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Collateral Damage
Two very different cases are casting new light on a legal issue that has been simmering for years: when, whether and how defendants should be informed about the collateral consequences of pleading or being found guilty.
Use these tools to search all U.S. Circuit and Supreme Court decisions from the past year.
Securities fraud suits resurface
Plaintiffs' lawyers are slapping public companies with securities class actions months or years after the date the alleged fraud came to light as they turn their attention from cases related to the financial meltdown back to traditional securities suits.
Pressure applied to resolve Hispanic farmers lawsuit against Agriculture Department
A group of Hispanic farmers whose discrimination lawsuit against the federal government has dragged on for years received a morale boost this week. On Wednesday, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) took to the Senate floor and urged the government to correct past discriminatory practices by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and settle the suit.
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Katrina plaintiffs win verdict against government
A federal judge in New Orleans on Wednesday issued a verdict against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, finding that its failure to maintain a navigation channel contributed to the deaths of inhabitants and destruction of homes during Hurricane Katrina.
Local officials attack proposed L.A. ordinance to regulate marijuana dispensaries
Attorneys at the Los Angeles City Attorney's office and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office blasted a proposed city ordinance this week for running afoul of state laws that prohibit the sale of marijuana.
The proposed ordinance comes as the medical marijuana dispensaries have increased dramatically in the city.
Defective paperwork strips mortgage holder of foreclosure rights
A Massachusetts federal judge has upheld a bankruptcy court ruling allowing a trustee to treat a mortgage as an unsecured claim, which strips the mortgage holder of foreclosure rights, because of defective mortgage paperwork.
Judge orders ex-Toyota attorney into arbitration
A federal judge has ordered that a former in-house lawyer at Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. must arbitrate claims that the automobile manufacturer hid and destroyed evidence in cases involving victims of rollover accidents.
Federal Circuit dismisses 'Tafas' appeal, but plaintiff may still seek fees
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently dismissed a case challenging controversial proposed patent rules that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently dropped, but it left the door open for the plaintiff to recover legal costs.
Yemeni brothers get second chance to stay from 6th Circuit
A tale of forbidden love in Yemen has spun its way through the American courts, where two Yemeni brothers fearing persecution back home have convinced a federal appellate court to let them stay in the U.S. The 6th Circuit ruled that the brothers might be killed if they were forced to return to Yemen, where 11 years ago one of them married the daughter of a high-ranking general, who was adamantly opposed the marriage and vowed to kill the couple.
Unanimous 7th Circuit finds mezuzah removal worth a lawsuit
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit has ruled that a Jewish family whose mezuzah was repeatedly removed from their door frame by their condominium association can proceed with a lawsuit claiming discrimination and seeking damages.
