Overlawyered » Jarndyce redux

“Fair wards of court have faded into mothers and grandmothers”

Walter Olson — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:40:07 +0000

An appellate court in New York has ordered parties to “proceed to an immediate trial” in the case of Lance International v. First National City Bank, which has been pending in court since 1966 [John Eligon, NYT "City Room" via Jack Chin, PrawfsBlawg; reference]

Tags: Jarndyce redux, New York

“Fair wards of court have faded into mothers and grandmothers” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Trademark case drags on after nearly 25 years

Walter Olson — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:09:33 +0000

TTABlog reports on the oldest pending case before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Tags: Jarndyce redux, trademarks

Trademark case drags on after nearly 25 years is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

America’s Cup litigation

Walter Olson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:24:33 +0000

The prolonged yachting-world dispute is the “sporting world’s equivalent of Kramer v. Kramer.” [Hallman, AmLaw Daily]

Tags: Jarndyce redux, sports

America’s Cup litigation is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

“Millionaire’s mistress battles his kin over estate”

Ted Frank — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:50:54 +0000

Family disputes between a wife and the mistress over a will are probably one of the few times when the “not about the money” saying really is true. But after a two-week trial and two trips to the Georgia Supreme Court, it’s hard to imagine that attorneys aren’t going to get the majority of the $6 million at stake in the five-year battle over Harvey Strother’s will. A penalty clause calling for the disinheritance of anyone who challenged the will appears to have been successfully challenged by the wife’s family. (AP/Washington Post, Apr. 13; Talia Mollett, “Millionaire’s will trial begins today”, Marietta Daily Journal, Jul. 15; Tom Opdyke, “Life’s final chapter to play out in court”, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jul. 13; Melican v. Parker, 283 Ga. 253 (2008)).

Tags: family law, Georgia, Jarndyce redux, wills and trusts

“Millionaire’s mistress battles his kin over estate” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Howard Hughes “Mormon Will” case, thirty years later

Walter Olson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:58:05 +0000

Thirty years after a jury ruled against his claims to be the inheritor of a fractional share of the reclusive tycoon’s wealth, Melvin Dummar still hasn’t given up. In a 19-page opinion, the Tenth Circuit has now upheld the dismissal of his latest lawsuit. (Pamela Manson, “10th Circuit Court of Appeals rules against Melvin Dummar and the ‘Mormon Will’”, Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 13)(via Know Your Courts, Tenth Circuit/Colorado gadfly site).

Tags: Jarndyce redux, Tenth Circuit, wills and trusts

Howard Hughes “Mormon Will” case, thirty years later is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

September 4 roundup

Walter Olson — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:04:27 +0000

Hush up with those jokes, now: Lerach Coughlin lawyer hailed as hero after jumping from his BMW to save pregnant woman attacked by pit bulls [ABA Journal]
The “murky area between zealous advocacy and improper conduct”: Judge Preska sanctions Cleary Gottlieb for litigation abuse [WSJ Law Blog, Lat]
Out-nannying them all? Edwards says his health plan will legally oblige everyone to go in for checkups with the doc [AP; MagicStats, Howard, Althouse]
Apparently we missed out on the Aug. 31 celebration of Love Lawyers Day [Giacalone]
To settle lawsuit by psychiatrist’s family, Augusten Burroughs agrees to call “Running with Scissors” a “book” rather than “memoir” [Althouse]
Will contest over Maryland judge’s estate has dragged on for fourteen years [Washington Post]
Recap of Flea fiasco (doc liveblogging his own trial); we get randomly mentioned [American Medical News; earlier]
“Viacom charges man with violating his own copyright, after he YouTubed their program that used his video.” [Reynolds](but see: Evan Brown via Coleman]
Is your lawyer a “chicken catcher” or a “chicken plucker”? [KevinMD]
When if ever should “best interest” custody standard override parent’s right to free exercise of opinion, religion, cultural affiliation, etc.? [series of Eugene Volokh posts]
Don’t forget to join our new Facebook group with distinctive content [if you're a member]
New at Point of Law: Texas judge’s son withdraws from odometer class action; what do environmentalist litigators have against whales?; N.Y. Times’s born-yesterday Vioxx coverage (and this from Ted, which is pretty devastating); Dickie Scruggs takes down an insurance commissioner; sexual assault foreseeable when fraternity left in possession of unsupervised motel room? Marshall, Texas dignitaries rally to save their special court; and much more.

Tags: Bill Lerach, Cleary Gottlieb, copyright, Coughlin Stoia, Dickie Scruggs, Eastern District of Texas, Facebook, family law, fans as infringers, Jarndyce redux, John Edwards, Judge Ward, Maryland, Mississippi, nanny state, overzealous advocacy, roundups, Vioxx

September 4 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system