Forcing

Judge Grants Permission to Remove Home Monitoring Device for Nurse Accused of Forcing Abortion, Ignoring Victim’s Fears

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Puyallup, Washington — A Pierce County judge has granted permission for David Benjamin Coots, a licensed nurse practitioner accused of forcing an abortion on his former girlfriend, to remove his electronic home monitoring device. This decision comes despite a history of alleged court order violations by the defendant. D.H., the woman bringing the allegations, claims that on January 27, 2024, Coots acted aggressively during what she believed was consensual sex at her residence. At the time, she thought she might be pregnant and had communicated this with Coots, who is married to another woman. According … Read more

Supreme Court Limits Bankruptcy Shield, Forcing Companies to Reassess Settlement Strategies in Mass Tort Cases

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Washington — The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling has significantly impacted how bankruptcy can be employed, particularly in mass tort litigations involving organizations like Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin. The court has curtailed the scope of bankruptcy courts, specifically rescinding their authority to dismiss legal claims against non-debtors without the explicit consent of the involved parties. Historically, bankruptcy proceedings have provided a robust mechanism for organizations to manage and settle widespread legal challenges, including cases related to sexual abuse and consumer products linked to health issues. Such procedures allowed for the automatic halting of … Read more

New Jersey State Ordered to Pay $10 Million for Forcing Correctional Officer with Multiple Sclerosis to Resign

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Hamilton, New Jersey – A state appeals court has upheld a lower court’s order for the state of New Jersey to pay $10 million in punitive damages to a former Juvenile Justice Commission correctional officer. The officer, Shelley Pritchett, was forced to resign in 2011 due to her multiple sclerosis. The three-judge panel agreed with the Mercer County jury’s decision in a 2017 trial, stating that the supervisors who pushed Pritchett into early retirement acted reprehensibly. Pritchett had sued the state for discrimination, accusing her bosses of violating the state Law Against Discrimination by failing … Read more