
Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC attorney Ryan Beckett has been appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant and confirmed by the Mississippi Senate as chairman of the Mississippi Tort Claims Board. Beckett is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group and Energy Industry Team, focusing on several realms of litigation, including energy, elections and [...] [...]
Fellows Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Virginia Carlton, Chancery Judge Carter O. Bise and Circuit Judges Kathy King Jackson and Jannie M. Lewis have been named Fellows of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Fifteen Bar Fellows were inducted during a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Carlton, a native of Columbia and [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 16,2013
Tags: bench, court, crime, developer, ecosystem, environment, environmental law, habitat, judge, judicial, law, legal, real estate, real estate development, wetlands, wildlife
HANCOCK COUNTY — A Mississippi corporation has pleaded guilty to illegally filling wetlands near Bay St. Louis. Hancock County Land, LLC entered the plea yesterday and agreed to pay a $1-million fine and take remedial measures for two felony violations of the Clean Water Act., said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Assistant U.S. Attorney [...] [...]
OXFORD — Two Kentucky men and a tobacco company have been indicted for their alleged involvement in the trafficking of contraband cigarettes. David Brian Cooper, 47, George Bertram, 53, both of Jamestown, Ky., and Tantus Tobacco Co of Russell Springs, Ky., pleaded not guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oxford. Trial is scheduled for [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 15,2013
Tags: appeal, bench, case, court, decision, environment, flood, flooding, global warming, greenhouse gas, home, homeowner, house, hurricane, landowner, law, lawsuit, legal, rain, residence, resident, ruling, storm, storm surge, trial, tropical, wind
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — A federal appeals panel has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a group of Mississippi Gulf Coast residents and landowners who alleged that emissions by energy companies contributed to global warming, which intensified Hurricane Katrina, which, in turn, damaged their property. In the lawsuit, the landowners sought compensatory and [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 14,2013
Tags: bench, bill, chamber of commerce, city, city government, court, crime, criminal, falsified records, fraud, investigator, law, legal, mayor, municipal, municipality, steal, stealing, testimony, theft, thief, trial
SOUTHAVEN — An investigator with the Mississippi auditor’s office has testified in court that Southaven Mayor Greg Davis submitted duplicate charges to the city and the Chamber of Commerce, and was reimbursed a total of $461,000. Davis’ attorney denied the claim. Karen Swain, an investigator with the state auditor’s office, said the city and the [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 12,2013
Tags: agent, case, court, environment, environmental, falisfied records, federal government, fraud, investigate, investigation, investigator, judge, judicial, judiciary, justice, lab, laboratory, law, legal, prosecutor, test, tiral, wastewater
WATER VALLEY — A laboratory owner charged with faking wastewater samples wants a judge to dismiss evidence taken from her computer because she claims she was stressed, “without coffee” and intimidated when she gave it to federal agents. Tennie White, owner of Mississippi Environmental Analytical Laboratories Inc., faces trial tomorrow on charges of faking wastewater [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 12,2013
Tags: attorney, bench, bond, case, court, doctor, homicide, judge, judicial, judiciary, justice, law, lawyer, medical, medicine, mental health, murder, murder-for-hire, physician, shoot, shooter, shooting, trial
GREENWOOD — Bond has again been denied for Dr. Arnold Smith but a judge says he may reconsider after the doctor undergoes a mental examination. The Greenwood Commonwealth reports prosecutors told Judge Breland Hilburn that a bed is open for Smith at the State Hospital in Whitfield. They have not said when he might be [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 10,2013
Tags: alderman, arrest, board of aldermen, bribe, bribery, charge, city, city government, court, crime, law, legal, municipal, municipality
CANTON — A Canton alderman is facing bribery charges. Louis Smith was arraigned in federal court in Jackson yesterday, entering a not guity plea, The Clarion-Ledger reports. Smith was arrested Wednesday. Unofficial results show the 56-year-old, three-term alderman lost his Democratic primary re-election bid Tuesday in Canton. He faces one felony count of bribery, which [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 9,2013
Tags: appeal, award, crime, home, homeowner, homeowners insurance, house, insurance, insurer, judge, judicial, judiciary, jury, justice, law, legal, real estate, residence, resident, residential real estate, ruling, whistleblower
GULFPORT — State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. has asked a judge to void a jury’s finding that the company defrauded the government involving a policyholder claim after Hurricane Katrina. Motions filed in U.S. District Court in Gulfport also seek a new trial The verdict came in April in a whistleblower lawsuit against the Illinois- [...] [...]