The fallout from the fraudulent prosecution of three former Duke University men’s lacrosse players on bogus rape charges continues. The Associated Press reports that today, 38 of the unindicted members and former members of the squad filed a federal lawsuit against Duke, the City of Durham and a host of other entities and individuals. In…
NatWest 3 To Be Sentenced
Three British bankers are to be sentenced Friday for their roles in a fraudulent scheme involving collapsed U.S. energy company Enron.David Bermingham, Giles Darby and Gary Mulgrew each face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.In November, the three men each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud…
Blaming Denny Crane
The February 19 edition of The Recorder contains an article that reports on a recent panel American Bar Association panel discussion on lawyers and television during which at least one of the participants speculated that television shows such as “Boston Legal” have contributed to the low esteem in which the public purportedly holds the legal…
Covington’s Clemens Conflict
When Roger Clemens appears before Congress this morning to testify about steroid use, one of the many dark suited men with him will be Lanny Breuer, a partner at the Washington law firm Covington & Burling. What makes this especially interesting is that Covington represents Major League Baseball. In essence, then, Covington is representing a…
Welcome to Those Visiting From the Illinois Trial Practice Blog
I would like to extend a very belated welcome to those of you who are visiting here from the Illinois Trial Practice Blog (which, judging from the traffic statistics I have seen, is quite a few of you), and would like to thank the publisher of that fine blog, a link to which I have…
Clinton & Obama to Reprise Bush v. Gore?
The Wall Street Journal yesterday ran an op-ed piece by former Solicitor General Ted Olson in which Olson speculates about the possible legal hijinks that could result from a continuing nomination deadlock between Democrat candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. While I disagree with Olson’s implication (unintended, I expect) that the Electoral College system is…
Cheney Parts Course With Administration in DC Gun Case
SCOTUS blog recently published an interesting post by Lyle Denniston discussing an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court in the District of Columbia gun case by 55 senators and 250 members of the House of Representatives (you can find a copy of the brief here). The brief, which urges the Supreme Court to find…
Candiates Views on Judges and Judicial Philosophy
The Federalist Society has posted on its website a very useful and informative feature in which the presidential candidates – the Republican candidates, at least, the Democrats are yet to respond – discuss their views on judicial philosophy and describe what kind of judges they would appoint if elected. I commend this feature to your…
Federal District Judge Slams Litigants For Imposing “Needless Burdens” on Court
In a decision blasting the parties’ attorneys for “impos[ing] needless burdens on busy courts,” a federal judge in Manhattan has instructed a Hong Kong-based company to pay $21 million it had promised in exchange for shares in a marketing company.Southern District Judge William H. Pauley III said in BrandAid v. Biss, 03 Civ. 5088, that…
Countrywide’s Underwriters Sued for Fraud
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and 23 more underwriters of Countrywide Financial Corp. were sued by three New York agencies for allegedly helping the home lender defraud investors. New York’s city and state comptrollers and their pension funds added the securities firms, two accounting firms and Countrywide officers and directors…