Courts

May 8, 2007 -- [Washington, DC] — The U.S. Senate today approved the nomination of Judge Frederick Kapala by a vote of 91-0 to fill the sole federal judgeship in Rockford, IL. Kapala's name was sent to the President for his consideration by former Speaker Dennis Hastert in consultation with U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). The State of Illinois has a long tradition of seeking bipartisan cooperation in the recommendation of federal district court nominees for Presidential consideration.    » read more »

May 4, 2007 -- WASHINGTON – The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has upheld the Navy’s termination for default of a contract with McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics for the A-12 stealth attack aircraft, the Justice Department announced today.    » read more »

House Bill 158 will alleviate caseload burdens on Department of Justice prosecutors and allow it to direct current resources to prosecuting more serious crimes

Dover, DE May 3, 2007 – Today Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden joined State Senator Harris McDowell (DWilmington North), State Representative Robert Valihura (R-Talleyville) and State Representative Melanie George Marshall (D-Bear/Newark) as they announced the introduction of House Bill 158 which will enhance the Department of Justice’s efforts to efficiently use its resources to prosecute criminals in Delaware’s commu    » read more »

05/02/2007 -- A second federal court has rejected an Arkansas attempt to interfere in Oklahoma’s poultry pollution lawsuit, Attorney General Drew Edmondson said.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma today rejected Arkansas’ motion to intervene, saying the request falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court has already rejected Arkansas’ request regarding this issue,” Edmondson said. “Today’s ruling moves us one step closer to trial.”    » read more »

Executive Order for Commissions to Nominate Appellate and Trial Court Judges

ANNAPOLIS (April 27, 2007) - Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the creation of an Appellate Courts Judicial Nominating Commission and sixteen regional Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commissions. Each commission will be responsible for recommending to the Governor the names of persons for appointment to the appellate and trial courts of Maryland.    » read more »

Public Citizen Exposes Ideological Report’s Serious Flaws

April 26, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – A study released last month attacking the nation’s tort laws is not scholarly research but another public relations advance by corporate-funded “think tanks” in the ongoing campaign to gut our civil justice system and reduce corporate accountability, according to analysis by Public Citizen.    » read more »

04/26/2007 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson called upon Governor Brad Henry to veto Senate Bill 507, which makes massive changes in the way lawsuits are tried in court. Commonly called the “tort reform” bill, Edmondson said the parts of the bill pertaining to actions by the state are not reform at all and would severely hamper the state in its litigation.    » read more »

Proposes Streamlined Court System; Judicial Selection Reform; Pay Equity for Judges

April 26, 2007 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and Lieutenant Governor David Paterson today announced reforms to modernize the state’s unwieldy court system, significantly limit the influence of money and closed-door politics in the selection of state court judges, and enact a long-overdue salary boost for state judges.    » read more »