World News 
Financial News
My eLawOffice
Celebrity Gossip
Yesterday's FrontPage News
US Supreme Court Opinions   
Online Legal News Sites 
Bloggers Directory 

•  Tropical Storm Ernesto Fizzles The storm came ashore at Plantation Key, Fla., with much weaker winds than expected. While it could strengthen a little after crossing Florida, it's more likely to put a damper on Labor Day weekend plans up and down the East Coast.  More...

•  Iraqi Marketplace Bomb Kills 24
•  Lawsuit Filed In 'Big Dig' Death
•  SUV Mows Down San Fran Pedestrians
•  South Dakota Governor Halts Execution
 

	• Section Front

•  SUV Mows Down San Fran Pedestrians One person was killed and at least 13 others were injured as a SUV driver rammed into pedestrians in a dozen places on streets, crosswalks and even sidewalks in San Francisco. A suspect is under arrest.  More...

•  Tropical Storm Ernesto Fizzles
•  JonBenet D.A.: 'Hindsight Is 20/20'
•  NTSB: Air Controller Had Back Turned
•  Lawsuit Filed In 'Big Dig' Death

	• Section Front

•  Iraqi Marketplace Bomb Kills 24 A bomb interrupted the morning bustle Wednesday at the Shurja market - Baghdad's oldest and largest gathering place for wholesalers - a day after the grisly discovery of two dozen tortured bodies, in two Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad.  More...

•  Iranian President Wants To Debate Bush
•  Jesse Jackson, Annan In Mideast
•  Hurricane John Strengthens Off Mexico
•  3 More Charged In U.K. Terror Plot
 

	• Section Front

•  More Than 46M Lack Health Insurance More than 46 million people in the United States lacked health insurance in 2005, an increase of 1.3 million since 2004.  More...

•  And The Fattest State Is ...
•  Long Hours Up High Blood Pressure Risk
•  Antigen May Predict Cancer Survival
•  Entire Pregnancy In 16 Seconds  

Judge Facing Ethics Charges Seeks Recusal of Two N.J. High Court Justices New Jersey Law Journal A New Jersey judge facing a Supreme Court hearing on charges he made inappropriate comments to jurors and about other judges is asking that two members of the court recuse themselves due to alleged bias. Superior Court Judge Wilbur Mathesius filed a motion last week urging that Chief Justice Deborah Poritz and Justice Jaynee LaVecchia not participate in his disciplinary case. He says both justices have accused him or made findings of wrongdoing, which means they are predisposed to find against him.

Schering-Plough to Pay $435 Million, Plead Guilty to Settle Probe The Associated Press Schering-Plough has agreed to pay $435 million and will plead guilty to conspiracy to settle a federal investigation into its drug sales and marketing practices and its clinical trial programs. The Kenilworth, N.J.-based company will pay $255 million to resolve civil aspects of the previously disclosed investigation. A subsidiary, Schering Sales, will pay a criminal fine of $180 million and plead guilty to one count of conspiracy under the agreement, which is subject to court approval.

Ken Starr Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Hear 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' Case The Associated Press Former Whitewater special counsel Kenneth Starr petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to take up an Alaska case involving a high school student, a banner and a tough school policy. Starr filed the petition Monday on behalf of the Juneau School District in response to a March ruling by the 9th Circuit that former student Joseph Frederick's free speech rights were violated when he was suspended for displaying a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" during an Olympic torch relay in 2002.

Sonsini on Board of Several Companies With Dubious Stock Awards The Recorder Semiconductor maker LSI Logic Corp. generally awarded stock options to executives at regular intervals, leaving no room for improper backdating. But in 2002, the company reported a deviation to the SEC, an option granted to the CEO the previous April. That was the time of year that LSI board members -- including Larry Sonsini -- typically received their options. SEC filings from two other companies where Sonsini was a board member also reveal stock options granted to executives at exceptionally low levels. Visit In-House Counsel

Barnes & Noble Gets Options Subpoena The Associated Press Bookstore chain Barnes & Noble Inc. said Tuesday it received a subpoena regarding its stock option practices from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In a regulatory filing with the SEC, the company said it received the subpoena last week and it intends to fully cooperate in its response. Barnes & Noble reported in July that the SEC had launched an informal inquiry into its stock option granting practices.

Judge Rules No Privilege in Enron Fraud Case New York Law Journal A Manhattan bankruptcy judge has rebuffed Enron Broadband Services' efforts to exclude from a bond dispute executives' testimony about their communications with in-house counsel. Judge Arthur J. Gonzalez said the communications at issue are not protected by the attorney-client privilege because the crime-fraud exception applies. He held that insurer Travelers had established a "reasonable basis" to suspect the perpetration of a fraud.

Jackie Chan and fellow stars marched in protest after singer Gillian Chung was photographed adjusting her bra

August 29, 2006

•  Still Not Easy In The Big Easy Whole sections of New Orleans remain untouched, one year after Hurricane Katrina stormed ashore. The mayor says it could be 3-5 years before all is done. President Bush, state and local officials and residents are marking the anniversary.  More...

•  No DNA Match, No Case Against Karr
•  Florida Braces For Ernesto
•  Tom Cruise Makes A Deal
•  Columbus, Ga. Wins Little League Title

August 29, 2006	• Section Front

•  No DNA Match, No Case Against Karr In an abrupt turnaround, prosecutors dropped their case against John Mark Karr in the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, saying DNA tests failed to put him at the crime scene. But Karr will be held in jail to face child porn charges in California.   More...

•  Still Not Easy In The Big Easy
•  Katrina: Examining The Disaster
•  A Solemn Milestone On The Gulf Coast
•  Florida Braces For Ernesto

August 29, 2006	• Section Front

•  Abu Ghraib Prison Totally Empty A senior Iraqi justice official said Abu Ghraib prison, whose name became synonymous with abuse, has been emptied of detainees. "There's not a single prisoner left there," the official said.  More...

•  3 Killed In Blast At Turkish Resort
•  Obama Urges Kenya To Stop Corruption
•  Iraq Violence Surges For Second Day
•  Annan Demands Hezbollah Free Israelis

 

August 29, 2006

Nonprosecution Agreement Doesn't Guarantee a Dodged Bullet Corporate Counsel Shortly after concluding a nonprosecution agreement in lieu of federal criminal charges for antitrust violations, the government said it would indict shipping giant Stolt-Nielsen anyway, claiming the company had broken the pact. According to Susan Hackett, GC of the Association of Corporate Counsel, the government's attempt to renege on its deal has caused in-house counsel to question whether nonprosecution agreements can still deliver their main benefit -- freedom from indictment. Visit In-House Counsel

August 29, 2006

Exacting Easterbrook to Be Chief of 7th Circuit The National Law Journal Judge Frank H. Easterbrook has long told his law students, only half in jest he says, that he wishes he had a button on his courtroom bench that he could push to open a trapdoor beneath the feet of attorneys not properly prepared for court, sending them down a chute to the street outside. So far, he has no plans to install such an apparatus when he becomes chief judge of the 7th Circuit in November. Court watchers praise Easterbrook's intellect, but opinions about his tough courtroom style vary widely. Visit the Litigation Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

August 29, 2006

Beatles Reunite to Sue Record Companies for $25M New York Law Journal A lawsuit filed by the Beatles, their representatives and their recording label Apple Records against Capitol Records and EMI Records will go forward following a Manhattan judge's denial of a motion to dismiss. The complaint alleges that the companies concealed their use of the band's recordings. The plaintiffs are seeking at least $25 million, asserting causes of action for fraud, breach of contract and -- in a difficult and unusual claim against a record company -- breach of fiduciary duty.

August 29, 2006
Conn. Supreme Court Overturns Mother's Conviction in Son's Suicide The Associated Press The Connecticut Supreme Court on Monday overturned a woman's conviction on charges that she contributed to her 12-year-old son's suicide by keeping a filthy house. Judith Scruggs was convicted of risk of injury to a minor in 2003, after her son hanged himself in his closet. Legal experts said it was thought to be the first time a parent had been convicted over a child's suicide. In ordering the trial court to acquit, the justices said the law used to convict the mother was unconstitutionally vague.
August 29, 2006
Attorney's $2 Million 9/11 Fee Called 'Shocking, Unconscionable' New York Law Journal Laura Balemian's husband died in the World Trade Center, and she received one of the largest awards from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund: $6.7 million. But she then paid out what may be the highest legal fee to Thomas Troiano: a one-third contingent fee of over $2 million. Now the propriety of the fee is before the courts, and the situation is uncomfortable for trial lawyers' groups, who support contingent fee arrangements but want to avoid being seen as profiting from the terrorist attacks.

August 29, 2006
Plaintiff Who Came to Deposition Stoned Has Case Dismissed and Must Pay Fees New Jersey Law Journal A plaintiff whose deposition was aborted because he was under the influence of drugs, and who failed to comply with consequent sanctions, has seen his case dismissed with prejudice. John Freeman, a roofer who sought $3 million for injuries sustained in a fall at a jobsite, must also pay $9,375 in fees to six defense attorneys. At the deposition Freeman's speech was slurred and his pupils rolled backward, according to the attorneys, who said they suspected he was also using drugs at the time of his fall.

Legal News STORIES - August 28, 2006

August 28, 2006

•  Forecaster: 'Pay Attention' To Ernesto Gathering strength over the central Caribbean, Tropical Storm Ernesto headed toward Jamaica on Saturday and threatened to enter the Gulf of Mexico within days as the first hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic season.  More...

•  NASA Delays Launch Of Atlantis
•  Iran Defiant Ahead Of U.N. Deadline
•  Poll: Gulf Rebuilding Falls Short
•  Iraqi Chiefs Sign 'Pact Of Honor'

August 28, 2006	• Section Front

•  Karr To Appear In Court Monday John Mark Karr waited in a private jail cell for a court appearance next week in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey, while a public defender sought to protect a sample of the schoolteacher's handwriting from public scrutiny.  More...

•  Hurricane Laws Ruled Constitutional
•  Housing Key To New Orleans' Comeback
•  NASA Delays Launch Of Atlantis
•  Harrowing Day For U.S. Aviation

August 28, 2006	• Section Front

•  Palestinians: Fox Journalists Unharmed Palestinian officials said they expect to have "good news" about two kidnapped Fox News journalists within two days, despite an approaching deadline over their fate. The two men were abducted in Gaza City on Aug. 14.  More...

•  Enslaved Austrian Girl Rejects Pity
•  Cease-Fire Reached In Uganda
•  Iran Defiant Ahead Of U.N. Deadline
•  Somali Taliban-Style Rebels Settle In

August 28, 2006	• Section Front

•  Pols Battle Over Katrina Efforts Nearly a year after Hurricane Katrina hit, President Bush used his weekly radio address to recall the storm's tragic human toll while the Democrats used theirs to call attention to the slow pace of recovery from the storm.  More...

•  Schwarzenegger Settles Libel Suit
•  McCain Stresses Support For Iraq War
•  Gerald Ford Has Angioplasty
•  Diplomat Charged With Visa Bribery

Prominent Corporate Lawyers Didn't Stop Shady Options Deals The Recorder A review by The Recorder of SEC filings for 17 companies that had prominent Silicon Valley lawyers serving as directors has uncovered questionable option grant dates for executives at five. While the grant patterns aren't necessarily evidence of wrongdoing, they do suggest that suspect pay practices at startups may be more commonplace than previously thought. They also raise new questions about what some name-brand lawyers knew, or should have known, in their roles as directors. Visit In-House Counsel
August 28, 2006

Digital Rights Management Backlash: New Battles in the Old Content War Special to Law.com The existence of Digital Rights Management systems to control piracy has encouraged record labels and movie studios to make their works available for digital distribution. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act protects the rights of content owners -- but what's protecting the customers? A recent spate of lawsuits has brought to light allegations that DRM has been used to install drivers, spyware and other unwelcome files onto users' computers. Orrick's Vickie Feeman and Gabriel Ramsey examine the issue. Visit the Tech Law Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED
August 28, 2006

Bar Prep Co. Ordered to Pay $11.9M for Copying Multistate Exam Questions The Legal Intelligencer In a ruling that promises to alter the way many American law students prepare for the bar exam, a Pennsylvania federal judge has concluded that a California company illegally copied questions from the Multistate Bar Examination for use in its preparation courses and ordered it to pay more than $11.9 million to the National Conference of Bar Examiners. In the suit, NCBE claimed that employees of Multistate Legal Studies Inc. have attended bar exams in several states for the sole purpose of copying questions.
August 28, 2006

Did a Federal Judge Cross a Legal Line for His Clerk? Daily Business Review Florida federal Judge Shelby Highsmith and a Marshals Service deputy are drawing criticism for intervening in a dispute involving the judge's clerk and her daughter at a Miami shop where the judge and the deputy flashed their government IDs and questioned store employees. Some legal observers called Highsmith's actions a serious breach of judicial conduct. Said one: "It raises in the minds of the public that there are two systems of justice -- one for those who are connected and one for us poor schmucks."
August 28, 2006

Noel, Ex-Prosecutor May Lose Bar Cards The Recorder August 28, 2006 The legal careers of Robert Noel and Robert Roland, two San Francisco lawyers who made headlines for very different and scandalous reasons, may be over. The State Bar Court recommended in two rulings that both men be disbarred from practicing law. Noel and his wife made national news in 2001 when their Presa Canario dogs mauled to death a neighbor. Roland, a former San Francisco assistant DA, was thrust into the spotlight last year when he was charged with trading drugs for leniency in court cases. August 28, 2006

August 25

•  Karr Spends First Night In Colo. Jail Nine days after his arrest in Thailand, John Mark Karr spent his first night in a Colorado jail cell, away from other inmates for his own safety. The suspect in JonBenet Ramsey's death awaits a court appearance that could come as early as next week.  More...

•  Bus Driver Accused Of Segregating Kids
•  N. Korean Nuclear Tensions On Upswing
•  Jet Evacuated In Ireland After Threat
•  2 Dead In Vermont School Shooting

August 25, 2006	• Section Front

•  Bus Driver Accused Of Segregating Kids A Louisiana school district suspended a white bus driver while it investigates complaints that she ordered nine black children to sit at the back of the bus.  More...

•  Karr Spends First Night In Colo. Jail
•  New Orleans Mayor Takes Swipe At NYC
•  Diverse Stamps Planned For 2007
•  2 Dead In Vermont School Shooting

August 25, 2006	• Section Front

•  Kidnappers Had Parting Gifts For Jill Make another video, Christian Science Monitor reporter Jill Carroll was told by her kidnappers, and you will be released. It was a promise she didn't believe until they gave her a gold necklace and eight $100 bills. This is Part X of her story.  More...

•  Jet Evacuated In Ireland After Threat
•  N. Korean Nuclear Tensions On Upswing
•  U.S.: Iraq Crackdown Builds Confidence
•  Jill Carroll Release Still A Mystery

Has Time Softened D.C. Circuit Nominee's Partisan Edges? Legal Times As a nominee for the D.C. Circuit, a court seen as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court, Peter Keisler is under scrutiny for his history in the Reagan White House and his current tenure as head of the DOJ's Civil Division. In addition to the usual questions on qualifications and legal record, Democrats are expressing concern over the haste with which Keisler's nomination was brought to a hearing; they may also reawaken a long-running dispute over whether an 11th judge on the court is even necessary.
August 25, 2006

Maddened by Makeup New York Law Journal In a recent case where a bartender brought a Title VII sex discrimination claim over her employer's requirement that female employees wear makeup, the 9th Circuit held that dress and grooming policies may be the basis of sex stereotyping claims. That ruling enlarged the scope of appearance policy challenges but left employers in the dark over the difference between a "sex stereotype" and a "community standard." For confused employers, flexibility may be one way to avoid lawsuits over appearance policies. Visit the Employment Law Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

August 25, 2006
Oops! Confidential Applicant Information Printed on Law School Calendars The National Law Journal A New York law school's admissions office was dismayed to discover this month that it had printed academic calendars for its entering class of 2006 on the back of internal admissions reports containing personal information about more than two dozen applicants. The calendars were sent in orientation packets to 495 students. The dean of admissions at Brooklyn Law School says the mix-up was "a duplication error: Something got printed up on what we thought was blank paper but it wasn't."

Legal Blog Watch: Who Is the U.K.'s Highest-Paid Lawyer? Law.com Law.com blogger Bob Ambrogi doesn't know who the highest-paid lawyer in the U.K. is, but he does know it's an Allen & Overy partner who earned 1.8 million pounds -- $3.4 million U.S. -- in fiscal 2006. According to Bloomberg News, million-pound packages were paid to four U.K. and U.S. partners in London law firms. And while some partners are earning millions in London, partners at London offices of three U.S. firms are losing substantial amounts as they struggle to establish a London foothold.
August 25, 2006

Has Time Softened D.C. Circuit Nominee's Partisan Edges? Legal Times As a nominee for the D.C. Circuit, a court seen as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court, Peter Keisler is under scrutiny for his history in the Reagan White House and his current tenure as head of the DOJ's Civil Division. In addition to the usual questions on qualifications and legal record, Democrats are expressing concern over the haste with which Keisler's nomination was brought to a hearing; they may also reawaken a long-running dispute over whether an 11th judge on the court is even necessary.
August 25, 2006

Maddened by Makeup New York Law Journal In a recent case where a bartender brought a Title VII sex discrimination claim over her employer's requirement that female employees wear makeup, the 9th Circuit held that dress and grooming policies may be the basis of sex stereotyping claims. That ruling enlarged the scope of appearance policy challenges but left employers in the dark over the difference between a "sex stereotype" and a "community standard." For confused employers, flexibility may be one way to avoid lawsuits over appearance policies. Visit the Employment Law Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED
August 25, 2006

Asia: The New Frontier for In-House Counsel? Legal Talk Network and Law.com Is Asia truly the next frontier for American lawyers? Or will it prove more of a bust than a boom for U.S. firms? Join Law.com bloggers and Coast to Coast co-hosts J. Craig Williams and Robert Ambrogi as they explore this topic with Michael Shimokaji, from the law firm of Shimokaji & Associates, and Jay Ponazecki of Morrison & Foerster's Tokyo office. Download the MP3 Play in Windows Media
August 25, 2006

Entertainment-August 26, 2006 Taylor Hicks sues over release of  poor-quality demos. Paramount and Tom Cruise parting ways Tom Cruise makes a deal

August 24, 2006

•  JonBenet Cops Tipped To Karr In 2001 Police in California say their detectives, investigating John Mark Karr five years ago in a child porn case, contacted authorities in Boulder at that time - to tell them of Karr's "apparent fascination" with the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.  More...

•  Pluto Fans Wait For Verdict
•  Sago Survivor Sues Mine Companies
•  Kidnappers Loved The Koran & Cartoons
•  Company Touts Stem Cell Breakthrough

August 24, 2006	• Section Front

•  Sago Survivor Sues Mine Companies The lone survivor of the Sago Mine disaster and the families of two victims filed lawsuits against mine owner International Coal Group and five other companies.  More...

•  Sextuplets Hoax Pair Gets Probation
•  JonBenet Cops Tipped To Karr In 2001
•  Vegas Strikes A Blow To Spontaneity
•  Student Loan ID Data Breached

August 24, 2006	• Section Front

•  Kidnappers Loved The Koran & Cartoons Being a hostage in Iraq was an experience full of contradictions, somewhat like the two things Jill Carroll's guards liked to watch on TV: the Koran channel and Tom & Jerry cartoons. This is Part IX of her story.  More...

•  American Hostage Released In Nigeria
•  Kurds Confront Saddam In Court
•  U.S. Says Iran Offer Falls Short
•  Pakistan's Legacy Of Jihad

August 24, 2006 The Future of Obviousness Special to Law.com Next term, the Supreme Court will consider the validity of the Federal Circuit's "motivation-suggestion-teaching" test, which has been part of the law of obviousness since the circuit's inception. In KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., the Court will determine whether the test comports with its own "nonobviousness" precedent. But according to Howrey's Henry Su, the broader question is how much latitude the Supreme Court is willing to give the Federal Circuit to shape the evolution of patent law. Visit the IP Law Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

ABA Rating for 5th Circuit Nominee Angers Specter Legal Times The American Bar Association's rare, unanimous "not qualified" rating for Michael Wallace, the Mississippi lawyer nominated to the 5th Circuit, has sent Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., into a tizzy. In a letter, Specter demanded that the ABA "immediately revoke" the rating and begin a new review process. While applauding Wallace's professional credentials, the ABA assailed his judicial temperament, and noted allegations of racial bias.

August 24, 2006
9th Circuit Rejects Claim That Judge Had Conflict in Trademark Cases The Recorder Ninth Circuit Judge Harry Pregerson defended himself Tuesday against accusations that stock he owned created a financial conflict of interest in a pair of trademark cases he ruled on last year. M2 Software Inc. had sought to vacate the rulings, but the 9th Circuit issued an order denying the petitions, and Pregerson, who again sat on the panel, attached a concurrence noting that his financial interest in both suits is "remote in nature" and that his impartiality should not be questioned.

August 24, 2006
D.C. Police Maintain Focus on House Where Lawyer Was Murdered Legal Times Police haven't made an arrest or identified a suspect in the murder of D.C. attorney Robert Wone, GC of Radio Free Asia, but continue to focus on the place where he was found stabbed, a house co-owned by Wone's longtime friend Joseph Price, a partner at Arent Fox. At least one resident has said there was an intruder, but police say they haven't found any evidence of a burglary and are still trying to determine why the crime scene appeared to have been tampered with before police arrived.
August 24, 2006

August 23, 2006

•  Dutch Arrest 12 From U.S. Airliner Police arrested 12 passengers who were reportedly behaving suspiciously on a U.S. airline flight that two Dutch F-16's escorted back to Amsterdam. An official said crew members observed passengers trying to use cell phones as the plane took off.  More...

•  Existing Home Sales Plunge
•  Group Claims Kidnap Of Fox Journalists
•  Company Touts Stem-Cell Breakthrough
•  New 'Survivor' A Race Among Races

August 23, 2006	• Section Front

•  JonBenet Suspect's Relatives Make Deal John Mark Karr's relatives offered the movie and book rights to the family's story in hopes of hiring a high-level attorney to defend the schoolteacher against charges he killed 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey 10 years ago.  More...

•  'Thrilled' About Barbaro's Progress
•  Bush: Katrina Repair Will Take Time
•  2,500 Marines Face Involuntary Recall
•  Death Penalty Sought In Cannibal Case
 

August 23, 2006	• Section Front

•  Britain Releases Terror Plot Suspect British authorities investigating an alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound jetliners released a man with no charges, police said. No further action will be taken against the man, police said, but 10 other people remain in custody.  More...

•  Kurds Confront Saddam In Court
•  Pakistan's Legacy Of Jihad
•  Dutch Arrest 12 From U.S. Airliner

Politics August 22, 2006 

E-Discovery Zero Hour Approaches The National Law Journal As the new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure draw ever closer, "everybody is a little terrified," according to a law firm partner. Particular fear greets Rule 26(f), which requires that parties address the preservation of electronic information 21 days before their first scheduling conference. The upshot: Lawyers need to get organized and help clients corral electronic information pronto. From building "response teams" to learning to think and speak tech, the time to ramp up on e-discovery is now or never. Visit Legal Technology
August 23, 2006

Chief Justices Sound Alarm on Judicial Elections Legal Times Voicing "grave concern" over increasingly partisan and costly campaigns, the nation's state chief justices are launching a campaign to emphasize the "unique nature" of judicial elections. "It's the money, it's the judicial questionnaires, it's a whole constellation of things happening now that don't advance the public's confidence in the courts," says Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, outgoing chairman of the Conference of Chief Justices, which voted on the measures early this month.

August 23, 2006
Quattrone, Prosecutors Reach Deal to Avoid Third Trial New York Law Journal Frank Quattrone reached a deal with the government Tuesday that will spare him a third criminal trial and allow him to resume his lucrative investment banking career. Under a deferred prosecution agreement approved by Southern District of New York Judge George B. Daniels, Quattrone was not forced to admit any wrongdoing, serve jail time or pay a fine. The charges against him will be dropped in one year if he complies with the rules and conditions of the agreement.

August 22, 2006

•  Airline Terror Plot Suspects In Court Eleven suspects accused in the alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners arrived in court in London for their first appearance before a judge on terrorism charges. Police have also offered unprecedented details about the probe.  More...

•  Karr To Face Judge
•  World Awaits Iran's Answer On Nukes
•  Cops Nab Fugitive Suspected Of 2 Slays
•  N. Korea Threatens Preemptive Attack
 

August 22, 2006	• Section Front

•  Karr To Face Judge John Mark Karr, the suspect in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, will make his first of many expected court appearances Tuesday when he goes before a judge in California and decides whether to fight extradition to Colorado.  More...

•  N.O. Mayor: Red Tape Slows Rebuilding
•  Cops Nab Fugitive Suspected Of 2 Slays
•  Judge Drops One Charge Against Padilla
•  Prisoner Shoots Deputy At Courthouse

August 22, 2006	• Section Front

•  World Awaits Iran's Answer On Nukes Iran said it will meet a self-imposed deadline later Tuesday to formally respond to a Western incentives package aimed at persuading it to suspend its uranium enrichment program  More...

•  Airline Terror Plot Suspects In Court
•  N. Korea Threatens Preemptive Attack
•  Olmert Tries To Defuse Anger Over War
•  8 Accused Of Sri Lanka Terror Support

August 22, 2006	• Section Front

•  Bush: War 'Straining' American Psyche President Bush said the Iraq war is "straining the psyche of our country" but leaving now would be a disaster. The president vowed not to flinch from debate about the unpopular war during the fall congressional elections.   More...

•  Calendar May Offer Key CIA Leak Clue
•  Gerald Ford Receives Pacemaker
•  Obama To Take AIDS Test In Africa
•  New Ads' Aim: Stop Kid Web Predators
 

D.C. Federal Judge Slams Lawyers for Role in Hiding Tobacco Risks Legal Times Judge Gladys Kessler's scorn for the tobacco industry was evident in last week's 1,742-page opinion, which found cigarette makers and trade groups had conspired to hide the truth about smoking's health effects for more than 50 years. She also focused her wrath on in-house counsel and outside law firms, which she said directed research in favor of the industry, destroyed documents and "took shelter behind baseless assertions of attorney client privilege." Her opinion singled out three firms in particular. Visit In-House Counsel
August 22, 2006

Cooley Godward and Kronish Lieb Agree to Merge New York Law Journal Leading Silicon Valley law firm Cooley Godward has agreed to merge with New York litigation boutique Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman to create a national firm of 550 lawyers, effective Oct. 1. Although the 440-lawyer Cooley has made no secret of its merger ambitions and its quest for a substantial New York presence, Kronish Lieb is something of a surprise partner. The 110-lawyer firm has long been regarded as one of the city's most fiercely independent firms.
August 22, 2006

D.C. Federal Judge Slams Lawyers for Role in Hiding Tobacco Risks Legal Times Judge Gladys Kessler's scorn for the tobacco industry was evident in last week's 1,742-page opinion, which found cigarette makers and trade groups had conspired to hide the truth about smoking's health effects for more than 50 years. She also focused her wrath on in-house counsel and outside law firms, which she said directed research in favor of the industry, destroyed documents and "took shelter behind baseless assertions of attorney client privilege." Her opinion singled out three firms in particular. Visit In-House Counsel
August 22, 2006

Eight Ways to Bill for Litigation Support Special to Law.com Many billing options exist for the myriad tasks that meet under the umbrella of litigation support. While it's clear that services such as data processing and high-tech trial presentation are critical, James McKenna, Morrison & Foerster's firmwide litigation technology manager, tackles the difficult question of "What's the best way to bill for litigation support?" McKenna weighs eight different alternatives for making billing a manageable matter. Visit Legal Technology
August 22, 2006

Major Legal Reforms Expected to Bring Wave of New Lawyers in Japan The Associated Press In the most sweeping reform of Japan's legal system since World War II, the doors are opening for a flood of new lawyers, prosecutors and judges to handle criminal and civil cases in an increasingly litigious society. Experts say the reforms are long overdue and underscore a shift in social attitudes that is forcing Japan to change its policy of keeping the public out of the courts and the number of lawyers low -- about one for every 5,790 people, compared with one for every 268 in the United States.

August 22, 2006
Ex-Judge's Conviction Gets Bumped to a Misdemeanor The Recorder Five months after a California appellate court refused to reverse his conviction for fixing traffic tickets, former Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge William Danser got some good news. Retired Santa Cruz Judge William Kelsay, who presided over Danser's criminal trial in 2004, agreed to reduce the ex-judge's felony conspiracy conviction to a misdemeanor and tossed the rest of his probation. Danser's attorney said last week that his client hasn't decided whether he will return to the legal profession.

August 22, 2006
Miami Federal Judge Tosses Lead Charge in Padilla Terror Conspiracy Case Daily Business Review A Miami federal judge on Monday threw out the lead count of a conspiracy indictment against Jose Padilla and two co-defendants in the latest setback for the government in its bid to prosecute the trio as terror supporters. The defense team in the case successfully characterized the first count of the indictment, alleging "a conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim persons in a foreign country," as multiplicitous of the second and third counts in the indictment.

August 22, 2006
8th Circuit: Ban on Sexy Highway Billboards Is Unconstitutional The Associated Press A two-year-old state law banning sexually suggestive billboards along Missouri highways is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court panel ruled Monday. The 8th Circuit overturned a ruling from earlier this year that found banning such billboards within a mile of state highways was a constitutional regulation of commercial speech. The law sought to reduce the possible negative effects posed by sexually suggestive billboards, including harming minors, reducing traffic safety and dropping property values.

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  JonBenet Suspect's Lurid E-Mail Trail Correspondence believed to be between John Mark Karr and a professor reveal a disturbing portrait of a man obsessed with JonBenet Ramsey. In one email he wrote a poem named "JonBenet, My Love" and in another he sympathized with Michael Jackson.  More...

•  Bush Stands By Wiretap Program
•  Ford Announces Plant Shutdowns
•  College: Coming Up With A Short List
•  Jill Carroll On Mujahadeen Movies
 

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  The 'New Normal' For Flying Security at American airports remains at a heightened level in the wake of the foiled plot to blow up U.S.-bound jets with liquid explosives. But some experts say the U.S. needs to reassess the whole manner in which its skies are guarded.   More...

•  College: Coming Up With A Short List
•  Thai Police Back Off JonBenet Claims
•  JonBenet Suspect's Lurid E-Mail Trail
•  Candymakers Spot Chocolate Virgin Mary

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  Report: Haditha Evidence Destroyed Marines being investigated in the killings of two dozen Iraqis appear to have destroyed or withheld evidence, a newspaper reports. Pages from an official logbook were missing, and an incriminating video was not initially given to investigators.  More...

•  Jill Carroll On Mujahadeen Movies
•  West Bank Pullout On Hold
•  Air Terror Mastermind In Afghanistan?
•  Brother: Fidel Castro Is Recovering

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  Bush Stands By Wiretap Program President Bush said he "strongly disagrees" with a federal judge's ruling that his administration's warrantless wiretapping program was unconstitutional and should be shut down.  More...

•  Lamont Confident He Can Broaden Base
•  Running Fast & Furious In Missouri
•  Sharpton Warns Against 'Gangsterism'
•  Court: Former CIA Worker Beat Detainee

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  Braving An HIV Test WebMD explains why HIV testing is better these days and provides tips for getting a test — including when and where to go, what a test is like, and what to expect when the results come in.  More...

•  Lots Of Drinks, Drugs At Teen Parties
•  More Support For Breastfeeding Urged
•  Fewer Vietnam Vets Suffer From PTSD
•  No Monetary Penalty For Big Tobacco

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  Apple Gives OK To Chinese iPod Plant Apple Computer says its investigation into claims of poor conditions at a Chinese iPod factory found no forced labor but revealed workers were exceeding the company's limits on hours and days to be worked per week.  More...

•  Smog Blog Takes Flight
•  7,500 Miles On $5 In Gas, Veggie Oil
•  Hate Those Pesky Geese? Grab Your Gun
•  NASA OKs Asteroids Study

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  It's A 'Material' World For The Duffs Mega-stars Hilary and Haylie are together on the big screen for the first time in "Material Girls." They tell Tracy Smith that having each other on the set was a blast.  More...

•  Paris Hilton Knows What People Want
•  Manilow To Undergo Hip Surgery
•  Bollywood's 'Goodbye' Sets Records
•  Bianca Ryan's 'Got Talent'

August 18, 2006-Evening

•  Amateur Hour? The National Review Online thinks Judge Anna Diggs-Taylor is totally wrong with her ruling that the Terrorist Surveillance Programs is unlawful.  More...

•  A Judge Says No To King George
•  JonBenet Killing Is Far From Solved
•  Re-Stressed-Out Vets?
•  Troops And Hoops

August 21, 2006-
Calif. Judicial Commission Beans Baseball-Watching Judge The Recorder The California Commission on Judicial Performance last week publicly admonished a judge who delayed a murder trial verdict so he could attend a baseball game. The commission found that Superior Court Judge Paul Zellerbach "failed to give his judicial duties preference" when he left a jury deliberating a double homicide case to watch the playoff. The judge told commissioners he didn't expect the jury to return so quickly.
August 21, 2006-
Affirmance, Reversal and the NSA Wiretap Case Special to Law.com Now that the 6th Circuit is slated to hear an appeal stemming from a Detroit federal judge's finding that the president's wiretapping program is unconstitutional, the spotlight is again on the issue of how much a trial court opinion influences the odds of affirmance or reversal. Attorney Howard Bashman examines the factors that go into predicting the outcome of an appellate proceeding, and offers predictions on how the next phase of litigation over the National Security Agency surveillance will shake out.

August 21, 2006-
Judge Overturns $10M Verdict Against Iraq War Contractor in Fraud Case The Associated Press A federal judge has overturned a $10 million jury award -- the first civil fraud verdict arising from the Iraq war -- against a military contractor accused of defrauding the U.S. government. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III ruled that any fraud by Custer Battles was perpetrated against the provisional authority formed to run Iraq until a government was established, and that the trial evidence failed to show that the U.S. government was the victim, even though U.S. taxpayers ultimately footed the bill.

August 21, 2006-
Judge Given Four-Year Prison Sentence for Indecent Exposure The Associated Press Former Oklahoma judge Donald Thompson was sent to prison for four years for exposing himself by using a sexual device while presiding over jury trials. Special Judge C. Allen McCall also ordered that Thompson pay a $40,000 fine. Thompson's former court reporter testified at his trial that she saw Thompson expose himself during trials at least 15 times between 2001 and 2003. Prosecutors said he used a device known as a penis pump during four trials between 2002 and 2003. August 21, 2006-

August 18, 2006

•  Who Is John Mark Karr? Murder suspect John Mark Karr awaits expulsion to the U.S., where questions mount over whether his stunning confession to the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey was that of a killer or merely someone obsessed with the case. Just who is this former teacher?  More...

•  College: Coming Up With A Short List
•  West Bank Pullout On Hold
•  Report: Haditha Evidence Destroyed
•  Jill Carroll On Mujahadeen Movies

August 18, 2006

•  College: Coming Up With A Short List Horror stories of anxious students' applying to 20 schools or more are commonplace, but a recent survey of 600 high-achieving high school seniors found that the average number of colleges they applied to was just under four.  More...

•  Who Is John Mark Karr?
•  Candymakers Spot Chocolate Virgin Mary
•  JonBenet Confession Under Scrutiny
•  No Monetary Penalty For Big Tobacco

August 18, 2006

•  Air Terror Mastermind In Afghanistan? A Pakistani official told the U.S. military that an al Qaeda operative who masterminded the alleged London airline bomb plot is believed to be hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan.  More...

•  West Bank Pullout On Hold
•  Report: Haditha Evidence Destroyed
•  Jill Carroll On Mujahadeen Movies
•  S. Korea: No Sign North Testing Nukes
 

August 18, 2006

• Lamont Confident He Can Broaden Base Despite a poll showing him behind Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut Democratic candidate Ned Lamont says he can also draw support from moderates, independents and Republicans. The poll showed independent Lieberman leading Lamont 53 percent to 41.  More...

•  Running Fast & Furious In Missouri
•  Sharpton Warns Against 'Gangsterism'
•  Court: Former CIA Worker Beat Detainee
•  U.S. Judge Nixes Warrantless Wiretaps
 

August 18, 2006	• Section Front

•  Paris Hilton Knows What People Want Paris Hilton says hanging out in nightclubs all over the world has taught her what music people like best.  More...

•  Bollywood's 'Goodbye' Sets Records
•  Bianca Ryan's Got Talent
•  Osment Charged With Drunk Driving
•  Gibson Gets Three Years Probation

August 18, 2006	• Section Front

•  JonBenet Killing Is Far From Solved We've been teased and tantalized with so-called facts about the death of JonBenet Ramsey. But despite the startling confession made by John Mark Karr, don't expect any real clarity soon, says Andrew Cohen.  More...

Asbestos Plaintiffs Firm Pins Hopes on an RV From eBay The Recorder Simona Farrise, a name partner at an asbestos plaintiffs firm, likes to go bargain-hunting on eBay and at garage sales. "Other people's junk makes for very good evidence," says Farrise, whose finds have included a 60-year-old occupational safety manual that she used as evidence that American auto companies long ago knew the dangers of asbestos exposure. Now Farrise may have scored her best piece of evidence yet -- a 1973 Dodge Fargo motor home with some original factory-installed parts, bought on eBay. Visit the Employment Law Practice Center-August 18, 2006 • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED
August 18, 2006

Federal Judge Rules Tobacco Firms Deceived Smokers and Violated Racketeering Laws The Associated Press A D.C. federal judge ruled Thursday that cigarette makers violated racketeering laws, deceiving the public about the health hazards of smoking, but said she couldn't order them to pay the billions of dollars the government had sought, due to an appeals court ruling that said remedies must be forward-looking, rather than penalties for past actions. However, the companies -- except for one, Liggett Group -- were ordered to pay the government's cost for pursuing the suit, estimated to top $140 million. August 18, 2006

Merck Suffers Two Setbacks as It Defends Vioxx Lawsuits The Associated Press Merck & Co. was stung with two major legal setbacks over the withdrawn painkiller Vioxx on Thursday when a federal jury in New Orleans ordered the drugmaker to pay $51 million to a heart attack victim, and a state judge in New Jersey overturned a November verdict favoring the company. Merck said it would appeal the New Orleans verdict and was considering its options in the New Jersey case. Merck still faces more than 16,000 Vioxx-related suits in state and federal courts. August 18, 2006

Outed CIA Agent Hires Cotchett Pitre Partners to Sue Bush Team The Recorder After conducting a beauty contest for the role, Ambassador Joseph Wilson and his wife, outed CIA agent Valerie Plame, have turned to partners at Cotchett, Pitre, Simon & McCarthy to be their trial counsel for a lawsuit against White House officials for blowing Plame's cover. Joseph Cotchett and Frank Pitre join a team that includes Duke law professor Erwin Chemerinsky and lawyers from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics. Whether the case goes to trial or not, Cotchett says he expects a "wild" few months. August 18, 2006

August 17, 2006

•  Suspect: JonBenet Death An 'Accident' A former American schoolteacher said publicly he was with JonBenet Ramsey when she was killed and called the 6-year-old's death "an accident." The stunning admission should help answer 10 years of questions in the unsolved murder case.   More...

•  South Lebanon Power Transfer Begins
•  Feds Land A Big Fish
•  Jill Carroll: Her Family's Ordeal
•  Sick Teen Allowed To Forgo Chemo

August 17, 2006	• Section Front

•  Bomb-Sniffing Dogs Close Seattle Port Authorities set up a half-mile perimeter around a terminal at the city's port Wednesday after bomb-sniffing dogs indicated that at least one container recently unloaded from a ship could contain explosives.  More...

•  Suspect: JonBenet Death An 'Accident'
•  Wildfire Threatens Wyoming Homes
•  Feds Land A Big Fish
•  9/11 Tapes Evoke Horror, Heartbreak

August 17, 2006	• Section Front

•Jill Carroll: Her Family's Ordeal What do you say to your daughter's kidnappers? This was the tough question Christian Science Monitor Jill Carroll's parents faced, as they balanced advice from all quarters. Part IV of Carroll's story sheds light on that struggle.  More...

•  GI Killed In Afghan Mine Accident
•  Ethiopia Floods Kill More Than 625
•  South Lebanon Power Transfer Begins
•  Britain OKs Extended Terror Detentions

August 17, 2006	• Section Front

•  Allen Comments Draw Fierce Backlash Following an apology for a comment he made about Jim Webb's campaign worker, Sen. George Allen, R-Va., is taking the heat from the media and the Indian-American community.  More...

•  Congressman Helps Deliver Own Son
•  Lawsuit Filed Over Immigrant Crackdown
•  Carter's Son Wins Nev. Senate Primary
•  Gerald Ford Checks In To Mayo Clinic

August 17, 2006

Politics Ex-New York Mayor Giuliani Visits S.C. U.S. senator to visit Africa, father's homeland Civil Rights Missouri to appeal ruling in inmate abortion case Court Pact Says Va. Teen Can Forgo Chemo Personal Injury Subway fire in New York forces thousands to evacuate 2 trains, minor injuries reported Wis. Man Dies in Wood Chipper Business Court grants bankruptcy request from owners in U.S. nightclub fire case Cyberspace Law Business Lessons from AOL's Search Data Mishap

Product Liability Merck failed to warn doctors about Vioxx, jury finds Product Recalls Immigration Immigrants Sue New Orleans Hotelier 2 Miami men charged with smuggling Cuban migrants Labor and Employment Jobless claims drop by largest amount in a month Guns Judge refuses New Orleans' request to dismiss lawsuit by gun owners' lobbying groups

Crime & Trials Suspect Claims Ramsey's Death Accidental 'A very long 10 years' - Ramsey family says arrest brings long-sought relief, vindication Entertainment Jennifer Aniston denies reports of engagement to Vince Vaughn Sports Feds ask again to jail Bonds' trainer if he refuses to testify Father-in-law of cyclist Landis found dead in San Diego

August 17, 2006
At 3rd Circuit, Topless Bar Topples Lewdness Law The Legal Intelligencer A Philadelphia topless bar has toppled a half-century old Pennsylvania statute that prohibits "lewd" entertainment in any venue that has a liquor license with its victory in a federal appeals court that struck the law down as unconstitutionally overbroad. The 3rd Circuit found that the statute violates the First Amendment because it could apply not only to strip clubs but also to ordinary theater, concerts or other similar forms of entertainment in establishments with liquor licenses.

Could Supreme Court Settle Presidential Signing Scrap? Legal Times/August 17, 2006 Debate over President George W. Bush's frequent and aggressive use of statements to signal that he might not enforce bills he has signed has gained momentum over recent months. A milestone in the dispute came at the ABA's annual convention, with the overwhelming approval of a strongly worded resolution opposing the "misuse" of presidential signing statements as "contrary to the rule of law and our constitutional system of separation of powers." The controversy could careen toward the Supreme Court itself.
August 17, 2006

Will Selective Waiver Become a Reality Under Proposed Rule 502? Business Crimes Bulletin This summer, proposed Federal Rule of Evidence 502, which addresses privilege waivers arising from the production of documents, has been published for public comment. The rule would broadly authorize "selective waiver" by allowing a person or entity to disclose protected information to the government during an investigation without waiving privilege. The SEC has twice tried, and failed, to codify selective waivers and the federal circuits are split on their use. But would Rule 502 resolve all the issues? Visit In-House Counsel

August 16, 2006

•  Israel: Troops Could Stay For Months Israel's top general says his troops will remain in Lebanon for months more, until the United Nations can assemble and deploy its peacekeeping force. A day earlier, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz had said Israel would be out of Lebanon in 7 to 10 days.  More...

•  Carroll: Captors Tried To Convert Me
•  Secret Service Agents Arrest NBA Star
•  Russia Fires On Japanese Fishing Boat
•  Gerald Ford Admitted To Mayo Clinic

August 16, 2006	• Section Front

•  NYC To Release More Sept. 11 Calls The voices of firefighters who rescued people from the burning World Trade Center hold clues about what happened on Sept. 11, but until now, many went unheard. Officials plan to publicly play voices on hundreds of emergency calls for the first time.   More...

•  Subpoena Upheld In Bonds Leak Case
•  Weeding Out Terrorists
•  Hinckley Wants More Time With Parents
•  Gerald Ford Admitted To Mayo Clinic

August 16, 2006	• Section Front

•  Is Prostate Cancer Overtreated? More than half of men with low-risk prostate cancer are overtreated with surgery or radiation therapy, a University of Michigan study shows.   More...

•  Depression In Pregnancy Undertreated?
•  Study: Coffee May Trigger Heart Attack
•  1 in 10 Truckers May Drive Sleepy
•  Rep. Cardin: We'll Beat Cancer By 2015

August 16, 2006	• Section Front

•  Secret Service Agents Arrest NBA Star Secret Service agents arrested NBA player Lonny Baxter for reports of shots fired from a vehicle two blocks from the White House, a Secret Service spokesman said. Baxter, 27, of the Charlotte Bobcats, was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m.   More...

•  Pavarotti: 'God Helps Me Fight Cancer'
•  Subpoena Upheld In Bonds Leak Case
•  Sabado Gigante Keeps On Rolling
•  Elvis' Golden Anniversary On TV

August 16, 2006
Consumer Lawsuits Against Credit Bureaus Are Multiplying The National Law Journal The nation's top three credit bureaus are facing a growing number of lawsuits filed by consumers who claim that the bureaus -- Equifax, TransUnion and Experian -- are engaging in a practice that artificially lowers their credit scores, and that they are ignoring pleas to remove inaccurate information from the reports. Fears about identity theft are making consumers more vigilant about spotting errors, and some plaintiffs lawyers say corrections come only after a lawsuit is filed. Visit the Business Law Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

August 16, 2006
Unusual Cert Petition Deals With Certified Queries, Theories and 'Erie' The Legal Intelligencer As USX Corp. sees it, federal appellate courts should get out of the business of predicting state law and instead should certify questions to state Supreme Courts whenever a case hinges on an unanswered question of state law. In an unusual petition for certiorari, USX is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to "implement a presumption in favor of certifying substantial unanswered questions of state law." The petition comes on the heels of a 3rd Circuit ruling that overturned a $2.2 million judgment in USX's favor.
August 16, 2006
New Jersey AG Resigns After Boyfriend's Traffic Stop Raises Ethics Issues The Associated Press New Jersey's attorney general resigned Tuesday after a special prosecutor concluded she violated state ethics laws by intervening in a traffic stop involving her boyfriend, lawyer Hamlet Goore. In recent weeks, Zulima Farber denied doing anything to influence the police, but the special prosecutor found that she "knowingly acted to secure a benefit for Mr. Goore that was violative of the motor vehicle laws and obviously not available to the general public." Farber will step down at the end of the month.
August 16, 2006
ABA Criticizes Government on Legal Fees Advancement Policy New York Law Journal The American Bar Association's House of Delegates last week passed a resolution opposing the U.S. Justice Department's "Thompson Memorandum" guidelines. The ABA stated that it opposes government policies that have the effect of "eroding" the legal rights of employees, specifically criticizing the government's consideration of whether a company provided counsel or legal fees to an employee in evaluating corporate cooperation with its investigations.
August 16, 2006
Phoning Home: Good for E.T., Not for Criminal Defendants The Recorder Clifton Terrell Jr.'s story may serve as a lesson to murder suspects everywhere: Resist the urge to call your mother. When he was tried in San Francisco Superior Court for killing the son of a state senator, the trial court excluded Terrell's confession to police. But the court allowed the prosecution to use a secretly recorded phone call Terrell made to relatives right after his interrogators left the room. "He tried to grab the gun, and I pulled away and it went off," he told his mother.

Labor and Employment Tyco Pensioners Granted Class Action Cop Whistle-Blower Awarded $3.7 Million Cyberspace Law Former BetOnSports CEO Free on Bail AOL prepares to dig for gold at home of spammer's parents Environment DNA Helps Nab Illegal Shark Fin Traders L.A. Sues Over Sewage Dumping Ban Tobacco Cities in Cigarette Litter Program

Politics N.J. Attorney General Quits Over Ethics U.S. senator apologizes for remarks aimed at Indian American volunteer working for opponent Personal Injury Judge rules that Mississippi homeowner's insurance policy excluded flood damage from Katrina Hundreds of homes evacuated near Casper, Wyoming, as wind whips up wildfire Telecommunications Wiretap Fallout: Suits Against Telecoms Gain New Life in California Sept. 11 World Trade Center emergency calls being released Iraq Bombings Kill at Least 19 in Baghdad

August 15, 2006

•  Israel Begins Lebanon Pullback The cease-fire appears to be holding between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli forces have withdrawn from their deepest point in southern Lebanon, signaling the beginning of the end of a brief occupation of the region.  More...

•  Jill Carroll: They Thought I Was A Spy
•  Dell To Recall 4M Laptop Batteries
•  Census: Diversity Growing In 49 States
•  2 Fox News Reporters Kidnapped In Gaza

August 15, 2006

•  Census: Diversity Growing In 49 States America's diversity has reached nearly all states. From South Carolina's immigrant population to the fast-rising number of Hispanics in Ark., minority groups make up an increasing share of the population in every state but one, Census figures show.  More...

•  Poll: Americans Back Air Restrictions
•  FEMA: Same Key Opens Multiple Trailers
•  Dell To Recall 4M Laptop Batteries
•  Positive Signs For Barbaro

August 15, 2006

•  Jill Carroll: They Thought I Was A Spy It isn't something the Carroll family made a focus in the life of the girl who would grow up to be a reporter kidnapped, and eventually freed, in Iraq. But Baghdad, her mother says, wasn't her first scrape with abduction.  More...

•  Israel Begins Lebanon Pullback
•  2 Fox News Reporters Kidnapped In Gaza
•  Nearly 300 Dead In Chinese Typhoon
•  Following The Terror Money Trail

August 15, 2006

•  Bush: 'We Live In Troubled Times' On his first day back from vacation, President Bush was conferring with his top defense advisers on such hot spots as Iraq and the Middle East. "We live in troubled times," he said but expressed confidence about protecting the U.S. from harm.  More...

•  Lamont Fires Back At Cheney, Lieberman
•  Poll: Americans Back Air Restrictions
•  VA To Improve Computer Security
•  Ohio Rep. Ney Asks Off The Ballot

August 15, 2006

•  Dell To Recall 4M Laptop Batteries Dell says it's recalling 4.1 million notebook computer batteries because they can overheat and catch fire.   More...

•  Segway Launches Overhauled Scooter
•  New Technology = Lower Phone Bills
•  Relaxing With Alaska's Big Brown Bears
•  Pluto's Planet Status Up In The Air
 

August 15, 2006

•  Tragedy On Jennifer Garner Film Set An assistant propmaster for "The Kingdom," a movie starring Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx, died of injuries suffered in an automobile crash on the film's Phoenix location.  More...

•  Couric: People Want More Evening News
•  Hudson And Robinson Separate
•  Positive Signs For Barbaro
•  TomKat To The Rescue

Untested Conspiracy Theory Seeks to Expand DUI Liability The National Law Journal If an untested and novel legal theory succeeds, the wife and brother of a binge drinker with a string of drunken driving arrests could be held civilly liable for the death of a bicyclist because they supplied the car, insurance and alcohol to the driver. The California case uses a conspiracy theory to expand third-party liability as a means to avoid traditional limits on culpability under state dram-shop laws. The theory may be a long shot, but a state judge has allowed the suit to proceed to discovery. Visit the Litigation Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED
August 15, 2006

August 14, 2006

•  Mideast Cease-Fire Takes Hold There were minor violations, but overall, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has stopped. Lebanese civilians are beginning to return to their homes, and Israelis are leaving their bomb shelters.  More...

•  The Jill Carroll Story: Part 1
•  Cuban Paper Shows New Castro Photos
•  Britain Downgrades Terror Threat Level
•  Blasts Strike Baghdad Neighborhood

August 14, 2006	• Section Front

•  1,000 Phones Lead To Terror Arrests The Coast Guard has boosted security near the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan after prosecutors said they believe three men arrested after being found in possession of 1,000 cell phones were targeting the bridge.   More...

•  Boy Dies At Military Academy Camp
•  Indiana House Fire Kills At Least 4
•  U.S. Issues New Air-Security Rules
•  Legal Defender Of Poor Under Scrutiny

August 14, 2006	• Section Front

•  Iranian Leader Opens Up Mike Wallace is back from Tehran, where he obtained an exclusive interview with Iran's outspoken president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.   More...

•  Report: The U.S. Pushed Israeli Plan
•  Britain Downgrades Terror Threat Level
•  Mideast Cease-Fire Takes Hold
•  Afghan Insurgents Clash With Police

August 14, 2006

•  Bush Tried To Cut Bomb Detection Funds As the British terror plot was unfolding, the Bush administration quietly tried to take away $6 million that was supposed to be spent this year developing new explosives detection technology.  More...

•  Washington Plays Terror Plot Politics
•  Using 'Speaker Pelosi' As Scare Tactic
•  Bush, Dems Talk Terror Policies
•  U.S. Relaxes Cuban Immigration Rules

August 14, 2006

Crime & Trials Judge orders voice samples of three charged in Coke secrets case Ex-SLA Member Feels Paranoid in Prison Entertainment Film director Spike Lee amazed by devastation of New Orleans after hurricane Author Nora Ephron says third time's the charm in marriage Sports Suspected doping equipment found near hotels used by athletes at European Championships Inquest rules pilot error caused crash that killed South Africa cricketer Politics TSA Eases Some Carry-On Baggage Rules Gas Prices Inch Up to Hit Another High Civil Rights Man Mocks Muslim Candidate at His Home Personal Injury US boy who died while camping refused food, says father of other cadets Transit buses collide in downtown L.A., 1 slams into parking garage; 11 people injured Iraq Carroll Recalls Pleading for Quick Death Iraqis face worst energy crisis since 2003, despite oil riches

August 14, 2006

August 14, 2006
A Look Ahead to First Oral Arguments of New Supreme Court Term Special to Law.com As we draw ever closer to the beginning of the U.S. Supreme Court's October 2006 term, appellate litigator Howard J. Bashman pauses to give us a glimpse of the oral arguments at the top of the justices' calendar. From sentencing to patent royalties to telecom disputes, the start of the new term offers a variety of issues. Bashman also predicts that the 9th Circuit is on its way to being reversed in at least three of the four cases to be argued in October.
August 14, 2006

August 11, 2006

•  Suspects' Names Fuels Pakistan Link British officials identified 19 of the suspects accused of plotting to blow up U.S.-bound aircraft, making public a list of names that fueled suspicions of a Pakistan connection. Five have been arrested in Pakistan as suspected plot "facilitators."  More...

•  Feds Order Tougher Pipeline Tests
•  U.S. Knew Of Plot 'For Days'
•  Report: Teachers Distributed Unfairly
•  Kaiser To Pay $2M In Transplant Mess

August 11, 2006	• Section Front

•  Typhoon Death Toll Hits 111 In China China's death toll from Typhoon Saomai rose to 111 as the most powerful storm to strike the country in five decades churned across the southeast, wrecking houses and capsizing ships, state media reported.  More...

•  Suspects' Names Fuels Pakistan Link
•  Israel Renews Attacks On Beirut Suburb
•  Deadly Blast At Iraq Shiite Shrine
•  Hot Temps Chill Nuclear Power's Appeal

August 11, 2006	• Section Front

•  U.S. Knew Of Plot 'For Days' The CIA, the Homeland Security Department, and several top lawmakers knew for days of the terror plot President Bush says shows the U.S. is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those who love freedom.   More...

•  Report: Teachers Distributed Unfairly
•  Feds Order Tougher Pipeline Tests
•  Lieberman Kicks Off His Next Campaign
•  Espionage Act Upheld For Lobbyists

August 11, 2006	• Section Front

•  Kaiser To Pay $2M In Transplant Mess Kaiser Permanente has agreed to pay a $2 million fine over allegations that the health maintenance organization mismanaged a kidney transplant program and endangered hundreds of patients.  More...

•  Sugary Drinks May Spark Weight Gain
•  Centenarians Reveal Keys To Long Life
•  Bird Flu Monitoring Goes Nationwide
•  Religious Belief May Affect Well-Being

Politics Judge Strikes Down Md. Early Voting Law Judge: Kentucky governor cannot be prosecuted while in office Civil Rights Judge Won't Dismiss Pro-Israel Spy Case Young gay activists prepare to campaign against US military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy Immigration Indictment charges Wichita firm with hiring illegal immigrants Guard Member Dies on Border Duty Labor and Employment Cops Suspended Over Video Parody Sue Kaiser Aluminum's Termination of Four Pension Plans Upheld

Crime & Trials California jury recommends death penalty for trucker convicted of slaying 4 women Former Coke Staffer Wants Own Trial Entertainment Carmen Electra files for divorce from Dave Navarro Judge awards $95,000 in legal fees to Woody Allen Sports Internet gambling site BetOnSports shutting down U.S.-focused operations over fraud indictment Injured NHL Player Not Entitled to Coverage From League Insurers

August 11, 2006
Woody Allen Awarded $95,000 in Attorney Fees New York Law Journal Director Woody Allen has won a round in his seemingly unending legal tug-of-war with his former producer Jean Doumanian and her production company Magnolia Productions. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Bernard J. Fried has ordered Doumanian to pay Allen attorney fees and costs of more than $95,000. Doumanian made several objections to the motion for attorney fees, including that it was unreasonable for Loeb & Loeb to use two partners to prepare its motion to enforce the original settlement.
August 11, 2006

Intimidation Alleged in High-Stakes Patent Case The National Law Journal Kenyon & Kenyon faces sanctions, including the possibility of removal from a case, for alleged witness intimidation in a high-stakes federal patent case involving the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ImClone Systems and Repligen. At the oral arguments, Fish & Richardson lawyers representing MIT and Repligen alleged that a Kenyon attorney intimidated a star witness in a deposition. Judge Richard G. Stearns will decide whether to disqualify the firm at a hearing Aug. 25.
August 11, 2006

Teen Sues Mother for ID of Father The National Law Journal In a case that family law experts fear could set a dangerous precedent, a Michigan teenager is suing his mother to learn the identity of his father. Attorneys say the issue is a new area of law and, depending on how the judge rules in the case, courts nationally could see a new flood of lawsuits of children suing their parents. "Too few future cases would be about legitimate health concerns, and too many would be an unhappy ex-husband manipulating a child," says family law practitioner Laura Morgan. Visit the Litigation Practice Center • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED
Legal News STORIES - August 10, 2006

August 10, 2006

•  Air Terror Plot Foiled In London Police in London say they have thwarted a plot to simulanteously blow up a number of planes over the Atlantic while flying to the U.S. Of the 21 suspects under arrest, a dozen are said to have been "very close" to success in their plot.  More...

•  Israel Delays Push But Keeps Hitting
•  3 Ex-Software Execs Charged With Fraud
•  Marines Arrest 4 In Carroll Kidnapping
•  Google Declares War On Badware

August 10, 2006

•  3 Missing Egyptian Students In Custody Three of the 11 Egyptian students who went missing after arriving in the United States have been taken into custody for violating the terms of a student visa. One was found in Minnesota; two turned themselves into New Jersey authorities.   More...

•  Air Terror Plot Foiled In London
•  Robin Williams In Alcohol Rehab
•  Google Declares War On Badware
•  Pakistani-Born Pilot Sues JetBlue

August 10, 2006

•  Israel Delays Push But Keeps Hitting The wider ground offensive is on hold to give diplomatic efforts a chance, but Israeli missiles have hit Beirut itself for the first time and troops seized a key town. Hezbollah claims it destroyed 13 Israeli tanks.  More...

•  Air Terror Plot Foiled In London
•  Iranian Leader Speaks To Mike Wallace
•  Wal-Mart Nears Unionization In China
•  Tokyo Tops 'Big Mac' Survey

August 10, 2006

•  Dems Back Lamont, Shun Lieberman Bid Ned Lamont pocketed the support of Democratic Party leaders after a primary victory fueled by opposition to the war in Iraq. Defeated Sen. Joe Lieberman filed petitions to run as an independent and vowed, "I'm definitely going forward."  More...

•  Dems Criticize Arnold's Heat Response
•  Alaska Governor Freezes State Hiring
•  Mayor Seeks DeLay Seat As Write-In
•  Part Of Boston's Big Dig Reopens

August 10, 2006

•  Robin Williams In Alcohol Rehab Actor-comedian Robin Williams is seeking treatment for alcoholism, according to his publicist.   More...

•  L.A. Judge To Decide Jackson Case
•  Travis Barker Files For Divorce
•  'WTC' Opens, Viewers React
•  'Fake' Voices Are Big Business

Politics Bush promises government will remain vigilant against terrorist attack Proposed War Crimes Act protection for Bush administration would apply retroactively Civil Rights ACLU cites gross neglect in post-Katrina conditions at New Orleans jail US veterans who had data lost by government agency will receive credit protection Immigration Feds Target Migrants ordered Deported U.S. attorney general issues new regulations for immigration judges

Legal Commentary Hamilton: Churches and Eminent Domain: A Move in Congress to Once Again Make Churches Privileged Landowners International Law Israel Stopping Offensive Until Weekend SKorea will provide official aid to North Korea despite no-aid pledge over missile crisis War on Terrorism U.S. raises airline threat to highest level in response to British threat Britain thwarts terror plot to simultaneously blow up several aircraft Iraq Iraqi officials: 1,500 died violently in Baghdad last month

August 10, 2006
Panel Admonishes Wash. Judge Who Urged Courtroom to Say 'Go Seahawks' The Associated Press A state panel has disciplined a Washington judge who ordered cheers in court for the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks before issuing a manslaughter sentence. Judge Beverly Grant asked about 100 people to say "Go Seahawks" before taking their seats, then repeated the request after being dissatisfied with the low volume of the response. That same day, Grant sentenced a defendant to 13 1/2 years for a shooting death. She later apologized for the cheer and filed the formal conduct complaint against herself.

August 10, 2006
2nd Circuit Declines to Back Jury Instruction Mandate New York Law Journal Judges prodding divided jurors to reach a verdict do not necessarily have to tell them to follow their consciences, according to a federal appeals court. The 2nd Circuit declined to adopt a hard-and-fast rule on the words a judge should use when giving a potentially deadlocked jury a "modified" Allen charge. The court said the standard remained the same under its own case law and that of the Supreme Court: The instructions must be evaluated in context and under all the circumstances.
August 10, 2006

Former GC Among Comverse Executives Facing Backdating Charges New York Law Journal Three former top executives at Comverse Technology, including the company's former top lawyer, have been charged with fraudulently manipulating the dates on stock options. In a complaint unsealed Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York alleges that the former CEO, finance chief and senior general counsel of the leading voicemail software manufacturer violated federal law and SEC rules by conspiring to hide the backdating from shareholders and the investing public.

August 9, 2006

•  Marines Arrest 4 In Carroll Kidnapping U.S. Marines have arrested four Iraqi men in connection with the kidnapping of journalist Jill Carroll. A spokesman said "sound intelligence" led the Marines to a home west of Baghdad where Carroll may have been held. She was freed last March.  More...

•  Dems Shy Away From Lieberman
•  Hezbollah Rejects Cease-Fire Draft
•  One Of 11 Egyptian Students In Custody
•  Maurice Clarett Tasered, 4 Guns Found

August 9, 2006

•  One Of 11 Egyptian Students In Custody One of the 11 Egyptian students who went missing after arriving in the U.S. has been taken into custody in Minneapolis for violating the terms of a student visa. Officials say there's no indication the men pose any kind of a threat.  More...

•  Alaska Governor Freezes State Hiring
•  Pakistani-Born Pilot Sues JetBlue
•  Landis: Maybe It Was Something I Ate
•  Part Of Boston's Big Dig Reopens

August 9, 2006

•  U.N.: Darfur Peace Deal 'Doomed' A peace deal signed three months ago between Sudan's government and the main rebel group in Darfur has failed to halt violence in the region, the United Nations said, citing an increase in rape and continued attacks by militias and rebel factions.  More...

•  Iranian Leader Speaks To Mike Wallace
•  Hezbollah Rejects Cease-Fire Draft
•  Marines Arrest 4 In Carroll Kidnapping
•  Mother, Son Hanged By Taliban

•  L.A. Judge To Decide Jackson Case The King of Pop is suing a concert promoter to prevent arbitration over a disputed 1999 concert contract.  More...

•  The 'Bad' Success Of Daniel Powter
•  Heidi Klum Gets Her Own Bra
•  Did Paul McCartney Lock Out Heather?
•  Mel Gibson Tapes Won't Be Released

Crime & Trials Suspected Phoenix Serial Killers Charged Authorities charge man in U.S. car crash that killed 9 illegal immigrants, injured 12 others Entertainment Sheriff Refuses to Release Gibson Tapes Bruce Willis sues former friend for extortion Sports TV host Leno grills Landis, who offers another theory on drug test Judge admonished for 'Go Seahawks' Cheer

Politics Lawyers' group condemns Bush's use of signing statements Lamont Beats Lieberman in Conn. Primary Civil Rights Judge rules camping ban near Bush ranch constitutional, blocks protesters from pitching tents Homeless in Mass. Sue Over Library Policy Iraq U.S. Army private tells of fear of death in unit involved in alleged rape-slaying

Politics Lieberman re-election bid in Connecticut tops primary elections in 5 U.S. states Texas Republicans Abandon DeLay Fight Civil Rights VA: Data for 38,000 Veterans Missing Owner of Los Angeles Clippers sued for housing discrimination Personal Injury Worker trapped after concrete wall topples in downtown Phoenix Microsoft Microsoft's piracy check draws complaints, lawsuits

Greenberg Traurig Drawn Into Estate Case New York Law Journal Greenberg Traurig has become enmeshed in a bitter family feud. Estranged sisters Linda J. Spector and Barbara Berlin were beneficiaries of a trust created by their mother. Shortly after her mother's death, Spector sought to have her then-fiancι, Greenberg partner Albert Jacobs, appointed co-trustee. But a Manhattan appellate court sided with attorney Joel Sankel, the successor designated in trust, who had argued that Spector and Jacobs might be seeking control of the trust to effectively disinherit Berlin.
July 31, 2006

Calif. High Court Slaps Misuse of Anti-SLAPP Laws The Recorder Former paralegal Peggy Soukup and famed Irish dancer Michael Flatley don't know each other, but they share one thing in common: Both won cases last week clarifying California's complex anti-SLAPP law. By a unanimous vote in two rulings involving three cases, the state Supreme Court ruled that anti-SLAPP motions and their counterparts, SLAPP-back suits, can't be used by defendants to protect speech or activities that are illegal as a matter of law. July 31, 2006