Bankruptcy judgment entered after ‘astonishing’ discovery violations
A couple accused of running mortgage fraud schemes committed such “astonishing” discovery violations that the sanction imposed by a federal judge last week was a final judgment in the case. Vincent L. Abell, his wife, Marta Bertola, and their company, American Trust LLC, repeatedly destroyed and concealed electronic evidence in the bankruptcy proceedings. “They have […]
Lawyers recoup $600K for Michael Jackson memorabilia collector
BOSTON – It may not have been as easy as 1-2-3, but a pair of Boston lawyers has helped recoup $600,000 for a client who got the bad end of an unauthorized private sale of his Michael Jackson memorabilia. In 2009, Peter Slingluff, a longtime collector of rock ‘n’ roll and pop memorabilia, consigned two […]
11th Circuit vacates judgment for Baltimore company
A $15 million verdict in favor of a Baltimore-based drug testing company was thrown out last week after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined the trial court improperly maintained jurisdiction over novel state law claims. Ameritox Ltd., a Texas limited partnership with a principal place of business in Baltimore, sued Millennium Laboratories Inc. […]
CSA overturns finding in attempted murder case, orders new hearing
A teenager is entitled to a new delinquency trial on attempted murder charges because he was denied his Sixth Amendment right to counsel following his indictment.
Unresolved judgment lien costs lawyer $176K
A Baltimore County jury has awarded damages of more than $176,000 against a longtime Pikesville lawyer who erroneously assured a client that a judgment lien on his Howard County home had been discharged in bankruptcy.
Vendor’s win adds $229K to original Grand Prix’s tab
The owner of a Glen Burnie company shorted last year by the previous organizers of the Baltimore Grand Prix secured a $229,609 judgment against Baltimore Racing Development LLC.
Henson hit with $1M judgment
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered Universal Elections and its owner, Julius Henson, to pay a total of $1 million to the state for violating federal law by sending recorded telephone messages to more than 112,000 Democrats in Baltimore city and Prince George’s County on Election Day 2010 saying they should “relax” because the Democrats […]
4th Circuit affirms $1.7M verdict under Land Sales Act
The purchasers of a lot in an upscale real estate development had three years to exercise their rescission rights under federal law imposing disclosure requirements in interstate land sales, the 4th Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has held. The May 1 decision affirms a judgment for $1.7 million, the amount the plaintiff/appellees paid to […]
Judges seem wary of overruling tobacco judgment
WASHINGTON — A bid by tobacco companies to overrule a court judgment that they must do corrective advertising about the dangers of smoking received a chilly response from a federal appeals court Friday. The companies want U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler’s order overturned because a 2009 law gave the Food and Drug Administration authority over […]
CSA affirms $14.4M judgment for Choice Hotels
A Montgomery County judge was under no obligation to grant a stay of proceedings to allow a litigant to change lawyers for a fourth time, the Court of Special Appeals held. Last week’s decision affirmed a $14.4 million judgment against PLC Partners LLC and Sam Klein in favor of Silver Spring-based Choice Hotels International Inc. […]
Farm Bureau seeks summary judgment in bay suit against EPA
The American Farm Bureau Federation is asking a federal judge to toss out the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay restoration strategy before its suit challenging the effort goes to trial. The federation filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania seeking summary judgment in its favor, arguing the EPA has overstepped its authority […]
Housing authority asks court to block property seizures
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City on Friday filed a motion to stop the seizure of trucks and other property to pay for damages in a lead paint case. The HABC’s motion, filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court, seeks to quash any potential sale of property to pay a $2.6 million judgment awarded in 2010 […]