Court

Jefferson County Seeks Resolution: Quorum Court Takes New Approach to Budget Stalemate After Five-Month Delay

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PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Jefferson County’s quorum court is working to reach a budget agreement after nearly five months of deliberation. The community has been operating without a formally passed budget, leading to significant disruption in local governance. Disputes among quorum court members and County Judge Gerald Robinson have caused extended governmental shutdowns. During this period, Senate Bill 182 was enacted, requiring counties without an approved budget to continue employee payments and operate based on the previous year’s budget. Therefore, Jefferson County has been utilizing its 2024 budget since the bill’s implementation. Recently, a motion … Read more

Colorado Court Upholds Jury Verdict, Rejects Claims of Anti-Police Bias During Civil Trial

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Colorado’s Court of Appeals has ruled that claims surrounding a juror’s anti-police remarks during a civil trial do not warrant a new trial, reaffirming the limitations on what jurors can be questioned about post-deliberations. Typically, jurors are protected from testifying about their internal discussions, although exceptions exist for instances of improper outside influence or severe bias. The appellate panel clarified that the constitutional exception recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court, which addresses extreme biases affecting trial integrity, does not extend to anti-police sentiments. In a decision rendered on May 1, a three-judge panel determined that … Read more

Johnson & Johnson’s $9 Billion Bankruptcy Plan to Settle Talc Lawsuits Dismissed by Court, Company Shifts Focus Back to Litigation

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HOUSTON — A U.S. Bankruptcy Court has dismissed Johnson & Johnson’s recent attempt to settle thousands of lawsuits related to its talc baby powder. The ruling comes as a blow to the company, which had sought to resolve cancer claims with a proposed $9 billion package, potentially one of the largest mass tort settlements in history. Judge Christopher Lopez found that Johnson & Johnson, along with its subsidiary Red River Talc, improperly solicited votes when attempting to secure support from 75% of claimants for the settlement. This led to the invalidation of most of the … Read more

Appeals Court Reverses $4 Million Verdict in Controversial Denver SWAT Operation Involving Elderly Woman

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DENVER, Colo. — A Colorado appeals court has recently overturned a substantial $4 million jury verdict awarded to an elderly woman following a controversial SWAT operation at her residence in Denver. The decision, which has ignited discussions surrounding police procedures and accountability, marks a significant turn in a case that has drawn attention from various sectors of the community. The incident in question stemmed from a 2019 SWAT raid that targeted the woman’s home based on allegations of drug-related activity. At the time, the resident, who is in her 70s, was reportedly subjected to a … Read more