Concerns are raised about a provision in the Dodd financial services reform bill. [Robert Litan, HuffPo via Timothy Lee, Cato at Liberty and Mike Masnick/TechDirt; John Mauldin, Frontlinethoughts.com/ Business Insider]
Archive for April, 2010
New at Point of Law
Things you’re missing if you’re not keeping up with my other site:
- Despite New Yorkers’ outrage over railroad retirement disability abuses, Cuomo probe accomplishes little;
- Founded by America’s Most Irresponsible Public Figure® RFK Jr., the Waterkeeper Alliance is with reason a highly controversial group. Should the University of Maryland be enlisting students regularly in its litigation campaigns?
- NYT relies on plaintiff lawyer source in accusatory story about Pope, then has to walk the story back;
- Louisiana judge: “gradual”, “environmental” insurance exclusions don’t apply to bad-drywall claims;
- New CPSC product complaint database could invite erroneous or even malicious submissions, critics say;
- CBS “60 Minutes” stonewalls Columbia Journalism Review critique of its Chevron-Ecuador segment.
Backs propeller boat into victim, manufacturer liable
Jacob Brochtrup jumped into the water to retrieve a tow rope, and was gravely injured when the boat’s driver, who didn’t know he was there, backed the boat up. A Texas federal jury has now found the Brunswick Corp. partly to blame and told it to pay $3.8 million. His attorney argued that “manufacturers could make boats and motors safer by installing guards on propellers and placing a shield over the back,” something that current boat designs do not do. [Austin American-Statesman via Continuous Wave] Related: March 19 (tablesaw design not adopted by industry). More: Abnormal Use.
Las Vegas lawyer’s radio ad “grossly misstated the law”
The ten-second commercial for Anthony “Tony the Tiger” Lopez Jr. on Spanish-language radio told listeners: “If you have had an auto accident, by law you have the right to receive at least $15,000 for your case.” The Nevada Supreme Court reprimanded Lopez, upholding the findings of a bar disciplinary panel that said his marketing had “harmed the public by fostering unnecessary and unwarranted litigation by people who were not necessarily entitled to any recovery.” [Las Vegas Review Journal via ABA Journal]
“NYC to stop paying teachers to do nothing”
By reader acclaim: UK handyman props ladder against branch he’s sawing off
The injured man “took the [legal] action after health and safety inspectors concluded the hotel failed to carry out a risk assessment on the dangers of pruning. They also said that his employer should have given him training on where to place the ladder.” [Telegraph, Daily Mail]
“The Plumpy’nut Dustup”
The nutritional paste seems to be a really useful invention in getting international food assistance to the poor. Does that mean it’s okay to break its patent? [Alanna Sheikh, AidWatch]
Presidential decrees and hospital visitation rights
Beldar offers one dissenting view. More: David Link, Independent Gay Forum.
Client, lawyer charged with extortion over settlement talks
The lawyer is a prominent figure in Orange County, Calif. politics. As usual, the tricky part comes in distinguishing between actual extortion and the way lawyers are often known to behave in ordinary, garden-variety settlement talks [Newport Beach Daily Pilot via ABA Journal]
Do as we say dept.: EPA and lead
The Environmental Protection Agency — currently rolling out new regulations expected to substantially boost the cost of home renovation projects and drive many smaller, less formal repair providers from the market, all in the name of lead reduction — turns out to have lead exposures at its own headquarters exceeding the relevant federal standards in one case by 92,500 percent [Daily Caller] Can it fine itself?