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• Judge delays ex-BP engineer's trial

  May 17, 2013 3:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone the trial of a former BP engineer charged with deleting text messages about the company's response to its 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Kurt Mix's trial was scheduled to start June 10, but U.S. District Judge Stanwood... more »

• Ruling doesn't resolve family restaurant squabble

  May 17, 2013 2:30 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge's ruling hasn't resolved a family's power struggle for control of Brennan's, one of New Orleans' best-known restaurants. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ruled Friday that Owen "Pip" Brennan, a son of the restaurant's late founder, is a shareholder in Brennan's Inc. and retains his... more »

• Shelly Dick assumes federal judgeship in B.R.

  May 15, 2013 11:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Shelly Dick has been sworn is as U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Louisiana. She was first nominated on April 25, 2012, re-nominated on January 3, 2013 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 9. Dick is a 1988 graduate of the... more »

• Judge tosses indictment against BR lawyer

  May 8, 2013 2:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A state district judge has thrown out a 2010 indictment against Baton Rouge lawyer Peter Q. John. Judge Mike Erwin dismissed the indictment accusing John of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, theft and perjury. Erwin agreed with John and his attorney, Ferdinand Valteau, that East Baton Rouge Parish prosecutors... more »

• Judge dismisses Republicans' budget lawsuit

  May 1, 2013 2:21 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A Baton Rouge judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Jefferson Parish lawmakers asking to block the use of patchwork financing in next year's budget as proposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Republican Reps. Kirk Talbot and Cameron Henry claim it is unconstitutional to use one-time money to... more »

• Federal judge postpones police reform meeting

  April 30, 2013 10:50 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge granted a request from city and Department of Justice officials to postpone a New Orleans Police Department consent decree monitor selection committee meeting. Tuesday's meeting was the deadline for the committee to indicate whether they had agreed on which firm should oversee the implementation... more »

• Definition of family declared unconstitutional Play Video

  April 25, 2013 6:16 PM

  BATON ROUGE - District Court Judge Janice Clark declared the East Baton Rouge Parish's definition of family unconstitutional. Before today, three or more unrelated people could not live together in neighborhoods zoned for single-family housing. Since 1954, East Baton Rouge's Unified Development Code has defined family as "an individual... more »

• Judge: LSU must release candidates' names

  April 25, 2013 3:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge ruled today that LSU must release the names of candidates who were considered for the newly-formed president's position. F. King Alexander, from California, was selected from a pool of candidates, but his was the only name released. Journalists sued when LSU refused to release... more »

• Oil spill judge: What is gross negligence?

  April 24, 2013 6:50 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The judge who will allocate responsibility for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill has told lawyers to give him their views about whether a series of negligent acts can add up to gross negligence. The Justice Department and private plaintiffs' attorneys contend that BP PLC acted... more »

• Texas wife of ex-judge charged with capital murder

  April 17, 2013 10:16 AM

  KAUFMAN, Texas - The wife of a former judge is charged with capital murder in connection with the slayings of a North Texas district attorney, his wife and an assistant prosecutor. The charge Wednesday against Kim Lene Williams is the latest twist in an investigation that had recently focused on... more »

• Judge rejects claims over failed Katrina floodwall

  April 16, 2013 10:45 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has rejected claims that excavation work by an Army Corps of Engineers contractor weakened a New Orleans floodwall and caused it to breach in two places during Hurricane Katrina. U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. said in his ruling last Friday that he can't... more »

• Man sentenced to 40 years in ULL student's death

  April 10, 2013 3:58 PM

  LAFAYETTE - A man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in the January 2010 shooting death of a University of Louisiana at Lafayette student. The Advertiser reports 46-year-old Jose Luis Segura Jr. was sentenced Wednesday. Segura was initially charged with second-degree murder in 22-year-old Allen Aucoin Jr.'s killing,... more »

• Judge won't hear oral arguments on jail takeover

  April 10, 2013 2:25 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- A U.S. district judge has declined to immediately set oral arguments over the city of New Orleans' request to place the local jail under federal control. It's the latest step in a legal fight involving the city, the U.S. Justice Department and Sheriff Marlin Gusman over how best... more »

• US judge in Philly to uphold NFL concussion suits

  April 10, 2013 10:26 AM

  PHILADELPHIA - Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody of Philadelphia has a billion dollar problem on her hands. Brody heard high-powered arguments Tuesday on lawsuits that accuse the NFL of hiding links between concussions and brain injuries. Brody could side with the 4,200 former players and keep their lawsuits in... more »

• Judge: Charles Scott not guilty Play Video

  March 20, 2013 7:32 PM

  GONZALES- A judge ruled former LSU running back Charles Scott not guilty of sexual battery. The judge said testimony from the prosecution's witnesses including the woman, who accused Scott of rape, was inconsistent and contradictory to support a guilty verdict. The judge also stated the evidence did not... more »

• Judge strikes down NYC sugary-drinks size rule

  March 11, 2013 2:54 PM

  NEW YORK- New York City's groundbreaking limit on the size of sugar-laden drinks has been struck down. The restriction was supposed to start on Tuesday. Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling writes that loopholes "effectively defeat the stated purpose" of the rule. The rule would have prohibited selling non-diet... more »

• Judge OKs medication for Colorado shooting suspect

  March 11, 2013 2:28 PM

  DENVER- The judge in the Colorado theater shooting case says defendant James Holmes can be medicated for interviews by psychiatrists if he pleads not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge William Sylvester says that Holmes also could be given a polygraph examination as part of an evaluation to determine if... more »

• Denham Springs Marshal dropping out of judge race

  February 27, 2013 12:50 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Denham Springs Marshal Jerry Denton says he's dropping out of the race for the First Circuit Court of Appeal. Denton says it's because he has not been able to raise the money necessary in the short time available. The election is April 6th. His... more »

• Judge watches videotape of ex-BP CEO's testimony

  February 27, 2013 10:42 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The judge in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill trial has watched videotaped testimony from former BP chief executive Tony Hayward. Hayward was head of the London-based oil giant in 2010 when there was an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Eleven workers were killed and... more »

• Federal judge Frank Polozola dies after cancer fight Play Video

  February 25, 2013 10:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - U. S. District Court Judge Frank Polozola, who presided over the criminal trial of former governor Edwin Edwards, died this weekend after a long fight with cancer. He was 71. Chief Judge Brian Jackson said Polozola passed away late Sunday night. An LSU law school... more »

• Judge rules for fired Port Allen financial officer

  February 20, 2013 12:52 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A judge ruled today that Port Allen's mayor had no authority to fire the city's chief financial officer, and ordered she give her job back. Judge Alvin Batiste said Audrey McCain was a department head, so Mayor "Deedy" Slaughter could not have fired her. Slaughter... more »

• Judge approves Transocean's $1B spill settlement

  February 19, 2013 10:41 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge today approved Transocean Ltd.'s agreement with the Justice Department to pay $1 billion in civil penalties for its role in the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said in his ruling Tuesday that he found... more »

• Judge rejects Lehigh U student's grade lawsuit

  February 14, 2013 3:50 PM

  EASTON, Pa. - A judge in Pennsylvania ruled against a former graduate student who sued to have a grade changed, and $1.3 million in damages. The Express-Times of Easton reports that Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano made the ruling Thursday in the lawsuit filed by Megan Thode against Lehigh University.... more »

• Sanity ruling postponed in disabled boy's beheading

  February 13, 2013 4:50 PM

  THIBODAUX - A Lafourche Parish judge postponed a ruling on whether a man accused of beheading his disabled son is fit to stand trial for first-degree murder. District Judge John LeBlanc had said he would rule Wednesday on whether to try Jeremiah Wright for the death of 7-year-old Jori Lirette... more »

• Judge refuses to modify desegregation decree

  February 7, 2013 6:43 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The federal judge overseeing Tangipahoa Parish's decades-old desegregation case has denied the school board's request for a status conference to discuss possible modifications to the court-ordered desegregation plan. U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle instead directed the attorneys to meet in an effort to reach a consensus... more »

• Judge backs New Iberias housing agency in dispute

  January 31, 2013 7:19 AM

  NEW IBERIA - The city of New Iberia may have to begin collecting garbage at Housing Authority properties following a ruling by a state district judge. The New Iberia Housing Authority contends the city is responsible for collecting its tenants' solid waste just as they provide the service for the... more »

• La. judge suspended over misconduct in drug case

  January 31, 2013 7:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Louisiana Supreme Court has suspended a judge for one year without pay over allegations that his decision to reduce a man's prison sentence was based on personal and political motivations. The divided Supreme Court also on Tuesday ordered 7th Judicial District Court Judge Leo Boothe to... more »

• Judge rules state retirement plan unconstitutional

  January 24, 2013 4:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge judge has ruled Gov. Bobby Jindal's 401(k)-style retirement plan for future rank-and-file state workers unconstitutional. The Retired State Employees Association of Louisiana claimed the law is unconstitutional because it didn't get a two-thirds vote in the state House of Representatives. State District Judge William... more »

• Trial set in lawsuit against state retirement plan

  January 24, 2013 10:20 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge judge is hearing arguments in a lawsuit challenging Gov. Bobby Jindal's 401(k)-style retirement plan for future rank-and-file state workers. The Retired State Employees Association of Louisiana claims the law is unconstitutional because it didn't get a two-thirds vote in the state House of Representatives.... more »

• Arraignment delayed for ex-New Orleans mayor Nagin

  January 23, 2013 3:56 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A judge has postponed the arraignment of former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who is charged with taking contractors' bribes in exchange for helping them secure lucrative work for the city. Nagin, who gained national prominence leading battered New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, was scheduled... more »

• IRS loses lawsuit in fight against tax preparers

  January 18, 2013 5:33 PM

  WASHINGTON - A federal judge has ruled that the IRS lacks authority to impose new regulations, including a competency exam, on hundreds of thousands of tax preparers. The ruling Friday from Judge James Boasberg bars the IRS from implementing a host of regulations that would have required tax preparers to... more »

• Judge in Colo. shooting orders reporter to appear

  January 18, 2013 4:33 PM

  CENTENNIAL, Colo. - The judge handling the case of the Colorado theater shooting suspect is requiring a Fox News reporter to appear in court to say who gave her information that defense attorneys say was subject to a gag order. A July 25 article by Jana Winter on FoxNews.com cited... more »

• Vilma's defamation suit against Goodell dismissed

  January 17, 2013 5:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has dismissed New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma's defamation lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the bounty case. U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan in New Orleans said Thursday the bounty matter "feels as protracted and painful as the Saints season... more »

• Blast victims' relatives weigh in on BP plea deal

  January 16, 2013 10:17 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Relatives of workers killed in the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion are sharing their stories with the judge who will decide whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for the 2010 disaster. Wednesday is the deadline... more »

• Federal judge delays ex-BP engineer's trial

  January 14, 2013 4:20 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone the trial of a former BP engineer charged with deleting text messages about the company's response to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Kurt Mix's trial was scheduled to start Feb. 25, but U.S. District Judge Stanwood... more »

• Former judge pleads guilty to 2 counts of theft

  January 14, 2013 9:03 AM

  LAKE CHARLES - A former state court judge has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft in 14th Judicial District Court. 62-year-old Greg Lyons of Lake Charles faced 13 counts, but pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of theft over $500 and was sentenced to five years' probation and... more »

• Lawyer re-nominated for federal judgeship in B.R.

  January 4, 2013 10:45 AM

  BATON ROUGE - President Barack Obama has re-nominated Shelly Deckert Dick to fill a vacancy on the federal bench in Baton Rouge. Dick, a Baton Rouge attorney, originally was nominated in April 2012. She is one of 33 candidates for federal judgeships who were re-nominated Thursday by Obama. Obama said... more »

• Portion of teacher reforms ruled unconstitutional Play Video

  December 18, 2012 2:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge upheld most of Gov. Jindal's education reforms targeting teachers in Louisiana today. The judge upheld three sections of Act 1, also called the ' Talent Act ', which make it tougher for teachers to get tenure and did away with teacher pay scales, instead... more »

• Bond lowered for Cowboy Brent, must wear monitor

  December 18, 2012 10:24 AM

  DALLAS - A judge has ordered Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent to wear an electronic monitor while free on an intoxication manslaughter charge in a car crash that killed a teammate. A judge modified conditions for his continued release and lowered bond from $500,000 to $100,000 during Brent's Tuesday... more »

• Vilma urges rejection of Goodell motion to dismiss

  December 14, 2012 10:55 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Saints linebacker Jon Vilma has filed a motion urging a federal judge to reject the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's motion to dismiss the Saints linebacker's defamation lawsuit. Vilma's motion filed Friday says Goodell acted with reckless disregard for the truth when basing initial allegations about Vilma upon... more »

• Judge sets date to rule on BP plea deal over spill

  December 11, 2012 4:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge says she will decide next month whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for its role in a deadly 2010 rig explosion and the massive oil spill it triggered in the Gulf... more »

• New judge assigned to case against BP supervisors

  December 5, 2012 3:07 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A new judge has been assigned to the case against two BP supervisors charged in the deaths of 11 workers aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in 2010. The case had been assigned to U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle, who disclosed last month that his wife owns... more »

• BP official appeals medical exam order

  December 5, 2012 11:31 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A BP PLC employee has asked a federal appeals court to overturn a judge's ruling that he must submit to a medical exam to determine whether he is fit to be questioned under oath in civil litigation spawned by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. A three-judge panel of... more »

• Calmes given 30 months in jail for money laundering

  November 29, 2012 11:00 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge sentenced Denham Springs businessman Kevin Calmes to 30 months in prison and a $25,000 fine today after his conviction on money laundering charges, according to the U. S. Attorney's Office. In August, a federal jury found Calmes guilty on five of the eight... more »

• Judge rules voucher law conflicts with deseg order

  November 26, 2012 3:14 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A New Orleans-based federal judge has halted Gov. Bobby Jindal's voucher program in Tangipahoa Parish, saying it conflicts with a decades-old desegregation case. U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle ruled Monday that a series of sweeping education changes pushed by Jindal clash with court orders in the 47-year-old... more »

• Judge orders Hostess to mediate with union

  November 19, 2012 2:19 PM

  Twinkies won't die that easily after all. Hostess Brands Inc. and its second largest union will go into mediation to try and resolve their differences, meaning the Irving, Texas-based company won't go out of business just yet. The news came Monday after Hostess moved to liquidate and sell off its... more »

• Judge approves FTC's $22.5M fine of Google

  November 16, 2012 6:31 PM

  SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge has approved a $22.5 million fine to penalize Google for an alleged privacy breach. In doing so, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston rejected a consumer rights group's calls for tougher punishment. Illston issued her ruling late Friday, a few hours after holding a hearing... more »

• Sisters sentenced in federal identity theft, fraud case

  November 16, 2012 3:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A U. S. District judge sentenced two Baton Rouge sisters to four years in federal prison apiece for running a three-year, six-figure credit card scheme. U. S. Attorney Don Cazayoux Jr. said Trachell Brown was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for bank fraud and... more »

• New judge assigned to BP workers' criminal case

  November 16, 2012 3:14 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has disqualified herself from presiding over the Justice Department's case against two BP supervisors charged with manslaughter in the deaths of 11 workers from the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown said in an order Friday that she is recusing... more »

• Judge asked to extend deadline in BP settlement

  November 14, 2012 2:22 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys are urging a federal judge to extend a deadline for businesses and individuals to revoke their requests to opt out of a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the Gulf oil spill. Potential claimants had until Nov.... more »

• Judge urged to approve Chinese drywall settlements

  November 13, 2012 2:04 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Attorneys for thousands of Gulf Coast property owners have urged a federal judge to give his final approval to a proposed class-action settlement that calls for a Chinese drywall manufacturer to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to repair homes damaged by their product. U.S. District Judge... more »

• Petraeus case shows FBI's authority to read email

  November 12, 2012 4:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - Your emails are not nearly as private as you think. The downfall of CIA Director David Petraeus demonstrates how easy it is for federal law enforcement agents to examine emails and computer records if they believe a crime was committed. With subpoenas and warrants, the FBI and other... more »

• Judge won't dismiss charge faced by ex-BP engineer

  November 8, 2012 2:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- A federal judge has refused to throw out one of the two obstruction of justice charges faced by a former BP engineer in connection with the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Kurt Mix is accused of deleting text messages about BP's response to the disaster. Defense lawyers... more »

• Federal judge urged to approve BP settlement

  November 8, 2012 10:49 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP PLC and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys are urging a federal judge to give final approval to a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is holding a "fairness... more »

• Landfill owner: 2nd prosecutor made online posts

  November 2, 2012 12:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A south Louisiana landfill owner charges in a lawsuit that a second federal prosecutor defamed him in anonymous online posts. Fred Heebe of New Orleans makes the allegation against Assistant U.S. Attorney Jan Maselli Mann in a lawsuit filed Friday in state court. Sal Perricone (PEHR' ih... more »

• Judge tosses woman's "too fat to fly" lawsuit

  October 31, 2012 3:31 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Southwest Airlines by a New Orleans woman who claims a gate agent told her she was "too fat to fly" and couldn't board a flight last year without buying two tickets. In her order Wednesday, U.S. District Judge... more »

• Landfill owner's defamation suit gets new judge

  October 31, 2012 12:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has disqualified herself from presiding over a landfill owner's defamation lawsuit against a former federal prosecutor who resigned after acknowledging he anonymously posted comments on a newspaper's website about judges, politicians and cases. U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan recused herself from the case Tuesday... more »

• Man given 35 years in "Good Samaritan" shooting

  October 29, 2012 4:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge sentenced Jonathan Murray, one of the men connected to the 2010 shooting which injured a Baton Rouge "Good Samaritan", to 35 years at hard labor for his part in the crime. Murray pleaded guilty in April to armed robbery and taking part in a... more »

• Judge expected to rule in Bible verse banner suit

  October 18, 2012 7:28 AM

  AUSTIN, Texas - A group of teenage cheerleaders are expecting find out from a Texas district judge whether they can continue to display Bible verses at high school football games. The cheerleaders at Kountze High School sued the district after officials said they could no longer use scripture on... more »

• 13-year-old rape suspect convicted

  October 17, 2012 7:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A 13-year-old boy has been found guilty in juvenile court of two counts of sexual battery. The verdict is connected to a case involving three younger boys who said the teenager raped them. At the time of the crimes, the teen was 12-years-old. Names of those involved... more »

• NFL responds to Vilma, NFLPA lawsuits

  October 17, 2012 2:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The NFL is again urging a federal judge to avoid interfering in Commissioner Roger Goodell's efforts to discipline four players for the Saints' cash-for-hits bounty pool. In a response Wednesday to papers the players filed earlier this week, the NFL says its labor agreement gives Goodell the... more »

• Judge reverses self in Maine prostitution case

  October 16, 2012 4:07 PM

  KENNEBUNK, Maine - A judge has reversed his decision about a Maine prostitution case, ruling that addresses and other identifying information can now be released for men charged with paying for sex with a fitness instructor. An attorney for The Portland Press Herald says Justice Thomas Warren agreed Tuesday that... more »

• Charges dropped against daycare owner in child's death

  October 15, 2012 12:37 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge dismissed charges today against the owner of Wanda's Daycare over the 2009 death of D'Myion McElveen, a child who had been left in a van parked outside the daycare for several hours. Prosecutors asked that the charges be dropped, saying it would have been... more »

• Bell given life for killing former chief's brother-in-law

  October 12, 2012 12:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge sentenced Leandre Bell, the man convicted of killing the brother-in-law of Baton Rouge's former police chief, to life in prison today. Bell, was convicted of two counts of murder and a host of other charges, including armed robbery. Leandre Bell was formally sentenced... more »

• Judge tosses BP fuel dealers' brand-name claims

  October 2, 2012 2:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has dismissed claims by BP fuel dealers that the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico diminished the value of the oil giant's brand and cost them business. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier's ruling Tuesday says the dealers' claims against BP PLC... more »

• 5th Circuit gets 1st black chief judge

  October 1, 2012 3:00 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has its first black chief judge. Monday is Judge Carl E. Stewart's first day as chief judge of the New Orleans-based appeals court. The Shreveport resident succeeds Judge Edith H. Jones, who stepped down from the post. President... more »

• $42.6 million FEMA trailer settlements approved

  September 27, 2012 12:40 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge gave his final approval Thursday to a $42.6 million class-action settlement between companies that made and installed government-issued trailers after hurricanes in 2005 and Gulf Coast storm victims who claim they were exposed to hazardous fumes while living in the shelters. U.S. District Judge... more »

• Ex-prof due in court on Ala. university shooting

  September 24, 2012 10:44 AM

  HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - An ex-university professor who pleaded guilty to shooting six people during a faculty meeting in Alabama is headed to court for an abbreviated trial. A judge scheduled jury selection Monday for Amy Bishop, a Harvard-educated biologist who went on the shooting spree at the University of Alabama... more »

• Taiwan co. fined $500 million for LCD price fixing

  September 20, 2012 1:25 PM

  SAN FRANCISCO - A Taiwanese company has been fined $500 million and two of its former top executives sentenced to three years in prison for their leading roles in a global LCD screen price-fixing conspiracy. The sentences handed down Thursday are among the harshest penalties ever given in an antitrust... more »

• Ex-Jefferson Parish attorney faces reduced charge

  September 19, 2012 4:28 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Federal prosecutors have filed a reduced charge against former Jefferson Parish attorney Thomas Wilkinson in a corruption case that also has resulted in charges against former parish president Aaron Broussard. Wilkinson faced more serious charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, before a court filing Wednesday replaced them... more »

• Judge: Police to enforce Ariz. immigration law now

  September 18, 2012 3:29 PM

  PHOENIX - A judge has ruled that police in Arizona can immediately start enforcing the most contentious section of the state's immigration law. The ruling on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton marks the first time police can carry out the 2010 law's requirement that officers, while enforcing other... more »

• Ala., Louisiana suing feds over drilling royalties

  September 6, 2012 2:28 PM

  MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A federal judge has combined lawsuits brought by two Gulf Coast states against the federal government over millions in offshore drilling royalties. Alabama's suit says $7.5 million is at stake and Louisiana's says $2.8 million. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington combined the two suits last... more »

• Judge OKs contentious part of Ariz. immigration law

  September 6, 2012 7:12 AM

  PHOENIX - A federal judge has ruled that Arizona authorities can enforce the most contentious section of the state's immigration law, which critics have dubbed the "show me your papers" provision. The ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton clears the way for police to carry out the... more »

• NY judge: Poker's not gambling under federal law

  August 21, 2012 4:02 PM

  NEW YORK - A federal judge in New York has handed a victory to poker advocates, ruling the card game isn't gambling under federal law because it's primarily a game of skill, not chance. The decision Tuesday by Judge Jack Weinstein in Brooklyn is likely to be embraced by advocates... more »

• Judge clears sale of Perkins Rowe

  August 14, 2012 3:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The sale of the Perkins Rowe development in Baton Rouge by an Ohio lender can go forward, according to a judgement filed Tuesday by U. S. District Judge James Brady. According to The Advocate, Brady ruled against Baton Rouge developer Tommy Spinosa, rejecting his argument the... more »

• Judge again considering Drew Peterson mistrial

  August 14, 2012 3:05 PM

  JOLIET, Ill. - The judge at Drew Peterson's murder trial is again considering a mistrial. Judge Edward Burmila on Tuesday blasted prosecutors for violating his order not to discuss whether the former police officer's third wife, Kathleen Savio, once asked for an order of protection against him. Peterson is charged... more »

• Ban on churches in Miss. town square challenged

  August 9, 2012 12:49 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Can a town keep churches off its town square? The question was taken up by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week when it heard a case involving religious freedom and a north Mississippi town's wish to make its town square a business district where... more »

• St. Helena school to stay under state control

  July 31, 2012 10:09 AM

  GREENBURG - A federal district judge says he has the authority to transfer the state-run St. Helena Central Middle School back into local school board control but he's not going to do so right now. The Advocate reports St. Helena Parish school system officials argued that the district's dramatic improvement... more »

• Judge says Arizona's abortion ban can take effect

  July 30, 2012 6:15 PM

  PHOENIX - Arizona's ban on abortions starting at 20 weeks of pregnancy is poised to take effect this week after a federal judge ruled Monday that the new law is constitutional. U.S. District Judge James Teilborg says the statute may prompt a few pregnant women who are considering abortion to... more »

• N.O. rapper gets prison in firearms case

  July 18, 2012 5:26 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans rapper who pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and conspiring to obstruct justice has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Christopher Dorsey, known as "BG," also was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan to three years of supervised release following... more »

• Judge rejects suit to block contraception mandate

  July 17, 2012 5:53 PM

  LINCOLN, Neb. - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by seven states and joined by religious plaintiffs seeking to block the contraceptive coverage mandate in the federal health care law. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys general from Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. Plaintiffs... more »

• George Zimmerman asks for new judge again

  July 13, 2012 3:06 PM

  ORLANDO, Fla.- The ex-neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing Trayvon Martin is again asking for a new judge. George Zimmerman filed a motion Friday asking that Circuit Judge Ken Lester be disqualified from the case. Zimmerman says Lester's comments in a bond order led him to believe Lester is prejudiced... more »

• Jennifer Lopez says she's leaving 'American Idol'

  July 13, 2012 12:48 PM

  NEW YORK - Jennifer Lopez is the second judge in two days to say she's leaving "American Idol." Her representative, Mark Young, said Friday that Lopez is ending her time on television's most popular show after two years. Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler said the same thing on Thursday. That means... more »

• Judge continues to block Mississippi abortion law

  July 11, 2012 3:03 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - A federal judge is continuing to block a new anti-abortion law in Mississippi. If the law were allowed to take effect, it could shut down the state's only abortion clinic and make it nearly impossible for a woman to get an abortion in Mississippi. The U.S. Supreme... more »

• Zimmerman makes $1M bond

  July 6, 2012 2:01 PM

  ORLANDO, Fla. - The neighborhood watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin has left a Florida jail, less than 24 hours after a judge set his bond at $1 million. George Zimmerman left the Seminole County jail on Friday. He was wearing a white dress shirt and a jacket when he... more »

• Trayvon Martin shooter asks judge for bond - again

  June 29, 2012 6:04 AM

  ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida judge will weigh several factors in deciding whether to set a second bond for the neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot Trayvon Martin. The judge today will consider if George Zimmerman is a flight risk or a threat to the community. Most importantly, Zimmerman... more »

• Judge: Ex-SU official failed to prove case

  June 28, 2012 7:19 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful termination and retaliation case against the Southern University System Board of Supervisors, a board member and a former interim president of the system. U.S. District Judge James J. Brady ruled Wednesday that Joseph Cedric Shelton, Southern's former alumni affairs administrator,... more »

• 'Shame' punishments like ponytail cutting increase

  June 25, 2012 6:07 PM

  SALT LAKE CITY- A legal scholar says unconventional sentences that seek to shame defendants are steadily increasing and turning state courts into circus shows. A 13-year-old Utah girl received such a punishment recently in juvenile court after cutting a 3-year-old girl's hair with dollar-store scissors. George Washington University Professor Jonathan... more »

• Judge caps contingency fees in BP settlement

  June 15, 2012 5:08 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has imposed a 25 percent cap on contingency fees for attorneys whose clients resolve their claims against BP over the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico through a multibillion-dollar settlement agreement. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier's ruling Friday says lawyers who believe... more »

• Judge outlines new plan for Gulf oil spill trial

  May 31, 2012 10:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has outlined a new structure for a trial of Gulf oil spill claims that wouldn't be resolved by a proposed class-action settlement between BP PLC and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys. In an order Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said the trial scheduled... more »

• Judge eases ex-BP engineer's travel limits

  May 29, 2012 3:35 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal magistrate has agreed to ease the travel restrictions he imposed on a former BP engineer charged with deleting text messages about the company's response to the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Magistrate Daniel Knowles III ruled Tuesday that 50-year-old Kurt Mix,... more »

• Judge says '73 killer not parole eligible

  May 27, 2012 11:07 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge has ruled a man who pleaded guilty nearly four decades ago to felony murder in the 1973 slaying of prominent Baton Rouge lawyer H. Alva Brumfield is not eligible for parole. 72-year-old Dale Bourland, who is serving a life sentence, had sought to be declared... more »

• Judge refuses to strike Pettitte testimony

  May 14, 2012 10:22 AM

  WASHINGTON - Roger Clemens has lost two legal moves in his perjury trial: his efforts to strike the testimony of his former teammate Andy Pettitte and to bring in information from the divorce of his chief accuser, Brian McNamee. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton rejected a defense motion Monday to... more »

• Edwards defense to ask judge to throw out case

  May 11, 2012 7:39 AM

  RALEIGH, N.C. - Defense lawyers for John Edwards will ask a judge today to dismiss corruption charges against their client, arguing prosecutors failed to prove the former presidential candidate intentionally violated the law. Such motions are very rarely successful. But after 14 days of testimony and evidence presented by prosecutors,... more »

• BP civil claims trial pushed back

  May 3, 2012 4:10 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has pushed back the start of a civil trial for claims against BP PLC and other companies involved in the 2010 Gulf oil spill. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier on Thursday set a date of Jan. 14, 2013. The trial had been scheduled... more »