Daily Record (Kansas City, MO) articles from November 2006

Daily Record (Kansas City, MO) archives from November 2006

K.C. Lawyers in the News: November 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Bobbie Lou Nailling-Files was announced as the recipient of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation's 2006 Liberty & Justice Legacy Award. She was the first nonlawyer winner of the award in...

Suit claims apartment responsible for deaths in Jackson County.
November 1, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick A trial in Jackson County seeks to find out whether smoke detectors sounded when an apartment fire killed three people more than six years ago. Attorneys began arguing their sides Tuesday in a wrongful death trial...

Missouri Lawyers Media acquires newspapers.
November 1, 2006... Byline: S. Richard Gard Jr. As of today, Missouri Lawyers Media, which includes The Daily Record, has assumed the advertising contracts of the Watchman News Group and incorporated its publications into our own. As a result, Watchman legal...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Man faces decade-old sodomy charges A man being held in an Illinois jail faces charges that he sexually abused a young boy nearly a decade ago. Ramon L. Morales, 46, was charged Thursday...

Former University of Missouri-Kansas City professor taught throughout his life.
November 2, 2006... Byline: Amy L. Schmitz An attorney who taught at UMKC for nearly three decades died early this week. James W. Jeans Sr., who taught trial advocacy, torts, civil procedure and more at the University of Missouri-Kansas City from 1966 to...

Commentary: Relationships make life truly successful.
November 2, 2006... Byline: Christine Ann Hughes I recently watched a television program featuring Bill Gates and Warren Buffett speaking at the University of Nebraska. It was an informal forum, and students were allowed to ask questions. One of the...

Kansas City women cite time investment as hurdle to reaching partner.
November 3, 2006... Byline: Bridget Heos When Nancy Kenner worked at a large firm, she billed about 47 hours a week. That was on top of being a new mother. She left the firm nine years ago. Now, having started Kenner & Kavanaugh with another attorney, she...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 3, 2006.
November 3, 2006... Byline: The Kansas City Daily Record Staff Texas man admits to hitting airport screener with shoe An El Paso, Texas, man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to violating an airport security requirement by striking an airport...

Ethics have evolved, but have not completely changed.
November 3, 2006... Byline: Mike Hoeflich I have taught legal ethics in various formats in law schools the past two decades. During that time I have also given dozens of continuing education lectures to various groups of practicing lawyers across the United...

Kansas City Courthouse Roundup: November 6, 2006.
November 6, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick An existing state law may expand with the help of a large verdict reached Thursday in Independence. The jury awarded the $13.35 million verdict to Galen Richey for the paralyzing injuries he sustained as a result of...

Legal secretary admits embezzling thousands from client accounts.
November 6, 2006... Byline: Bridget Heos For three years, legal secretary Brenda Sue Moyer embezzled $159,120 from clients of the Armstrong Teasdale law firm. Using the firm's computer system, the 51-year-old Raytown resident generated 113 unauthorized...

Commentary: The municipal nightmare: Why did it have to change?
November 6, 2006... Byline: Craig Napier Kansas City Municipal Court has been pretty taxing this year for lawyers who do business there. I'm not pointing fingers, but why did we have to mess with what was a pretty good system for the local bar, clients and...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 6, 2006.
November 6, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Florida businessman admits to selling counterfeit Lipitor A Florida business owner pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to his role in a $42 million dollar conspiracy to sell counterfeit,...

Husch selects first lead woman.
November 7, 2006... Byline: Heather Cole Land-use and real-estate attorney Carrie Hermeling will be the next chief executive of Husch & Eppenberger, starting Jan. 1. Hermeling, elected Sunday morning at a member retreat in Scottsdale, Ariz., will be the only...

Kansas City apartment fire lawsuit settles for $325,000.
November 7, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick A former landlord agreed over the weekend to pay four families for an apartment fire that killed three and injured one six years ago. The two sides reached the $325,000 settlement after a Jackson County jury heard...

Commentary: Using unconventional methods will impress those you work with.
November 7, 2006... Byline: Jim Wirken Somewhere along the path of twists and turns leading to law school and beginning to practicing law, I came upon a concept to do things in a way that made the end product exceptional and in some ways memorable. The idea...

Kansas City voters report little trouble.
November 8, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick At least one Kansas City polling place briefly required voters to show photo identification during Tuesday's election. Some voters early Tuesday morning were asked to show their IDs by election workers at Brush...

Attorneys find ways to deal with unpaid bills.
November 8, 2006... Byline: Bridget Heos Do you have a file drawer in your office reserved for unpaid bills? Not yours but your clients. Maybe they thought they could pay you, but then they got hit with more bad luck that year. Maybe they never had the money...

Missouri Governor Blunt selects Schieber to fill judicial vacancy.
November 9, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick Shortly after 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, Robert Schieber received the call he had long been waiting for. On the other end was Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, who offered the Jackson County Circuit Court commissioner the...

Justus wins Missouri state senator seat.
November 9, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick Now that Jolie Justus can call herself Senator-elect, she can begin preparing for January. Justus easily defeated Jerry Mounts in the race for state senator of the 10th District, which was served by Charles Wheeler....

Jackson County voters retain judges.
November 9, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick All 11 Jackson County judges up for retention this year will keep their jobs, voters decided on Tuesday. The approval ratings were similar across the board, with each judge receiving around 66 percent. It was Judge...

Kansas City man charged for sex crimes against 12-year-old.
November 10, 2006... Byline: KC Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors charged a Kansas City man Wednesday for engaging in alleged sexual behavior with a 12-year-old family member. Larry F. Martin, 39, faces three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy...

KC Power & Light agrees to pay $28M.
November 13, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick A small Lafayette County town will receive more than $28 million from Kansas City Power & Light after the company allegedly failed to honor a contract. The settlement stems from KCP&L's refusal to make monthly...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 13, 2006.
November 13, 2006... Byline: KC Daily Record Staff Second murder charge filed in August homicide A second person was charged in connection with a shooting that left one dead and a child wounded. Joseph S. Jones, 26, of Kansas City, was charged last week...

Commentary: Give it a shot, but watch out for the flying bullets.
November 13, 2006... Byline: Craig Napier I used my powers for good Tuesday. Despite my aching feet and tired eyes Tuesday night I think I helped insure that people who were registered to vote in a Kansas City precinct got to do so, and I'm proud of that. I'm...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 14, 2006.
November 14, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff Murder charge filed in neighborhood shooting A Kansas City man was charged Sunday with first-degree murder for the Oct. 28 shooting death of a woman in the 800 block of Montgall Avenue. Paul B. Dudley Jr.,...

Commentary: Impossible just takes longer.
November 14, 2006... Byline: Jim Wirken Many years ago we had a law firm retreat, and we broke into practice groups to illustrate the way the units worked. I was the head of the litigation group, and I will never forget what the group came up for its motto:...

Kansas City law firms in top 250 report strong growth in 2006.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick Kansas City's largest law firms are in growth mode. According to a survey released Monday by The National Law Journal, the country's biggest 250 firms continue to add lawyers at a steady clip. And local executives...

Joplin man sues MySpace in federal court over deleted profiles.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick A federal lawsuit filed Monday against MySpace accuses the social networking Web site of interfering with a user's rights. Brian Mora, 35, of Joplin, claimed in his pro se lawsuit that he created profiles on Oct. 5...

Kansas man convicted of using Internet to lure minors for illicit sexual acts.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Gardner, Kan., man was convicted by a federal jury Monday for using the Internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in illicit sex and traveling across the state line to attempt to engage in sexual acts...

KC law firms in top 250 report strong growth in 2006.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick Kansas City's largest law firms are in growth mode. According to a survey released Monday by The National Law Journal, the country's biggest 250 firms continue to add lawyers at a steady clip. And local executives...

Joplin man sues MySpace over deleted profiles.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick A federal lawsuit filed Monday against MySpace accuses the social networking Web site of interfering with a user's rights. Brian Mora, 35, of Joplin, claimed in his pro se lawsuit that he created profiles on Oct. 5...

Kansas man convicted of enticing minor for sex.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Gardner, Kan., man was convicted by a federal jury Monday for using the Internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in illicit sex and traveling across the state line to attempt to engage in sexual acts...

Firms in top 250 report strong growth in 2006.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick Kansas City's largest law firms are in growth mode. According to a survey released Monday by The National Law Journal, the country's biggest 250 firms continue to add lawyers at a steady clip. And local executives...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 15, 2006.
November 15, 2006... Byline: The Kansas City Daily Record Staff Joplin man sues MySpace over deleted profiles A federal lawsuit filed Monday against MySpace accuses the social networking Web site of interfering with a user's rights. Brian Mora, 35, of...

Preamble sets tone for Model Rules.
November 16, 2006... Byline: Mike Hoeflich Of all the various provisions of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the various states none is read less often, I would guess, than the preamble. Yet, it is precisely this introductory section that...

Grocer sues Community Development Corporation over contract deposit.
November 16, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick After several failed attempts to settle a money dispute peacefully, Aldi is asking a federal judge for assistance. The Olathe-based grocer is seeking a declaratory judgment against the Community Development...

Cousins, victim charged in drive-by shootings.
November 16, 2006... Byline: The Kansas City Daily Record staff Jackson County prosecutors charged two men and a gunshot victim earlier this week in connection with two drive-by shootings on Monday. Juan Teran-Cordova, 19, Humberto Cordova, 18, and Lorenzo...

Midwest Innocence Project works to exonerate prisoners who are truly innocent.
November 17, 2006... Byline: Bridget Heos Sean O'Brien has 1,000 letters waiting to be read. The writers say they are serving time in prison for crimes they didn't commit. More than you would think are telling the truth, O'Brien said. Now famous for...

Commentary: Preamble sets tone for Model Rules.
November 17, 2006... Byline: Mike Hoeflich Of all the various provisions of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the various states none is read less often, I would guess, than the preamble. Yet, it is precisely this introductory section that...

Pakistanis, American charged with marriage fraud in federal court.
November 17, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Four Pakistani nationals were arraigned in federal court Wednesday after being indicted, along with another Parkistani national and a U.S. citizen, for marriage fraud. Robyn Adele Raja, 52,...

Robbery, kidnapping charges brought against Kansas City man.
November 17, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Kansas City man faces charges after allegedly carjacked a woman in a Westport parking lot. John R. Morrison Jr., 36, was charged with first-degree robbery, kidnapping and two counts of armed criminal action....

Commentary: Long, cold winter creates desperation for bill-paying attorneys.
November 20, 2006... Byline: Craig Napier Well it's here. The trees are all shedding their leaves, the nights are getting chilly, and the flannel sheets have come out of summer hibernation. It's also the time when business slows to a crawl, and we all hope...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 20, 2006.
November 20, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick General Motors will have to pay $12,000 for breaching the warranty of a car bought in Independence, a Jackson County jury ruled. Richard Borland purchased a 2004 Pontiac GTO with 200 miles for $33,000 at a used car...

Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers announces holiday reception plans.
November 21, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff The Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers plans a holiday reception from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Law Offices of Foland, Wickens, Eisfelder, Roper & Hofer at 911 Main St., Suite 3000 in Kansas City. This...

Kansas City man faces accusations of rape, assault of ex-girlfriend.
November 21, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Kansas City man faces accusations that he beat and raped his ex-girlfriend. Darrell E. Ross, 39, was charged with forcible rape, first- and second-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action for the...

Jury finds Kansas City men guilty in drug ring.
November 21, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff Two Kansas City men were convicted by a federal jury Friday for participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Carlos R. Brandon, 30, and Dayron Johnson, 23, were found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to...

Commentary: Serve your brain by pulling the plug.
November 21, 2006... Byline: Jim Wirken I don't remember when I first heard, "Lawyers have bathtub minds." Maybe this is self-proving this week's topic. Sometime early in my practice, I realized as a trial lawyer that I constantly filled my brain and memory...

Five now charged in shootings on east side of Kansas City.
November 21, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Two more people were charged in connection with a series of drive-by shootings from last week. According to court records, Alejandro Fernandez, 19, was the driver of a vehicle from which a friend...

Former employee of Tri-City Ministries sentenced to 1.5 years for embezzling $1.2M.
November 21, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A former employee of Tri-City Ministries was sentenced in federal court Thursday to one year and six months in federal prison without parole for embezzling $1.2 million from the Baptist organization by taking...

The view from the other side: jury duty.
November 22, 2006... Byline: Bridget Heos When Scott Manuel was called to jury duty, he didn't think he'd actually be chosen. Especially not when he learned about the case: a motorcycle owner suing a pawnshop owner. Manuel, a lawyer for Humphrey, Farrington &...

Suit claims negligence caused father's death in trailer-SUV crash.
November 22, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick The accident is one of the worst Todd Hilton has seen during his legal career. A runaway flatbed trailer that had become separated from the truck that was pulling it sliced through Charles Lewis' Ford Explorer on...

Arrest made in Friday's quadruple murder in Jackson County.
November 22, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Kansas City man who was sought for his alleged role in the shooting deaths of four people turned himself into police Monday night. Terrance Robinson, 22, was charged by Jackson County prosecutors with four...

Commentary: Criminal Law I -- B student gets A results.
November 27, 2006... Byline: Craig Napier One of my office partners kicked me a case in a municipal night court east of Kansas City last week. She does not take criminal matters. Her domestic client had been charged with harassment under a city ordinance and...

Kansas City Attorneys in the News: November 27, 2006.
November 27, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Judge Duane Benton, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, was named as the recipient of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is...

Missouri-based business offers new translation service to prioritize piles of foreign documents.
November 27, 2006... Byline: Angie Hanson Susanne Evens aims to make international communication and business between lawyers and clients increasingly simpler. "Connecting people is what I love to do," she said. "We network all over the world." The president...

'Nasty situation' ends in deal to benefit Kansas City Autism Training Center.
November 28, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick Restaurant investors who spent the past two years suing each other agreed to a settlement that will raise $70,000 for a local charity. The settlement, reached after six days of evidence was presented to a Jackson...

Young Lawyers Section of Lawyers Assn. of Kansas City annual drive benefits kids.
November 28, 2006... Byline: Amy L. Schmitz Chris Sobba, president elect of the Young Lawyers Section of the Lawyers Association of Kansas City, said the ninth annual Skippy & Skivvies Drive on Monday collection included 438 jars of peanut butter, more than...

Jackson County prosecutors charge KC man with first-degree assault during domestic dispute.
November 28, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors last week charged a Kansas City man with first-degree assault for allegedly injuring a female acquaintance during a domestic dispute. According to a police report, Nicholas L. Bartelli,...

Lathrop woman pleads guilty to defrauding employer.
November 28, 2006... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Lathrop woman pleaded guilty in federal court last week to a mail fraud scheme in which she stole more than $189,000 from her employer. Lisa Ann O'Dell, 40, was employed as the vice president and accountant of...

Prosecutors file murder charge against KC man for deadly wreck.
November 28, 2006... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff A Kansas City man faces a felony murder charge for his role in a fatal accident last week on Truman Road. William C. Shimp Jr., 20, was charged with second-degree murder, resisting arrest,...

Letting go of a case has appeal.
November 29, 2006... Byline: Bridget Heos When Doug Dalgleish started practicing law, he wouldn't have wanted another lawyer to appeal a case that he tried. "You can't imagine anyone else knowing the case as well as you," he said. Now, Dalgleish, head of tort...

City plea deals begin new rules this week in KC Municipal Court.
November 29, 2006... Byline: Charles Emerick With a few exceptions, the plea bargaining practice at the Kansas City Municipal Court has returned to its pre-moratorium state. On Tuesday, new guidelines took effect that address a defendant's eligibility for...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: November 29, 2006.
November 29, 2006... Byline: The Daily Record Staff Compensation commission to meet for last time The Missouri Citizens Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, which met Friday in Kansas City, will conduct its final meeting today in Jefferson...

Commission in MO recommends pay increase.
November 30, 2006... Byline: Scott Lauck and Charles Emerick By next July, Missouri judges could see their first pay increase in six years under a plan recommended Wednesday by a citizens commission. Under the plan, judges, as well as legislators and statewide...