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Insurer's asbestos-related lawsuits at high court
Headline News |
2008/12/13 09:14
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| The Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider reinstating a roughly $500 million settlement of asbestos-related lawsuits against the Travelers Companies Inc.pThe settlement would also block any new lawsuits against Travelers arising out of the insurance company's long relationship with Johns Manville Corp., once the world's largest producer of asbestos./ppTravelers has been named in dozens of lawsuits claiming that it tried to hide the dangerous health effects of asbestos. Asbestos is a mineral that was commonly used until the mid-1970s in insulation and fireproofing material. Exposure can increase the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma and other ailments, according to federal health agencies./ppThe company has argued that asbestos-related claims should be paid out of a trust created by Johns Manville in the 1980s and approved by a federal bankruptcy judge. Money for the fund came largely from insurers./ppTravelers agreed to settle with several groups of plaintiffs provided that federal courts make clear that it would not have to face any new similar lawsuits./ppThe 2nd U.S Circuit Court of Appeals in New York overturned lower-court approval of the settlement, saying a bankruptcy judge lacks the authority to act so broadly. The justices, at arguments in March, will consider the question of the bankruptcy court's power./ppThe consolidated cases are The Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Bailey, 08-295, and Common Law Settlement Counsel v. Bailey, 08-307. /p |
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Bodman LLP Establishes Richard D. Rohr Scholarship Fund
Firm News/Michigan |
2008/12/10 10:27
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Bodman LLP has honored its late chairman Richard D. Rohr by establishing an endowed scholarship at the University of Michigan Law School in his honor. The Richard D. Rohr Scholarship fund was initially endowed with $100,000 from Bodman LLP, which was matched with $50,000 by the university.
The Richard D. Rohr Scholarship will be awarded for the first time in the fall of 2009. The recipient is expected to be a second or third-year law student who plans to practice law in Southeast Michigan.
“Under Richard Rohr’s leadership, Bodman grew into one of the largest and most successful law firms in Southeast Michigan,” said Larry R. Shulman, Bodman LLP Chairman. “ He had close ties with the University of Michigan Law School as an alumnus, donor and adjunct faculty member. It is fitting that we help foster the future leaders of Detroit’s legal community at his alma mater.”
Rohr, a prominent member of Detroit legal community and chairman of Bodman LLP for 25 years, died on Wednesday, August 27 at 81 years of age. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School at the top of his class in 1953 and served as editor-in-chief of The University of Michigan Law Review.
“We are deeply honored and appreciative that Bodman has established a scholarship at Michigan Law honoring the memory of Richard Rohr,” said University of Michigan Law School Dean Evan Caminker. “Dick’s association with the Law School began when he was a 1L and endured throughout his lifetime, including his service on our adjunct faculty. Moreover, he was a generous donor to scholarships. In a time when student assistance is more important than ever, there simply could be no more appropriate memorial.” |
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Justices chide California-based appeals court
Court Watch |
2008/12/03 18:53
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| The Supreme Court took aim at one of its favorite targets Tuesday, criticizing a California-based federal appeals court for its ruling in favor of a criminal defendant.pThe justices threw out a decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Michael Robert Pulido, who was convicted for his role in robbing a gas station and killing the defendant./ppA U.S. District Court judge set aside Pulido's conviction because the trial judge in the case gave the jury improper instructions./ppThe high court said in an unsigned opinion that the appeals court ruling affirming the federal judge's action used faulty reasoning. The justices did not reinstate Pulido's conviction./ppJustices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter agreed that the appeals court made a mistake, but would have affirmed its ruling anyway because the underlying decision in favor of Pulido was correct./ppLast month, the court overruled the 9th Circuit in an environmental case involving the Navy's use of sonar and its potential harm to whales./ppThe case is Hedgpeth v. Pulido, 07-544. /p |
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Victim's kin file suit in Wal-Mart stampede death
Headline News |
2008/12/03 18:52
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| The family of a New York man who was trampled to death the day after Thanksgiving by a stampede of bargain hunting Wal-Mart shoppers has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.pThe family also filed notice that Nassau County, on Long Island, and its police department will be sued./ppThe lawsuit against Wal-Mart and the Long Island mall where it is located was filed Wednesday in state Supreme Court in the Bronx on behalf of Elsie Damour Phillipe. Phillipe is the sister of victim Jdimytai Damour (DHMEE'-tree Di-MOHR'), and is the court-appointed administrator of his estate./ppDamour, a temporary worker hired for the holiday season, was crushed to death when some 2,000 customers stormed into the Valley Stream store./ppNone of the defendants in the lawsuit immediately responded to requests for comment. /p |
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Ages of Supreme Court justices and recent retirees
Lawyer News |
2008/12/02 18:49
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| pThe members of the Supreme Court, by age:/ppJohn Paul Stevens, 88/ppRuth Bader Ginsburg, 75/ppAntonin Scalia, 72/ppAnthony Kennedy, 72/ppStephen Breyer, 70/ppDavid Souter, 69/ppClarence Thomas, 60/ppSamuel Alito, 58/ppJohn Roberts, 53/pp___/ppThe last 10 justices to leave the Supreme Court, with their age and date of retirement:/ppSandra Day O'Connor, 75, Jan. 31, 2006/ppWilliam Rehnquist, 80, Sept. 3, 2005-x/ppHarry Blackmun, 85, Aug. 3, 1994/ppByron White, 76, June 28, 1993/ppThurgood Marshall, 83, Oct. 1, 1991/ppWilliam Brennan, 84, July 20, 1990/ppLewis Powell, 79, June 26, 1987/ppWarren Burger, 79, Sept. 26, 1986/ppPotter Stewart, 66, July 3, 1981/ppWilliam Douglas, 77, Nov. 12, 1975 /ppemx-died while chief justice./em/p |
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Colo. man charged with libel over Craigslist posts
Headline News |
2008/12/02 18:49
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| A man accused of making unflattering online comments about his former lover and her attorney on Craigslist has been charged with two counts of criminal libel.pIt's not a charge you see a lot of, Larimer County District Attorney Larry Abrahamson said of the 1800s-era state law that can put people in jail for the content of their speech or writing./ppAbrahamson charged J.P. Weichel, 40, of Loveland, in October over posts he allegedly made on Craigslist's Rants and Rave section./ppThe case began when a woman told Loveland police in December 2007 about postings made about her between November and December 2007. Court records show posts that suggested she traded sexual acts for legal services from her attorney and mentioned a visit from child services because of an injury to her child./ppPolice obtained search warrants for records from Web sites including Craigslist before identifying Weichel as the suspect. Weichel shares a child with the woman./ppWeichel, confronted by detectives at his workplace in August, said he was just venting, according to court records./ppNo phone listing could be found for Weichel, and his attorney, Michael Liggett of Fort Collins, didn't immediately return a message left Monday by The Associated Press./ppLibel is commonly seen as a civil case. Denver attorney Steve Zansberg, who specializes in First Amendment law, said prosecutors seeking criminal libel cases could have a chilling effect on free speech in Colorado, particularly over the Internet./ppAbrahamson wasn't so sure. He said it is up to police departments to pursue cases./ppZansberg contends the law is outdated, is unclear about stating opinions and is written in such a way that dead people could be victims of criminal libel./p |
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