The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday halted an effort to grant "personhood" rights to human embryos, saying the measure is unconstitutional.
The state's highest court ruled unanimously that a proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution that would define a fertilized human egg as a person violates a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision involving a Pennsylvania case and "is clearly unconstitutional." Supporters of the personhood amendment are trying to gather enough signatures to put it before Oklahoma voters on the November ballot.
Opponents contend the measure would ban abortions without exception and interfere with a woman's right to use certain forms of contraception and medical procedures, such as in vitro fertilization.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights filed a protest with the state Supreme Court on behalf of several Oklahoma doctors and residents. They asked the court to stop the group Personhood Oklahoma from gathering signatures.
The nine-member court determined the initiative petition "is void on its face" and struck it down.
"The only course available to this court is to follow what the United States Supreme Court, the final arbiter of the United States Constitution, has decreed," the court said.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Mass. court: Intent to sell pot still a crime
The state’s highest court has ruled that a person can still be
criminally charged with attempting to distribute marijuana even when the
amount of the drug discovered is less than an ounce.
But the court left open the question of whether those criminal charges can also be leveled against people sharing a marijuana cigarette.
The court’s decision was intended to help clarify a 2008 voter-approved ballot question that decriminalized possession of small amounts of pot. Someone caught with less than an ounce of marijuana now faces a $100 fine instead of jail time.
But the court left open the question of whether those criminal charges can also be leveled against people sharing a marijuana cigarette.
The court’s decision was intended to help clarify a 2008 voter-approved ballot question that decriminalized possession of small amounts of pot. Someone caught with less than an ounce of marijuana now faces a $100 fine instead of jail time.
US bishops fight birth control deal
The top U.S. Catholic bishop vowed legislative and court challenges
Tuesday to a compromise by President Barack Obama to his healthcare
mandate that now exempts religiously affiliated institutions from paying
directly for birth control for their workers, instead making insurance
companies responsible.
Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, who heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in an interview with The Associated Press that he trusted Obama wasn't anti-religious and intended to make good on his pledge to work with religious groups to fine-tune the mandate.
"I want to take him at his word," Dolan said in Rome, where he will be made a cardinal Saturday. But he stressed: "I do have to say it's getting harder and harder," to believe Obama's claim to prioritize religious freedom issues given the latest controversy.
Obama sought to quell fierce election-year outrage on Friday by abandoning his stand that religiously affiliated institutions such as Catholic hospitals and universities must pay for birth control. Instead, he said insurance would step in to provide the coverage.
The administration's initial position had outraged evangelicals and Catholic bishops and emboldened many Republicans who charged that it amounted to an assault on religion by forcing religious institutions to pay for contraception, sterilization and the morning-after pill against their consciences.
Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, who heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in an interview with The Associated Press that he trusted Obama wasn't anti-religious and intended to make good on his pledge to work with religious groups to fine-tune the mandate.
"I want to take him at his word," Dolan said in Rome, where he will be made a cardinal Saturday. But he stressed: "I do have to say it's getting harder and harder," to believe Obama's claim to prioritize religious freedom issues given the latest controversy.
Obama sought to quell fierce election-year outrage on Friday by abandoning his stand that religiously affiliated institutions such as Catholic hospitals and universities must pay for birth control. Instead, he said insurance would step in to provide the coverage.
The administration's initial position had outraged evangelicals and Catholic bishops and emboldened many Republicans who charged that it amounted to an assault on religion by forcing religious institutions to pay for contraception, sterilization and the morning-after pill against their consciences.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Brandy A. Hood, Esq. Joins Tully Rinckey PLLC
Washington, D.C. & Albany, NY – Tully Rinckey PLLC is pleased to
announce the addition of attorney Brandy Hood as an associate in its
Washington, D.C. law office. Ms. Hood joins the firm’s federal sector
labor and employment law practice.
Ms. Hood will provide representation to federal employees in a wide range of employment and labor issues including discrimination, sexual harassment, equal pay, adverse action, and Title VII claims. She has previous experience in immigration, bankruptcy, civil litigation, and business transactions.
Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Ms. Hood was a Judicial Extern for Honorable Lance Africk at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Frederick H. Wicker at the Louisiana Fifth Circuit of Appeal.
Ms. Hood earned her Juris Doctorate at Tulane University Law School, graduating cum laude and earning the David L. Herman Award for her high professional standards in law. In addition to her law degree, Ms. Hood holds a B.A. degree from The George Washington University.
She is admitted to practice in New York and her District of Columbia admission is pending.
For more information about Brandy Hood’s addition to Tully Rinckey PLLC or the firm’s federal labor and employment law practice, please contact Jessica Brociek at 202-787-1900 or via email at jbrociek@tullylegal.com.
Ms. Hood will provide representation to federal employees in a wide range of employment and labor issues including discrimination, sexual harassment, equal pay, adverse action, and Title VII claims. She has previous experience in immigration, bankruptcy, civil litigation, and business transactions.
Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Ms. Hood was a Judicial Extern for Honorable Lance Africk at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Frederick H. Wicker at the Louisiana Fifth Circuit of Appeal.
Ms. Hood earned her Juris Doctorate at Tulane University Law School, graduating cum laude and earning the David L. Herman Award for her high professional standards in law. In addition to her law degree, Ms. Hood holds a B.A. degree from The George Washington University.
She is admitted to practice in New York and her District of Columbia admission is pending.
For more information about Brandy Hood’s addition to Tully Rinckey PLLC or the firm’s federal labor and employment law practice, please contact Jessica Brociek at 202-787-1900 or via email at jbrociek@tullylegal.com.
Cleveland law firm leases larger Chicago office
Cleveland-based law firm Ulmer & Berne has signed a lease to
occupy 18,000 square feet in the Citigroup Center for a larger Chicago
office.
The new office at 500 W. Madison St. signals that the firm plans to expand from its current roster of eight attorneys. The new space can accommodate 30 lawyers plus staff. In September, the firm grew from two lawyers to eight with the addition of litigators from Reed Smith and Levenfeld Pearlstein.
Ulmer & Berne is the third Cleveland firm to enter or move to new offices in the Chicago market in recent months. Baker & Hostetler opened a new office at 191 N. Wacker Drive in November with four attorneys. In September McDonald Hopkins leased 24,000 square feet at 300 N. LaSalle St.
The new office at 500 W. Madison St. signals that the firm plans to expand from its current roster of eight attorneys. The new space can accommodate 30 lawyers plus staff. In September, the firm grew from two lawyers to eight with the addition of litigators from Reed Smith and Levenfeld Pearlstein.
Ulmer & Berne is the third Cleveland firm to enter or move to new offices in the Chicago market in recent months. Baker & Hostetler opened a new office at 191 N. Wacker Drive in November with four attorneys. In September McDonald Hopkins leased 24,000 square feet at 300 N. LaSalle St.
Curtis law firm moves D.C. office
The D.C. office of law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle
LLP has relocated its headquarters to larger space downtown.
The firm said that its new location, on the top floor of 1717 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, more than doubles the size of its offices and will allow for continued expansion of its practice.
"This relocation marks an important step in Curtis’ ongoing expansion in Washington,” said D.C. Managing Partner Daniel Lenihan.
The firm said that it has added four senior lawyers to its D.C. office since December 2008.
According to its Web site, Curtis has three U.S. offices with 16 professionals working in Washington, five working in Houston and more than 100 based in New York. In addition, Curtis has 10 international offices.
The firm said that its new location, on the top floor of 1717 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, more than doubles the size of its offices and will allow for continued expansion of its practice.
"This relocation marks an important step in Curtis’ ongoing expansion in Washington,” said D.C. Managing Partner Daniel Lenihan.
The firm said that it has added four senior lawyers to its D.C. office since December 2008.
According to its Web site, Curtis has three U.S. offices with 16 professionals working in Washington, five working in Houston and more than 100 based in New York. In addition, Curtis has 10 international offices.
Carey, Danis team with Lowe on new law firm
St. Louis attorneys John Carey, Joseph Danis and Jeffrey Lowe said Monday they formed Carey, Danis & Lowe law firm.
Carey, 48, and Danis, 40, were already practicing together as Carey & Danis LLC, which focused on pharmaceutical liability, mass torts and class actions, recovering more than $800 million for its clients.
The Lowe Law Firm focused its practice on personal injury cases and has won some of the largest jury verdicts in Missouri, obtaining settlements and judgments of more than $150 million. Lowe, 53, obtained a $105 million verdict against Bridgestone/Firestone in 2000 on behalf of Randy Dorman for injuries he suffered when a tire rim assembly exploded.
The new firm will handle pharmaceutical liability, product liability, personal injury, medical malpractice, class actions, and economic loss cases throughout the United States.
Carey, 48, and Danis, 40, were already practicing together as Carey & Danis LLC, which focused on pharmaceutical liability, mass torts and class actions, recovering more than $800 million for its clients.
The Lowe Law Firm focused its practice on personal injury cases and has won some of the largest jury verdicts in Missouri, obtaining settlements and judgments of more than $150 million. Lowe, 53, obtained a $105 million verdict against Bridgestone/Firestone in 2000 on behalf of Randy Dorman for injuries he suffered when a tire rim assembly exploded.
The new firm will handle pharmaceutical liability, product liability, personal injury, medical malpractice, class actions, and economic loss cases throughout the United States.
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