Recent Updates
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Bipolar Lawyer Who Stole: Suspended, Not Disbarred
Legal Blog Updates 07/16/2008An attorney will not be disbarred for misappropriating client's funds during a manic bipolar episode that lasted for 4 years, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision. Mark Belz was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1975 and had been on me...
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Judge Blasts Curbing Frequent ADA Filer
Legal Blog Updates 04/10/2008The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has again upheld a “vexatious litigant” order against a frequent filer of disability discrimination lawsuits -– but over the strenuous objections of nine dissenting judges.Chief Judge Alex Kozinski was particular...
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Op-ed: Standing Up for Rule of Law in Pakistan
Legal Blog Updates 04/08/2008We have witnessed with admiration and empathy the heroism of lawyers and judges in Pakistan as they squarely faced beatings and stood up to soldiers and police to defend the rule of law. Thedissolution of the Supreme Court, the silencing of a f...
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Improper Handling of Client Trust Accounts
Legal Blog Updates 04/07/2008Managing money is always tricky, especially when it belongs to someone elseThat's why, in 2006 alone, more than 20 lawyers found themselves before the State of Michigan Attorney Discipline Board after having grievances filed against them for mismanag...
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Lawyer to be Suspended Over Conduct
Legal Blog Updates 04/03/2008The former head of the Wayne County, MI Prosecutor Office's drug unit will be suspended with pay Friday and now faces an investigation that could lead to criminal charges for her actions in a 2005 cocaine case.Prosecutor Kym Worthy, in a prepar...
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DOJ Presses Bribery Case
Legal Blog Updates 04/02/2008A US Department of Justice spokesman said Monday that the department would continue to press its bribery case against Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) despite the US Supreme Court's refusal to review an appeals court ruling that held the FBI's conduct d...
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New Hampshire Adopts Rule for Clients Who Email
Legal Blog Updates 03/28/2008New Hampshire adopted a rule that clearly protects persons who, in good faith, e-mail confidential information to a lawyer from having the lawyer use the information against the prospective client. The comments to New Hampshshire Rule 1.18 prov...
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Detroit Mayor Faces Felony Charges
Legal Blog Updates 03/24/2008DETROIT, Michigan -- Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and an ex-aide were charged Monday with perjury and obstruction of justice after prosecutors said sexually explicit text messages between the two contradicted their sworn court testimony.Detroit May...
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Assembly begins pushing legislative ethics reforms
Legal Blog Updates 03/06/2008Lawmakers would be barred from accepting more than one taxpayer-paid health insurance plan and from taking campaign donations from their aides under measures pushed forward Thursday by Assembly legislators. The measures released by the Assembly State...
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Web Page Disclaimers in New Hampshire
Legal Blog Updates 02/29/2008Effective January 1, 2008, New Hampshireadopted a rule that clearly protects persons who, in good faith, e-mailconfidential information to a lawyer from having the lawyer use theinformation against the prospective client. The comments to NewHam...
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Qualcomm v. Broadcom Confidentiality Hurts
Legal Blog Updates 02/26/2008A blockbuster decision was issued in the notorious “take no prisoners,” “bet the company,” Qualcomm v. Broadcom, Case No. 05cv1958-B, in San Diego. In a heart-wrenching decision, the lawyers are being prevented from disclosing what really occurred, b...
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Arizona Lawyers May Not Ethically Participate
Legal Blog Updates 07/06/1999Arizona lawyers may not ethically participate in an Internet servicethat sends legal questions from individuals to attorneys based upon thesubject matter of the question. The opinion also notes that lawyers cannot pay a fee for such referrals or give...