St. Louis Record

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Attorneys & Judges News

Attorneys & Judges

U.S. Attorney thrust into national spotlight after being named to lead Flynn case review

ST. LOUIS - U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen was named last week to the high profile job of reviewing the prosecution of former White House national security advisor, Michael Flynn.

By John Breslin | Feb 21, 2020

Attorneys & Judges

Reform advocate: People need to use site tracking lawyer, union donations

JEFFERSON CITY – A little-used online tool that tracks trial lawyer and union donations to Missouri candidates for public office should be getting more attention than it does, a tort reform advocate said during a recent interview.

By Karen Kidd | Dec 16, 2019

Latest News

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From Penn Record

Philadelphia now the top-ranked 'Judicial Hellhole'; Massive verdicts, like $8B Risperdal case, cited

By Nicholas Malfitano | 3 months ago

WASHINGTON – In an annual report of “Judicial Hellholes” released today by the American Tort Reform Association, Philadelphia has claimed the No. 1 ranking – in part due to a historic $8 billion punitive damages verdict rendered this year in litigation connected to Johnson & Johnson’s anti-psychotic drug Risperdal.

Kirkwood and Kansas City attorneys indefinitely suspended in separated Missouri Supreme Court orders

By Karen Kidd | Dec 5, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – Kirkwood attorney John Kevin Sheehan has been suspended and Kansas City attorney Vanessa Rene Elizabeth Curran has been indefinitely suspended following separate recent Missouri Supreme Court orders.

Crane attorney who allegedly used money to spend on debts instead of placing in operating account disbarred

By Karen Kidd | Dec 5, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – Crane attorney John Dale Wiley has been disbarred following a Nov. 19 Missouri Supreme Court order over allegations in four client matters.

Senators expected to vote within days on nominee for Missouri Eastern District, confirmation not certain

By John Breslin | Nov 27, 2019

U.S. Senators are expected to vote within days on whether to confirm a nominee for the federal bench in the Eastern District of Missouri.

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From WV Record

LAW OFFICES OF KELLY R. REED: Millions Affected by Capital One Data Breach

By Press release submission | 4 months ago

More than 100 million are affected by the Capital One data breach, and West Virginians are among those at risk.

Judge declines to block state's fake meat law, Missouri Farm Bureau supports proper labeling for products

By Kyla Asbury | Oct 14, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – A federal judge earlier this month refused to strike down a Missouri law that would ban companies from labeling products that were plant-based or meat substitutes as meat.

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From Legal Newsline

Seeing all those Roundup commercials? That's because lawyers have spent $60M on them this year

By John O'Brien | 5 months ago

The search for clients to file cancer lawsuits over the weed-killer Roundup has exploded – even as the EPA says the product does not cause what lawyers are alleging.

Two attorneys suspended, another reinstated in separate Missouri Supreme Court orders

By Karen Kidd | Sep 25, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – Springfield attorney Brandy Mellissa McShane and Nevada, Mo. attorney Corey Michael Swischer have been suspended and Overland Park attorney Samuel Scott Burnett has been reinstated following separated recent Missouri Supreme Court orders.

Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition head says time will tell effect of venue reform law

By Adam Eisenberg | Sep 19, 2019

A series of tort reform bills passed by the state legislature earlier this year went into effect at the end of August, but it may still be a while before Missouri sees the impact of these new laws.

St. Louis attorney indefinitely suspended after blaming client for 'non-coital intimacy'

By Karen Kidd | Sep 18, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY— Longtime St. Louis attorney Stephen G. Bell has been indefinitely suspended following a Sept. 17 Missouri Supreme Court order after he allegedly had a sexual relationship with a client.

Missouri Supreme Court reciprocally suspends Kansas City attorney over estate planning and probate case complaints

By Karen Kidd | Sep 4, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – Kansas City attorney David Preston Crandall has been reciprocally suspended following a Sept. 3 Missouri Supreme Court order and his suspension by a split Kansas Supreme Court in November 2018.

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From Legal Newsline

‘Business decision’: Former DEA official works for opioid lawyers but set standards for how many pills were made

By John O'Brien | 6 months ago

Now, Rannazzisi is helping private lawyers pin the blame squarely on manufacturers and distributors of opioids, as well as pharmacies. A post-DEA alliance with trial lawyers has been worth six figures for Rannazzisi, who has been hailed as a whistleblower by those cheering attempts to prosecute the opioid industry for the nation’s addiction crisis.

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From Legal Newsline

Oklahoma judge feeds the 'monster' with $572M opioid ruling against Johnson & Johnson

By Daniel Fisher | 6 months ago

Sixteen years ago in a case involving gunmaker Sturm, Ruger & Co., a New York appeals court refused to apply public nuisance law against the manufacturer of a legal product, saying that doing so would transform nuisance law “into a monster that would devour in one gulp the entire law of tort.”

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From Legal Newsline

Private lawyers stand to make $90 million as judge hits Johnson & Johnson with $572M opioid ruling

By Daniel Fisher | 6 months ago

NORMAN, Okla. (Legal Newsline) - A state judge in Oklahoma has blamed Johnson & Johnson for the state's opioid crisis and ordered it to pay $572 million in damages, extending public nuisance law beyond its traditional boundaries into what may become an all-purpose tool for government lawsuits against product manufacturers.

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From Legal Newsline

Bayer on reported multibillion-dollar Roundup proposal: No comment on 'rumors or speculation'

By John Breslin | 7 months ago

ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - Bayer will not comment on "rumors and speculation," the company said following a report that it has proposed a multibillion-dollar global settlement over claims that the use of its weedkiller causes cancer.

Recent verdicts in Roundup cases may indicate juries are losing trust in regulators

By Adam Eisenberg | Aug 8, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – Are recent verdicts faulting Bayer and its Roundup product an indication that juries no longer trust the determinations of regulatory agencies regarding product safety?

Kansas attorney, former assistant district attorney, voluntarily disbarred in Missouri

By Karen Kidd | Jul 23, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – Mound City, Kansas attorney John Stephen Sutherland has been voluntarily disbarred and Liberty attorney Sherri L. Edwards has been disbarred following separate July 22 Missouri Supreme Court orders.

Missouri Chamber VP says increased attorney ads 'definitely plays a role in Missouri being a lawsuit magnet'

By Carrie Bradon | Jul 8, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry commented on the connection between a substantial increase in trial attorney advertising in the St. Louis media market with the overall lawsuit culture of the state.