Stanley racial discrimination settlement was “lawyer driven.” Linda Friedman, a lawyer for about 30 African-American retail brokers, said during a hearing yesterday that the class action settlement had been negotiated with defense lawyers before…

Jun 17, 2008 12:30 PM CDT

Vinson & Elkins Agrees to $4.35M Settlement in San Diego Pension Suit

Vinson & Elkins has agreed to pay $4.35 million to settle a lawsuit by the city of San Diego that contended the law firm’s probe into pension problems was incompetent. Vinson & Elkins admits no wrongdoing in the settlement, which calls for a $3.25 million payment and the forgiveness of…

Jun 17, 2008 11:12 AM CDT

Texas Appeals Court Denies Habeas to Hood, Despite Judge’s Claimed Affair

Updated: As 10 legal ethics experts today protested the planned execution of a murderer convicted in a trial in which the judge allegedly was having a secret affair with a prosecutor, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has denied his habeas petition. In an order issued late in the day,…

Jun 17, 2008 12:13 AM CDT

Milberg Plea: Feds Will Drop Charges, Law Firm Will Pay $75M

A plea deal has been agreed to between the government and the Milberg plaintiffs securities firm. The feds will drop the charges against Milberg, which was indicted along with several senior partners for allegedly participating in an illegal scheme to funnel secret kickbacks to lead plaintiffs in class actions. And…

Jun 16, 2008 11:51 PM CDT

White House Admin Office E-Mails Not Covered By FOIA, Federal Judge Says

Although the White House Office of Administration has for decades considered itself subject to the Freedom of Information Act, in fact FOIA doesn’t apply to White House e-mails held there because the office isn’t an agency under the statute, a federal judge said today. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly reached…

Jun 16, 2008 9:15 PM CDT

Judge Cuts $10M from Leona Helmsley’s $12M Bequest to Dog

The pet dog of deceased Leona Helmsley is losing $10 million of the $12 million that the 87-year-old hotel heiress left him in her will when she died last year, disinheriting two grandchildren. But the elimination of most of Trouble’s trust fund isn’t expected to put a dent in the…

Jun 16, 2008 5:43 PM CDT

R. Kelly Acquitted in Child Porn Case

Updated: Rhythm and blues superstar R. Kelly was acquitted today of all 14 counts in his child pornography trial. Before the verdict was announced, the 41-year-old singer could be seen praying, and, as “not guilty” after “not guilty” rolled in, Kelly’s lawyer says he heard his client saying “Thank you,…

Jun 13, 2008 6:50 PM CDT