News from March 2009
THIS JUST IN: Boone County
Feb. 6
THIS JUST IN: Marshall County
Feb. 11
THIS JUST IN: Jackson County
March 4
Marshall settles with Ridpath for $200K
CHARLESTON – After nearly six years of litigation, Marshall University has announced it will pay former athletics official David Ridpath $200,000 to settle a lawsuit that accused the school of making him a scapegoat in a student athlete employment probe.
Honda denies it's to blame for man's motorcycle injuries
WHEELING – Honda denies it is responsible for the injuries of a Marshall County man who claims he was hurt during an accident after brakes on his motorcycle failed.
Group says it is owed $70,500 in back rent
WINFIELD – A commercial real estate company says two small business owners broke a lease and owes $70,500 in back rent.
Justices overturn man's conviction for allowing minors to drink
Ketchum CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Supreme Court has unanimously overturned the conviction of a Wood County man for allowing minors to drink at his home, contributing the a car crash that claimed two lives.
PERSONNEL FILE: 14 Bowles Rice attorneys recognized by Chambers USA
CHARLESTON -- The 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business will recognize 14 Bowles Rice attorneys as "Leaders in their Field" when the directory is published in June.
*** SupCo calendar for 3/16 issue
Argument Docket
Charleston police officer sues over car crash
CHARLESTON – A Charleston police office is suing a man over a rear-end collision that she says left her with severe injuries.
Man claims criminal record was pretext for firing
CHARLESTON -- A Logan County man says his employer knew about a prior felony conviction when he was hired, but then used it as grounds to fire him when he filed a workers' compensation claim.
Man says he was fired for threatening to report boss' conduct
MORGANTOWN – A Mount Morris man claims he was fired because he threatened to report alleged misconduct by the director of Catholic Charities West Virginia.
Woman suing East Bank, former police officer over Tasering
CHARLESTON -- An East Bank woman is suing the town and a former police officer over an incident where the officer admitted to using a Taser on the woman, who said she was pregnant at the time.
THEIR VIEW: A lesson about facts and false promises
For those of us who actually live here, pay bills and taxes here, the ongoing removal of West Virginia's natural resources without regard to our land, homes and quality of life leaves a bad taste. We historically have welcomed companies such as Chesapeake Energy with open arms and believed in their promises, only to learn they were false promises made at our expense.
PERSONNEL FILE: Southworth named W.Va. Corporate Lawyer of 2009
Southworth CHARLESTON -– The 15th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, a peer-review publication in the legal profession ("Best Lawyers"), has named Louis Southworth II as the "West Virginia Best Lawyers Corporate Lawyer of the Year" for 2009.
Ohio company wants workers' injury claim dismissed
WHEELING – An Ohio company requested the federal court dismiss a case a worker filed against it in which the employee alleged he was injured after the company refused to provide a ladder to climb scaffolding.
CSX engineer, union sue police over breath test, detainment
CHARLESTON – A CSX locomotive engineer and his union are suing Montgomery police and Kanawha County over a breath test he says he was forced to take after striking and killing a pedestrian on tracks near Montgomery.
Supreme Court backs raises for family court judges
Benjamin CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Supreme Court has endorsed legislation that would significantly raise the salaries of the state's 45 family court judges.
Federal judge gives lawyers $10 million
Goodwin CHARLESTON -– Even while decrying the award as "extremely high," a federal judge has given a group of lawyers about $10 million for their work in reaching an estimated $50 million settlement in a class-action case against Dominion Transmission.
McGraw's attorneys want to explore timeline beyond Eli Lilly plea
McGraw NEW YORK - Private attorneys hired by state Attorney General Darrell McGraw are appealing a federal magistrate's decision that prevented them from further exploring the guilty plea to which Eli Lilly & Co. entered in January.