John Edwards – Overlawyered

January 27 roundup

Walter Olson — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 05:05:23 +0000

Fee-vergnügen: John Edwards, who knows a thing or two about tactical concealment, seeks to rep Volkswagen owners in mass litigation [Grist, Politico]
Speaking of auto litigation: first General Motors ignition case goes to trial, automaker charges fraud, plaintiffs hire criminal counsel [Bloomberg, more]
The Maryland redistricting project I was involved in this past fall has now resulted in a bill filed with the legislature by Gov. Larry Hogan [Danielle Gaines/Frederick News-Post, WBAL, Anjali Shastry/Washington Times, Baltimore Sun, earlier]
Discovery and other procedural reforms in the federal courts: “Chief Justice Roberts on speedier civil litigation … and dueling?” [Howard Wasserman, PrawfsBlawg]
Shackled Philly priest died in prison, accused by “Billy Doe.” But how well does Doe’s story hold up? Questions about another big sex assault story from Rolling Stone/Sabrina Rubin Erdely that preceded their U.Va./”Jackie” tale [Ralph Cipriano/Newsweek, Robby Soave/Reason].
“Oversimplification is at the heart of a Coates-style approach to the reparations issue.” [John McWhorter on an unexpected bid to get me to side with Bernie Sanders; more on reparations, Glenn Loury and (missed this earlier) Jonathan Blanks, Rare, 2014]
Federal Trade Commission went after LabMD on data security complaint. Unlike so many targets, LabMD chose to fight the FTC. And then… [Steven Boranian, Drug and Device Law, earlier]

Tags: autos, discovery, Federal Trade Commission, General Motors, John Edwards, redistricting reform, reparations, sexual assault, Volkswagen

January 27 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Politics roundup

Walter Olson — Mon, 26 May 2014 13:35:06 +0000

NY Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver hangs blame for a retrospectively unpopular position on the *other* Sheldon Silver. Credible? [NY Times via @jpodhoretz]
Julian Castro, slated as next HUD chief, did well from fee-splitting arrangement with top Texas tort lawyer [Byron York; earlier on Mikal Watts]
10th Circuit: maybe Colorado allows too much plebiscitary democracy to qualify as a state with a “republican form of government” [Garrett Epps on a case one suspects will rest on a “this day and trip only” theory pertaining to tax limitations, as opposed to other referendum topics]
“Mostyn, other trial lawyers spending big on Crist’s campaign in Florida” [Chamber-backed Legal NewsLine; background on Crist and Litigation Lobby] “Texas trial lawyers open checkbooks for Braley’s Senate run” [Legal NewsLine; on Braley’s IRS intervention, Watchdog]
Contributions from plaintiff’s bar, especially Orange County’s Robinson Calcagnie, enable California AG Kamala Harris to crush rivals [Washington Examiner]
Trial lawyers suing State Farm for $7 billion aim subpoena at member of Illinois Supreme Court [Madison-St. Clair Record, more, yet more]
Plaintiff-friendly California voting rights bill could mulct municipalities [Steven Greenhut]
John Edwards: he’s baaaaack… [on the law side; Byron York]
Also, I’ve started a blog (representing just myself, no institutional affiliation) on Maryland local matters including policy and politics: Free State Notes.

Tags: attorneys general, California, Colorado, constitutional law, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, John Edwards, Kamala Harris, Maryland, Mikal Watts, politics, Sheldon Silver, State Farm, state high courts, Tenth Circuit

Politics roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

It’s “what I was born to do”

Walter Olson — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 15:26:42 +0000

John Edwards returns to law practice.

More from commenter ras: “Can we sue the attending physician?”

Tags: John Edwards

It’s “what I was born to do” is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

It’s alive

Walter Olson — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:50:03 +0000

Report: John Edwards plans to launch new plaintiff’s firm in Raleigh. [CNN]

Tags: John Edwards, North Carolina

It’s alive is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

More on the John Edwards prosecution

Walter Olson — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:38:35 +0000

Must-read Mark Steyn: “Edwards now faces 30 years in jail, for the crime of getting a couple of pals to pay for his baby’s diapers. For purposes of comparison, Anders Breivik murdered 77 people and is looking at 21 years in jail, the maximum sentence permitted under Norwegian law.” Contra: Hans von Spakovsky argues that the prosecutors’ argument is not such a stretch. And Beldar predicts the issue on which the jury’s verdict may turn. Earlier here, here, etc.

Tags: campaign regulation, John Edwards

More on the John Edwards prosecution is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

John Edwards trial begins

Walter Olson — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:22:56 +0000

Josh Gerstein at Politico has a playbook; my Cato colleague Gene Healy explains why you should consider the prosecution troubling even if, like close to 100% of the American population, you have an unfavorable view of Edwards. Earlier here, here, here, etc. More: Rick Esenberg, Richard Pildes.

Tags: John Edwards

John Edwards trial begins is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

April 16 roundup

Walter Olson — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:07:53 +0000

Although I’m known as a foe of everything John Edwards stands for, I hope he beats this campaign finance rap [Atlantic Wire]
Michael Bloomberg launches demagogic new campaign against Stand Your Ground laws, calling to mind the recent critique of the NYC mayor’s paternalist dark side by Conor Friedersdorf in the Atlantic;
Jerry Brown frees grandmother dubiously jailed in shaken-baby death [Slate, earlier]
As Scruggs (Dickey not Earl) still pursues vindication, Alan Lange looks back on Mississippi scandals [YallPolitics]
Deservedly favorable profile of Fifth Circuit judge Jerry Smith [NOLA]
In which I tell off Bill Donohue’s Catholic League for its double insult last week to gays and to adoptive parents [IGF]
“The Ninth Circuit was, believe it or not, correct” [Ilya Shapiro and Trevor Burrus, Cato, on administrative law case arising from NLRB rules change on drug rep overtime]

Tags: adoption, campaign regulation, Dickie Scruggs, Fifth Circuit, Jerry Brown, John Edwards, Michael Bloomberg, Ninth Circuit, stand your ground, wrong right

April 16 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

Update: Pierce O’Donnell cops a plea

Walter Olson — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 11:49:40 +0000

The prominent Los Angeles lawyer accepts a misdemeanor rap for laundering John Edwards contributions. [L.A. Times, earlier]

Tags: campaign regulation, John Edwards

Update: Pierce O’Donnell cops a plea is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

June 20 roundup

Walter Olson — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:11:34 +0000

Politics edition:

Mother ship? White House staffers depart for Harvard Law School [Politico]
New York: “Lawmakers consider lawyer-friendly med-mal bills,” even as many key legislators moonlight at personal injury firms [Reuters]
David Brooks on explosive political potential of Fannie Mae scandal [NYTimes] After Kentucky bar panel’s vote to disbar Chesley, Ohio AG pulls him off Fannie Mae suit [Adler, Frank, Beth Musgrave/Lexington Herald-Leader]
Alabama legislature removes Jim Crow language from state constitution — but black lawmakers oppose the idea [Constitutional Daily]
AAJ lobbyist Andy Cochran works GOP turf, has convinced trial lawyers to sponsor Christian radio program [Mokhiber, “Seventh Amendment Advocate“]
Centers for Disease Control funnels grants to allies for political advocacy on favored public-health causes [Jeff Stier, Daily Caller]
Must have mistaken her for a jury: “John Edwards Sought Millions From Heiress” [ABC News] “One thing [worse than Edwards’s] conduct is the government’s effort to put him in jail for it.” [Steve Chapman]

Tags: Alabama, Barack Obama, Harvard, John Edwards, litigation lobby, mortgages, New York, politics, public health, wrong right

June 20 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system

June 7 roundup

Walter Olson — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:19:34 +0000

Claim: unwanted sugar in Dunkin’ Donuts coffee order sent customer into diabetic shock [AP]
Schadenfreude aside, key theory in feds’ case against John Edwards looking mighty strained [Meck Deck/John Locke Foundation, Steve Hayward/Power Line, Ted Frank, Jacob Sullum] “They’ve indicted one former presidential candidate on one count of false statements?” [Caleb Brown] American Lawyer looks back at the law firms that backed Edwards in 2008; our coverage of his ’04 law-firm backers and of moneyman Fred Baron, and my commentary on Baron’s ethical standards;
Edwards-reminiscent? Theory that earlier C-section would have averted cerebral palsy nets $58 M verdict [Thomas Scheffey, Connecticut Law Tribune]
Carter Wood, key business-policy blogger, departs NAM for Business Roundtable;
Tenderer tort-law treatment for trespassers, courtesy 3rd Restatement? [David Freddoso/Examiner, Richard Cupp via TortsProf]
Non-shockingly, some litigation defense lawyers aren’t enthusiastic about lawsuit reform [Texas Lawyer]
“Attorney charged with stealing clerk’s textbook from courtroom” [Baltimore Sun]

Tags: criminals who sue, defense lawyers, don't, John Edwards, obstetrics, restaurants

June 7 roundup is a post from Overlawyered - Chronicling the high cost of our legal system