John O'Brien News
McGraw among AGs filing brief in Ark. class action case
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Eighteen state attorneys general, including West Virginia's Darrell McGraw, are worried that plaintiffs attorneys are skirting the rules of the Class Action Fairness Act to curtail the rights of their states’ citizens.
Business court opens for business
MARTINSBURG – West Virginia’s new business court is, well, open for business.
GOP alleges quid pro quo between Justice Dept. and St. Paul
By JOHN O'BRIEN
Federal judge sends out-of-state claims back to Wayne County
Chambers HUNTINGTON -– A federal judge has remanded 18 cases filed by minors who claim they suffered birth defects as a result of their mothers' use of Pfizer's prescription drug Zoloft.
Payday for private lawyers in Capital One case came after W.Va. SC decision
McGraw POINT PLEASANT – After the West Virginia Supreme Court decided not to hear a challenge of their employment, two private attorneys earned $4.5 million by settling the State's case against Capital One.
'Likejackers' take jab at Wash. AG's case
McKenna NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – Adscend, the company accused of "likejacking" schemes on Facebook, is drawing attention to the inexpensive nature and lower-key promotion of its settlement with Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna.
McGraw opens office in Eastern Panhandle
West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw speaks Tuesday at the opening of a satellite office in Martinsburg. (Photo by John O'Brien) MARTINSBURG -– It took a $25 billion national settlement and not an act of the state legislature to finally give West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw an office in the state's fastest-growing region.
Fraud case will continue against asbestos firm
Peirce WHEELING (Legal Newsline) – The third amended complaint in CSX Transportation's long-running racketeering case against a Pittsburgh asbestos firm has survived a motion to dismiss.
McGraw has raised $38K from private attorneys he hired
McGraw CHARLESTON -– After the latest round of campaign finance reports, private attorneys who were hired to do state work by West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw have given more than 40 percent of the amount he has raised.
CSX given discovery orders in racketeering case against firm
Peirce WHEELING (Legal Newsline) – CSX Transportation will need to supply the asbestos firm it is suing with files from 10,000 cases that don't involve the firm.
McGraw appointees give $36K to re-election campaign
McGraw CHARLESTON (Legal Newsline) – Attorneys previously given state contracts by West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw have so far contributed $36,000 to his re-election campaign.
CSX needs more depositions in fraud case against asbestos firm
Peirce WHEELING -- CSX Transportation says a law firm it accuses of fabricating claims for asbestos lawsuits won't allow it to depose enough individuals to make its case.
Judge: FDA's new cigarette warnings violate First Amendment
Leon WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Graphic warning labels imposed by the federal government on tobacco products violate the First Amendment, a federal court in Washington, D.C., has ruled.
Report: Dem. AGs may use settlement funds for campaigns
McGraw WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Democratic attorneys general received $1.1 billion to possibly use to promote their re-election campaigns in the recent nationwide $25 billion settlement with mortgage servicers, a Tuesday report in the Daily Caller says.
McGraw plans foreclosure settlement workshops
McGraw MORGANTOWN -- Attorney General Darrell McGraw is organizing a workshop to administer funds recovered by last week's nationwide $25 billion settlement with five mortgage servicers.
Former WVU player trying to 'Pittsnogle' porn lawyer in court
Pittsnogle
(picture via msnsportsnet.com) MARTINSBURG -– Kevin Pittsnogle –- the tattooed, 3-point-shooting 7-footer whose last name became a verb during his time on the West Virginia University basketball team –- says an attorney he hired for a custody battle took his money and ran.
Blog shows trial lawyer group working with four U.S. Senate campaigns
Bailey BISMARCK, N.D. (Legal Newsline) - A group being funded by trial lawyer heavyweights is working with Heidi Heitkamp, a former North Dakota attorney general, on her U.S. Senate campaign. Among the lawyers making donations are Timothy Bailey of Bucci, Bailey & Javins in Charleston.
McGraw joins brief in support of graphic labels on cigarettes
McGraw WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A group of state attorneys general led by Idaho's Lawrence Wasden has filed a brief in support of the Food and Drug Administration's new graphic warning labels for cigarettes.
AT&T calls off $39B plan to acquire T-Mobile
McGraw DALLAS (Legal Newsline) - AT&T has given up on its effort to acquire T-Mobile in a merger that was criticized by a group of state attorneys general but supported by 11 others.