Chris Rizo News
Gingrich: Republicans poised for gains in 2010
Newt Gingrich (R) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)� Republicans ought to run candidates in every race for state attorney general next year, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said.
Conn's settles with Texas AG; Agrees to refund $4.5 million
Abbott AUSTIN (Legal Newsline)� Conn's Appliances has agreed to pay $4.5 million in restitution to settle claims by the Texas attorney general that the company defrauded consumers.
Texas doctors oppose Senate health care plan; Group seeks tort reform
Dr. William III AUSTIN (Legal Newsline)-The health care overhaul pending in the U.S. Senate requires significant changes before doctors can support the draft plan, the Texas Medical Association says.
Senate Republicans to push tort reform
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)- The U.S. Senate will have "extensive" debate on health care reform in the coming weeks, with Republicans pushing for tort reform, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday.
Texas SC agrees to rehear long-running Exxon sabotage case
Texas Supreme Court AUSTIN (Legal Newsline)- The Texas Supreme Court has agreed to rehear a case in the long-running case over whether Exxon Mobil Corp. sabotaged abandoned wells.
Texas judge tosses state's Vioxx lawsuit
Abbott AUSTIN (Legal Newsline)-A Texas judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general against drugmaker Merck & Co. over its now-withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
Health care bill rests in moderate Democrats' hands
Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)�Months ago, the chief lobbyist for U.S. trial lawyers predicted that moderate Senate Democrats could be an obstacle to President Barack Obama's push for a national health care overhaul.
AP Poll: Americans want medical malpractice reform
Maas WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The majority of Americans say federal lawmakers ought to make it more difficult for allegedly aggrieved patients to sue for medical malpractice, a poll Thursday indicates.
Texas AG defends state medical malpractice reforms
AUSTIN(Legal Newsline)-The Texas attorney general has urged the state Supreme Court to leave intact medical malpractice reforms.
VONAGE agrees to $3 million multistate settlement
Abbott (LEGAL NEWSLINE)-One of the nation's largest providers of Internet-based phone service has settled claims by 32 state attorneys general who alleged the New Jersey-based company was overcharging consumers, officials said Monday.
House health care bill costs more than previously believed
John Boehner (R-Ohio) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The mammoth $1 trillion health care overhaul bill passed by the House last week will cost more than previously believed, a government report said.
U.S. Supreme Court hears jurisdiction case
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday heard argument in a case that could change the way a company's principal place of business is determined, and thus where lawsuits against it are litigated.
Survey: Medical malpractice threats hamstring doctors
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (Legal Newsline)-The overwhelming majority of U.S. physicians say the threat of medical malpractice litigation is influencing their practice of medicine, a recent survey found
House approves health care overhaul; Democrats eschew tort reforms
Eric Cantor (R-Va.) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday passed a landmark health care overhaul that changes the way the nation's medical insurance companies do business.
White House sides with investors in Vioxx lawsuit
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The Obama administration has taken the side of investors seeking to sue pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. over its now-withdrawn blockbuster painkiller Vioxx.
Boehner: GOP health care plan to target lawsuit abuse
Boehner (R) WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-House Republicans plan to offer an alternative to the Democrats' proposal for a national health care overhaul that contains tort reform, House Minority Leader John Boehner said Sunday.
Nava: Big oil not paying its 'fair share'
Pedro Nava (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)- Assemblyman Pedro Nava, the Southern California lawmaker vying to become the state's next chief legal officer, said Monday that Big Oil companies are getting off easy.
Texas judge to handle Scruggs case
Scruggs HOUSTON (Legal Newsline)-A federal judge in Texas will hear a lawsuit claiming that disgraced former trial attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs and several others conspired to defraud a former colleague of millions of dollars in legal fees.
Calif. AG candidate to propose oil severance tax
Pedro Nava (D) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-A Democratic candidate for California attorney general today will once again introduce legislation to enact a $1.5 billion a year tax on oil producers.
Perry's Supreme Court appointment draws praise
Justice Eva Guzman accepts the nomination to the Texas Supreme Court by Gov. Rick Perry on Oct. 8. AUSTIN (Legal Newsline)-The newest member of the Texas Supreme Court will provide a reliably conservative voice on the state high court, a legal observer said.