Daily Record (St. Louis, MO/St. Louis Countian) articles from August 2003

Daily Record (St. Louis, MO/St. Louis Countian) archives from August 2003

Law requires judicial candidates to file election challenges in adjacent circuit.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Cathy Kingsley A new state law requires that any candidate who wishes to contest an election involving the offices of circuit or associate circuit judge file the challenge in an adjacent circuit court. House Bill 133 was approved...

Christner Inc. celebrates 40 years as architectural firm.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Forty years ago, architect Ted Christner started his own firm with one other person, taking on whatever projects they could to earn a living. Today his firm, known as Christner Inc., employs 95 professionals and is one of...

Ground broken on new performing arts center in city.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Local dignitaries and philanthropists joined area children at the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club on Wednesday to break ground for the organization's Dennis and Judy Jones Performing Arts Center. The 28,000-square-foot...

Military technology offers lesson for construction pros.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon It might be easy for many people to assume activities in the Middle East are far removed from daily events in the midwestern United States. But for members of the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers reminders of...

Tornado help offers little shelter for manufactured homeowners.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon A stereotypical cartoon image was illustrated with a flashing neon sign at the entrance of a nondescript mobile home park, advertising: "Five days without a tornado!" But for real life residents of manufactured homes,...

Sovereign immunity waived for nursing home districts.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Deborah Fauver Sovereign immunity does not bar a retaliation claim against a nursing home district accused of firing employees who reported the district for alleged acts of abuse or neglect of residents, held the Missouri Supreme...

Missouri Supreme Court rules burial vault sales not subject to tax.
August 2, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Refunds might be on their way for purchasers of burial vaults after a decision made by the Missouri Supreme Court last Tuesday differentiated tangible personal property from converted realty property to determine...

Missouri Supreme Court affirms new trial in Tony Twist right of publicity case.
August 2, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The use of the name Antonio Twistelli, or Tony Twist, for a character in the Spawn comic book is not protected by the First Amendment because the predominant reason for its use is to sell comic books and other related...

Medical malpractice judgment draws attention to larger problems.
August 5, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Javan Coleman turned five on July 19, 2003. However it was not until the final day of last month that he and his mother received a gift from the courts. A gift that should not only make their lives easier financially...

Creditors allowed to repossess collateral a year after bankruptcy.
August 5, 2003... Byline: Christine Curtin The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Missouri has denied bankrupt Vanguard Airlines objections to its creditors' right to repossess aircraft parts and equipment and hold or liquidate that property...

Survey finds more law firms expect to increase hiring.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Anticipated growth within the legal industry might be just around the corner, according to a survey commissioned by The Affiliates, a legal staffing firm.Despite fierce competition and a turbulent economy, 56...

Volunteers sought to diversify attorney disciplinary system.
August 7, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The Office of Disciplinary Counsel is looking for a few good volunteers to further diversify the lawyer disciplinary system in Missouri.In addition to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, the disciplinary system...

Fewer refis fail to threaten lenders.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon As mortgage interest rates started to climb last month, lenders voiced little concern regarding their workload or business outlook. After hitting a 50-year low of 5.72 percent in mid-July, the cost of a typical 30-year...

Businesses provide help to build educational facility.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel In a world where technology is king and those without the related skills or knowledge are often left behind, numerous organizations are working to ensure that children are equipped with the skills that will benefit them...

Historic preservation tax credits discussed at seminar.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Rehabbing dilapidated, historic buildings and bringing them back to life as functional structures can be an incredibly expensive process. For example, the renovations that were completed at the Renaissance Grand Hotel on...

Surveys offer a look at home buying trends.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Who has been buying million dollar homes? Expected answer: Not many of us. Unexpected answer: More of us than one might think. The revealing profiles for those buying so-called luxury homes is only one of several...

Commentary: Mock Trial Institute helps interns develop skills.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Tonette Townsend Being an intern with the St. Louis Internship Program has helped other students just like me develop skills such as leadership, creativity, cooperation, respect and tolerance. From this wonderful program I had the...

Academy grooms new leaders for The Missouri Bar.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright New faces from around the state will emerge from the woodwork for The Missouri Bar's fourth leadership academy, sponsored by the Committee on Minority Issues."It focuses on not only minorities and women but also...

St. Louis office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassbaum names new associate.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Kelly Jobe has been promoted to an associate in the St. Louis office of HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum) Inc. Jobe is a member of the firm's marketing group and serves as marketing manager. She holds a bachelor's degree in...

Cole & Associates adds project manager to staff.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Jim Roth has joined Cole & Associates as an associate level partner and project manager. As a project manager, he will oversee commercial engineering projects. Roth worked for Stock & Associates prior to joining Cole &...

St. Louis law firm adds to bankruptcy practice group.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Cherie K. Macdonald has joined the law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale P.C. in its Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights practice group. She joins the firm with 12 years of experience in the field. Her practice at Greensfelder...

Sonacon hires accounting manager.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Douglas G. Hurford has joined Sonacon as an accounting manager. He has 10 years of accounting experience. Hurford's new postion involves analyzing and preparing financial statements, reviewing contracts and managing the...

Evans & Dixon adds associate to Civil Litigation practice.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Stacey S. Rosenberger has joined Evans & Dixon, L.L.C. as an associate in the firm's Civil Litigation practice. She represents insurers and self-insured entities in a variety of tort and insurance litigation cases and advises...

Stinson Morrison Hecker adds partner to staff.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Anthony S. Gasaway has joined the law firm of Stinson Morrison Hecker L.L.P. as a partner in the Tax, Trust & Estates division. Most recently, Gasaway worked at Bryan Cave representing individuals and businesses in a broad...

Commentary: Is your client's wealth tied up within his/her business?
August 9, 2003... Byline: Jeff Gentsch One of the top issues faced by attorneys and financial advisers is how to help private business owners overcome the lack of liquidity of their company's private shares. Selling shares of a closely-held business is...

Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass adds to staff.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Scott Moulton has joined the law firm of Rabbitt, Pitzer & Snodgrass P.C. Moulton received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law in 1999 and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army's Judge Advocate General...

Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal adds to Trust and Estates practice group.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff John E. Dooling Jr. has joined the law firm of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal L.L.P. in the Trusts and Estates practice group. Dooling has more than 25 years of experience in estate planning and administration, business...

Vi-Jon Laboratories names new VP of planning, logistics.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Ed Arndt has been promoted to vice president of planning and logistics at Vi-Jon Laboratories Inc. Arndt will manage material flow from purchasing through production, including scheduling day-to-day production activities,...

PB Farradyne hires project manager.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Matthew Volz has joined PB Farradyne as a project manager. He is responsible for the planning, design and management of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) deployments in the Midwest. Before joining PB Farradyne, Volz...

Spann Industrial Staffing president opens Earth City office.
August 9, 2003... Byline: staff Andrew Spann, president of Spann Industrial Staffing, has opened an office in Earth City. The company specializes in staffing solutions for the industrial and manufacturing industries. Spann also serves as president of the...

Israeli court has authority to rule on custody dispute.
August 12, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter A custody dispute between a mother who lives in the United States and a father who lives in Israel must be decided in Israel because a divided 8th Circuit found that Israel is the habitual residence of the two...

Judge Teitelman reappointed chair of ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law.
August 13, 2003... Byline: staff At the American Bar Association's Annual Meeting San Francisco, ABA President A.P. Carlton Jr. reappointed Judge Richard B. Teitelman, of the Supreme Court of Missouri, to chair the ABA's Commission on Mental and Physical...

MO Assn. of Trial Lawyers president promises to uphold organization's values.
August 13, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright The Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys elected a second female president in its 52-year history at the association's 45th annual convention this summer at Lake of the Ozarks.Sally I. Heller, a partner in the...

Public housing discrimination suit to get new hearing.
August 14, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright With eight remaining counts weighing down the mounds of five years of paperwork, the U.S. District Court, Eastern District, of Missouri will have to dig a little deeper to reach closure for three local nonprofit...

Ground-breaking marks breakthrough for assisted living.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon With a turning of the earth Sunday an estimated 75 participants witnessed the ground-breaking for the first in a planned series of group homes for physically challenged adults. Those present also participated in what...

Construction, renovations bring improvements to Washington University's School of Medicine.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel Washington University's School of Medicine has been busy. Busy teaching students, of course, but also busy on the construction front. Tarlton Corp. recently completed its first project for the medical school, a total...

Delays avoided with home pre-inspection.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Real estate professionals have been good about offering tips to sellers on how they can best present their homes when placing them on the market. Making small improvements to the kitchen, splashing on a fresh coat of...

Boy sues American Legion post for injuries suffered at shooting match.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Cathy Kingsley While keen eyesight and a steady hand are important elements in a shooting match, having common sense is essential.On March 24, 2002, during a shooting match, or "meat shoot," held on the grounds of American Legion...

Commissioner appointed to Jefferson County drug court.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Attorney Patricia A. Riehl has been named Jefferson County drug court commissioner. The judges voted to make the appointment Monday at its monthly court en banc meeting.Presiding Judge Timothy Patterson said the vote...

Missouri Court of Appeals rules in defendant's favor in amended agreement dispute.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Thanks to a Tennessee law governing interpretation of contracts, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, reversed and remanded the findings of the St. Louis County Circuit Court Wednesday involving $300,000...

Employee's transfer not an ADA violation.
August 16, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter A woman currently on long-term disability leave from Target Corp. for depression has failed in her disability discrimination claim against her employer.On Wednesday, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the...

Airplane owner not liable for repairs, storage.
August 16, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Randall Palen flies home free as a result of a Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, decision Tuesday that reversed and remanded a Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court decision.Air Evac, EMS Inc., an air...

American Equity Mortgage names new head of technology.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Wayne M. Dixon has joined American Equity Mortgage as head of technology. He brings more than 20 years of experience as a corporate technology leader and architect. In his new position, Dixon manages the company's technology...

American Bar Assn. appoints new leader in Real Property, Probate & Trust Law sections.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Steven B. Gorin has been appointed to leadership positions in the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law sections of the American Bar Association. Gorin also spoke at the ABA Annual Meeting last week. The RPPT section has more...

Rep. Johnson appointed to Law and Criminal Justice Committee.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Rep. Connie L. Johnson (D-61st District) has been appointed to serve on the Law and Criminal Justice Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. The committee meets three times a year and provides an...

Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum promotes associate in St. Louis office.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Amy Anderson has been promoted to associate in the St. Louis office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum Inc. Anderson is a member of HOK's architecture group and most recently worked on the U.S. Department of Agriculture project...

St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission adds convention service mgr. to staff.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Shelly Rolwing has joined the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission as a convention services manager. Rolwing will provide services to convention groups to enhance their experience in St. Louis and serve as a liaison...

Real Estate Probate Law Section of Nat'l Bar Assn. re-elects chair.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Ulysses Clayborn, general counsel for the Missouri Housing Development Commission, has been re-elected chair of the Real Estate Probate Law Section of the National Bar Association during the organization's annual convention...

St. Louis chapter of MO Society of Certified Public Accountants elects new president.
August 16, 2003... Byline: staff Kate Turner is the new president of the St. Louis chapter of the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants for 2003-2004. At 26, she is the youngest CPA to ever serve as president of the St. Louis chapter. Turner is a...

Study finds law school debt keeps many from public service jobs.
August 19, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel In a day and age when higher education tuition payments exponentially outpace cost-of-living increases, lower-paying public service jobs look less and less attractive to recent graduates, and the legal profession is no...

Long-arm statute raises questions for N.C. corporation's right of due process.
August 19, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright In a decision allowing jurisdiction to stretch beyond the state line, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, reversed and remanded the Christian County Circuit Court's decision Wednesday, raising questions...

Missouri lawyers elect 2003-2004 Board of Governors, Young Lawyers' Section Council.
August 19, 2003... Byline: staff The lawyers of Missouri, voting in districts across the state, have elected six new members to the Board of Governors of The Missouri Bar and retained 13 incumbents for new terms.Voting at the same time, members of the state...

Riehl looks forward to role as drug court commissioner in Jefferson County.
August 20, 2003... Byline: Cathy Kingsley Patricia A. Riehl is ready to tackle the drug issue in Jefferson County head on. She was recently appointed drug court commissioner and will oversee the drug court program in Hillsboro. Drug court is a fairly new...

Only legal expenses recoverable in condemnation abandonment.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter Landowners that have condemnation proceedings brought against them and then abandoned can recover damages for the abandonment but only - beyond statutory interest awards - damages related to attorney fees and costs,...

Missouri ABA delegates share annual meeting experiences.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright The nation's leading lawyers, judges and government officials did more than debate during their stay in San Francisco for the American Bar Association's annual meeting Aug. 4. The generated buzz released from...

St. Louis-based Merchandise Mart development includes lofts, restaurants.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel A century ago, 1000 Washington Ave. was the destination for many St. Louis residents in search of the finest goods and clothing available. Today a new generation of local residents are once again flocking to the building,...

Building Owners and Managers Assn. announces new energy efficiency initiative.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon It might have been coincidence that the largest blackout in history - that left 50 million customers in the northeastern United States and parts of Canada realizing their dependency on electricity - took place last week...

Patricia Riehl looks forward to drug court commissioner's role in Jefferson County.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Cathy Kingsley Patricia A. Riehl is ready to tackle the drug issue in Jefferson County head on. She was recently appointed drug court commissioner and will oversee the drug court program in Hillsboro.Drug court is a fairly new...

Arnold mourns the loss of civic leader, Rep. Ray Adams.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright After a lifetime of civic involvement, Rep. Ray Adams, D-101st died of cancer Tuesday. He was 62.Born on Feb. 15, 1941, in Belleville, Ill., Adams graduated from Mehlville High School in 1959. Upon graduation, he...

St. Louis-based Campbell House Museum undergoes complete interior renovation.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel To look at it now, one wouldn't think that the house located on the corner of Locust and 15th streets was once one of the most ornate houses in St. Louis. The house was the home of prominent 19th century entrepreneur...

Tenant retention critical as commercial property in St. Louis faces vacancies.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Economic indicators suggest the economy is slowly recovering from a business attitude of recession, but the mind-set for leasing office and industrial space is also changing. As companies adjust their priorities, owners...

MO Bar Assn. recommends changes to predatory lawyer advertising.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The Missouri Bar wants the state Supreme Court to adopt new rules concerning predatory lawyer advertising. The board of governors voted last month to recommend the changes and sent the recommendations to the court...

Railroad laborer awarded $5.5 million by St. Louis jury.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright In what could be the largest verdict in a railroad litigation suit, a St. Louis jury recently awarded a railroad laborer $5.5 million. Despite the denials of liability, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad...

Recitation of prayer at public school graduation ruled free speech by 8th Circuit.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Freedom of speech and freedom of religion created yet another rift in the interpretation of the Establishment Clause Wednesday as the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a Nebraska district court decision to...

Evans & Dixon LLC hires new associate for Workers' Comp. Practice.
August 23, 2003... Byline: staff Andrew L. Speicher has joined Evans & Dixon L.L.C. as an associate in its Workers' Compensation Practice. In his new position, Speicher will represent major insurance carriers and self-insured employers from a variety of...

Recitation of prayer at public school graduation ruled free speech by U.S Court.
August 23, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Freedom of speech and freedom of religion created yet another rift in the interpretation of the Establishment Clause Wednesday as the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a Nebraska district court decision to...

MoBar recommends changes to rules concerning predator lawyer advertising.
August 23, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The Missouri Bar wants the state Supreme Court to adopt new rules concerning predatory lawyer advertising.The board of governors voted last month to recommend the changes and sent the recommendations to the court at...

8th Circuit rules Old Republic liable for claims made against dissolved firm.
August 25, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter A professional liability insurer is responsible for claims that were made against a partner of a law firm that dissolved a decade ago, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday. Old Republic Insurance Co....

Old Republic liable for claims made against dissolved firm.
August 26, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter A professional liability insurer is responsible for claims that were made against a partner of a law firm that dissolved a decade ago, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Monday.Old Republic Insurance Co. held...

Railroad laborer awarded $5.5 million by St. Louis jury.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright In what could be the largest verdict in a railroad litigation suit, a St. Louis jury recently awarded a railroad laborer $5.5 million.Despite the denials of liability, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad must...

MO Supreme Court rules juvenile offenders cannot be executed.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The execution of juveniles is an unconstitutional violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, the Missouri Supreme Court said Tuesday in a divided opinion, setting aside the...

MO Court of Appeals denies Washington University the trust left by dentist.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Descendants of dentist Joseph B. Kimbrough are rightful heirs to his trust, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, ruled Tuesday. Washington University and Washington University Dental Alumni...

Court rules juvenile offenders cannot be executed.
August 28, 2003... Byline: Donna Walter The execution of juveniles is an unconstitutional violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, the Missouri Supreme Court said Tuesday in a divided opinion, setting aside the...

Washington University denied trust left by dentist.
August 28, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright Descendants of dentist Joseph B. Kimbrough are rightful heirs to his trust, the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, ruled Tuesday.Washington University and Washington University Dental Alumni Association...

Whether or not to regulate the sale of violent video games.
August 28, 2003... Byline: Michelle Kowalski Fifteen years ago, the suburban Boston town of Marshfield, Mass., banned freestanding video games like Pac Man much to the dismay of local merchants. The beach town that now has a population of 25,000 in the...

Junior Chamber International returns to St. Louis after 50-year hiatus.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel More than 85 years after its founding, Junior Chamber International is returning to St. Louis. Founded in St. Louis in 1915, the 200,000-member worldwide federation of emerging business and civic leaders is building its...

Jefferson County pet owners want Humane Society to return their animals.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Cathy Kingsley It's that one-tenth of the law that Ramona and Benney Robinson are counting on to get their animals back. The Robinsons have issued an affidavit without bond to take immediate possession of their pets from the Humane...

Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 is proof Internet law still evolving.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright In the world of digital intellectual property, the law still struggles to keep up with Internet technology. Precedents continue to be set based on the interpretation of 1998's Digital Millennium Copyright Act,...

Laclede's Landing expected to survive organizational changes.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Erin Piel While the nine-square-block district known as Laclede's Landing is no stranger to bustling crowds - whether they are the bar hoppers of today or the merchants and traders of the 18th and 19th centuries - the area hasn't...

Dept. of Housing and Urban Development files lawsuit against real estate scammers.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon Real estate purchasing opportunities remain strong. But so do the risks of being swindled, warn state and federal agencies as they increase efforts to stop scammers that prey on individuals looking for vacation property,...

Homeowner associations expected to expand services.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Mike Nixon As municipalities begin to cut back on operating budgets, homeowners should not be surprised to see their neighborhood and community associations assuming a greater role when it comes to providing basic maintenance...

DMCA proof Internet law still evolving.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright In the world of digital intellectual property, the law still struggles to keep up with Internet technology. Precedents continue to be set based on the interpretation of 1998's Digital Millennium Copyright Act,...

Local comedic ensemble to record CD at The Tap Room.
August 30, 2003... Byline: Emily Umbright It is thought among some people that when they laugh at a comic, they laugh because the comic's words ring true. As The Courthouse Steps have proved, sometimes humor can exhibit shimmering truths about different...

Dewberry joins Husch & Eppenberger LLC in firm's environmental group.
August 30, 2003... Byline: staff Uyless M. Dewberry has joined Husch & Eppenberger L.L.C. as an associate in the firm's Environmental and Regulatory Practice Group. He will focus his practice on all aspects of environmental law and will counsel clients...