US: Ruling adds teeth to state oversight of banks
For years, state governments have had little power to enforce consumer-protection and lending rules at the country's biggest banks. No more.
Read More
|
|
|
|
Archive of Crime & Courts on Tuesday June 30, 2009
US: Ruling adds teeth to state oversight of banks
For years, state governments have had little power to enforce consumer-protection and lending rules at the country's biggest banks. No more. Read More
MI: Michigan to California -- Send us your prisoners
CHICAGO -- Michigan has to close prisons to save money. California's are bursting at the seams. Both states are struggling with huge budget gaps. Now, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has offered California some of the state's prisons that are slated to close at a yet-to-be-determined cost. Read More
AL: Siegelman asks judge to grant him new trial, charging prosecutor misconduct
Former Gov. Don Siegelman, who was convicted by a federal jury in 2006 of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud, on Monday asked U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller to grant him a new trial, in part because of ``misconduct" by prosecutors. Read More
AR: Lawmakers to discuss prison woes
An independent investigation may be in order to get to the bottom of an escape by two convicted killers and other recent serious incidents in the state prison system, the state House majority leader said Monday. Read More
AZ: Brewer wants budget right away, but not those other, lesser bills
Gov. Jan Brewer sent her attorney to court last week to demand that lawmakers send her the bills they already have approved "immediately." Read More
CA: California's long process to resuming executions
A Contra Costa County judge last week sentenced Darryl Kemp to death for the random rape and murder of a young jogger. But chances are that Kemp will not be executed anytime soon, if at all. Read More
CA: Death row foes now fight the cost of executions
Nearly 3 1/2 years into a court-ordered suspension of executions, opponents have embraced a new argument: that Californians can't afford to carry out the death penalty in a constitutional manner. Read More
FL: Crist signs tougher investment protections
On the same day multibillion-dollar swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed a law that gives the state more power to prosecute sophisticated, far-reaching investment crimes. Read More
FL: State auditors say Florida officials are misusing travel system
Top Florida officials misused state money to travel between the capital and their homes, costing taxpayers at least $51,000 and raising potential IRS violations, according to state investigators' findings obtained Monday by the Times/Herald. Read More
FL: Sansom helped write job description of post he sought
Former House Speaker Ray Sansom not only accepted a $110,000 job at Northwest Florida State College — he helped write the job description. Read More
GA: Former governor to swear in new chief justice
Former Gov. Zell Miller, who appointed Carol W. Hunstein to Georgia's Supreme Court, will swear her in as chief justice. Read More
IA: New laws to affect a variety of Iowans
Consumers, farmers, sex offenders, septic tank owners and wine drinkers are among the Iowans who will be impacted by new state laws slated to take effect Wednesday. Read More
IN: State police increasing patrols for holiday
SELLERSBURG, Ind. - About 150 additional state troopers will hit Indiana highways during the upcoming July 4 holiday weekend. Read More
KS: Court reels from budget cuts
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Riley County Courthouse is among those slashing services in the wake of budget cuts. Read More
KY: State hires new director for courthouse program
The state court system has hired a new director to oversee its embattled courthouse construction program. Read More
MA: Pol unveils elderly driver plan
The state motor vehicle registry could start flagging dangerous elderly drivers, force seniors to re-take road tests and make it easier for families to intervene under a sweeping new crackdown a Beacon Hill leader is vowing to push today, the Herald has learned. Read More
MA: State fines National Grid $8m
National Grid, the state's largest utility company, was fined $8 million by state regulators for having a poor performance record in 2006, in what is said to be the largest penalty of its kind in state history. Read More
ME: New panel seeks to quell young arsonists
Three years ago, Janet Richards asked a group of juvenile fire-safety experts what they needed to help reduce the number of arsons caused by children. Read More
MN: Parents' pain helps change how police treat missing adults
A law that takes effect on Wednesday is a testament to the perseverance of two parents and an example of what is possible when the average citizen gets involved in the legislative process. Read More
MO: Court rejects Mo. appeal on funeral protest law
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to consider Missouri's appeal of a court order barring the state from enforcing a law restricting protests near funerals. Read More
MO: Court temporarily blocks judge firings
A Missouri court has temporarily blocked the firing of three administrative law judges who decide workers compensation cases. Read More
MO: Critics of affirmative action try again to get on Missouri ballot
The sponsor of an initiative limiting affirmative-action programs says he plans to submit a new version after a court ruled against his first try. Read More
MO: Missouri toughens efforts against 'puppy mills'
Missouri's attorney general and agriculture director are launching the next phase of a crackdown on unlicensed dog breeders. Read More
ND: Delay in Canada, Missouri lawsuits against N.D.
A resolution may not come until next year in lawsuits filed by Canada and the state of Missouri that challenge North Dakota's plan to divert water from the Missouri River to the state's northwest communities, the project's manager said Monday. Read More
ND: High court gets feedlot case
A South Central District Court decision to allow the Fred Berger feedlot to proceed in Morton County has been appealed to the North Dakota Supreme Court. Read More
NH: High court won't touch privacy law
New Hampshire survived the strongest legal test to a law making doctors' prescription-writing habits confidential. Read More
NH: Group wants Lynch to veto medical pot bill
A conservative watchdog group called upon Gov. John Lynch on Monday to veto a bill legalizing medical use of marijuana on financial grounds. Read More
NH: Greyhound racing in NH to end
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Greyhound racing in New Hampshire is about to become history. Read More
NH: Report on dismissed sex cases due today
The head of the state's superior courts said yesterday he has a draft of the internal investigation into the unexpected dismissals of three Hillsborough County sexual predator cases, but he doesn't yet know how much of the report he will be able to release, or when. Read More
NH: Prescription privacy law appeal stymied
The U.S. Supreme Court won't stop the state of New Hampshire from making doctors' prescription-writing habits confidential over the objection of companies that analyze and sell that information. Read More
NH: Convicted ex-lawmaker in jail again
Former state representative Jim Ryan, whose criminal past surfaced last year after he was jailed on unpaid restitution charges, is locked up again - this time on allegations that he stole client records from a recent employer. Read More
NJ: N.J. Attorney General Anne Milgram plans to unveil mortgage-fraud indictments
New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram today plans to announce multiple indictments for mortgage fraud. Read More
NJ: State court furlough doesn't stop free mediation day in Monmouth
Although state courts were closed yesterday while judiciary employees were on furlough, members of the Monmouth Bar Association provided their own version of the People's Court by holding free mediation sessions in what they called "court alternative day." Read More
NY: Back at it, Senate told
State Supreme Court Justice Joseph C. Teresi ordered all 62 members of the state Senate to appear together in the chamber at 10 a.m. today. An immediate appeal by GOP attorneys, however, means an automatic stay will be imposed on the ruling. Read More
NY: Judge orders state senators to return to work
Saying New Yorkers could consider them "rude, inconsiderate and egotistical," a state judge Monday ordered all 62 senators to the chamber floor today to put an end to the "illusion" that Democrats and Republicans have been working over the last week. Read More
NY: Judge orders all 62 senators to meet in one place
A state judge on Monday ordered the 62 members of the Senate to convene together Tuesday morning, backing Gov. David A. Paterson's latest attempt to break the deadlock in the chamber. Read More
OH: State Highway Patrol offers free coffee for turnpike drivers who use seat belts
Turnpike drivers who violate traffic laws may be surprised by what they hear if a state trooper pulls them over: Read More
OR: Oregon Legislature bans field burning
The Oregon Legislature narrowly passed a bill on Monday that will ban field burning in the Willamette Valley starting in 2010. Read More
OR: Legislature gives DOJ money for civil rights, with restrictions
In its final hours, the 2009 Legislature is on track to approve $642,000 for a civil rights unit within the Department of Justice, something that hasn't existed for two decades. Read More
PA: Commission to investigate judge kickback scheme
The state House voted yesterday voted to create a commission to investigate problems in the Luzerne County Courthouse, where prosecutors say children were wrongly sentenced by judges who took kickbacks from operators of juvenile detention centers in Luzerne and Butler counties. Read More
PA: Getting DNA tests may turn easy for inmates
Pennsylvania lawmakers might be asked to allow prisoners better access to genetic tests that could prove their innocence. Read More
RI: High court rules in Irons' favor on ethics prosecution
Rhode Island legislators can be prosecuted for ethics violations involving their political activities, questionable acts on behalf of constituents or businessmen –– but not, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled Monday, for their official legislative votes or actions. Read More
RI: R.I. Senate to hold session today, agenda uncertain
With the House of Representatives at a hiatus and House Speaker William J. Murphy about to head to Switzerland for a conference, the Senate will return to the State House Tuesday to deal with high-profile bills including a bid to ban indoor prostitution and a proposed statewide referendum on changing the name of this state. Read More
RI: Trooper's assault conviction vacated
The state Supreme Court on Monday overturned the 2006 conviction of a former Rhode Island State Police trooper accused of assaulting a man in South Kingstown police custody as he sat in the back of a police cruiser. Read More
TN: Tennessee cities rush to ban guns in local parks
The handgun battle is heading from Capitol Hill to City Hall. Local governments and advocates for firearms owners are gearing up for a summer face-off over how far to take a new state law that lets people with carry permits bring handguns into parks. Read More
TN: Judicial selection proposal signed
A proposal to change the way judicial vacancies are filled in Tennessee has been signed by the governor. Read More
TX: Ruling gives courts access to prison trust funds
Texas state prison convicts could soon see their trust funds — more than $33 million overseen by the state — getting tapped to pay overdue court costs and related expenses. Read More
US: High court curves in conservative direction
WASHINGTON — In the term that ended Monday, the Supreme Court shifted more to the right, making it harder for people to bring civil rights claims, rejecting challenges by environmentalists and raising the standard for older workers alleging bias on the job. Read More
US: Gray wolf back on endangered list, for now
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed Monday to reinstate federal protection of wolves in the upper Great Lakes region. In early May, wolves were removed from the list of threatened and endangered species in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. Read More
US: Supreme Court finds bias against white firefighters
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that white firefighters in New Haven were subjected to race discrimination when the city threw out a promotional examination on which they had done well and black firefighters poorly. Read More
VA: State computer system raises more questions
Two of the state's top technology officials are being called to testify before a government panel on open record laws about why aspects of Virginia's plan to privatize its computer systems were discussed behind closed doors. Read More
WV: WVa auditor scam suspect to answer to charges
A North Carolina woman accused of helping to scam nearly $2 million from West Virginia's state government is facing her first court date in the Mountain State. Read More
Furloughs cut into state services
With states facing a $121 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year, a growing number of them have turned to squeezing their workforce for savings, and effects both great and small will be felt. Read More |
Powered by