News

Jeff Sessions' Rules for Immigration Courts ‘Unprecedented,’ Union Head Says

Ellis Kim | September 21, 2018

Judge Ashley Tabaddor, the president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said new rules from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions compromise the integrity of the nation's immigration courts.

News

Law Firm's Bankruptcy Looms Over Hardwick Embezzlement Trial

Meredith Hobbs | September 21, 2018

"Muddled" escrow accounts and the "poor condition of debtors' books and records" have delayed Morris Hardwick Schneider's bankruptcy proceedings, according to bankruptcy filings from the firm and its liquidating trustee.

News

Jury Awards $30M in Botched Circumcision MedMal Trial

Greg Land | September 21, 2018

There could be an apportionment wrangle in the offing, however, as one of three sets of co-defendants was cleared of causing the boy’s injuries, but nonetheless assessed 10 percent of the apportioned verdict.

News

Lawyer for Child Injured in Botched Circumcision Asks for $100M in Damages

Greg Land | September 20, 2018

Pope McGlamry partner C. Neal Pope said the 18 days prior to the flawed procedure are the only “normal days that child will have”

News

Judge OKs Trial for Deputy Who Orchestrated Ex-Wife's Arrest for Facebook Post

R. Robin McDonald | September 20, 2018

A federal judge in Macon on Thursday refused to throw out Sandersville resident Anne King's abuse of authority lawsuit against her ex-husband—a captain in the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

News

Senate Lawyers Navigate Complexities of Kavanaugh Sexual Assault Hearing

Marcia Coyle | C. Ryan Barber | Ellis Kim | September 20, 2018

Teams of congressional lawyers are working behind the scenes on the contours of a hearing where California professor Christine Blasey Ford would confront U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

News

Closings Under Way in Botched Circumcision Med-Mal Trial

Greg Land | September 20, 2018

Pope McGlamry partner C. Neal Pope will resume closings for the plaintiffs after the lunch break and is expected to seek millions of dollars in damages.

News

CLO Who Passed 5 Bar Exams in 3 Years Speaks Up for Relocating Military Spouse Lawyers

Kristen Rasmussen | September 20, 2018

Sloane Perras, senior vice president and chief administrative and legal officer at fast food restaurant chain The Krystal Co., signed onto an amicus brief urging the Georgia Supreme Court to overturn the state Board of Bar Examiners’ denial of a military spouse’s request to practice law without having to pass the state's bar exam.

Judge Facing Ethics Charges Calls Judicial Watchdog Agency Unconstitutional

R. Robin McDonald | September 20, 2018

Pike County Superior Court Judge Mack Crawford is fighting back against charges accusing him of impermissibly laying claim to more than $15,000 that had been in the clerk registry for 16 years.

News

Smith Moore Will Be Acquired by Big Philly Firm

Lizzy McLellan| September 20, 2018

The deal will give Fox Rothschild a 20-lawyer Atlanta office and five others in the Carolinas.

Letter to the Editor

State Bar Congratulates New Presiding Justice David Nahmias

Kenneth B. Hodges III, State Bar of Georgia| September 20, 2018

State Bar president writes to congratulate Justice David Nahmias of Dunwoody on his recent installation as presiding justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

News

Judge Delays Trial in Hardwick Law Firm Embezzlement Case

Meredith Hobbs | September 19, 2018

Opening statements are now set to begin Monday after lawyers for defendant Nathan Hardwick said he had developed a severe and "highly contagious" respiratory illness.

News

Troutman to Host Auction of Titanic Artifact Collection

Meredith Hobbs | September 19, 2018

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy auction is not for the casual souvenir hunter. Bidding will start at $21.5 million, and bids must be qualified in advance.

News

North Georgia Judge Throws Out State House Primary Results

R. Robin McDonald | September 19, 2018

A Superior Court judge tossed the primary election results for Georgia House District 28, saying Rep. Dan Gasaway presented sufficient evidence to call the election results into question.

News

Closings Set in Clayton County Med-Mal Trial Over Botched Circumcision

Greg Land | September 19, 2018

More than a dozen lawyers are on hand for the trial, which involves a boy who lost part of his penis during a faulty circumcision when he was only 18 days old.

News

Secretary of State, Election Board to Appeal Paper Ballot Ruling

R. Robin McDonald | September 19, 2018

State officials are appealing the ruling, arguing the suit should be dismissed because they are immune from liability.

Get Ready for an 8-Justice Supreme Court, as Kavanaugh Controversy Persists

Tony Mauro | September 19, 2018

“We all do the math. Four out of eight is harder than four out of nine. It will slow down the pace of grants. Maybe some people think that’s a good thing, but Supreme Court practitioners don’t,” says Kirkland & Ellis partner Paul Clement.

News

SEC Halts $345M Ponzi-Like Scheme That Bilked Pro Athletes, Advisors

Melanie Waddell | September 19, 2018

The scheme involved consumer debt portfolios, the SEC said.

News

Jury Selected in Hardwick Embezzlement Trial Over Defunct Atlanta Firm

Meredith Hobbs | September 18, 2018

Opening statements will start on Thursday morning after a break on Wednesday in observance of Yom Kippur.

Ford's Lawyer Lawyers Up

Katheryn Tucker | September 18, 2018

Patrick T. O’Connor, managing partner with Oliver Maner in Savannah and a past president of the State Bar of Georgia, has entered an appearance as counsel for Ford's lead lawyer, D. Alan Thomas, who is facing a sanctions hearing before the judge.

News

After N-Bomb, Emory Law Prof's 1L Students May Choose Whether to Take His Classes

Greg Land | September 18, 2018

Emory Law Professor Paul Zwier agreed to a two-year period during which students may choose whether take his classes and to undergo sensitivity and unconscious bias counseling.

News

FINRA Exec Returns to King & Spalding in DC

Ryan Lovelace | September 18, 2018

Russ Ryan, returning to King & Spalding after a stint in senior roles at FINRA, comes as the Atlanta firm continues to grow its ranks in Washington.

Councilmembers Call for Courtroom Livestreaming

Katheryn Tucker | September 18, 2018

Atlanta City Council members say cameras in the courtroom could improve public understanding of the judicial system.

News

S.C. Dept. of Insurance issues emergency regulation to aid customers

Danielle Ling | September 18, 2018

Director Ray Farmer laid out the details of the emergency order.

Female Clerks Stand by Kavanaugh Despite Assault Allegation

Tony Mauro | September 18, 2018

“The recent allegation is flatly inconsistent with everything I know of him," one former Kavanaugh clerk, Sarah Pitlyk, says.

Analysis

A Bevy of Cybersecurity Pitfalls Marred Equifax’s Handling of Insider Threat

Rhys Dipshan | September 18, 2018

Equifax knew its employees were sending confidential data out of the company. So why couldn’t it stop the activity?

Commentary

What Constitutes Negligence in Company Data Breaches?

Amy L. Hanna Keeney, Adams and Reese| September 18, 2018

There are two aspects of the opinion that either diminish its usefulness or give you hope, depending on which side of this battle you favor.

News

Ford Wins a Round in Hotly-Contested Roof Crush Case With Sanctions Appeal

Katheryn Tucker | September 18, 2018

The Georgia Court of Appeals issued a one-sentence order denying an emergency motion to dismiss Ford’s notice of appeal in a product liability wrongful death lawsuit involving a South Georgia couple who died in an F-250 Super Duty pickup truck rollover crash.

News

Judge Finds Ga. Elections at Risk of Hacking, Declines to Order Paper Ballots

R. Robin McDonald | September 18, 2018

Judge Totenberg warned Georgia’s election officials that further delay addressing the challenges facing the state’s election system are not tolerable.

News

Confirmation in Turmoil, Kavanaugh and His Accuser Will Testify at Public Hearing

Marcia Coyle | September 17, 2018

The extraordinary public hearing into the claims—brought by Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University—is scheduled to occur Sept. 24.

News

British Caver, Client of Atlanta Lawyer, Sues Elon Musk Over 'Pedo Guy' Tweet

Ross Todd| September 17, 2018

Lin Wood represents British explorer who volunteered in Thai cave rescue in July.

News

After Hurricane Florence, Legal Community Considers Next Steps

Phillip Bantz | September 17, 2018

“It’s not like you can relax and focus on work when you’re thinking about everyone who stayed behind," said one lawyer in North Carolina who evacuated ahead of the storm.

News

Fannin Jury Awards $129M in Fatal July 4 Wreck

Greg Land | September 17, 2018

The crash left one child dead and another permanently paralyzed. The at-fault driver is in prison for vehicular homicide.

News

Kavanaugh, Amid Sexual Assault Claim, Reportedly Hires Beth Wilkinson

Ellis Kim | September 17, 2018

Beth Wilkinson has deep experience representing high-profile clients in hot water, and recently commented on her experience as a female trial lawyer.

News

GCs at ATL Conference Urge Lawyers to Know Their Clients' Business

Kristen Rasmussen| September 17, 2018

During a roundtable panel discussion at the International Association of Korean Lawyers conference last week in Atlanta, top in-house lawyers spoke about the importance—to both in-house attorneys and their outside counsel—of understanding how the business works.

Commentary

The Ghost in the Room: Mediation and the Courts

Stephen McKinney| September 17, 2018

The management of burgeoning civil dockets, budgets, courtroom facilities, scheduling pressures and the occasional good old-fashioned desire to punt on complex dispositive motions, have all played a part in causing courts to claim a vested interest in both mediations and their outcome.

Commentary

Five Psychological Strategies Every Attorney Should Know About Negotiating

Jennifer Grippa| September 17, 2018

An important first step is to de-escalate the situation and calm your adversary down. You can do this through active listening.

Commentary

Alien Tort Cases Will Survive Supreme Court Trim, Write Commentators

Peter B. "Bo" Rutledge and Michael Baker| September 17, 2018

Despite Jesner’s holding, several potentially viable avenues for ATS litigation remain.

Commentary

Arbitration Will Play a Critical Role in Blockchain Technology

Louise Ann Kelleher| September 17, 2018

No one is quite sure how the dispute resolution aspects of the blockchain will work. Enter arbitration.

Commentary

Strike a Pose: How Body Language Can Aid Mediation

Lee Wallace| September 17, 2018

A basic understanding of body language can help you choose the right seat, read your opponent and even pick out the person on the other side who has the decision-making authority.

News

US Judge Halts Insurer's Bid to Duck $30M Verdict Until Georgia Justices Decide Its Fate

Greg Land | September 14, 2018

After the Georgia Court of Appeals scrapped the verdict and ordered a new trial, Judge Richard Story halted discovery in American Family Insurance's suit seeking to dodge liability for the hefty award until the underlying case is resolved.

Deal Picks Bethel for High Court, Coomer for Court of Appeals

Katheryn Tucker | September 14, 2018

As lawmakers, both carried the ball for the governor as floor leaders in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

Research

ALM Survey on Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Big Law’s Pervasive Problem

Patrick Krill| September 14, 2018

ALM Intelligence's survey of Am Law 200 firm leaders about their attitudes and actions regarding addiction and mental health challenges reveals much work remains to be done to deal with the problem.

Commentary

Make Time for Marketing Mondays

Robin Hensley| September 14, 2018

Analyzing his schedule and the list of individuals he expects to call, we decided that Monday mornings were the best time for him to reach out to those folks.

Editor's Letter

What Do You Love About the Law?

Jonathan Ringel | September 14, 2018

"It's that every now and again—not often, but occasionally—you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens."

News

11th Circuit OKs Suit Against Cop Who Repeatedly Tased Elderly Driver

Greg Land | September 14, 2018

The appellate court agreed with the lower court that there was enough evidence that an Argo, Alabama, officer used excessive force in repeatedly tasing a man who went into diabetic shock while driving.

News

Federal Judicial Misconduct Rules Could Get a Significant Makeover

Tony Mauro | September 13, 2018

Proposed changes in the rules governing judicial misconduct and disability would expand the definition of "cognizable misconduct" that could lead to sanctions against judges.

News

Embezzlement Trial Over Defunct Atlanta Firm Will Hinge on Intent

Meredith Hobbs | September 13, 2018

Prosecutors say they'll show Nathan Hardwick siphoned funds from now-bankrupt Morris Hardwick Schneider to fuel his "lavish spending," including more than $16 million on charter jets, gambling and women.

News

See a Document From the Room Where It Really Happened

Jonathan Ringel | September 13, 2018

The four-page draft of the Constitution was supposed to have been destroyed when the final document was completed, but Georgia lawyer Abraham Baldwin kept his copy.

News

Nashville-Based Transactions Lawyer Takes Reins at Bradley Arant

Scott Flaherty | September 13, 2018

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings has selected a new leader: Nashville-based Jonathan Skeeters, a transactional lawyer who will now guide the Am Law 200 firm's direction.

News

Federal Judge to Rule on Midterm Paper Ballots by Monday

R. Robin McDonald | September 13, 2018

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg said she faces “a Catch-22” in balancing disturbing testimony from cybersecurity experts that Georgia's election infrastructure is vulnerable to hackers and may already have been compromised against public officials who say that converting to paper ballots would result in a chaotic, error-prone and untrustworthy midterm election.

Letter to the Editor

State Bar Congratulates New Chief Justice Harold Melton

Kenneth B. Hodges III| September 13, 2018

"Our gratitude also goes to retiring Chief Justice P. Harris Hines for his outstanding leadership since January 2017 as chief justice and throughout his 23 years on the court," writes State Bar of Georgia President Ken Hodges.

News

University of Florida Brings E-Discovery Expertise Abroad With Chinese University Partnership

Rhys Dipshan| September 13, 2018

University of Florida professor William Hamilton traveled to Nanjing, China to teach a two-week crash course on e-discovery. He had his work cut out for him.

News

With Florence Approaching, Attorneys in the Carolinas Try to Work Through the Weather

Phillip Bantz | Scott Flaherty | September 12, 2018

“Until the rains and winds start, I’m accepting work. I’ve got to make money,” said one attorney in the region.

Assistant Solicitor Pinson Moves Up to Replace Warren

Katheryn Tucker | September 12, 2018

Andrew Pinson, who served as an assistant solicitor general with Sarah Warren, will step up to take her place.

Retired Hines Goes From Bench to 'Bench'

Katheryn Tucker | September 12, 2018

Hines has moved into position to become a utility player for both of Georgia’s appellate courts.

News

Defunct Charlotte Law School and Ex-Students Reach $2.7M Settlement

Karen Sloan | September 12, 2018

If approved, the class-action settlement will end four federal suits and 90 state court suits targeting the shuttered law school.

News

Suit Claims Steve Harvey Execs Fired Woman Who Refused Their Sex Requests

Greg Land | September 12, 2018

The federal complaint filed in Georgia's Northern District said the former president and secretary for Harvey's radio and production companies fired a woman who refused to join them for sex.

News

Clearside Biomedical Brings on Industry Vet as New Legal Boss

Kristen Rasmussen | September 12, 2018

Alpharetta-based Clearside Biomedical, which specializes in the development of treatments to restore and preserve vision for people with serious eye diseases, has named Leslie Zacks as general counsel and chief compliance officer.

JNC Sends Deal 3 More Supreme Court Nominees

Katheryn Tucker | September 12, 2018

The Judicial Nominating Commission has given Gov. Nathan Deal a new list of candidates to consider for filling the last remaining opening on the Georgia…

News

Federal Judge to Hear Arguments Over Nov. 6 Paper Ballot Proposal

R. Robin McDonald | September 11, 2018

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg will hear from academics, cybersecurity experts and public officials during an all-day hearing over whether the state should use paper ballots during the midterm elections.

News

Justices Grill Lawyers Fighting Over 'Gotcha' Bad Faith Insurance Suits

Greg Land | September 11, 2018

The Georgia Supreme Court must decide what duties an insurer has to try to settle a case with heavy liability.

Special Education Teachers' Challenge Over Child Abuse Registry Tossed

Katheryn Tucker | September 11, 2018

Presiding Justice David Nahmias included the consolation embedded in other recent sovereign immunity decisions. While state officials can’t be sued in their official capacities, they can be sued individually.

Outside Counsel Picked for Georgia Opioid Litigation

Katheryn Tucker | September 11, 2018

The team has bipartisan credentials and will work under a contingency fee arrangement. It includes: John Bevis of the Barnes Law Group, The Cooper Firm, Franklin Law and Beasley Allen.

News

Emory Law Launches Search for New Dean

Kristen Rasmussen | September 11, 2018

Emory provost Dwight McBride has announced a 13-person search advisory committee that will seek community input about the position.

Justices Revive Military Spouse’s Request to Practice Law in Georgia

Katheryn Tucker | September 11, 2018

“Harriet O'Neal took on this challenge because she knew it was about more than one person,”said Linda Klein of Baker Donelson. “She knew that it was about standing up for all those who will apply for military spouse waivers in the future and ensuring they face a process that is clear, fair and consistent.”

News

Plaintiffs Lawyers Honor Tommy Malone With Mercer Law Scholarship

Meredith Hobbs | September 11, 2018

Savannah trial lawyers, all but one fellow Mercer Law alums, have started an endowed scholarship for aspiring trial lawyers in the renowned Georgia plaintiffs lawyer's name.

News

IVC Filter Trials Forging Ahead, With 3rd Bard Case Starting Next Week

Amanda Bronstad| September 10, 2018

So far, there's no clear victor in trials aimed at resolving 9,000 cases over the medical devices.

News

Georgia Justices to Take Up 'Gotcha' Holt Demands Tuesday Morning

Greg Land | September 10, 2018

For years, insurers have complained that some plaintiffs lawyers abuse time limited "Holt demands" to force insurers into either coughing up policy limits or face the possibility of large "bad faith" judgments.

News

Upend Precedent, 11th Circuit Panel Urges in Pensacola Cross Case

Katheryn Tucker | September 10, 2018

A panel of three judges from the circuit court ruled Friday that efforts to keep the cross where it is loses out to precedent from a 35-year-old opinion. But then two of the panel's judges wrote separately to invite a reversal, saying their precedent is wrong. The opinions together totaled 82 pages.

Slideshow

5 Quick Facts About Millennials' Retirement Savings

Ginger Szala | September 10, 2018

Guideline 401(k) studied 5,400 millennials and their savings habits.

News

Mandatory Bar Dues Face New Questions After Justices Curtail Union Fees

Marcia Coyle | September 10, 2018

Lawyers are challenging bar dues in two states where—as in Georgia—state bar membership is mandatory.

News

Appeals Court: Judge Must Follow the Law on Sealing Old Pot Arrest, Like It or Not

Greg Land | September 10, 2018

Bulloch County Superior Court Judge F. Gates Peed knew his refusal to consider the underlying arguments was "not the law" when he refused to seal a man's expunged record.

News

State Supreme Court Restores Immunity to Judge Sued Over Troubled Court

R. Robin McDonald | September 10, 2018

The Georgia Supreme Court reversed the state Court of Appeals and restored judicial immunity to the former chief judge of DeKalb County Recorder's Court, which was abolished three years ago.

News

Autonomous Vehicles Drive New Practice for Fisher Phillips

Meredith Hobbs | September 10, 2018

The labor and employment firm's new autonomous vehicles practice addresses workplace issues surrounding driverless cars and other new technologies.

MLB Hits Up Hogan Lovells for Drone Lobbying

C. Ryan Barber | September 10, 2018

“MLB is working with lawmakers and policymakers to develop new policies, procedures and approaches that continue to ensure fan safety,” MLB top in-house lobbyist says.

News

ABA Sounds New Alarm on Substance Abuse, Firms Pledge Action

Dan Packel | September 10, 2018

A dozen major law firms have already signed on to a seven-point pledge that the ABA hopes the whole industry will embrace.

Commentary

Important Things to Know About the ABA’s Changes to Attorney Advertising Rules

Shari L. Klevens and Alanna Clair| September 10, 2018

Although the attorney advertising rules are meant to protect the public, it is possible that attorneys were using these rules defensively against other members of the bar.

News

Georgia Supreme Court Issues 2 Lawyer Discipline Opinions, 1 With Dissent

Eden Landow | September 10, 2018

The justices rejected one lawyer's petition for voluntary discipline and suspended one lawyer in issuing two attorney discipline decisions Monday.

News

Drug Conviction at Risk Over Defense Lawyer's 'Divided Loyalties'

Katheryn Tucker | September 07, 2018

“Divided loyalties often prove to be a source of mischief in human relations. As this case illustrates, they also cause serious trouble for an attorney and his client,” Eleventh Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan said.

News

Ruling on Immunity for DeKalb Court Officials Expected Monday

Jonathan Ringel | September 07, 2018

At issue is immunity from lawsuits enjoyed by court officials.

News

Judge Tosses Production Companies' Lawsuit Over Plane Crash in Tom Cruise Flick

Greg Land | September 07, 2018

A federal judge in Atlanta said four production companies being sued along with the company that maintained the downed plane should wait until that litigation ends before seeking to be indemnified for any potential awards or judgments.

News

Ex-KSU Cheerleader Sues Over Efforts to Stop Kneeling Protest

R. Robin McDonald | September 07, 2018

A former KSU cheerleader has sued university officials, a former state representative and the county sheriff, claiming that her constitutional rights were violated when cheerleaders were barred from the playing field during the national anthem.

News

Pak Announces Pleas in $3.5M Sweepstakes Scam, Warns Seniors

Katheryn Tucker | September 07, 2018

“These defendants stole the life savings of dozens of elderly victims and received more than $3.5 million,” U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak said.

News

Kevin Garnett Sues for Fraud Involving Tim Duncan's Ex-Advisor

Janet Levaux | September 07, 2018

The advisor, Charles Banks, is in prison for defrauding Duncan, an ex-NBA player.

Fewer Legal Jobs for Second Consecutive Month as US Economy Continues Growth Streak

Scott Flaherty | September 07, 2018

The U.S. government's jobs report for August showed a decline in legal services employment for the second straight month.

Podcast

Stay Tuned! Your Weekend Lineup From Legal Speak

Vanessa Blum | Leigh Jones | September 07, 2018

Legal Speak is on break but we'll be back next week with fresh podcasts. Is there an issue related to the legal industry that you think would make a great podcast? We want to hear from you.

News

Judge Orders 'The Big Egos' in Butler Wooten, Cheeley Fee Dispute Into Mediation

Greg Land | September 06, 2018

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall said he thought former Butler Wooten partner Robert Cheeley had an "uphill battle to set aside an arbitration award."

News

Book About 11th Circuit Judge Is a Peace Offering Amid Tough Kavanaugh Hearings

Tony Mauro | September 06, 2018

“I went home, read the whole thing, and I appreciate it,” Kavanaugh said about the book about the late Judge Frank Johnson Jr.

News

Atlanta Mayor's Executive Order: City Jail Will No Longer House ICE Detainees

The Associated Press| September 06, 2018

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms' order directs Atlanta’s corrections chief to formally request that ICE transfer all detainees as soon as possible. The jail had been receiving the detainees under an agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service.

News

Former Law Firm Employee Sentenced for Stealing From Firm Accounts

R. Robin McDonald | September 06, 2018

Oscar Williams Jr. siphoned nearly $12,000 from the accounts of Cobb County real estate firm Perrie & Associates, where he worked for two years. He was sentenced last week to a three-year prison term and faces similar charges in Fulton County and in Rockville, Maryland.

Ninth Circuit Revives Former NFL Players' Lawsuit Related to Painkiller Side-Effects

Ross Todd | September 06, 2018

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit found that NFL players' claims that drugs were handed out by trainers without medical licenses and without proper prescriptions didn't arise from the league's collective bargaining agreements with players.

News

AG Announces Gang Prosecution Network, Opponent Calls for More Action

Katheryn Tucker | September 06, 2018

Attorney General Chris Carr and his opponent in the upcoming November election, Charlie Bailey, expressed different ideas Wednesday about how to combat rising violence from organized crime.

News

Georgia Federal Judge Rules Insurer's Firearms Exclusion Was Too Ambiguous to Bar Coverage

Steven A. Meyerowitz| September 06, 2018

The district court explained that, under one reasonable interpretation, the exclusion could be read to mean that only the insured’s use of “firearms” was included. Under an “equally reasonable interpretation,” the district court continued, the exclusion could be read to deny coverage for “bodily injury” resulting from any use of “firearms,” including by a third party.

News

Judge Richard Story Says Senior Status Won't Soon Lighten His Workload

R. Robin McDonald | September 05, 2018

After 20 years on the federal bench in Atlanta, U.S. District Judge Richard Story says taking senior status will save him a brutal commute—and add a needed extra pair of hands when a new judge is appointed to replace him.

News

Ex-White House Officials Passantino, Priebus Reunite at Michael Best

Ryan Lovelace | September 05, 2018

Stefan Passantino called joining Milwaukee-based Michael Best & Friedrich a "no-brainer." Could Newt Gingrich, another Dentons alum, be next?

News

Judge Nixes Effort to Apply Old Grand Jury Rules to Cop's Re-Indictment

Greg Land | September 05, 2018

Former Atlanta police officer James Burns, re-indicted on murder charges Wednesday for a 2016 shooting, had filed an emergency petition asking that the same grand jury rules that applied when he was first indicted—including allowing him to deliver a statement without being questioned—be applied again. A Fulton judge said "no."

News

Roy Moore Files Defamation Suit Against Sacha Baron Cohen, CBS and Showtime Over Spoof TV Show

Raychel Lean | September 05, 2018

Former Alabama Judge Roy Moore and his wife Kayla Moore claim they were tricked into flying to Washington, D.C., for bogus interview, in which Sacha Baron Cohen masqueraded as an Israeli anti-terror expert and used a fake "pedophile detector" device on him.

Commentary

This Isn't Vegas: What Happens in a Civil Case Doesn’t Always Stay There

Jamila M. Hall and Kaeley R. Brown| September 05, 2018

Anything your client says in a deposition or civil trial can be used against them in a criminal case as a “prior statement”—considered nonhearsay under Federal Rule of Evidence 801(d)(2)(A) and most state evidentiary rules.

News

Consumer Lawyers Take Aim at Equifax Motion to Dismiss Data Breach Cases

R. Robin McDonald | September 05, 2018

Attorneys representing hundreds of consumer plaintiffs whose financial and personal information was exposed in a massive data breach at Equifax last year challenged arguments by the credit bureau's lawyers that no one suffered harm, and if they did, Equifax is not at fault.