Recent Updates
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Supreme Court to CA: Cut prison inmates by 33,000
Lawyer Blogs 05/24/2011The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that California must drastically reduce its prison population to relieve severe overcrowding that has exposed inmates to increased violence, disease and death. The decision, however, doesn't mean the prison gates w...
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Appeals court reverses Countrywide suit dismissal
Lawyer Blogs 05/20/2011An appeals court has overturned the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit brought by investors against mortgage giant Countrywide Financial Corp.The move by a panel of the California 2nd District Court of Appeal reverses the decision by a Superior Cour...
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Supreme Court won't revive torture lawsuit
Lawyer Blogs 05/16/2011The Supreme Court on Monday refused to revive a lawsuit challenging a controversial post-Sept. 11 CIA program that flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons.The appeal asked the court to examine two controversial aspects of the U.S. response to the 9...
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Court affirms convictions of Abramoff probe figure
Lawyer Blogs 05/13/2011A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of the George W. Bush administration's top procurement official in the Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. A three-judge panel in Washington rejected the arguments of David Safavian, who was convict...
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Raided pot providers sue government
Lawyer Blogs 05/12/2011Two medical marijuana providers have accused the U.S. government of civil rights violations in what may be the first lawsuit of its kind in response to a federal crackdown on pot operations across the nation.The owners of Montana Caregivers Associati...
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Worldwide interest as Canada drug program in court
Lawyer Blogs 05/12/2011The woman stands close to a mirror fingering her throat. Then, sweeping back a mane of red hair, she injects heroin into her jugular vein. A nurse keeps an eye on her from behind.The scene unfolds in North America's first and only legal injection sit...
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RI lawyer confirmed as US judge; GOP block fails
Lawyer Blogs 05/06/2011A trial lawyer nominated by President Barack Obama to be a federal judge in Rhode Island was confirmed on a party-line vote Wednesday just hours after a Senate GOP filibuster attempt failed. The Senate voted 50-44 to confirm lawyer John McConnell to ...
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Prop 8 backers can't defend marriage ban
Lawyer Blogs 05/04/2011California's attorney general has again come out against the state's same-sex marriage ban, this time telling the state Supreme Court the proponents of successful ballot initiatives do not have the right to defend their measures in court.Kamala Harri...
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Infomercial host pleads guilty in Mass. to fraud
Lawyer Blogs 05/03/2011A Massachusetts man known for his infomercials touting the purported health benefits of coral calcium and Supreme Greens has pleaded guilty to tax and consumer fraud charges.Federal prosecutors say Donald Barrett of Plymouth pleaded guilty on Monday ...
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California court rejects Phil Spector appeal
Lawyer Blogs 05/03/2011A California appeals court rejected music producer Phil Spector's bid to overturn his murder conviction on Monday, saying it was permissible for prosecutors to call a parade of women who said Spector had threatened them with guns in the past.A three-...
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Ex-Bush lawyer facing trial for attempted murder
Lawyer Blogs 04/29/2011A former Bush administration official charged with trying to kill his wife at their Connecticut home is headed toward a trial after plea negotiations with prosecutors failed.The Connecticut Post reports the attempted murder case of John Michael Farre...
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US court grants new sentencing for Mumia Abu-Jamal
Lawyer Blogs 04/26/2011A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered a new sentencing hearing for convicted police killer and death-row activist Mumia Abu-Jamal, finding for a second time that the death-penalty instructions given to the jury at his 1982 trial were potentially...