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In a dispute involving insurance liability coverage, court of appeals judgment is reversed where defendant had no duty to defend its insured party in the lawsuit brought against him by defendant as an insured party’s unreasonable belief in the need for self-defense does not turn the resulting purposeful and intentional act of assault and battery into an “accident” within the policy’s coverage clause. Read Delgado v. Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club of Southern California, No....

Commercial space travel may sound like a blast. But if anyone gets hurt, certain personal injury lawsuits may not fly, thanks to a new law. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez signed legislation Tuesday that limits the civil liability of commercial spaceflight operators and parts suppliers. The bill is an effort to protect the state’s nearly quarter-billion-dollar investment in commercial space travel, including the construction of a futuristic “spaceport,” and to keep billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic firmly grounded in the state, Insurance Journal reports....

Some people will pay a lot to eat an exotic food item. But the teenagers who pled guilty this week in Maryland to grilling a protected rattlesnake and eating it for dinner were not gourmets, and they were probably not prepared for the price they would pay. Four young men who went camping in the Green Ridge State Forest this past summer pled guilty in Cumberland, Maryland District Court to possessing or destroying protected rattlesnake, according to the Associated Press....

Man, and you thought fines were unreasonable in the U.S.? A court in China has announced that it is going to retry a farmer sentenced to life in prison for evading highway tolls. The case came under second review after public outcry over his harsh sentence. According to the court, Shi Jianfeng committed fraud by avoiding highway tolls. Jianfeng apparently mounted fake military plates on his cars so he could bypass the tolls over 2,300 times, the Associated Press reports....

Have you ever seen one of those armchairs built to look as if it were modeled after a B-52 bomber? Well, the maker of these retro-cool furniture pieces is bringing a lawsuit against a Canadian company for infringing on its IP, but there seems to be a little trouble with the proper venue … Forum Non Conveniens The maker of these lovechild-of-aeroplane-and-chair-type furniture pieces is Halo Creative Design, a HongKong based company....

Oh, how the mighty have fallen Once upon a time, JaMarcus Russell was the No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in 2007. Today his Oakland mansion is facing foreclosure, reports Fox Sports. JaMarcus Russell is the size of a lineman. He’s 6ft 6in, 300 pounds and has the speed of a running back. He can launch a football nearly the length of a football field. Why can’t he pay for his home?...

Legal arguments work so much better when you can undergird them with a bit of fear, don’t they? Phrases like “another 9/11 incident” really underscore the stakes behind what is basically a case of statutory interpretation using legislative history. “Congress could not have intended that a single employee’s objection to a TSA decision, no matter how well-intentioned that objection might be, would allow the employee to take matters into his own hands and divulge information that could be exploited to jeopardize the country’s transportation infrastructure and the lives and livelihoods of those who depend upon it....

The 911 calls from Hope Solo’s home that led to Jerramy Stevens’ domestic violence arrest have been released. The altercation occurred on the eve of Solo and Stevens’ wedding, and the calls were made by Solo’s brother. Marcus Solo reportedly called 911 four times around 3 a.m. and told police that there was a fight, that alcohol was involved, and that medical attention was needed, the New England Sports Network reports....

If you bombed your 1L exams, you may feel like your legal career ended before it even began. Don’t fret. A lot of people who bombed midterms have gone on to success in the legal field. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take this chance to think very carefully about your future. 3 Reasons to Stick It Out Although it’s important to stay optimistic about your future, you should also be realistic....

If there were an Emmy for the Most Contemptuous Judge, television Judge Jeanine Pirro would probably get the nod this year. After all, she had a screaming match with Whoopi Goldberg and dropped so many f-bombs producers couldn’t broadcast the segment. But there is no such award, not even in real life. However, Judge Curtis DeLapp is the odds-on favorite for handing out the most contempt citations ever. He sent more than 200 people to jail for offenses as petty as leaving sunflower seeds in his courtroom....

The rare story of the criminal turned lawyer will often turn heads for the tale of redemption and self reflection. However, just as inspiring is the even rarer story of a victim turned lawyer that helps to bring down their former attacker. For one lawyer, that is part of her story. Rachael Denhollander, at the age of 15, was abused by the now infamous former gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar. Sixteen years later, after becoming a mother and an attorney, she became the first victim to step forward to publicly accuse Nassar of sexual abuse....

Few lawyers have won bigger verdicts and settlements than Thomas R. Kline. Even fewer, if any, have given away more money to law schools. Kline, who donated $50 million to Drexel University Law School three years ago, has given another $7.5 million to Duquesne University School of Law. It is the largest gift in the history of the Pennsylvania law school, and the first of its kind in the nation. The money will establish a judicial college....

Murthy v. Vilsack, No. 09-5026, concerned an action by an ex-employee against the Secretary of Agriculture for breach of the terms of a settlement agreement and for non-selection to a GS-15 position in violation of Title VII. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court’s order partially transferring the action and partially granting summary judgment, holding that 1) the filing of an amended complaint after the 180-day waiting period expired could not cure the failure to exhaust; and 2) res judicata would not bar the filing of a new Title VII non-selection civil action after he exhausted his EEOC remedies....

Michael Jordan is slamming a paternity lawsuit brought against him, and is asking a court to dismiss the suit. Pamela Smith claims the NBA great is the father of her 16-year-old son. But Jordan says the teen’s paternity has already been “conclusively established” in previous divorce proceedings between Smith and her ex-husband. Jordan claims that proves he is not the boy’s father. Along with seeking a dismissal of the paternity lawsuit, the 50-year-old NBA Hall of Famer has brought a counterclaim against Smith for making false claims, reports The Associated Press....

Workplace committees aren’t the most glamorous things. Sometimes they’re even openly derided. Think, for example, back to “The Office,” which often pilloried the petty tyranny of the Party Planning Committee. Don’t give much weight to the jokes. Firm committees do a lot more than setting up the holiday party. In many firms, committees are a way to get involved in important firm business, such as employee benefits and recruiting strategies. Working on a committee can allow you to demonstrate leadership and help you stand out from the herd....

Trash talk is being taken out of New Jersey high school sports, pursuant to a new state policy that bans taunting in an attempt to curb bullying. The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), along with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, announced the new policy last week. It prohibits high-school athletes from harassing others on the field or court, and takes effect this fall, reports the Associated Press....

The wildly popular podcast Serial closed last year focusing on the story of Adnan Syed, the suburbanite convicted of murdering his girlfriend in 1999. The podcast has been credited for shining a light on some of the real inner workings of lawyers, with emphasis on the criminal justice system. If you loved the first season of Serial, here’s an overview of what’s to come. In the new season, Maxim reports that the show will focus on Bowe Bergdahl....

Newspapers – the bastions of the First Amendment – are supposed to be free to publish the truth, right? But what if a news story will get somebody killed – like a narcotics detective who cut a deal after being caught working with the Mexican Mafia? That’s what a judge was thinking when he ordered the Los Angeles Times to delete details of a story. Judge John Walter reversed himself, however, when he discovered the court system accidentally released a sealed record....

Ex-MLB star Roger Clemens’ new perjury trial is set to begin in Washington, D.C., as the Cy Young-winning pitcher defends himself again from charges he lied to Congress about steroids. “Good morning, good morning,” Clemens, 49, said to potential jurors Monday in U.S. District Court, Reuters reports. A federal judge and lawyers on both sides interviewed 20 prospective jurors Monday. It’s the first step in Clemens’ retrial, after an error by prosecutors derailed his first trial last summer....

Trial court judgment denying petition for administrative mandate challenging a decision by the Fair Employment and Housing Commission finding the employer committed pregnancy discrimination in violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act is affirmed where: 1) substantial evidence supports the Commission’s finding that there was a causal connection between the employee’s and plaintiff’s decision to end her employment; 2) the Commission did not abuse its discretion in awarding the employee backpay between May 10 and September 17, 2004; 3) substantial evidence supports the Commission’s award of emotional distress damages; and 5) substantial evidence supports the Commission’s Commission’s decision to impose an administrative fine as there was clear and convincing evidence of oppression and malice on plaintiff’s part....