Menendez pleads not guilty in wide-ranging corruption case
NEW YORK — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to federal charges accusing him of pocketing bribes of cash and gold bars in exchange for wielding his political influence to secretly advance Egyptian interests and do favors for local businessmen. Menendez made his initial court appearance in Manhattan’s federal […]
Paxton impeachment trial verdict could come this week
AUSTIN, Texas — How much does an extramarital affair matter to whether Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton keeps his job? An answer may arrive soon. The question hangs over the Republican’s impeachment trial that resumed Tuesday and is approaching the final stretch of testimony before a jury of state senators decides whether Paxton should be […]
Senate committee backs stronger ethical standards for Supreme Court justices
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court would have to abide by stronger ethics standards under legislation approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It comes in response to recent revelations about donor-funded trips by justices. The bill faced united opposition from Republicans and has little chance to make it through the full Senate. The legislation would set ethics rules for the court and a pro[...]
SC Senate sues governor over Santee Cooper chairman
COLUMBIA (AP) The South Carolina Senate is suing the governor over who runs the state-owned utility. The Senate is trying to stop former state Attorney General Charles Condon from taking over as Santee Cooper board chairman because it didn’t vote on the appointment during this year’s session. Gov. Henry McMaster picked Condon in December. Senators […]
Pough becomes permanent director at juvenile justice agency
COLUMBIA (AP) A former state agent is now the director of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. Freddie Pough (pronounced pew) was approved to his new job April 25 by the state Senate. Pough had been running the juvenile justice agency on an interim basis since January 2017. He was hired to be the department’s […]
South Carolina Senate approves state’s $8 billion budget
COLUMBIA (AP) The South Carolina Senate has passed the state’s $8 billion budget for next fiscal year. Senators voted 37-4 on Thursday to approve the spending plan. The bill will likely go to a committee of House and Senate members to work out the differences between the chambers unless the House agrees with the Senate’s proposal. […]
South Carolina Senate empowers state to use electric chair
COLUMBIA (AP) After years without the drugs to do lethal injections, the South Carolina Senate has agreed to require condemned inmates go to the electric chair instead. South Carolina law has empowered residents of death row to make a choice between lethal injection and the electric chair since 1995, so the lack of drugs enabled […]
Bill banning law enforcement quotas advancing in Senate
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Law enforcement officers could not be required to write a certain number of tickets under legislation that reached the Senate floor on Tuesday. With just five legislative days left in the session, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill unanimously. The House passed it 99-0 last month. Sponsoring Rep. Justin Bamberg […]
Elections – ‘Virginia Law’ Supports Incumbent Choice
24th Senatorial District Republican Committee v. Alcorn (Lawyers Weekly No. 001-068-16, 37 pp.) (Gregory, J.) No. 15-1478, April 19, 2016; USDC at Harrisonburg, Va. (Dillon, J.) 4th Cir. Holding: The 4th Circuit affirms a district court’s decision that it had no subject matter jurisdiction over a lawsuit filed by the 24th Senatorial District Republican Committee […]
Senate to take up $1.1T bill to keep govt running
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s now up to the Senate to pass a huge $1.1 trillion spending bill to keep the government running, but not before a battle between old school veterans and new breed freshmen such as tea partier Ted Cruz and Elizabeth Warren, a liberal with a national following. The smart money’s on old […]
DSS: 200 more workers needed to improve caseload
COLUMBIA — A deputy director at the Department of Social Services says the agency needs 200 more employees to reach goals for worker caseloads. Jessica Hanak-Coulter said Wednesday that 202 employees would be needed to keep caseloads at or below proposed limits for the number of cases and children each worker should handle at one […]
GM’s legal staff targeted at recall hearing
WASHINGTON— A Senate subcommittee chairwoman says General Motors should have fired its chief lawyer in the wake of a long-delayed recall of millions of small cars. An internal report found GM attorneys signed settlements with the families of crash victims but didn’t tell engineers or top executives about mounting problems with ignition switches. It also […]
Business Law
- Economy forces attorneys to get down to business
- Business Court judges trawl for customers
- Va. company's Web site did not subject business to personal jurisdiction in S.C., appeals panel rules
- Former running back from S.C. wins courtroom victory in contract dispute
- Contract – Government Contract – Qui Tam – False Claims Act
- Licenses & Permits – Beer & Wine Permit – Restrictive Covenant – Suitable Location
- Consumer Protection – FCRA – Auto Loan – Bank Accounting Errors
- Licenses & Permits – Veterinarian – Vaccine Maintenance
- Tort – Business Tort – Va. Computer Crimes Act – Trade Secrets
- Textile firm, railroad settle Graniteville train wreck lawsuit
- State regulators look at car dealer accused of lying to customers
- Subprime mortgage meltdown hits securities law
Commentary
- Virginia Tech student got due process in hearing
- High court justices cross the line of propriety
- High court’s term was rough on big business
- The flip side of generative AI in law and how to address it
- The fight for equal educational opportunity continues
- Letter From The Editor – Working from Home
- NLRB joins FTC in taking aim at non-competes
- Supreme Court leaves key internet protection untouched
- US Supreme Court bites back at parody’s use of the First Amendment
- My goal: Provide the information that you need now
- Case study: North Carolina courts provide guidance on scope, limitations of attorney-client privilege
- A Different Ode to Pro Bono Work