Courts

December 12, 2007 - Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell applauded a decision issued today by a federal judge in California that supported a decision issued by Chief Judge William K. Sessions in September on Vermont’s identical greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) regulations for new motor vehicles. Like Judge Sessions, Judge Ishii in the Eastern District of California found that the GHG regulations did not conflict with the federal fuel economy law or U.S. foreign policy.    » read more »

12/12/2007 -- California Governor Schwarzenegger today applauded the court decision in Fresno re-confirming states' ability to set motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards, modeled after California's strict regulations. Today's decision is similar to one made by a federal court in Vermont earlier this year.    » read more »

December 11, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the United States Sentencing Commission’s decision to apply retroactivity for crack cocaine offenders’ sentences.    » read more »

December 6, 2007, Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Governor Palin today announced the filing of a lawsuit by Attorney General Talis Colberg and the Department of Law against Mercer (US) Inc., the former actuary for Alaska’s Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) pension plans. The lawsuit seeks more than $1.8 billion in damages from Mercer for mistakes in calculating the pension plans’ expected liabilities, including mistaken actuarial assumptions and methods about future health care costs, and basic mathematical and technical errors.    » read more »

December 5, 2007 -- The DNC issued the following statement today after the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee upheld the Party's right to enforce its primary rules:    » read more »

November 30, 2007 -- WORCESTER – Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office reached a settlement with a Worcester biotechnology company, the company’s President and its Treasurer, for violating the Commonwealth’s wage laws. Steven Arikian, M.D., President, age 50, of Queens, New York, James A. McNulty, Treasurer, age 57, of Tampa, Florida, and their company Biovest International, Inc., of Worcester, agreed to pay a total of $302,824.24, including interest, to more than thirty employees who were affected and a penalty of $20,000 to the Commonwealth.    » read more »

Court Adopts Reasoning Presented by Public Citizen

Nov. 27, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a landmark ruling issued today in the case of Mobilisa v. Doe, the Arizona Court of Appeals in Phoenix upheld the First Amendment right of online anonymity when it has not been abused. The court held that would-be plaintiffs suing an anonymous Internet speaker must both present evidence to support their claim and show that their interest in identifying the speaker outweighs the speaker’s interest in remaining anonymous.    » read more »

Judge LeRoy F. Millette Jr. of Manassas appointed

November 26, 2007 -- RICHMOND – Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the appointment of Judge LeRoy F. Millette Jr. to the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Judge Millette is a circuit court judge in Prince William County, where he has served since 1993.

“Judge Millette is a first-rate jurist who has devoted his life to the law,” Governor Kaine said. “I am pleased that Judge Millette has agreed to serve on the Court of Appeals. His talent and commitment will serve the Commonwealth well.”    » read more »

November 26, 2007 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer today nominated Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick to continue her service as an Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals when her current term of office expires on December 31, 2007.

“Judge Ciparick has served with distinction on our highest court for the past fourteen years,” said Governor Spitzer. “She is an experienced and respected jurist who has demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the court and to the people of this state.”    » read more »

November 16, 2007 - Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell announced today that a federal appeals court in California struck down a rule issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that had established fuel economy standards for Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks for Model Years 2008-2011. In May 2006, Vermont had joined 9 other States, the District of Columbia, and the City of New York in challenging the regulations.    » read more »

Ninth Circuit Ruling Is Major Win for Consumers, Environment

Nov. 15, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumers and the environment both scored a tremendous victory today when a federal court threw out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) rule on the fuel economy of light trucks – a category that includes SUVs, minivans and pick-up trucks.    » read more »

11.15.07 - Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced today the appointment of Glenn Derryberry to the Allen County Court of Common Pleas, Probate and Juvenile Division.

“Glenn has proven himself as an exceptional public servant in Allen County through his lengthy experience as a magistrate,” Strickland said. “I have no doubt he will exhibit the same integrity and fairness as judge of the common pleas court.”

Derryberry fills the judicial seat vacated by the retirement of Judge David Kinworthy.    » read more »

Trial of Canadian Youth Should Be Transferred to Federal Court

(Washington, DC, November 5, 2007) – Ad hoc US military commission rules for the trial of Omar Ahmed Khadr, the 21-year-old Canadian who was been detained at Guantanamo since he was 15, are grossly unfair, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called for Khadr’s trial to be moved to federal court.    » read more »

American Bar Association Applauds Biden’s Leadership on Sentencing Reform and Urges Senators to Support Biden Bill

November 5, 2007 -- Washington, DC – The American Bar Association recently announced its “strong support” for Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s (D-DE) Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007 and “urge[d]” Senators to support the bill. Sen.    » read more »

October 29, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the confirmation of Judge Leslie Southwick to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

“Southwick's appalling record on civil rights and the rights of employees who challenge corporate abuses does not qualify him for a lifetime appointment to the court of appeals. His confirmation is a setback for our nation and especially for the Fifth Circuit, the court once famed for the courage of its judges in standing up for civil rights.”

Source: Senator Ted Kennedy