October 15 roundup

Louisiana attorney general Foti, under fire over his attempt to prosecute Dr. Anna Pou in Katrina deaths, faces tough re-election challenge [Times-Picayune, Lafayette Advertiser; earlier] Classic “Hershey’s liable to obese Americans” print satire now has a short audio version [Onion radio] Criticize alternative medicine at your peril? U.K. libel law helps stifle an opponent of […]

  • Louisiana attorney general Foti, under fire over his attempt to prosecute Dr. Anna Pou in Katrina deaths, faces tough re-election challenge [Times-Picayune, Lafayette Advertiser; earlier]
  • Classic “Hershey’s liable to obese Americans” print satire now has a short audio version [Onion radio]
  • Criticize alternative medicine at your peril? U.K. libel law helps stifle an opponent of homeopathy [Orac]
  • Tennessee trial lawyers’ lobbyist comes under harsh public spotlight following lurid crackup of House Judiciary chair Rob Briley [Nashville Scene; earlier]
  • Invoking CAFA, judge throws out coupon settlement in Sharper Image air purifier class action [Krauss @ Point of Law]
  • In 4-4 split, Supreme Court lets stand a ruling that NYC must pay private school tuition for Hollywood exec’s ADHD son though he wouldn’t give city program a try; issue likely to return soon [NYTimes; earlier]
  • Veteran journalists Patrick Dillon and Carl Cannon ink deal for book on rise and fall of Lerach tentatively titled Circle of Greed [WSJ law blog]
  • Unforeseen consequences dept.: plan for retirement community catering to gays may be derailed by workings of antidiscrimination law [Miller, Independent Gay Forum]
  • HIPAA an impediment to doctor-patient emails? [CareCure Forums via KevinMD]
  • Update on fraudulent liens filed by prison inmates to harass court personnel (Mar. 31, 2004): system strikes back with extra 20-year term for one offender [Texas Lawyer]
  • EEOC says Massachusetts employer must accommodate eyebrow-ring-wearing employee who claims membership in “Church of Body Modification” [five years ago on Overlawyered]

5 Comments

  • It’s ironic that the Society of Homeopaths doesn’t realize that by attempt to dilute criticism, the criticism gets stronger.

  • “Unforeseen consequences dept”

    Amazing what a little even-handed enforcement will do, eh? Same thing about the current ERA being pushed by some groups… Equality actually means EQUALITY??!?? GASP!

  • Re: homosexual-only housing:

    This “right” is clearly imagined to run in one direction. If a school is an “Afro-centric” experiment, OK; if it just happens to be mostly white, not OK. Needless to say, liberals get frustrated when the law is used against them.

    I support an end to “civil rights” laws, housing laws, etc. that trammel the right of association. Surely feelings will be bruised. I would have to accept a private ban on white male attorneys with unorthodox political views. But doesn’t that go with the territories of freedom and adulthood?

  • Anonymous Attorney forgets one of the fellow-travelers of freedom and adulthood: responsibility.

    As this blog notes regularly, there seems to be a dearth of responsibility on offer when it comes to today’s litigious society. It appears to be more ‘I’ll get mine while the getting’s good’ than ‘I’ll do what’s responsible for my client and society as a whole.’

    As we try to keep guns away from the mentally irresponsible, perhaps we should keep the levers of power (including power bought with cash) away from the irresponsible of the trial lawyers.

    Is there a test to identify only responsible lawyers? If no such test is feasible, then shouldn’t power be kept from all lawyers, you know, ‘for the sake of the children?’

  • As to homeopathy, I had a brother in an audit department. When the Plaintiff pushed her luck, they gave her what she asked for — approval of homeopathy for her cancer treatment. She died quickly, saving the company a great deal of money.