Lawyers Weekly USA articles from August 2005

Lawyers Weekly USA archives from August 2005

Vioxx goes on trial in Texas.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher The first of more than 4,000 Vioxx lawsuits is underway in Texas, and plaintiffs' lawyers are eagerly watching for clues to the defense strategy and for juror reactions to allegations that the pain medication...

Assn. of Trial Lawyers of America bans media from annual convention.( Association of Trial Lawyers of America)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher Just a week before its annual convention, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America announced it was banning media from the event. Press passes and media guidelines had already been issued to Lawyers...

'Inheritor's Trust' new trend in estate planning.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Reni Gertner A new trend in trusts places the inheritor in charge of where his inheritance goes - as long as he is willing to talk to his parents or grandparents about it before they die. The method - labeled the "inheritor's...

First trial set in Chicago firefighters' hearing loss suits.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher An Oct. 10 trial date has been set for the first of 33 lawsuits filed on behalf of 2,500 firefighters who are suing a Chicago siren manufacturer for allegedly causing their permanent hearing damage. The...

New American Bar Assn. president takes charge.(Michael S. Greco )(Interview)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Henriette Campagne Boston lawyer Michael S. Greco will be installed as American Bar Association president at the ABA annual meeting in Chicago this month. But during this past year as president-elect, he has already been off and...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: $6M awarded in medical malpractice suit.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A former nurse who suffered a post-surgery brain injury that left him in a vegetative state has settled his medical malpractice suit for $6 million. Spencer Sullivan, who worked at Fountain Valley...

Commentary: Adobe Acrobat - More than Just a form reader!
August 1, 2005... Byline: Bruce L. Dorner Just about every lawyer has a copy of the free Adobe Reader installed on his or her computer. We all know that court and government forms are easily opened and printed using the PDF format. The format is not...

Attorney can be sued for malpractice by will beneficiaries.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The beneficiaries of a will have limited standing to assert a malpractice claim against the attorney who prepared the will, the West Virginia Supreme Court has ruled. The court held that "direct,...

Debtor who wins bankruptcy dispute can get attorney fees.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A debtor who established that a disputed commercial loan was dischargeable in his bankruptcy case could recover attorney fees from the creditor that tried to preserve the debt, the 11th Circuit has ruled in...

Wages deposited in bank account can be seized in bankruptcy.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A state "disposable earnings" law did not bar the seizure of money attributable to wages from a debtor's checking account, the 5th Circuit has ruled. A teacher filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition...

Arbitration clause in payday loan agreement enforceable.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A mandatory arbitration clause contained in a payday loan agreement is enforceable, the New Jersey Appellate Division has ruled in affirming a trial court. A payday loan is a short term, single payment,...

Consumer can sue Microsoft under Wisconsin's antitrust law.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A consumer could sue Microsoft for violating state antitrust laws even if the company's allegedly monopolistic practices occurred exclusively outside the state, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in...

Wisconsin cap on noneconomic damages violates equal protection.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A state cap on noneconomic damages violates equal protection, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in reversing the Court of Appeals. When the plaintiff was born, the doctor who delivered him pulled...

District court can't order arbitration in other forum.(Ansari v. Qwest Communications Corp. case)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A federal judge has no authority to compel arbitration in another forum, the 10th Circuit has ruled. The defendant, a long-distance telephone service provider, moved to compel arbitration of a federal...

Wisconsin Supreme Court rules economic loss doctrine bars construction suit.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The economic loss doctrine bars a couple's tort claims against two subcontractors for allegedly faulty work in the construction of their house, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled. After the...

Parents can get daughter's medical records in false memory suit, WI Supreme Court rules.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Parents can obtain their daughter's medical records in a suit against her therapists for alleging implanting false memories of abuse - there is a public policy exception to the therapist-client privilege,...

WI Supreme Court rules claim based on 'disappointed expectations' barred by economic loss rule.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The economic loss doctrine bars the tort claims of a consumer whose damages were the result of disappointed expectations, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled. The suit was brought against the...

CA Supreme Court rules arbitration clause enforceable despite 'service of suit' provision.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An arbitration clause in a disability insurance contract is enforceable despite the fact that the contract also contains a "service of suit" clause, the California Supreme Court has ruled. The suit was...

U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, rules 'Blakely' doesn't apply retroactively.(Schardt v. Payne case)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that a jury rather than judge must decide factors that increased a criminal defendant's sentence does not apply retroactively to state court convictions that are...

Montana Supreme Court rules police may search trash without warrant.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The police may search a defendant's trash without a warrant in certain circumstances, the Montana Supreme Court has ruled in affirming a lower court. After a seven-month investigation of the defendant,...

Airzona Supreme Court rules state sentencing scheme doesn't violate Sixth Amendment.(State v. Martinez case)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Once a single aggravating factor has been found by a jury, a sentencing judge may find and consider additional factors in determining whether to impose an aggravated sentence, the Arizona Supreme Court has...

ND Supreme Court rules search of hockey fan unconstitutional.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A suspicionless patdown of a fan attending a college hockey game violated his Fourth Amendment rights, the North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled. A 20-year-old college student decided to go to a hockey...

CA Supreme Court rules sexual favoritism can support hostile work environment Claim.(California)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Widespread sexual favoritism in the workplace may support a hostile work environment claim even if the plaintiff herself was never propositioned, the California Supreme Court has ruled in reversing summary...

NJ Appellate Court rules employer can be sued for inaccurate reference.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An employer who gave a reference for a former employee can be held liable for negligent misrepresentation, the New Jersey Appellate Division has ruled in reversing a trial court. The plaintiff worked...

U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit, rules employee waiver of FMLA claims isn't enforceable.(Family and Medical Leave Act)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An employee's waiver of Family and Medical Leave Act claims is barred by federal regulations and can't be enforced, the 4th Circuit has ruled. The employee was terminated after missing a number of...

U.S. Court rules husband's calls to pregnant wife not enough for FMLA leave.(Family and Medical Leave Act)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A husband's calls to his wife while she was having complications at the end of her pregnancy weren't enough to qualify his cross country trip to retrieve the family car as protected leave under FMLA, the...

CA Court of Appeal, 3rd District, rules legal malpractice settlement not community property.(California)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Settlement proceeds from a legal malpractice claim are a wife's separate property because the cause of action for the claim accrued after the couple's separation, the California Court of Appeal has ruled....

CT Supreme Court rules court-appointed family lawyers are immune from suit.(Connecticut )
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Court-appointed family lawyers are entitled to absolute immunity from legal malpractice liability, the Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled. An attorney was appointed by a trial judge to represent two...

WI Supreme Court rules tenant can sue paint manufacturers for lead poisoning.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A tenant can sue multiple paint manufacturers for lead poisoning - the claim isn't barred because he can't identify the particular manufacturer that caused his injuries or because he recovered damages from...

U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, rules government can't be sued over mid-air crash.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Wrongful death plaintiffs could not recover damages from the federal government for the alleged negligence of a private contractor hired by the FAA to provide air traffic control services at a regional...

Michigan Supreme Court rules dioxin plaintiffs can't sue for medical monitoring.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Product liability plaintiffs who feared that they were exposed to the hazardous chemical dioxin could not sue the manufacturer for the cost of medical monitoring, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in...

NJ Appellate Division rules defamation suit not barred by litigation privilege.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The litigation privilege does not bar a defamation suit against an attorney who suggested in a letter to the editor that a newspaper's reports were biased by a reporter's intimate relationship with a...

MO Supreme Court rules Injured trespasser can sue landowners.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Landowners may be sued for injuries suffered by a trespassing ATV driver who ran into a cable strung across the entrance to a private road, the Missouri Supreme Court has ruled. Two brothers leased land...

IA Supreme Court utility can be sued for home gas explosion.(Iowa)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A natural gas company could be sued for the wrongful death of two homeowners in a gas explosion where the company allegedly failed to warn the victims that the connections in their house posed a danger of...

U.S Court rules railroad employees can't get emotional distress damages without fear for safety.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Railroad employees who witnessed a fatal accident can't recover emotional distress damages where they didn't fear for their own physical safety, the 6th Circuit has ruled. The plaintiffs were working as...

West VA Supreme Court rules plaintiff can't get emotional distress damages for pet's death.(West Virginia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A dog owner could not recover emotional distress damages for the death of her pet, the West Virginia Supreme Court has ruled. A woman was walking her dog in an alley one night when they were struck by a...

U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit, rules FLP assets must be included in decedent's estate.(family limited partnership)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A taxpayer's estate must include $10 million in assets that he contributed to a family limited partnership before his death, the 5th Circuit has ruled in a affirming a U.S. Tax Court. Desiring to reduce...

U.S. Tax Court rules lawyer may claim tax deduction for equipment leases.(Misko v. Commissioner case)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A class-action attorney was entitled to a business expense deduction on his income tax return based on his leasing of equipment to his law firm, the U.S. Tax Court has ruled in overturning an IRS decision...

U.S. Court of Appeals rules assignment of spousal support rights makes husband eligible for Medicaid.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A husband's assignment of his right to support from his wife prohibited the state from considering his wife's assets in determining whether he was eligible for Medicaid, the 2nd Circuit has ruled in...

Private judging 'all the rage' for quick, but costly California divorces.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher In California, where celebrity divorces trigger media frenzies, privacy is premium. That's why many celebrities - including Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston - are hiring private judges to oversee the...

U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, pop-up ads do not constitute trademark infringement.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Eric Berkman In a decision that observers say is a significant victory for Internet advertising, the 2nd Circuit has ruled that an on-line marketing company did not infringe a retailer's trademarks by causing competitors' "pop-up"...

Plaintiffs' employment lawyers see increase in sanctions.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Reni Gertner Plaintiffs' employment lawyers tell Lawyers Weekly USA they are seeing sanctions being sought against them more frequently - and the attempts seem to be succeeding more often. Ellen Messing, a Boston attorney who...

Woman who never had cancer dies from cancer treatment.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Natalie White Janet Pandrea's family should have been thrilled when they learned she didn't have cancer. But it was too late - she was already dead from the treatment. A Florida jury recently awarded her family $8 million in a...

Texas HMO held liable for fatal health care.(Humana Health Plan of Texas)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Natalie White In a verdict that may have implications for HMO care around the country, a Texas jury recently awarded $7.4 million in a wrongful death suit against Humana Health Plan of Texas and a physicians' group that provides...

Ohio age discrimination suit nets $544,000.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Natalie White A 57-year-old Ohio woman recently won $544,000 in an age discrimination lawsuit against her former employer, claiming she was fired because of her age and then retaliated against when the company filed a countersuit...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: County must pay $28M for releasing homicidal psych patient.(Maricopa County)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An Arizona jury awarded $28 million on July 19 to the family of a man who killed two family members shortly after being released from a mental health facility. The murders occurred on June 23, 1999,...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: $2.7M for lung damage from microwave popcorn fumes.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A Missouri jury awarded $2.7 million on July 19 to a former popcorn plant worker who said his respiratory illness came from a harmful chemical used to make butter flavoring. Kenneth Moenning, 36, of...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: $29M class-action settlement over defective bulletproof vests.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A Japanese manufacturer reached a $29 million settlement on July 13 in an Oklahoma class action lawsuit that concerned allegedly defective bulletproof vests. The Toyobo Co. will also pay attorney fees...

President announces nomination for U.S. Supreme Court.(George W. Bush has nominated Judge John Roberts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Reni Gertner President George W. Bush has nominated Judge John Roberts to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court. Roberts, who currently serves as a judge on the D.C. Circuit and has argued 39 cases...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: DuPont settles lead paint suit with Rhode Island for $10M.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Rhode Island has reached a $10 million settlement in its landmark lead paint lawsuit with DuPont Co., one of the seven companies it sued, lawyers representing the state said. The settlement will go...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: $20M awarded in California age discrimination suit.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An 85-year-old man who sued the California Department of Corrections alleging age discrimination was awarded $20 million by a jury for emotional distress and past and future lost earnings. Dr. Robert...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: Illinois students burned in chemistry experiment get $2.5M.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An Illinois school district will pay $2.5 million to three students burned in a botched chemistry experiment four years ago. Plaintiffs Eric Baenziger, Kara Butts and Rachell Anderson were students in...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: San Francisco diocese to pay $16M to clergy sex abuse victims.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to pay more than $16 million to settle a dozen lawsuits alleging sexual abuse. Attorneys announced the agreements days before the first of several planned...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: $9.65M settlement over fatal tractor- trailer crash.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The widow of a man killed in a fiery crash with a tractor-trailer will receive a $9.65 million settlement from a trucking company whose driver had previously failed a drug test. Rhonda Noel's husband,...

Verdicts & Settlements August 1, 2005: $3.4M awarded for breach of contract.(Aerospace Marketing Inc. )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A Florida jury ordered a Minnesota parachute manufacturer to pay $3.4 million June 30 in a breach of contract suit. The jury found that Ballistic Recovery Systems Inc., which makes emergency parachute...

Lawyers are turning to old websites for evidence.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Reni Gertner Like deleted e-mail and computer files, old websites never die. Using an online database called the Wayback Machine and archived web pages collected by companies like Google, lawyers are unearthing a wide range of...

Laser eye surgery verdict nearly doubles previous record.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Natalie White A New York jury awarded $7.25 million recently to a former Wall Street investment banker who said his vision was permanently damaged after botched LASIK eye surgery. The award was nearly twice the previous record...

States battle high court takings case.(Kelo v. City of New London case)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Correy E. Stephenson In a surprising twist, the most controversial decision from the U.S. Supreme Court's recently ended term has turned out to be a takings case. The decision, which allowed a local municipality to use its...

Internet pharmacies worry drug makers.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Reni Gertner With the explosion of medications for sale on the Internet, defense lawyers for the pharmaceutical industry are worried that the absence of an intermediary doctor will make it easier for plaintiffs to sue manufacturers...

First Vioxx MDL case set for trial.(multi-district litigation)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Nora Lockwood Tooher A lawsuit filed by the widow of a Florida businessman has been chosen as the first Vioxx case to go to trial among nearly 2,000 cases pending in the federal Vioxx multi-district litigation (MDL). Judge...

Commentary: Reviewing the rules of good writing.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Judge Mark P. Painter This series began running in March 2002 in Ohio Lawyers Weekly. It was then picked up by Lawyers Weekly USA and various bar association magazines. Some readers have been exposed to the whole series, but many...

Colorado Court of Appeals rules client can't recover emotional distress damages from attorney.(cases)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An attorney charged with breach of fiduciary duty cannot be held liable for emotional distress, the Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled. The client disclosed personal information to the attorney in...

California Court of Appeal rules creditor can't sue lawyer for wasting debtor assets.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A creditor could not sue a lawyer for wasting a debtor's assets during the course of the lawyer's representation of the assignee of the assets, the California Court of Appeal has ruled in reversing a lower...

8th Circuit Court rules state claims over loan fees are preempted.(cases)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Federal law preempts state-law claims challenging the validity of loan fees charged by a bank, the 8th Circuit has ruled. The suit was brought as a putative class action by plaintiffs seeking to recover...

5th Circuit Court rules Univ. of Texas may block dating service's spam.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A state university's anti-spam policy is not preempted by federal law and does not violate the First Amendment, the 5th Circuit has ruled. The suit was initiated against the University of Texas by a...

Maryland high court rules defendant may use photos to rebut plaintiff's injuries.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An auto accident defendant may introduce photos showing minimal damage to the plaintiff's car for the purpose of rebutting the plaintiff's claims about the extent of his injuries, Maryland's highest court...

Michigan Supreme Court rules insurer may enforce time limit for UM claim.(uninsured motorist )
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An automobile insurer could deny uninsured motorist benefits because the insureds failed to file a claim within one year of an accident as required by their policy - the time limit isn't invalid for being...

8th Circuit Court rules denial of benefits by an ERISA plan can't be affirmed on new grounds.(Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An ERISA plan's decision to deny accidental death benefits could not be affirmed where the insurer argued a different basis for denial when the plaintiff sued in federal court, the en banc 8th Circuit has...

California Supreme Court rules lesbian couple may sue country club for discrimination.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A lesbian couple could sue a country club for discrimination where it afforded greater membership benefits to married couples than to domestic partners, the California Supreme Court has ruled. The...

11th Circuit court rules questioning at traffic stop is constitutional.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A 17-minute interrogation at a traffic stop that preceded the defendant's consent to a search of the car was constitutional, the 11th Circuit has ruled. A police officer stopped a truck for speeding and...

3rd Circuit Court rules parole search didn't violate constitution.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A parole search can't be invalidated on the basis that it was a ruse for a police search, the 3rd Circuit has ruled. As a condition of his parole, the defendant signed a consent form allowing searches...

ND Supreme Court rule seizure of mail package unconstitutional.
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The removal of a package from a private mailing outlet for a canine sniff violated the Fourth Amendment, the North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled in reversing a trial court. The defendant brought a...

3rd Circuit Court rules police can execute inaccurate search warrant.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Police could execute a search warrant issued for a single-residence house even though upon entry they discovered the building contained multiple apartments, the 3rd Circuit has ruled in vacating a...

7th Circuit Court rules canine sniff outside bedroom door didn't violate constitution.(cases)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A dog sniff outside a defendant's locked bedroom door did not result in a Fourth Amendment violation, the 7th Circuit has ruled. An individual gave the police a key to a house he owned and consented to...

DC Circuit Court rules no probable cause for police search of car trunk.(cases)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff The fact that a car stopped by the police had stolen license tags did not justify a search of the car's trunk, the D.C. Circuit has ruled. The car initially was stopped by officers with the U.S. Park...

WY Supreme Court rules search of car invalid due to excessive questioning by police.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Evidence found in the trunk of a car should have been suppressed on the ground that the motorist's consent to a police search was the result of impermissible questioning, the Wyoming Supreme Court has...

CA Court of Appeal rules criminal defendants have privacy interest in cellphone conversations.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff Criminal defendants have a privacy interest in their cellphone conversations even though they used false names to obtain the phones, the California Court of Appeal has ruled. In an effort to crack a...

2nd Circuit Court holds that public employer may be liable for liquidated damages under ADEA.(Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A public employer may be held liable for liquidated damages for a willful violation of the ADEA, the 2nd Circuit has ruled. Two employees of the New York Transit Authority, who were 59 and 62 years old,...

MI Supreme Court rules plaintiff can't sue for negligent retention.(Michigan)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A plaintiff couldn't sue an employer for negligent retention where her injuries were allegedly the result of sexual harassment in the workplace, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled. The plaintiff...

9th Circuit Court rules employee can sue over use of 'westernized' nickname.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff An employee can sue his employer over a supervisor's insistence on using a Westernized name instead of his given Arabic name, the 9th Circuit has ruled. Despite repeated requests to use his given Arabic...

11th Circuit Court rules that job applicant can't sue for sex discrimination.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A job applicant who wasn't qualified for a truck driving job because she had two speeding tickets on her record can't sue for sex discrimination even though the employer wasn't aware of the tickets at the...

NJ Supreme Court rules fired pregnant employee can't sue.(New Jersey)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A casino employee suffering complications from pregnancy who was fired after exhausting her medical leave can't sue her employer, the New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled in reversing summary judgment for the...

NJ Appellate Court rules divorcing couple can be forced to file joint tax returns.(New Jersey)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A divorcing couple could be ordered to file joint income tax returns, the New Jersey Appellate Division has ruled in affirming a domestic relations order. The couple owed $370,000 in unpaid taxes and...

ND Supreme Court rules wife's support can be increased to cover mortgage debt.(cases)(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lawyers Weekly USA Staff A wife's spousal support can be increased to cover mortgage debt discharged in her husband's bankruptcy, the North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled. The wife was awarded possession of the couple's home...