LI Business News articles from March 2003

LI Business News archives from March 2003

Barcode patent brawl costs Symbol $10M.(Symbol Technologies fights to void patent infringement claims)
March 7, 2003... HOLTSVILLE -- The meter is at $10 million and ticking as Symbol Technologies lawyers engage in a courtroom rumble that could determine whether retailing giants such as Wal-Mart have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in patent royalties....

New chapter.(Bookspan)
March 7, 2003... If Wall Street is synonymous with finance, and Silicon Valley is the epicenter of technology, choose the location that is central to the book club industry: (A) Oprah Winfrey's La-Z-Boy (B) the stool of pitcher David Wells in the New York...

NYC law firm plans LI spree: Fischbein Badillo sees five deals within weeks.(Fischbein Badillo Wagner and Harding)
March 7, 2003... MELVILLE -- The politically connected Manhattan law firm that broke into the Long Island market this week by acquiring McMillan, Rather, Bennett & Farinacci said it expects to buy up to five more Island law firms in the coming weeks. "It's...

Hotel troubles on extended stay: occupancy continues slide on post-Sept. 11 uncertainty.
March 7, 2003... MELVILLE -- Long Island hotels posted their worst quarter in four years in the final three months of 2002 as occupancy dipped 2.5 percentage points from the previous year -- more than 14 percentage points when compared to the peak year of 1999....

NFIB lobbying for national small biz health pool.(National Federation of Independent Business)
March 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- A leading trade group for small business is lobbying for a bill that would let it and other trade associations sidestep state insurance regulations to offer discounted health insurance to their members nationwide. The...

Bulk mailers try to stamp out rate hike.
March 7, 2003... MELVILLE -- Already reeling from a shift from snail mail to e-mail and a postage rate hike last year, the bulk mail and printing industries are pushing for the passage of legislation that could avert another rate hike until 2006. Companion...

LI Hotels opens health clubs to public.(Long Island Hotels)
March 7, 2003... HAUPPAUGE -- Seeking new revenue streams in a downtrodden travel and tourism market, hotel developer Long Island Hotels said it is marketing memberships at its hotel health clubs to the public. The move by the Hauppauge-based firm, which...

Pitcairn to shed Brookhaven Tech Park land.(Pitcairn Properties)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... NORTH SHIRLEY -- Pitcairn Properties Inc. has put a 70-acre portion of the Brookhaven Technology Park it owns on the market, with an asking price of $200,000 per acre. The 200-acre park, at exit 68 of the Long Island Expressway, is home to...

Story seller.(Michael Welch)(Biography)
March 7, 2003... The 30-second TV ad opens at a backyard barbecue on the kind of sunny day that convinces you there are times when all'' right with the world. Then comes the reminder -- a message that seems timelier than ever - that things aren't...

TDK U.S.A. to pay $18.5M for Innoveta.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... GARDEN CITY -- TDK U.S.A. Corp., the Garden City-based U.S. subsidiary of Japan's TDK Corp. has agreed to acquire Innoveta Technologies Inc. for up to $18.5 million. TDK U.S.A. makes recording media and electronic components for industrial...

Calling the Comptroller on LIPA.(Long Island Power Authority)
March 7, 2003... UNIONDALE -- Citing concerns over electric rates and energy contracts, all nine Democratic Assembly members from Suffolk County are calling for the New York State Comptroller to increase oversight of the Long Island Power Authority. The...

Research Frontiers is getting real. (Follow Up).(higher royalties forecast)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... For years, short sellers railed against Research Frontiers as a company without a product. And, indeed, the company spent decades developing its technology that controls the passage of light through panes of glass. In recent months,...

Gas pedaling. (Follow Up).(Islander East gas pipeline proposal)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Islander East has proposed modifications to its original construction plan to the Connecticut Department. for Environmental Protection in hopes of jumpstarting its stalled cross-Sound gas pipeline. The DEP has blocked the 260,000-dekatherm...

Biz leaders lobby for reform of Wicks Law.
March 7, 2003... COMMACK -- Business leaders are revving up a campaign to amend or repeal a 91-year-old law that they say unnecessarily inflates the prices municipalities must pay for construction projects. The lobbying initiative comes as politicians face...

Cooper: fed ban on ephedra wouldn't hurt local industry.(Jon Cooper)
March 7, 2003... HUNTINGTON -- The Suffolk County legislator who spearheaded the county's efforts to ban the sale of ephedra dismissed claims by local nutritional supplement companies that a national ban would cut into their business. The reason, according...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
March 7, 2003... A recent article ("Shamash staying put...for now," LIBN, Feb. 21, 2003) incorrectly referred to upstate Potsdam as the site of the 1945 conference at which Allied Powers divided post-World War, II Germany. In fact, that conference was held in...

1968: starting gates for Kennedy, the Belmont. (LIBN 50 at 1953-2003).(Robert F. Kennedy, Belmont Park Raceway)
March 7, 2003... In 1968, most of the country still viewed Long Island as a quiet bedroom community for New York City, and business networking on the Island was in its infancy. But on March 15 of that year, the Sky Island Club attracted national attention...

Fala, LIPA turn on the lights. (Week in Review).(Fala Direct Marketing, Long Island Power Authority)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... FARMINGDALE -- Fala Direct Marketing has turned the switch on the first phase of the biggest rooftop solar power project on Long Island. The finished portion of the project, which taps solar power from the roof of 40 Daniel Street in...

Veeco names metrology chief as president. (Week in Review).(Don Kania appointed corporate president of Veeco Instruments)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... WOODBURY -- Veeco Instruments Inc. (Nasdaq: VECO) has chosen Don Kania, head of the firm's metrology division, as corporate president. Kania, 48, succeeds Edward Braun, who remains chief executive officer and chairman of the board. A...

Schumer seeks $2.5B in federal aid. (Week in Review).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... MINEOLA -- Flanked by Suffolk County Executive Robert Gaffney and Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer unveiled a plan this week that would provide $2.5 billion in direct federal aid to the state and its localities. ...

CMP cuts deal with eBay for tech-gear mart. (Week in Review).(CMP Media)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... MANHASSET -- Technology publisher CMP Media has made a deal with Internet auctioneer and flea marketer eBay to buy and sell technology products on its NetworkComputing.com site. Network Computing is part of CMP's TechWeb network, which also...

Perna jumps to Newmark & Co. (Week in Review).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Ralph Perna, managing director of the Melville office of Grubb & Ellis, has joined Newmark & Co., also in Melville. The announcement by Perna comes less than a week after Jack O'Connor announced he was leaving Grubb & Ellis to join forces...

LI economic indicators.(Hotel room rates)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... Hotel Occupancy-Rates Hotel Room Rates 2001 2002 Dec $108.03 $104.30 Nov $110.93 $107.85 Oct $116.65 $112.99 Sept $119.00 $114.60 Aug $132.51 $128.29 July $130.50 $128.94 June $125.35...

New Lounge Lizard hire to help build sales force. (High Tech).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... In the past few years, Internet marketing has hardly been the sector of choice to grow a business. But that hasn't stopped Ken Braun, president of Lounge Lizard Worldwide, from doing just that. With little fanfare, the 14-person (up...

Invision.com and Alcott to swap services. (High Tech).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Invision.com, the Commack-based provider of Web services, has cut a deal with the Alcott Group to exchange services. Invision will provide Web development and application services to help Alcott roll out an online service for affiliated...

Hospitality site serves suppliers, purchasers. (High Tech).(Hotel Interactive Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Smithtown-based Hotel Interactive Inc. is expanding the scope of a Web site that connects hospitality suppliers with purchasers. SupplierInteractive.com provides the standard industry news, hut also qualified leads for suppliers and...

Computer science grads' prospects dim. (High Tech).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Starting salaries for computer science graduates have fallen 13.1 percent in one year, according to a quarterly survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The survey found that computer science graduates were being...

CMP Media bleeding stabilizes, exec says. (High Tech).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... CMP Media, the Manhasset-based subsidiary of United Business Media plc, took a beating in 2002, with revenue of $359 million from continuing operations, down 44.3 percent from the 2000 base of $644.7 million. However, the news wasn't all...

Beneficial health claims OK to print on wine bottles. (Law).
March 7, 2003... The U.S. Treasury Department has established new rules that allow winemakers to print positive health claims on their bottles, but the information must be detailed or it must direct consumers to sources of more complete information. The...

Spitzer to keynote Molloy's conference on biz ethics. (Law).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer will provide the keynote address at Molloy College's conference on business ethics next week. The event, scheduled for March 14 at the Hays Theatre in Rockville Centre, will feature a panel of business...

Pharmacy owner convicted in $1 million drug scam. (Law).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... A Smithtown pharmacy owner has been convicted of stealing more than $1 million in a scam that billed the state's Medicaid program for thousands of drugs and over-the counter items that were not dispensed to customers or even stocked in the...

State bar seeks nominations for community service award. (Law).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The New York State Bar Association is accepting nominations for the 2003 Root/Stimson Award that honors lawyers who have demonstrated an out standing commitment of community service. Lawyers who are admitted to practice in New York State...

Verint signs lease for space at T. Weiss site. (Real Estate).
March 7, 2003... Verint Systems, a subsidiary of Woodbury-based Comverse Technology, has signed a deal for 25,200 square feet of space at Melville Corporate Center II, a recently completed 85,000-square-foot class A office facility at 330 South Service Road in...

Westbury office site sells for $5.5 million. (Real Estate).(Raify Associates)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Westbury-based real estate holding company Raify Associates has acquired a 50,000-square-foot, multi-tenant class B office facility at 265 Post Ave. for $5.5 million Raify bought the four-story site from RK Associates, which had placed...

Greiner-Maltz charity drive celebrates 50th anniversary. (Real Estate).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Greiner-Maltz is celebrating its 50th anniversary by launching "Click for Charity," a new feature of it Web site, Greinermaltz.com. It will provide donations to a representative group of local charitable organizations. The firm has three...

Top 10 LI residential sales.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... (By sale price) This new 6,000-square-foot stucco and brick home in Old Westbury features 14-foot ceilings, five bedrooms and a balcony over the garage. The home sold for $2.3 million -- 3.4 percent below the asking price -- after 587 days...

Durability key at Fire Service Academy facility. (Structures).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Nassau County Fire Service Academy tapped Syosset-based Cameron Engineering & Associates to design and manage the construction of a new training facility. The structure has enabled the county's 71 volunteer fire departments to hone their...

Briarcliffe center offers small biz financial smarts. (Finance).(Briarclife College)
March 7, 2003... A new professional development center at Briarclife College may hold the key to success for executives, managers and entrepreneurs who find themselves lacking when it comes to financial know-how. Briarcliffe recently announced the opening...

Astoria Federal expands mortgage ups. (Finance).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Astoria Federal Savings has established a new mortgage center in its Medford branch, the first such operation outside of the bank's Lake Success headquarters. The new branch will close and service residential mortgages, home equity loans and...

Marks Paneth & Shron builds international tax team. (Finance).(hires Laurence Feibel and Solomon Packer)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Marks Paneth & Shron announced that one long-time veteran and two new acquisitions have helped it form what it is calling a "Dream Team" of international taxation. The firm signed' Partner Laurence Feibel, formerly a partner at Lake...

Stock broker follows the Southwest model. (Growth Strategies).(Lon Dolber, American Portfolios)
March 7, 2003... Lon Dolber, president of American Portfolios, a financial services company in Holbrook, loves everything about the way Southwest Airlines does business. He flies with the, carrier every opportunity he gets, appreciates its safety record and...

Edward Jones invests in Mosca. (Newsmakers).(Barbara Mosca named a principal with the Jones Financial Cos.)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Barbara Mosca, an Edward Jones investment representative in Long Beach, was named a principal with the firm's holding company, the Jones Financial Cos. Mosca was one of 33 associates. out of 29,000 across the globe to join the firm's 236....

Auto. (Newsmakers).(Indian Motorcycle appointments)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Indian Motorcycle of Smithtown hired two new employees. Bill Blackford, of Kings Park, joined Indian as a service manager. He has more than 15 years of experience in the auto industry. Steve Goldman, of Jamesport, was hired as a service...

Health care. (Newsmakers).(announces various appointments and promotions)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Vytra Health Plans, a Melville-based regional health plan provider, promoted Eileen Nolan to vice president of marketing. Nolan, of Farmingdale, will be responsible for setting the strategic direction for the marketing, marketing...

Not-for-profit. (Newsmakers).(announces various appointments)
March 7, 2003... The Oyster Bay Main Street Association board of directors elected Joan Mahon as the new executive director, replacing Katie Schwab, who now works in the Nassau County Planning Department. Prior to joining OBMSA, Mahon was the sales manager...

Public relations. (Newsmakers).(WordHampton Public Relations appoints Ryan Steckowski)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... WordHampton Public Relations of East Hampton hired Ryan Steckowski as a publicity assistant and Aurrice Duke as an account executive. Steckowski joins WordHampton from TeleRep, a billing television station representative, where he served as...

Technology. (Newsmakers).(Changing World Technologies, ELMO Manufacturing appointments)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Dr. Terry N. Adams joined Changing World Technologies in West Hempstead as chief technology officer. Adams will be based in Tacoma, Washington. Adams will direct CWT's efforts to identify emerging technologies that address specific energy...

Ex-prosecutor goes global with second security firm. (Startups).(Rob Seiden, Fortress Global Investigations)
March 7, 2003... This is the second security startup for former New York City prosecutor-turned-entrepreneur Rob Seiden. First there was Safety Solvers, a Melville security services company that Seiden co-founded with a former chief of electronics for the...

Volunteer effort serves as prototype for new biz. (Startups).(Event Journal)
March 7, 2003... Karen Perry and Nino Vlacich created their first online journal last year as volunteers for the Blind Wine Tasting Gala, an event that supports Foundation Fighting Blindness. Like traditional printed journals, the "e-journal" provided...

College opportunities for students with disabilities. (Paid Feature).(Dowling College)(Advertisement)
March 7, 2003... Within the past twenty years, the number of college students with disabilities has increased. Much of this increase is from students with learning disabilities. Recognizing that many bright, highly motivated disabled people needed...

Biz calendar.(Calendar)
March 7, 2003... FRIDAY, March 7 LIMBA, Chris Von Zwehl of the Long Island Philharmonic. Holiday Inn, Ronkonkoma, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., fee. Call (631) 757-1698 SATURDAY, March 8 C.W. Post's Entrepreneurial Studies/Business Development Program,...

A bad referral can harm your professional reputation. (On Small Biz).
March 7, 2003... As a business owner, consultant or professional, you are regularly asked for referrals to other professionals. My small business clients frequently ask me for referrals to local accountants, bookkeepers, insurance agents and attorneys in...

Advances in hair loss treatment: the Art & Science of Hair Restoration. (Paid Feature: Eastwood Medical).(Advertisement)
March 7, 2003... You Can Begin Anew How we feel about the way we look can affect every aspect of our lives. For many, new beginnings can be found when we decide to physically change things about ourselves that cause discomfort or low self esteem. Once that...

System for locating a golf ball. (Patent of the Week).(Public Notice)
March 7, 2003... Pat No. 6,524,199 Long Island inventor Cheryl Goldman of Huntington has invented a system for locating a golf ball on a golf course by a golfer using a golf cart. The system includes a signal generator, a microchip, and an amplifier....

Frank Boulton on deck for AVZ ad campaign. (Marketing).(Albrecht, Viggiano, Zureck)
March 7, 2003... Frank Boulton, owner of the Long Island Ducks baseball team and the Rough Riders soccer team, is the latest Albrecht, Viggiano, Zureck & Co. client to step up to the plate in the accounting firm's ad campaign. The ads tap well known Long...

Brunswick Hospital nurses say 'Yes' to NYSNA union. (Health Care).(New York State Nurses Association)
March 7, 2003... There's one more union shop on Long Island's health care scene. The 180 registered nurses at Brunswick Hospital Center last week voted over whelmingly to join the New York State Nurses Association, setting the stage for their first...

LIJ getting green and clean. (Health Care).(Long Island Jewish Medical Center)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Long Island Jewish Medical Center is launching a far-reaching "Greening the Cleaning" program to evaluate and possibly replace cleaning chemicals to make them. environmentally friendly. The more than 800-bed hospital already must follow...

Stony Brook tracks hearts. (Health Care).(Stony Brook University Hospital)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Stony Brook University Hospital has joined a program to monitor demographic data and treatment of patients with congestive heart failure. The hospital said it signed on to take part in the Acute Decompensated Heart Failure National...

McBrien named top doc at Cerebral Palsy Assn. (Health Care).(James P. McBrien)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Dr. James P. McBrien has been named associate medical director at United Cerebral Palsy Association' of Nassau County Inc. In addition to overseeing clinical and medical services for the group, based in Roosevelt, he will administer the new...

Stocks report.(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... ADVANCERS Arrow Electronics Inc. (NYSE; ARW) announced it had completed its acquisition of Pioneer-Standard's industrial, electronics division fox about $230 million cash, $55 million less than the $285 million estimated when the deal was...

The pulse of funding for LI cancer patients. (Not-for-Profits).("Have A Heart" Children's Cancer Society)
March 7, 2003... Having your child diagnosed with cancer is stressful enough. Add the ensuing treatments and procedures and the effects are over whelming. Then reality sets in that you can't afford the doctor and hospital bills. Is the best doctor available...

Sustainable LI receives $45K. (Not-for-Profits).(Henry Philip Kraft Memorial Fund)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Long Island Community Foundation Henry Philip Kraft Memorial Fund provided a $45,000 grant to Sustainable Long Island. The Kraft Fund was instrumental in launching the Brownsfields Revitalization Program of Sustainable Long Island and...

Fleet donates $10,000 to Fortunato center. (Not-for-Profits).(Fleet Bank donates to Fortunato Breast Health Center)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Fleet Bank Port Jefferson branch donated $10,000 to a fund at Mather Hospital's Fortunato Breast Health Center, allowing uninsured and underserved women to get breast cancer screenings and treatment.

SLCD benefits from Mardi Gras Night. (Not-for-Profits).(School for Language and Communication Development)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The School for Language and Communication Development in Glen Cove is hosting Mardi Gras Casino Night on March 15 at North Hempstead Country Club in Port Washington at 7 p.m. The black-tie fundraising event includes jazz music, cocktails,...

Students help needy children. (Not-for-Profits).(Cleary School for the Deaf read-a-thon for Madagascar)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Students from the Cleary School for the Deaf in Nesconset raised $225 for children of Madagascar as part of a cooperative effort with David Krause, a world-renowned researcher and dinosaur fossil explorer, and a professor in the department of...

'Annie Get Your Gun' benefits JCC. (Not-for-Profits).(Jewish Community Center)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Mid-Island Y Jewish Community Center in Plainview, in conjunction with the Cultural Arts Playhouse, will present a special performance of the musical, "Annie Get Your Gun" March 23 at the Cultural Arts Playhouse in Old Bethpage. The...

MIRACLE celebrates St. Patrick's Day. (Not-for-Profits).(MIRACLE Foundation)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The MIRACLE Foundation is sponsoring a St. Patrick's Day celebration March 14 at The Carltun at Eisenhower Park. The event, running from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, includes cocktails, a buffet dinner, entertainment and Irish dancing. Tickets...

Free cardiac screenings. (Not-for-Profits).
March 7, 2003... St. Francis Hospital -- The Heart Center in Roslyn is conducting free screenings through its mobile outreach clinic at Project Challenge in Long Beach. Screenings are being offered on March 12 and 26, as well as April 9 and 23 from 9:30...

IEEE hosts awards ceremony. (Not-for-Profits).(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The 2003 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Long Island Section Annual Awards Ceremony is taking place April 6 at the Huntington Hilton in Melville from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event will recognize the contributions of some of...

5K run/walk for parks. (Not-for-Profits).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation invites individuals to join the Long Island State Park Region, in cooperation with the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, to its fourth annual Maritime 5K Run & Walk for...

Natural shoreline committee established. (Not-for-Profits).(Peconic Bays Natural Shoreline Committee)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Nature Conservancy on Long Island has formed the Peconic Bays Natural Shoreline Committee to stem the proliferation of docks and bulkheads on the East End. The committee is made up of elected and appointed officials from the East End...

TLC raises $80,000. (Not-for-Profits).(Tender Loving Care Foundation)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Tender Loving Care Foundation, which was created by parents of "graduates" from North Shore-Long' Island Jewish Health System/Neonatal Intensive Care. Units, recently held a "Thank You' benefit at the Roslyn Claremont Hotel in Roslyn. ...

Renate W. Chasman Scholarship for Women. (Not-for-Profits).(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Applications are being accepted for the Renate W. Chasman Scholarship for Women. The recipient will receive a $2,000 award from Brookhaven National Laboratory's Brookhaven Women in Science program. The scholarship, named in' memory of...

Events calendar.(Calendar)
March 7, 2003... FRIDAY, March 1 Heckscher Museum of Art, "Rise to the Top: Women Artists of the 20th Century." Heckscher Museum, Huntington, 2 p.m.-4 p.m., $60, lecture series continues throughout the month. Call (631) 351-3250. March 7-9 Suffolk...

Airline timetable: Islip MacArthur Airport (ISP).(Illustration)
March 7, 2003... AIRLINE TIMETABLE Islip MacArthur Airport (ISP) Departure Arrival Flight Airline From To Time Time Number American ISP Boston...

Shine light on LIPA. (Opinion).(Long Island Power Authority)(Editorial)
March 7, 2003... When Gov. George Pataki created the Long Island Power Authority in 1998 out of the ruins of the Long Island Lighting Co., he successfully squashed a plan to have LIPA governed by elected trustees. It's been run ever since by a board of...

On guard: IT systems face blended threats. (Opinion).
March 7, 2003... Just 24 hours after its introduction on Sept. 18, 2001, the Nimda computer worm infected more than 2.2 million computers worldwide. Today, Nimda is still spreading to unprotected computer systems across the globe. Nimda and other similar...

Murray, Acampora would refresh GOP image. (Commentary).(Kate Murray, Patricia Acampora)
March 7, 2003... The Republican Party on Long Island has a chance to reach a significant milestone this year with the election of two moderate women to extremely important executive positions. One candidacy appears to be set: Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate...

It's time to hit the French where it hurts. (Commentary).
March 7, 2003... OK. It's payback time. France has been giving America a hard time at the United Nations and hasn't been very good to us in years. Ever since the United States bought the Louisiana Territory for a bargain price, they have been angry. So...

In family law, counseling takes on new meaning. (A Special Report: Long Island Lawyer).
March 7, 2003... Stephen Schlissel considers himself part lawyer, part psychologist. It's a necessary mix, he said, for anyone handling emotionally-charged matters like separation agreements, divorce and custody battles in the tough field of matrimonial and...

Couples opt for friendly divorces through mediators.
March 7, 2003... COMMACK -- Before heading to divorce court, a growing number of married couples are turning to mediators to hash out differences on everything from how much to pay in child support to who gets to keep the house. The process, experts say,...

Study: teens unable to understand adult court proceedings.
March 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Every state allows children under 16 to be tried as adults, but new research indicates many cannot understand their situations well enough to aid their defense. The private MacArthur Foundation study released March 3 said many...

News groups ask Supreme Court to open closed hearings.(terrorism investigation)
March 7, 2003... NEWARK, N.J. -- Two news organizations asked the U.S. Supreme Court March 2 to open the secret hearings of foreigners detained in the nation's terrorism investigation. The New Jersey Law Journal and the North Jersey Media Group, which...

High court to review police search liability.
March 7, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court said March 2 it will examine whether police officers are personally liable when they make mistakes on search warrants. Law officers are ordinarily immune from lawsuits over their conduct on duty, but the...