Mississippi Business Journal » lawyers

Madison County court to officially go paperless this month

MBJ Staff — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:37:32 +0000

CANTON — The County Court of Madison County will officially become a paperless system for filing civil court records June 29. The transition to electronic records in the County Court marks another milestone for Madison County, where Chancery and Circuit Courts served as the state’s first testing grounds for developing the Mississippi Electronic Courts system. Civil cases in [...]

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Ex-attorney faces up to 60 years in prison for embezzlement

Associated Press — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:00:30 +0000

RIDGELAND — Sentencing is scheduled for a Ridgeland attorney who has admitted to swindling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his former clients. Attorney Vann Leonard who practiced law out of Ridgeland faces 60 years behind bars and a $750,000 fine. Leonard has pleaded guilty to three counts of embezzlement. He’s admitted to misleading two [...]

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Butler Snow expands Nashville office, now one of largest Tennessee firms

MBJ Staff — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:52:33 +0000

RIDGELAND — Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, has expanded its Nashville office as 37 attorneys have joined the firm, bringing the total number of attorneys in Tennessee to almost 100. With this expansion, Butler Snow becomes one of the largest firms in the state and among the largest in the country, with more [...]

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Federal appeals panel upholds fraud verdict againt two lawyers

Associated Press — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:37:20 +0000

MCCOMB — A federal appeals court panel has upheld a $420,000 verdict against two Mississippi lawyers accused of committing fraud during an asbestos lawsuit they filed in 2001. McComb attorneys William Guy and Thomas Brock sued Illinois Central Railroad Company on behalf of former employees who claimed asbestos made them sick. The railroad company later [...]

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Scruggs continues bid for overturning conviction; Backstrom’s sentence upheld

Associated Press — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:51:34 +0000

OXFORD — Imprisoned former attorney Richard “Dickie” Scruggs wants to take his push to vacate his 2009 conviction in a judicial bribery case to a federal appeals court. And a judge has denied a request to reduce the sentence of co-defendant Steve Backstrom The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports Scruggs filed a motion asking a [...]

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Court: Fees paid to private lawyers to represent state are public funds

Associated Press — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:07:15 +0000

JACKSON — The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled yesterday in two cases that legal fees paid to private lawyers to represent the state are public funds. Justices said because the money belongs to the public, it should’ve been paid out to the lawyers from the attorney general’s contingent fund or from other money appropriated to the [...]

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Judge rules: Scruggs’ judicial bribery conviction upheld

Associated Press — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:03:10 +0000

ABERDEEN — A federal judge has dismissed imprisoned attorney Richard “Dickie” Scruggs’ push to vacate his 2009 conviction in a judicial bribery case The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports Senior U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson yesterday dismissed Scruggs’ motion. If he decides to appeal, the matter would move to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court [...]

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County exploring legal avenues to overturn EPA air-quality decision

Associated Press — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:01:40 +0000

DESOTO COUNTY — DeSoto County has asked a law firm to explore the county’s chances of overturning a federal decision that groups it with Memphis and Crittenden County, Ark., on ozone levels. The board approved a retainer — up to $3,000 — for the law firm to do some “exploratory” study of the county’s case [...]

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Bryant signs bill limiting attorney general’s power to hire lawyers

Associated Press — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:08:58 +0000

JACKSON — Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant yesterday signed a law limiting the attorney general’s control of the state’s legal business. The law, which takes effect July 1, requires the attorney general to appoint outside lawyers if he declines to represent an agency or elected official, or if there is a “significant disagreement” with an agency [...]

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Judge wants Ladners’ alleged co-conspirators identified

Associated Press — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:07:39 +0000

HANCOCK COUNTY — A federal judge has ordered the government to identify alleged co-conspirators in a case involving a Hancock County couple accused of being involved in a kickback scheme related to storm cleanup contracts. Roger Ladner, a former Hancock County road manager, and his wife, Sharon, are scheduled for trial July 23 in federal [...]

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