Category Archives: Political and/or Judicial

Texas Homebuilder Bob Perry Ordered to Pay $51 Million for Defective House

Written On March 3, 2010 By Bob Kraft

A Tarrant County jury this week has delivered a devastating blow to homebuilder Bob Perry by awarding $51 million to a couple who sued Perry because of their defective house. The back-story to this case is quite lengthy, but the bottom line is that it has been drug out for a decade, and has already [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Dallas Judges Try to Keep Jurors Off Internet

Written On January 31, 2010 By Bob Kraft

The Dallas Morning News has a good article today about judges struggling to keep jurors from doing their own Internet research during trials. Here are the opening paragraphs:

In Florida, a mistrial was declared recently after a federal judge learned eight jurors had researched the drug case on the Internet.
In England, a juror was dismissed from [...]

Posted in Government, Political and/or Judicial

What if States Were Redrawn to Equalize Population?

Written On January 26, 2010 By Bob Kraft

This very interesting map has nothing directly to do with personal injury or Social Security disability except as to how the politics of those practice areas would be affected. I just thought it was a fascinating concept. Read about it on the Yglesias blog. The gist is that states could be redrawn occasionally to reflect [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Senator Seeks Financial Details From Medical Groups

Written On December 10, 2009 By Bob Kraft

As reported in the New York Times, Republican Senator Charles Grassley has sent letters to the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and 31 other disease and medical advocacy organizations asking them to provide details about the amount of money that they and their directors receive from drug and device makers. This inquiry may [...]

Posted in Medical Malpractice, Political and/or Judicial, Prescription Drug Claims, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Surgical Sponge Cases to Test Time Limits on Texas Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Written On September 28, 2009 By Bob Kraft

An article in the Austin American-Statesman details two cases before the Texas Supreme Court. The cases will give the Court an opportunity to correct one glaring injustice in medical malpractice law. Many plaintiff lawyers are not too optimistic that our ultra-conservative, pro-insurance Supreme Court will even recognize that there is an injustice, much less take [...]

Posted in Medical Malpractice, Political and/or Judicial

Access to the Courts in Washington State Remains Safe

Written On September 21, 2009 By Bob Kraft

An editorial in the Seattle Times hits the nail on the head when it comes to laws requiring medical malpractice victims to get a medical certificate of merit before being allowed to file suit and conduct discovery. This is an unreasonable burden for the potential plaintiff. How can you prove medical malpractice before you’re allowed [...]

Posted in Medical Malpractice, Political and/or Judicial

Florida Court Cites Iqbal Ruling to Dismiss Coca-Cola Case

Written On August 19, 2009 By Bob Kraft

The Wall Street Journal reported, “Coca-Cola Co. won a key legal victory this week in Florida thanks to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that gives businesses a new edge in plaintiff’s lawsuits. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Southern Florida dismissed a case against the soft drink giant, known as Sinaltrainal v. Coca-Cola [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Tort Reform

Judge Who Deflated Tire Quits Administrative Post

Written On August 14, 2009 By Bob Kraft

This has nothing to do with anything, but I thought it was funny, so I’m taking the liberty of reprinting an article from the Web site of WUSA9 in the Washington, D.C. area.
LA PLATA, Md. (AP) — A Charles County judge who acknowledged deflating a tire of a car parked in a restricted area near [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Editorials Praise Increased Food Safety Monitoring

Written On August 11, 2009 By Bob Kraft

In an editorial, the Oregonian opines, “No matter what your food preferences are, or your politics, and even if you never eat anything except protein bars and spinach (both of which have been subject to recalls in recent years), you are vulnerable” to food contamination. However, “this summer, the House of Representatives finally decided it [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Product Liability or Medical Devices

Sotomayor Confirmed As First Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court Justice

Written On August 7, 2009 By Bob Kraft

USA Today reports, “Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who grew up speaking Spanish in a public housing project, is headed for a seat on the Supreme Court after an overwhelming Senate vote Thursday to make her the first Hispanic member of the court.” Sotomayor’s “elevation prompted jubilation among leaders of the nation’s fast-growing Hispanic community.” The tally [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Texas Supreme Court Justice O’Neill Retiring

Written On August 7, 2009 By Bob Kraft

In a blog at the Dallas Morning News, Christy Hoppe wrote, “Harriett O’Neill announced that she’ll end her service on [Texas'] highest civil court, where she’s sat since January 1999.” The court “has been all-Republican for the past nine years, and GOP candidates have done well in statewide elections, although their substantial margins of victories [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Feds Trying To Suspend Social Security Judge

Written On August 6, 2009 By Bob Kraft

Here’s an interesting tidbit from a Houston TV station Web site:
A Social Security judge who was investigated by the 11 News Defenders is now in trouble with the federal government.
Hearings are under way in an effort to suspend Administrative Law Judge Richard Abrams.
Three years ago, the Defenders exposed how Abrams denied disability benefits to nine [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Social Security Disability

Sebelius Blames Healthcare System Problems on Insurance Industry

Written On August 4, 2009 By Bob Kraft

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has a good op-ed piece in today’s Washington Post. The topic is health care reform, and Secretary Sebelius points out that the major opposition to reform is coming from health insurance companies that are making big money under the current system and want no changes at all. But [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Government, Health Insurance, Political and/or Judicial

Food Safety Bill Defeated in House

Written On July 30, 2009 By Bob Kraft

The AP reports, “The House defeated a far-reaching food safety bill Wednesday after farm-state lawmakers complained it would be too invasive and others said it was pushed to the floor too quickly.” The measure “was considered under a suspension of House rules and needed a two-thirds vote for passage. The 280-150 vote was just a [...]

Posted in Government, Political and/or Judicial, Product Liability or Medical Devices

WSJournal: House Bill “Guts” ERISA

Written On July 21, 2009 By Bob Kraft

As usual, I disagree with the Wall Street Journal editorial policy. ERISA is the biggest fraud and sham ever foisted on the American public. Under the guise of protecting employees, this act has been interpreted by the courts so as to strip citizens of their right to judicial review of many, many injustices. We would [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Tort Reform

When Sonia Sotomayor Talks, Disability Groups Listen

Written On July 18, 2009 By Bob Kraft

One of our Houston Social Security disability clients finally got his checks started a few weeks ago. He was talking with our office, and he asked attorney Matthew Stewart about Matt’s thoughts on Sonia Sotomayor and whether she would be sensitive to the needs and concerns of those suffering from a disability. Michelle Diament has [...]

Posted in Disability, Political and/or Judicial, Social Security Disability

House Judiciary Committee Votes to Impeach Texas Judge

Written On June 12, 2009 By Bob Kraft

The Houston Chronicle reports, “Impeachment charges against federal Judge Samuel Kent will be considered by the full U.S. House after its Judiciary Committee on Wednesday recommended he be stripped of” his position due to “his repeated sexual molestation of two former female employees.” In a letter to the Judiciary Committee, “Kent’s lawyer lashed out at [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Leahy Sets July 13 Start Date for Sotomayor Hearings, Angering Republicans

Written On June 10, 2009 By Bob Kraft

McClatchy reports, “The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings on the nomination of federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court on July 13, with a goal of having her confirmed by Aug. 6.” Chairman Patrick Leahy “announced on the Senate floor Tuesday that he was rejecting Republican requests that the hearings be delayed so [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial

Florida’s Governor Signs Bill to Restore Caps on Attorney Fees in Workers’ Comp Cases

Written On June 1, 2009 By Bob Kraft

The AP reported, “Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a bill to restore caps on fees for lawyers representing workers in compensation appeals for on-the-job injuries.” The bill undoes “a Supreme Court opinion by removing an existing provision saying such fees must be reasonable.”
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported, “The move aims to keep workers compensation insurance [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Tort Reform

Obama Undoes Bush Pre-Emption Policies

Written On May 21, 2009 By Bob Kraft

The AP reports, “The Obama White House on Wednesday undid a Bush administration policy that used federal regulations to undermine a wide range of state health, safety and environmental laws” many of which “limited the ability of injured consumers to sue companies in state courts.” This is the latest move by the Obama administration to [...]

Posted in Political and/or Judicial, Prescription Drug Claims, Product Liability or Medical Devices, Tort Reform