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MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Chris Rizo News


Congressman seeks GAO probe of asbestos trusts

By Chris Rizo |
Smith WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, the leading Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, on Thursday asked the director of the Government Accountability Office to investigate the secrecy behind trusts created to pay asbestos-related claims against bankrupt companies.

Legal reformers want to derail lawsuit lending bill

By Chris Rizo |
Hoffman SPRINGFIELD (Legal Newsline)—Legal reformers in Illinois say they are counting on the state House of Representatives to quash a bill they say would help trial lawyers file more lawsuits.

Survey: Madison County courts among the most unfair in the nation

By Chris Rizo |
Rickard Madison County is one of the most unfair state court jurisdictions in the nation, a survey of top corporate lawyers and business executives indicates.

Murnane: Illinois med-mal caps bill likely to die

By Chris Rizo |
Murnane SPRINGFIELD (Legal Newsline)-Illinois lawmakers will not likely give voters the opportunity -- at least this year -- to allow the General Assembly to adopt caps on medical malpractice awards, a leading tort reform advocate said.

Durbin gets big bucks from trial lawyers

By Chris Rizo |
Durbin WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team, has raked in big bucks this year from trial lawyers and their political action committees, campaign finance disclosures indicate.

U.S. SC ruling could limit forum shopping by trial lawyers

By Chris Rizo |
Murnane WASHINGTON - A U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week could put a damper on the trial lawyer practice of filing lawsuits, particularly class actions, in vaguely related jurisdictions where judges are seen as plaintiff-friendly.

Pawlenty calls for medical malpractice reform

By Chris Rizo |
Pawlenty ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline)-Changing the way medical malpractice cases are handled would be a "commonsense" way to help bring down skyrocketing U.S. health care costs, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said.

Tobacco companies seek Supreme Court review of racketeering verdict

By Chris Rizo |
U.S. Supreme Court building WASHINGTON - Three major tobacco companies are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a racketeering verdict against cigarette makers over the marketing of so-called light cigarettes.

Report: Illinois faces worst pension funding gap among states

By Chris Rizo |
WASHINGTON - U.S. states have a collective funding gap of at least $1 trillion to provide the retirement benefits they have promised to public-sector employees, a national report issued Thursday said.

Illinois AG would be state's No. 2 under proposed change

By Chris Rizo |
Jason Plummer SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan would be second in line to succeed the governor under a proposal by the Democrat's powerful father, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

State AGs predict uptick in home foreclosures this year

By Chris Rizo |
WASHINGTON - The nation's foreclosure crisis is worsening despite federal efforts to help Americans save their homes, a dozen state attorneys general said Wednesday.

Democrats could have tough electoral road ahead

By Chris Rizo |
Murnane WASHINGTON - In an epic political upset Tuesday night, a Republican won the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by liberal icon Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts - something that political observers say could signal danger for Democrats nationally.

Trial bar seeks to expand liability, end arbitration clauses

By Chris Rizo |
Tarricone WASHINGTON - The national trial lawyers group outlined its 2010 legislative agenda Monday, announcing that the group plans to take aim at mandatory arbitration clauses and push to expand civil liability, among other initiatives.

Madigan urges high court to reject effort to close Chicago locks

By Chris Rizo |
Madigan SPRINGFIELD - The U.S. Supreme Court should reject a multistate request to close the locks that connect Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Tuesday.

AG Madigan decries mortgage broker kickbacks

By Chris Rizo |
Madigan SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is among 15 state attorneys general asking the Federal Reserve to eliminate certain financial incentives for loan officers and mortgage brokers.

Madigan has FOIA enforcer in place

By Chris Rizo |
Madigan SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has tapped a senior aide to see to it that provisions of the state's Freedom of Information Act are followed by public agencies.

U.S. trial bar still searching for its next leader

By Chris Rizo |
WASHINGTON - The nation's trial lawyer group is still looking for a new leader, or so an Internet posting by a leading executive recruitment firm indicates.

CBO stands by estimate tort reform will save taxpayers billions

By Chris Rizo |
Elmendorf WASHINGTON - The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says it stands by its analysis that medial malpractice limits would save American taxpayers billions of dollars.

Poll: Americans divided over which party would fix health care

By Chris Rizo |
Reid (D) WASHINGTON - Americans are divided on whether to trust Democrats or Republicans to overhaul the nation's health care system, which critics say is fraught with waste and lawsuit abuse, a national poll indicates.

Obama: Senate to pass health care bill this month

By Chris Rizo |
Obama (D) WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate will pass its health care overhaul bill this month, President Barack Obama said Sunday evening.