Ethics

NAM amicus brief in Calif. public-contingency case
As readers know, the California courts are considering an issue of high importance: whether government entities can hire private counsel on contingency fee to pursue public nuisance cases, which these days include ambitious ventures in regulation through litigation such as...

San Diego Needs Contingency Fee Lawyers
Yesterday, the Bush administration instructed all levels of the federal government that they cannot, under any circumstances, hire attorneys on a contingency fee basis. Reportedly, this does not happen very often but it has not prevented the tort reform supporters like The US Chamber of Commerce and US Chamber for Legal Reform from applauding the move...

San Diego Injury Victims Might Be Affected By Latest Fee Cap Initiatives
It is not often that we report on the legal happenings of other states. But this time it is important to let San Diegans know about several efforts to cap the percentage of a recovery contingency fee lawyers can receive--and to understand why such limitations are short-sighted and dangerous...

California Supreme Court Accepts Case On Public Use of Private Lawyers
The California Supreme Court has accepted review in County of Santa Clara v. Superior Court (S163681). The question presented is whether a public entity may retain private counsel to prosecute a public nuisance abatement action under a contingency fee agreement...

Contingency Fee Commercial Litigation
For generations, the hourly billing business model for law firms has forced plaintiffs involved in commercial litigation to pay attorneys by the hour regardless of the outcome of the litigation...

Government Retention of Contingent Fee Lawyers
We've posted before about the problems that arise when a government hires private lawyers on a contingent fee basis to represent it.Point of Law now alerts us to a new paper by Professor Martin Redish that argues that these arrangements are, at the very least, politically improper, and probably unconstitutional to boot.

The Paulson Toxic Mortgage Debt Security Act: The Biggest Government Bailout of All Time
Legislative Proprosal for Treasury Authority to Purchase Mortgage-related Assets

Paxil Lawsuit
Paxil Claims, Lawsuits, and Injuries

The Civil Rights Act of 1871
Law bans discrimination enacted under color of state law

California Supreme Court Proposition 8 Decision
Court Rejects Challenges to Proposition 8, but Finds Marriages Valid

Heart of Atlanta v United States
Supreme Court Decision: Civil Rights Act Protected by Interstate Commerce Clause

Selection of State Supreme Court Judges
How State Court Judges are Selected

Becker County
Faces Civil Rights Class Action by Inmates and their Attorneys

Video Taping Arrest
Harris County pays wrongfully arrested brothers $1.7 million civil rights settlement.

Qui Tam Whistleblower - Government Fraud - Qui Tam Lawsuit
Qui Tam Whistleblower alleging fraud against the government reported by an individual acting as a government whistleblower.

Kentucky lawyers
fraud case ends in mistrial.

Civil / Human Rights
alleging violations of basic human and civil rights.

Seattle Mortgage Co Faces California Class Action
Seattle Mortgage Co Faces California Class Action