Missouri Lawyers Weekly articles from April 2007

Missouri Lawyers Weekly archives from April 2007

Trial lawyers face issue of aging jurors.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Dick Dahl / Dolan Media Newswires Is a graying America producing less reliable juries that make incorrect decisions based on older jurors' impaired memories? A study at the University of Virginia, published in a recent issue of...

8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejects settlement challenge.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter The Clayton law firm of Green, Jacobson & Butsch and its co-counsel in the BankAmerica securities class-action suit survived a lawsuit by an unhappy plaintiff that could have cost the lawyers their $90 million attorney...

St. Louis Bosnians sue Justice Department over citizenship.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka A group of 35 Bosnians refugees now living in St. Louis sued federal authorities last Friday, claiming government inaction unlawfully denied them U.S. citizenship. The group alleges their citizenship applications...

Air show's restrictions on anti-war speech in Missouri violates First Amendment.(Wickersham v. City of Columbia)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Joy Simmons A veterans' organization could not prohibit anti-war signs and shirts at its annual military air show in Columbia, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has held. The court found that the organization was liable as...

Missouri bill could give judge retention to lawmakers.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck The power to retain non-partisan judges in office would shift from the voters to the Legislature under a proposed constitutional amendment in the Missouri House. Rep. Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, said last Thursday that...

Missouri drug courts strive to get drug offenders out of the prison system.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck Judge Christine Carpenter fixes the defendant with a look and asks a tough question: Does he have a garden? He does, in fact, and for a few moments the black-robed authority figure and the recovering drug addict...

Chicago-based Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal chairman pushes for lateral hires.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole After Chicago-based Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal announced an aggressive growth strategy a year ago, changes started at the firm's Missouri offices. The Kansas City office, which is putting its summer associate...

Demand for creative and patent counsel booms, while general practice firms struggle.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Most of the seven intellectual property attorneys who left Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal in the last year headed for boutique practices. IP litigator Bob Lesley, however, went to Lathrop & Gage, a 275-attorney...

Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District Case Summaries: April 2, 2007.(Versey v. Jirak)(Meyer v. Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals )(Brief article)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil Practice Attorney's Fees - Legal Aid Client - Authority Where a mother involved in a custody dispute was represented by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, which had filed a certificate...

Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District Case Summaries: April 2, 2007.(In the Interest of C.F. and R.F. v. G.F. )
April 2, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Parent and Child Parental Rights - Termination - Indian Child Welfare Act Where the provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act applied to children involved in a termination of parental rights...

Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Case Summaries: April 2, 2007.(Day Advertising Inc. v. DeVries & Associates and Daniel R. Jones)(Andersen v. Osmon)(Whitehorn v. State )
April 2, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Attorneys Legal Malpractice - Inconsistent Verdict - Waiver (1) Where a trial court in a legal malpractice case allowed testimony from two expert witnesses even though they were identified...

U.S. Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit Case Summaries: April 2, 2007.(U.S. v. Real Property Located at 3234 Washington Avenue North)(Koehler v. Brody, et al)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil Practice Civil Forfeiture - Institutional Property Owner - Hell's Angels Clubhouse Where the district court granted summary judgment to the government in a civil forfeiture case...

Verdicts and Settlements April 2, 2007: Missouri jury finds for doctor after colonoscopy death.(Sandra Klos, et al. v. Digestive Care Consultants, et al.)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck Defense verdict Seventeen centimeters can be a lot or a little, as a successful defense verdict in a medical malpractice case showed. Selma Hartmann, 88, underwent a colonoscopy by Dr. Gary Koenig at DePaul...

Use violations of FMCSA testing regulations to prove civil liability.(Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
April 2, 2007... Byline: R. Denise Henning The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, under the authority of the Department of Transportation, governs employers in the trucking industry and regulates how and when drug and alcohol tests are...

St. Louis law firm negotiates with representatives from three buildings without the firm's landlord.(Lewis, Rice and Fingersh L.C.)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Lewis Rice & Fingersh is in "active negotiations" with the representatives of three buildings, but the St. Louis law firm's landlord isn't among them. A New York investor recently put the building where Lewis Rice...

St. Louis-based Lathrop & Gage recruits its eighth attorney from a competitor.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Lathrop & Gage wooed an eighth attorney from Blumenfeld Kaplan & Sandweiss to the firm's Clayton office. Commercial litigator Barry Haith signed on at Kansas City-based Lathrop & Gage last week. His addition brings...

Precious Doe defendant gets assigned new lawyer.(Brief article)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Associated Press KANSAS CITY - A judge has agreed to remove one of the lawyers from the death penalty defense team representing the man accused of killing the girl once known only as Precious Doe. Harrell Johnson, 27, of...

Missouri law firms announce personnel changes and promotions.(Brief article)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus announced that nonprofit lawyer Bruce R. Hopkins, has been named the 2007 recipient of the Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer - Vanguard/Lifetime Achievement Award by...

Lawyer's virtual practice leads to new mortgage-closing software system.(Robert Cannon)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher / Dolan Media Newswires Brushing beach sand from a recent vacation in Mexico off his laptop computer, Massachusetts attorney Robert Cannon demonstrated the latest innovation in his "virtual" law practice. ...

Verdicts and Settlements April 2, 2007: Missouri manufacturer wins breach-of-contract case.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Stephanie Maniscalco Defense verdict A Lincoln County jury awarded a defense verdict in a fraud and breach-of-contract action brought by a daycare owner against a manufacturer and marketer of playground equipment. Linda...

Verdicts and Settlements April 2, 2007: Both sides appeal after plaintiff wins suit over dismissal.
April 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole $128,700 judgment The former president of Niswonger-Langdon Paving Inc. won a $128,700 judgment and the right to work for a competing company after he was fired, but he isn't quite satisfied. Richard Langdon...

Verdicts and Settlements April 2, 2007: Fatal Missouri semitrailer collision case settles for $1.1M.(Hartgrave, et al. v. O&S Trucking, et al.)
April 2, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole $128,700 judgment The former president of Niswonger-Langdon Paving Inc. won a $128,700 judgment and the right to work for a competing company after he was fired, but he isn't quite satisfied. Richard Langdon...

Missouri man sentenced in federal court for wearing Marine Corps uniform without authorization.(Brief article)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court last week for wearing a U.S. Marine Corps uniform and medals without authorization. U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge James C. England sentenced...

Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District Case Summaries: April 9, 2007.(State v. Cushshon)(State v. Lewis )
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Criminal Law Marijuana - 'Knowingly' Possessed - Joint Access Where a prison inmate was convicted of possession of marijuana in a county jail after the drug was discovered in a shower stall,...

Take aim at the 'bulletproof' employee.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher / Dolan Media Newswires For many employers, including law firms, dealing with a problem employee is something they'd rather put off. But too often, when they are finally ready to take action and terminate...

St. Louis-based Lathrop & Gage's chief executive leaves to take over chairman position.(Tom Stewart)(Brief article)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Lathrop & Gage's long-term chief executive Tom Stewart is leaving that role June 1 to take over the position of chairman. Stewart will work on strategic planning, regional growth and development and business...

Kansas City law groups plan annual conference.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation will host the 34th Annual Bench-Bar & Boardroom Conference on May 3 through May 5 at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf...

St. Louis firm announces its addition of a room specially designed for new mothers.(Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus)(Brief article)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus recently announced to its employees the addition of a specially designed "Mothers' Room." The room, at the firm's Country Club Plaza location, is designed to...

Missouri law firms announce personnel changes and promotions.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff The 2007-2008 officers for The Gateway Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators were sworn on March 21. Incoming president will be Sherry L. Hurst, Administrator of Fox Galvin;...

8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals approves longer sentences for those who download child pornography.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck Using file-sharing software might be a great way to get hold of the latest music, but it could also get those who download child pornography into extra trouble. The 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals said last week...

Kansas City-based white-collar criminal defense attorneys to start their own firm.(Thomas Bradshaw and Daniel Herrington )(Brief article)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Armstrong Teasdale white-collar criminal defense attorneys Thomas Bradshaw and Daniel Herrington are leaving the firm's Kansas City office to start their own law firm. Bradshaw, who also focuses on civil litigation...

Missouri attorney takes arguments to court that will question common police practices.(Carl Ward)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Sylvia Hsieh Carl Ward has devoted a decade and a half of his legal career to poking holes in the way the state conducts breath tests to suspected drunken drivers. This Thursday, Ward, who practices in Washington, Mo., will...

Missouri-based Lathrop & Gage hopes to remain clear from negative publicity about ex-employee.(Charles Polk Jr.)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Lathrop & Gage is hoping to remain clear of some the fallout from convicted fraudster Charles Polk Jr.'s tenure at the firm. The law firm got a pass when a St. Louis County Circuit Court judge awarded $3.6 million...

8th Circuit Court of Appeals rules bankruptcy trustees can bring claims against lawyers.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Joy Simmons A bankruptcy trustee has standing to bring claims against lawyers who allegedly worked with corporate insiders to loot a corporation's assets, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals held. Reversing and remanding the...

Missouri Court of Appeals tosses fraud case against Polsinelli again.(Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan and Suelthaus)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole More than nine years after Yvonne Bohac's ex-husband pleaded guilty to bank fraud for a check-kiting scheme, his attorney, law firm and banks were let off the hook for the fourth time in her fraud lawsuit. The...

Senate Judiciary Committee approves measure that will affect Missouri taxation or gov't spending.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck A proposal to prevent the Missouri judiciary from making some decisions that affect taxation or government spending is headed to the Senate floor. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the controversial measure...

Debtors and lawyers struggle with credit counseling mandate.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Correy E. Stephenson / Dolan Media Newswires BOSTON, MA - Even before the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act went into effect in October 2005, attorneys decried its new requirements. Recently, one of the...

Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District Case Summaries: April 9, 2007.(Missouri Prosecuting Attorneys and Circuit Attorneys Retirement System v. Pemiscot County)(State v. Sanchez)(State v. Van Anderson )
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Attorneys Retirement Benefits - Funding - Prosecutors (1) Where a third-class county elected to make its prosecutor a full-time position before Aug. 28, 2001 and the county did not elect to...

Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Case Summaries: April 9, 2007.(State v. Gibbs)(City of St. Joseph v. Village of Agency )
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Criminal Law 'Knock And Announce' - Exigent Circumstances - Bank Robbery Where a defendant convicted for first-degree robbery of a bank was arrested after an officer entered his hotel room...

U.S. Bank Court Case Summaries: April 9, 2007.(Addison v. Seaver )
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Bankruptcy Tuition Savings Accounts - Exempt Property - Homestead Exemption (1) Where a debtor established tuition savings plan accounts for his minor children shortly before filing his...

United States Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit Case Summaries: April 9, 2007.(Moratzka v. Morris)(Williams v. City of Carl Junction)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Bankruptcy Collusion - Corporate Insiders - Trustee's Standing Where a trustee for the bankruptcy estate of a limited liability company claimed that the company's lawyers helped a corporate...

Verdicts and Settlements April 9, 2007: Missouri parents receive more than $1M over death of infant.(Nedblake v. Kids II, Inc.)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Anne Vitale $1.025 Million Settlement The parents of an infant who suffocated while napping in a bouncer seat have reached a $525,000 settlement in their products liability case against the manufacturer, filed in U.S. District...

Verdicts and Settlements April 9, 2007: MO jury rules for Pharmaceutical co. in whistleblower suit.(Vincent Sala v. Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc.)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Defense verdict A St. Louis City Circuit Court jury felt sorry for the plaintiff in a whistleblower case filed against Forest Pharmaceuticals Inc., but still decided in favor of the drug testing and manufacturing...

Verdicts and Settlements April 9, 2007: A Missouri subdivision contested condemnation award.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Stephanie Maniscalco $810,000 verdict A St. Louis County jury considered a wide difference of opinion on how to value a narrow strip of land before awarding $810,000 to a University City subdivision for land taken to extend the...

Verdicts and Settlements April 9, 2007: Missouri med-mal case was unsuccessfully defended.(Elizabeth Farrar v. D. Christopher Main)
April 9, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck Defense Verdict A medical malpractice case was successfully defended on a simple legal theory: Not every bad outcome is somebody's fault. Elizabeth Farrar, 79, fell at home, causing a fracture of the right hip....

Verdicts and Settlements April 9, 2007: Missouri jury rules defense verdict in med-mal suit.
April 9, 2007... Byline: Donna Walter Defense verdict A trauma surgeon caring for a man injured in a head-on collision is not liable for his patient's death, according to a Cape Girardeau jury. Terry Finger, 46, was a husband and the father of two...

Missouri intellectual property boutique firm aims for high-tech look in offices.(Senniger, Powers, Leavitt and Roedel)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Senniger Powers is moving away from the perimeter offices and wood finishes of the traditional large law firm layout in its search for office space. The intellectual property boutique firm's lease for 45,000...

Missouri native John F. Wood becomes next Western prosecutor.(Department of Homeland Security to appoint John F. Wood)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Trish Mehaffey The former chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was sworn in Wednesday as the top-ranking federal prosecutor for the Western District. John F. Wood, 37, a Missouri native, will replace...

8th Circuit asked for tougher sentence for ex-executive.(Brief article)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Lauren Coleman-Lochner, Bloomberg News Federal prosecutors asked the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals meeting in St. Louis to force a former Wal-Mart vice chairman to serve his sentence in federal prison rather than at home,...

Missouri Lawyers In the News.(Stinson Morrison Heckers's Barkley Clark awarded)(Ensz and Jester appoints Matthew J. Gist, Samuel G. MacRoberts)(Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal appoints Mariquita L. Barbieri)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Stinson Morrison Hecker attorney Barkley Clark recently received the "Award for Distinguished Service" by the Uniform Commercial Code Committee of the American Bar Association.The ABA recognized...

Whistleblower suits expected to soar due to new federal law.
April 16, 2007... Byline: Sylvia Hsieh Hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers can expect more whistleblower suits, thanks to a new federal law mandating disclosures about legal rights and protections for employees who blow the whistle on...

Missouri-based Lathrop and Gage's CEO speculation focuses on committee.(search on for replacement of Tom Stewart )
April 16, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Members of Lathrop & Gage's executive committee are the likely frontrunners to succeed Tom Stewart as chief executive, according to interviews with former partners. Stewart is leaving the position of chief...

Missouri's qui tam provision is unlikely.
April 16, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck It appears that, at the very least, Missouri's new health care system for the needy will be accompanied by some sort of incentive for people to blow the whistle on provider fraud. But the chances that whistleblowers...

Missouri Eighth Circuit reverses Dillard's discrimination judgment.
April 16, 2007... Byline: Trish Mehaffey Dillard's store clerk Linda McCrary was a civil rights lawsuit waiting to go off. Management had disciplined the clerk for rude behavior in the past, yet they allowed her to interact with customers. Then in 2002,...

Missouri Appeals Court upholds $1.5M verdict for a truck driver injured in 1999.(Brief article)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Tom Herrmann The Missouri Court of Appeals in St. Louis upheld a $1.5 million verdict for a truck driver injured in 1999, ruling that an error in jury instructions would not have changed the jury's verdict. Timothy Sorrell was...

Missouri Supreme Court case alleges banks that charge paperwork fees are not being bankers.(Eisel v. Midwest BankCentre)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck Anyone with a mortgage knows there is plenty of paperwork involved in the process. But a case heard last week by the Missouri Supreme Court alleges that when banks fill in some of that paperwork and a charge a fee for...

Missouri Appeals Court asked to define the word "blight" in Clayton.
April 16, 2007... Byline: Tom Herrmann A case one litigant defines as a groundbreaking battle over individual property rights likely will turn on how a three-judge appellate panel defines "blight." The attorney for three Clayton property owners who are...

Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District Case Summaries: April 16, 2007.(State v. Burton)(Crenshaw v. State )
April 16, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Criminal Law Closing Argument - Personalization - Deliberations (1) Where a prosecutor told a jury during closing arguments in a drug possession case that "this is your opportunity to clean up...

Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District Case Summaries: April 16, 2007.(Harris v. Brown)(Allen v. State )
April 16, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil Practice Settlement - Motion To Enforce Where a trial court granted a motion to enforce a settlement brought by the defendants in a property dispute, the judgment is reversed because it...

Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Case Summaries: April 16, 2007.(Ford Motor Credit Company v. Updegraff)(State v. White)(Williams v. Silvola Jr., et al.)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Commercial Deficiency Judgment - Failure To State A Claim Where a finance company brought an action for a deficiency judgment against a defaulting car buyer, the finance company failed to plead...

U.S. Bank Court Case Summaries: April 16, 2007.(Truss, et al. v. Lutheran High School Association of St. Louis, et al.)(Brief article)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Appellate Practice Judgment - Rule 74.01(a) Where plaintiffs appealed an order awarding costs to the defendant in their wrongful death suit, the order was not denominated a judgment under Rule...

United States Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit Case Summaries: April 16, 2007.(Hudson v. ConAgra Poultry Company)(Immigration Law Group v. Danna McKitrick, et al.)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Arbitration Agriculture Contract - Motion To Compel Where a district court compelled arbitration of claims brought by plaintiffs who brought tort claims against a poultry company after their...

Verdicts and Settlements April 16, 2007: Injured Missouri framing carpenter settles suit for $350K.(Brack v. Hood-Rich, Inc., et al.)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Anne Vitale $350,000 settlement A construction worker injured in a building collapse has reached a $350,000 settlement in his Greene County lawsuit against the building engineers and architect. The settlement included...

Verdicts and Settlements April 16, 2007: Mo. motorcyclist settles personal injury suit for $500K.(Brief article)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Stephanie Maniscalco $500,000 settlement A motorcyclist injured in a collision with a tractor- trailer truck owned by Lowery Carnival Company, Inc., settled his personal injury action for $500,000. On May 3, 2005, Richard...

Verdicts and Settlements April 16, 2007: Missouri bars pay $190K for drunk driving accident.(David P. Stahlnut, et al. v. Boomer's Bar & Grill Inc. and Noreid Enterprises d/b/a The Landing Neighborhood Eatery and Pub)(David P. Stahlhut, et al. v. David S. Bounds)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka $190,000 settlement Two Kansas City bars admitted liability for a 2004 drunk-driving accident and chipped in the majority of a $190,000 settlement reached in November. Boomer's Bar and Grill paid $100,000 and...

Verdicts and Settlements: Missouri family settles dog bite case for $85K.(Tevis v. Main, et al.)
April 16, 2007... Byline: Anne Vitale $85,000 settlement The plaintiffs' attorney in a dog bite case credits an insurance company's "failure to tender a defense in the face of facts showing coverage" for leading to an $85,000 settlement in a Cass...

A typical week with Missouri Attorney Jasman Lutz.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Attorney Jasman Lutz strides past the sheriffs in the basement of the Civil Courts Building in St. Louis and ducks into the chilly holding cell. She is here to see one of her 120 clients. Joshum Smith rises from a...

Missouri Supreme Court decision on church-state separation leaves school elated.(Saint Louis University v. Masonic Temple Association of St. Louis)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck A decision last week by the Missouri Supreme Court on church-state separation has left a religiously affiliated school elated, opponents disappointed and some civil rights and freedom-of-religion groups worried. ...

Senator Chris Koster's support for Missouri Attorney General doesn't come from the legal community.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck With more than half a million dollars in the bank, Sen. Chris Koster, R-Harrisonville, is far ahead of other potential candidates for the 2008 race for Missouri Attorney General. But so far, his support hasn't come from...

Enterprise Rent-A-Car hires Thompson Coburn's Jim Murphy to lead its legal finance team.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole When industry giant Enterprise Rent-A-Car decided to make the largest acquisition in its 50-year history, the company tapped Thompson Coburn's Jim Murphy to lead the legal finance team. Murphy, who specializes in...

Missouri House bill would change Missouri's unfair-trade laws.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck A bill heard recently in the Missouri House would, simply put, take an "M" out of "MMPA." The House Judiciary Committee earlier this month considered a bill that would change the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act...

Verdicts and Settlements April 23, 2007: Missouri painter settles for $10.5M.(Doe v. confidential warehouse and aerial lift defendants)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Anne C. Vitale A painter who received an electrical shock while power washing a warehouse has reached a $10.5 million settlement in his Jackson County lawsuit against the confidential warehouse facility and two confidential aerial...

Missouri House proposes adding new judgeships in Jackson and Greene counties.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck A proposal in the Missouri House could add new judgeships in Jackson and Greene counties, where the workload crunch is known anecdotally, if not with precision. The new judges are contained in an omnibus bill being...

Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District Case Summaries: April 23, 2007.(Blakey v. AAA Professional Pest Control Inc.)(Peyton v. Bellefontaine Gardens Nursing and Rehab Inc.)(Tyler v. State)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Appellate Practice Brief - Inadequate Where the brief of an appellant in a denial of unemployment benefits case included points relied on and an argument section that failed to comply with...

Missouri Court of Appeals Southern District Case Summaries: April 23, 2007.(Shivers v. Carr)(State v. Merrick)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Contract Used Car Sale - Rescission - Lack Of Title Where a used car buyer sued the previous owner for rescission of the contract based on mutual mistake after learning the car was salvaged,...

Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Case Summaries: April 23, 2007.(State v. Ellison)(Everage v. State)(Strobel v. Strobel)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Criminal Law Constitutionality Of Statute - Felony Child Molestation Where a criminal defendant appealed his conviction for class A felony child molestation in the first degree, the defendant's...

Missouri Supreme Court Case Summaries: April 23, 2007.(C.B.G. v. Department of Social Services)(Rowe Burns v. Whittington )
April 23, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil Practice Competency Hearing - Bifurcated - State's Appeal (1) Where following changes in the law prohibiting the execution of a mentally retarded criminal defendant a trial court ordered...

United States Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit Case Summaries: April 23, 2007.(Libel v. Adventure Lands of America Inc.)(Tipler v. Douglas County)(U.S. v. Myers)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Missouri Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil Practice Local Rules - Failure To Comply - Discrimination Suit Where a district court gave an employee, who sued her employer for alleged disability discrimination and ERISA violations,...

Verdicts and Settlements April 23, 2007: Mo. jury finds for urologist in bladder-injury case.(Arnold v. Lovinggood)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Defense verdict Benjamin Arnold, who had undergone three urethra-widening procedures at the hands of urologist Dr. James Lovinggood in as many years, likened the process to "torture." The pain following a...

Verdicts and Settlements April 23, 2007: Mo. jury awards $357K to man injured in railroad accident.(Allen v. Larry Williams)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Stephanie Maniscalco $357,100 verdict A man whose foot was crushed while working in a railroad yard received a $357,100 verdict from a Ray County jury. He netted $178,550 after allocation of 50 percent fault. "We wound up...

Verdicts and Settlements April 23, 2007: Missouri company pays $1.3M after ignoring demand.(Doe v. confidential insurance company)
April 23, 2007... Byline: Anne Vitale $1.3 million settlement After neglecting a timely response to a widow's $25,000 policy limits demand stemming from her husband's fatal collision with an insured drunk driver, a confidential insurance company has...

Scales of justice weighted against plus-size clients.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher / Dolan Media Newswires More than half of Americans are either overweight or obese, but that doesn't make jurors sympathetic toward plaintiffs packing extra pounds. Amy Pardieck, a trial consultant with...

A solid class-action rep can make your case easier.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Correy E. Stephenson/Dolan Media Newswires Paul Kiesel learned a lot from his first experience filing a class action. It was 1994, and he was primarily doing personal injury plaintiffs' work when a friend referred a case about...

Gene McNary's nine-year lawsuit wraps up in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
April 23, 2007... Byline: Heather Cole Gene McNary's frequent job-hopping since his days as St. Louis county executive landed him gigs including a four-year stint as commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and time in private...