Court refuses to block Okla. execution

The Supreme Court has refused to halt the execution of an Oklahoma inmate who claims he is mentally incompetent and ineligible for the death penalty.

The justices said in an order Tuesday that they will not grant a stay of execution to 56-year-old Garry Thomas Allen, who is set to die by lethal injection Tuesday evening at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

Allen was convicted in the shooting death of his fiancée outside a children's day care in Oklahoma City in 1986.

Allen's attorneys had argued that he was incompetent when he entered a guilty plea in the case and that his mental condition has continued to deteriorate. Appellate courts have rejected those claims.

Colorado shooting suspect to be formally charged

Launching a case that legal analysts expect to be dominated by arguments over the defendant's sanity, Colorado prosecutors plan to file formal charges Monday against James Eagan Holmes, the former neuroscience student accused of killing 12 people and wounding 58 others at an Aurora movie theater.
Attorneys will also argue over a defense motion to find out who leaked information to the news media about a package the 24-year-old former neuroscience graduate student allegedly sent to his psychiatrist at the University of Colorado Denver.
Authorities seized the package July 23, three days after the shooting, after finding it in the mailroom of the medical campus where Holmes studied. Several media outlets reported that it contained a notebook with descriptions of an attack, but Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers said in court papers that the parcel hadn't been opened by the time the "inaccurate" news reports appeared.
Investigators said Holmes began stockpiling gear for his assault four months ago and bought his weapons in May and June, well before the shooting spree just after midnight during a showing of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises." He was arrested by police outside the theater.
Analysts said that means it's likely there's only one main point of legal dispute between prosecutors and the defense.

Eugene Personal Injury Lawyer - Arnold Law Office, LLC.

The wrongful death of a loved one leaves family members wondering how to cope with such a loss. Among other concerns, the financial uncertainty produced by the death of a family income provider can be overwhelming and sometimes terrifying. We assist Oregon families in coping with a tragic loss from a wrongful death.

Our lawyers represent Oregon residents in wrongful death lawsuits to hold negligent people or corporations accountable for their actions. A wrongful death claim is an attempt to get justice for your family member and obtain financial compensation for your loss.

Attorney C. Michael Arnold regularly tries cases before juries. As a former Eugene City prosecutor, he is well versed in the strategies and tactics that prevail at trial. We represent people in wrongful death suits involving:

    Car Accidents
    Trucking accidents
    Motorcycle accidents
    Drunk driving accidents
    Bicycle or Pedestrian Accidents
    Nursing Home Negligence, Neglect or Abuse
    Criminal cases / negligent security claims
    Products Liability

Arnold Law Office, LLC can help you get through a tough time to help you and your family get back on your feet.  With the help of the their attorneys, you will get the justice you deserve. The experience of their team is second to none and promise to fight for you until the very end. Visit us at http://www.arnoldlawfirm.com/ for more information or call (541) 338-9111 for your free consultation!

Cardiff Personal Injury Lawyer

Car accidents are filed as one of the most common type of personal injuries. This involves motor vehicles colliding with other automobiles, stationary objects, park vehicles, pedestrians or road debris. These motor vehicles can range from everyday cars to commercial trucks, passenger vans, or delivery automobiles. These collisions often times involve multiple parties and can quickly escalate into a complicated situation if you do not act immediately. An automobile accident can turn into a long process and may take up to weeks for full investigation to finish. During this investigation period, insurance companies are looking for contributing factors for the cause of the accident. Factors may include: vehicle design, road design, driver distraction, driving while intoxicated, and driving speed.

Automobile accidents may have a traumatizing affect on parties involved and when insurance companies know you are in a vulnerable position, they may take advantage of you in order to make the most money. Insurance companies are simply in the business to make money and do not hold you in their best interest. It is important to not make the mistake of reaching out to an insurance company before seeking advice from a personal injury lawyer.

The Law Offices of Robert W. Jackson, APC can alleviate some post-accident stress during a difficult time. If you were recently involved in an automobile accident and want to claim damage to property, injuries, or wrongful death, our attorneys have what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve. We are committed in assisting you if you were injured or have lost a friend or family member in an automobile accident. Our strength is working through negotiations during trial and can represent you in the courtroom in the best light. Contact one of our Cardiff and Fallbrook, California offices to discuss your case 760-723-1295 or visit http://www.jacksontriallawyers.com/ for more information.

UnitedHealth plans to keep overhaul elements

Insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. sees some parts of the health care overhaul as sound medicine and plans to keep them regardless of whether the law survives an upcoming Supreme Court ruling.
The nation's largest health insurer said Monday that it will still cover preventive care like immunizations without charging a co-payment, which is the fee usually paid at the doctor's office, and it will continue other popular, initial provisions of the law.
The overhaul, which aims to provide coverage for millions of uninsured people, started unfolding in 2010 after health insurers fought bitterly to block its passage. Challenges to the law from states and other groups opposed to it wound their way through the court system to the Supreme Court, which heard arguments on the law's constitutionality in March.
The court is expected to issue a ruling later this month that could strike down the entire law or parts of it or uphold it.
Despite deep divisions about President Barack Obama's law, UnitedHealth's announcement underscores the staying power of some of its reforms.

Ex-Tyco CEO loses parole bid in New York

Former Tyco CEO L. Dennis Kozlowski on Thursday lost a bid to get out of the prison where he's serving time in one of the corporate world's most notorious fraud cases, with parole officials calling his role in the $100-million-plus scheme a "glaring violation" of shareholders' trust.

"Your discretionary release, at this time, would thus not be compatible with the welfare of society at large, and would tend to deprecate the seriousness of the instant offenses and undermine respect for the law," the state Parole Board wrote in its decision.

Kozlowski is "deeply disappointed," said his lawyer, Alan Lewis.

"Respectfully, he does not agree that his parole would compromise public safety," Lewis said in a statement issued by his office.

The Manhattan district attorney's office opposed parole for Kozlowski but had no further comment Thursday.

The decision leaves Kozlowski, 65, behind bars until at least September 2013, when he can try for parole again.

Experienced, Aggressive Advocacy Focused on Your Recovery

The motorcycle accident attorney services by King Law Firm, P.C., are designed to help you get your life back together and get you the maximum settlement possible.

An experienced motorcycle attorney Ray King will:

- Investigate the motorcycle accident promptly and thoroughly
- Preserve evidence of the motorcycle crash
- Secure photographs of the motorcycle crash scene
- Establish the defendants' liability for the motorcycle accident
- Inspect the motorcycle and safety gear for potential defects
- Recover your medical expenses and lost wages

The Austin, Texas motorcycle accident attorney Ray King is familiar with the battles you face as a motorcyclist, and we can help you stand up for your rights and overcome them. Ray King is "The Motorcycle Attorney" and has offices across Texas.  Ray employs an office of professionals who use the latest technology to enhance each motorcycle accident victim. Ray and his staff regularly make house calls and visit hospitalized clients to accommodate their families. Ray employs an Accident Reconstructionist to investigate each motorcycle accident and immediately interview any witness and collect the necessary evidence sometimes missed by local police departments.

If you need help with your motorcycle accident case, call us at (512) 262-9018.

Ohio school shooting case may go to adult court

A 17-year-old boy charged in a school shooting rampage that left three students dead was told by a judge on Tuesday that the case could be sent to adult court for trial.

Authorities will decide later whether T.J. Lane will be tried as an adult and face a possible life sentence if convicted.

Lane, who is charged with three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault, did not enter a plea Tuesday when he appeared before Juvenile Judge Tim Grendell.

The judge postponed a hearing on the adult-court matter from March 19 until April 3 because two new attorneys have joined the defense team.

Lane watched the judge without visible emotion, blinking occasionally. He was taken into court under heavy security, a deputy's hand on his arm. He was dressed in an outfit similar to what he wore last week in court — a tan, open-collared dress shirt and dark slacks.

Relatives of the victims faced Lane from the jury box. Some wore memorial ribbons of red and black, the colors of Chardon High School.

Lane spoke in response to routine questions from the judge about his understanding of the case and his rights.

Court Overturns $10M Tyson Verdict

The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday tossed a $10 million jury verdict against Tyson Foods Inc., granting the company's request for a new trial based on allegations of juror misconduct and a mistake on interpreting the law.

Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods claimed on appeal that some prospective jurors in the trial in McCurtain County, Okla., didn't answer questions fully or truthfully on juror questionnaires and the trial judge didn't allow oral questions on items covered in the forms filled out by the panelists.

The high court also agreed with Tyson that the growers weren't covered by the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act. Growers had argued that since Tyson provided them with feed and chicks, that gave them standing as consumers.

Tyson has a large operation in the region, with more than 180 poultry producers in southwest Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma that raise broilers for Tyson's plant in Broken Bow, Okla. That plant and its related operations, including a feed mill, employ more than 1,700 people.

In 2008, 54 growers, with Rusty Armstrong as lead plaintiff, sued Tyson, claiming that farmers who didn't want to modernize their equipment were given inferior feed and chicks. They claimed that Tyson had favored growers who got better feed and livestock.

Sidley Austin LLP Expands Project Finance Practice

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to announce that Timothy J. Moran will join the firm as a partner in the project finance practice in Washington, D.C. Mr. Moran's practice focuses on infrastructure project development and finance, where he represents lenders, project sponsors and developers in the development, financing, acquisition and sale of infrastructure projects located in North America, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mr. Moran's projects include alternative energy (wind, solar and biomass), coal and natural gas-fired facilities, natural gas storage facilities, LNG projects and natural gas pipelines. 

"Tim's level of experience in project finance will be instrumental as we continue to expand the firm's ability to represent clients on what are certainly going to be important undertakings in the global economy," said Carter G. Phillips, Managing Partner of the Washington, D.C. office of Sidley, and a member of the firm's Management Committee. "He has a highly respected and very dynamic project finance practice that fits perfectly with the firm's significant expansion of its energy practice, as well as our enhancement of project finance capabilities. Tim's practice will be a wonderful complement to our newly established Houston office." 

"Sidley provides an ideal opportunity for me to grow my practice on an international platform that is already successful but very well equipped for new opportunities," said Mr. Moran. "I look forward to working with the project finance team in Washington, New York, Houston and Los Angeles, as well as Sidley's highly regarded energy and environmental lawyers in Washington and Houston." 

Mr. Moran represents lenders in construction and term financings and equity investors in private placements and tax-based equity investments. Mr. Moran is currently representing both developers and lenders in the structuring and financing of wind, solar and mid-stream oil and gas projects, to be located in the U.S., Latin America and Canada. 

With respect to developers, Mr. Moran has represented both large and small sponsors in the development and financing of infrastructure projects throughout North America, Central America, South America, China and numerous countries in Europe and Africa. He has also represented developers in connection with bids on more than 90 major power facilities, acquisitions of individual and portfolios of power facilities, and of gas storage facilities and pipelines. Mr. Moran has also represented developers and lenders in asset sales, as well as whole and partial sales of interests in energy-related companies. 

www.rubenstein.com

House acts against high court on eminent domain

The House sought Tuesday to undercut a 2005 Supreme Court ruling that gives state and local governments eminent domain authority to seize private property for economic development projects.

Sponsors of the bill, which passed by a voice vote, said it was needed because the 5-4 high court ruling skewed constitutional intentions that eminent domain apply only to land for public use projects.

That ruling, said bill cosponsor Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., justified "the government's taking of private property and giving it to a private business for use in the interest of creating a more lucrative tax base." As a result, he said, the "government's power of eminent domain has become almost limitless, providing citizens with few means to protect their property."

His legislation would withhold for two years all federal development aid to states or locales that take private property for economic development. It also bars the federal government from using eminent domain for economic development purposes and gives private property owners the right to take legal action if provisions of the legislation are violated.

Cook County court building named after famed Judge

After decades of merely being known as 26th and California, the Cook County Criminal Courts building on Chicago's southwest side has been officially named "The Honorable George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building."

Members of the Cook County Board voted unanimously Thursday to rename the building after the 99-year-old Leighton — a county judge who was the first African American to sit on the Illinois Appellate Court, and later was named a federal judge.

Leighton wasn't at the meeting, but his daughter, son-in-law and grandson were in attendance.

Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Tim Evans, who was a student of Leighton's when he taught at Chicago's John Marshall Law School, called the renaming of the building a well-deserved honor. He added that Leighton was his "star in the judicial constellation."

Federal court orders May 29 primary date for Texas

The federal court in San Antonio has ordered Texas to hold its primary elections on May 29, resolving for now one of the biggest issues in the state's redistricting battles.

The three-judge panel issued the election schedule two days after releasing political maps for Texas to use in the 2012 election. Legal disputes over the maps for congressional and House districts have kept Texas from holding elections.

In the primary schedule released Thursday, the filing period for candidates reopens Friday and closes March 9.

While the court order clarifies the election schedule, some minority groups complain that the election maps are unfair and still are seeking changes.