Carrie Salls News
Plaintiffs' attorneys in BP securities litigation seek $20.25 million in fees
&&& HOUSTON – Three firms that represented plaintiffs in nearly seven years of BP PLC securities litigation that included three cases and ended in a $175 million settlement have asked a federal court to award a total of $20.25 million, or 11.57 percent of the settlement fund, in fees in connection with their work.
U.S. News & World Report honors Provost Umphrey, Blevins says its a 'great distinction'
BEAUMONT – Provost Umphrey Law Firm LLP has earned the Best Law Firms designation from the publishers of U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America for its continued success in the courtroom on behalf of its clients.
Proposed state-focused environmental regulation changes could reduce lawsuits, says expert
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Heartland Institute’s “Action Plan for President Trump” calls for a review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current rules and regulations and the establishment of a committee of state environmental leaders to make future policy decisions.
States look to delay immigration action case until after inauguration
BROWNSVILLE – Texas and more than a dozen other states have asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to stay a case related to their challenge of President Barack Obama’s suspension of immigration laws covering 4 million of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States until after the inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Houston hospital pushes forward with plan payment embezzlement allegations
HOUSTON – RedOak Hospital LLC has responded to AT&T Services Inc.’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit related to withheld insurance plan payments, alleging the defendant’s argument “misses the mark because the plans’ anti-assignment provisions are ineffective as a matter of law.”
Paxton: North Texas Water District members likely can't remove directors before term expires
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently issued an opinion on whether an appointing member city’s governing body may remove a director it has appointed to the North Texas Municipal Water District without cause during that director’s term.
Appeal gives four-year phone system patent infringement battle new life
TYLER – Despite a final judgment entered Sept. 30 in a lawsuit originally filed in April 2012 that pitted NobelBiz, Inc. against defendants Global Connect, LLC and TCN, Inc. in a patent infringement battle, the defendants have appealed numerous orders filed in the four-year life of the case, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reactivated appeals Oct. 31.
AG asks Supreme Court to reinstate Voter ID law, congressmen lend support
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said amicus briefs were filed in the U.S. Supreme Court by a coalition of 10 states and 32 members of Congress in support of Texas’ voter ID law.
Executive order affects government contractors; preliminary injunction issued
BEAUMONT – Associated Builders and Contractors of Southeast Texas, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. and National Association of Security Companies won a preliminary injunction against portions of a presidential executive order that requires federal contracting officers to determine whether labor and employment law violations should keep contractors from winning government contracts.
Texas Supreme Court returns claim investigation jurisdiction dispute to county court
AUSTIN – The Supreme Court of Texas has denied an appeal filed by the city of Dallas in connection with the city of Corsicana, Navarro County and Navarro College’s (collectively, Navarro) request to investigate a potential tortious interference claim against Dallas, which is likely to exceed the $200,000 claim threshold that limits the County Court at Law of Navarro County’s jurisdiction.
Toll road placement draws ire of Grimes County landowners; lawmakers concerned with debt
ANDERSON – Frustration over the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) plans to potentially build a toll road through the rural Grimes County could lead to lawsuits being filed by fed-up property owners, although none have been filed to date.
Battle between Rent-A-Center and customers headed to arbitration
BEAUMONT – A lawsuit filed against Rent-A-Center Texas LP (RAC) in connection with a dispute between an RAC employee and husband and wife customers will go to arbitration after the Court of Appeals for the 9th District of Texas at Beaumont overturned an order denying the company’s motion to compel arbitration.
Cowboys' Bryant files counterclaim against former lawyer, landlord
DALLAS – Dallas Cowboys receiver Desmond D. “Dez” Bryant has filed a counterclaim against State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) as part of a lawsuit filed by Royce amid allegations Bryant damaged the senator’s rental property.
District judge takes Houston law school name change preliminary injunction under advisement
HOUSTON – U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has taken under advisement the University of Houston’ motion for a preliminary injunction against the former South Texas College of Law’s changing its name to the Houston College of Law following an Aug. 26 hearing on the injunction request.
Court rejects Similasan labeling settlement after attorneys general point out unfairness
AUSTIN – The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California has rejected a proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit filed against Similasan Corp. that alleges false and deceptive labeling of Similasan’s homeopathic products.
Competing attorneys trade claims of unethical conduct in barratry statute battle
HOUSTON – Two Texas brothers, the subject of a lawsuit alleging violations of the state’s criminal barratry statute, claim the plaintiffs have ties to a competitor who directed them to make phone calls in an effort to secretly record alleged violations.
Texas voter ID changes address minorities' access issues
AUSTIN – A federal district court entered an order to ease Texas’s strict photo identification law and allow voters without ID to cast a regular ballot this November.
Commodity prices, judges' protocol draw major bankruptcy cases to Texas district
HOUSTON – The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas has seen a boom in major Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings this year, particularly from companies in the energy sector.
DuPont refutes claims of reporting violations at Louisiana acid plant
NEW ORLEANS – E I DuPont de NeMours & Co recently asked the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to dismiss a False Claims Act-based
lawsuit filed against the company by Jeffrey M. Simoneaux.
University of Houston seeks injunction in law school name change dispute
HOUSTON–The University of Houston has requested an interim injunction in the latest step of its legal battle to keep the former South Texas College of Law from changing its name to the Houston College of Law.