by Associated Press Published: May 25,2012
Tags: attorneys, bench, courts, judges, judicial, judiciary, justices, law, lawyers, legal, state agency, state government, taxes, taxpayers
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 [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 24,2012
Tags: attorneys, bench, bribery, conviction, corruption, courts, decision, judges, judicial, judicial bribery, judiciary, law, lawyers, sentencing
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 [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 24,2012
Tags: air, air pollution, air quality, counsel, county government, environment, federal agency, federal government, lawyers, legal, pollution
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 [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 23,2012
Tags: attorneys, bill, elected officials, executive, law, lawmakers, lawyers, legal counsel, legislation, legislative, Legislature, Politics, public officials, state agency, state government
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 [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 17,2012
Tags: attorneys, case, courts, disaster, disaster revocery, fraud, hurricanes, judges, judicial, judiciary, law, lawyers, natural disaster, severe weather, tropical weather
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 [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 4,2012
Tags: accident, attorneys, claims, class-action lawsuit, courts, disaster, disaster recovery, energy, environment, explosion, gas, judges, judicial, judiciary, lawsuit, lawyers, legal, offshore drilling, Oil, oil rig, oil spill, petroleum, restaurants, seafood, settlement, tourism, tourists, visitors, wildlife
NEW ORLEANS — The federal judge who will decide whether to approve a class-action settlement of claims against BP PLC has scheduled a January 2013 trial for other claims spawned by the deadly blowout of the company’s deepwater well in the Gulf Mexico. After meeting yesterday behind closed doors with attorneys, U.S. District Judge Carl [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: May 3,2012
Tags: attorney general, attorneys, bills, executive, governor, law, lawmakers, lawyers, legislation, legislators, Legislature, state government, state law
JACKSON — A measure to limit Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood’s ability to control state legal business is on the way to Republican Gov. Phil Bryant. The Mississippi Senate voted 34-18 yesterday to pass House Bill 211, after the House voted 64-55 for final passage Tuesday. Both chambers are controlled by Republicans. Hood opposes the [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: April 25,2012
Tags: advertisement, association, attorney general, attorneys, bar, complaint, law, lawyers, politicans, Politics, state agency, state law
JACKSON — The Mississippi Bar has dismissed a complaint against Attorney General Jim Hood over a political ad tied to the killing of a Louisiana priest. Attorney Brian Alexander of Bay St. Louis filed the complaint last November. It alleged that Hood’s ad tainted the prospective jury pool by referring to Jeremy Wayne Manieri as [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: April 25,2012
Tags: appeal, attorneys, bench, courts, disaster, disaster preparedness, hurricanes, insurance, judges, judgment, judicial, judiciary, law, lawsuit, lawyers, natural disaster, severe weather, tropical weather, Weather
BAY ST. LOUIS — The state Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling that the owners of Trapani’s Eatery in Bay St. Louis cannot collect more than $300,000 they claimed to be owed by a local insurance agent after their business washed away in Hurricane Katrina. A Hancock County judge ruled against Anthony Trapani in [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: April 24,2012
Tags: attorneys, bench, constitutional, damages, doctors, health, health care, injuries, judge, judicial, judiciary, law, lawyers, medical, medicine, physicians, ruling, tort, tort reform
CLARKSDALE — A state judge in Coahoma County has declared a legislatively imposed cap on non-economic damages unconstitutional. Circuit Judge Charles Webster issued the ruling April 20 in a 14-page opinion. He criticized the Legislature for intruding into judicial authority. Webster’s ruling came in a motion filed by Cleveland attorney Ralph E. Chapman in lawsuit [...] [...]