So saith the Inquirer. Charges include conspiracy, fraud obstruction of justice and filing false tax returns. Read the full text of the indictment here. I will probably have furthe posts on this later today and tomorrow.
Fumo to Be Indicted?
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, State Senator Vice Fum will likely be indicted this week on political corruption charges. This isn’t Senator Fumo’s forst scrape with the law – he has been indicted several times before but has always beaten the charges. I don’t have a view one way or the other as to the…
Will the Supreme Court Review the 5th Circuit’s Divided En Banc Arbitration Opinion?
The Next Supreme Court Arbitration Case? Common law judges expressed a negative view toward arbitration, apparently based on a belief that such alternative dispute resolution ousted the court’s jurisdiction. In the United States, the legal landscape fundamentally changed with the passage in 1925 of the Federal Arbitration Act. The purpose of the FAA “was to…
Baron & Budd Sued by Shareholder Over Compensation
A shareholder of Dallas plaintiff’s law firm Baron & Budd has filed a lawsuit against the firm alleging that it breached an agreement to pay her a minimum amount of specified compensation and benefits. As the firm has stated, this appears to be little more than a garden variety breach of contract claim. But I…
California Declares War on Small Business
That is what the headline for this post from USA Today’s small business blog could have been. California, it seems, has enacted regulations banning one of the most common chemicals used by dry cleaners. Compliance with such regulations (or non-compliance, as the case may be) for many small, mom and pop businesses can be costly,…
Former Coca-Cola Employee Convicted in Trade Secrets Case
A former Coca-Cola employee was found guilty of plotting to steal Coke’s trade secrets and to sell them to rival PepsiCo. She faces 10 years in prison. Maybe she can share a cell with whoever thought that Vanilla Coke was a good idea.
The Netherlands – Tax Haven of Choice
Very interesting article in tomorrow’s New York Times about the Netherlands’ burgeoning status as an international tax haven. The Caymans may have great weather, but, if the Times article is to be believed, its got nothing over the Dutch Masters when it comes to tax avoidance.
Rudy? Nyet, nyet, nyet!
There are a lot of reasons to admire Rudy Giulani. His management of New York City in the aftermath of the 9/11 bombings is perhaps foremost among them. Depending on your politics, there are also a lot of reasons to not like Rudy, and to hope that reports that he will likely run for President…
Note to Client: Keep Your Tongue in Your Mouth
I wish I had a dime foir every time I have thought “I wish he didn’t say [or do] that.” If I had been the defense lawyer, Ronnell Wilson’s gesture of sticking out his tongue on hearing a federal jury’s decision to sentence him to death would have been one of those times. Now, I…
Tax Court Upholds Ruling Against Dead Lawyer
The New York Times reports that the United States Tax Court has reaffirmed a ruling finding that a once prominent tax lawyer, now deceased, had engaged in atax evasion scheme. The case has a long and tortured history, having been once to the Supreme Court already, and likely headed there for a second time. The…