Pennsylvania

Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 06.01.21

* A Michigan lawyer, who allegedly gave his adversary the middle finger during a virtual court hearing, has purportedly been fined $3,000. That's one expensive bird... [Detroit Free Press] * Unvaccinated workers at a Houston hospital are suing over their employer's vaccination mandate. [Washington Post] * A Philadelphia-area attorney passed away last week hours after he was pulled from a bay in Longport, New Jersey. [Fox News] * Johnson & Johnson is asking the Supreme Court to hear an ovarian cancer case that resulted in a $2 billion judgment against the company. [NBC News] * A retired attorney is now the oldest person to have scaled Mount Everest. [Chicago Tribune]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 05.10.21

* A lawyer for an accused Capitol riot claims his client had "Foxitis." Don't think penicillin can cure that... [Hill] * Melinda Gates was apparently meeting with divorce lawyers for the past few years before announcing her divorce from Bill Gates. [Wall Street Journal] * The Daily Mail is asking a judge to "smother" a lawsuit filed by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell over his alleged romantic involvement with an actress. [Yahoo News] * SpaceX is facing a lawsuit over a deadly car crash that occurred close to a SpaceX facility. [NBC News] * A Pennsylvania district attorney has resigned after he allegedly pressured women into prostitution. [Patriot News] * Sony is facing a class action lawsuit alleging it monopolizes downloadable PlayStation games. Guess Sony is allegedly acting a little like Apple... [Ars Technica]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 04.14.21

* A Michigan lawyer is accused of taking money his dead client meant to give to the Michigan Humane Society. Guess it's a dog-eat-dog world... [Michigan Live] * A class action has been filed against Whole Foods over the labeling of its "Lemon Raspberry Italian Sparkling Mineral Water" which purportedly did not contain enough lemon or raspberry ingredients. [National Law Review] * The Pennsylvania prosecutor caught allegedly delivering food with DoorDash during the work day has resigned from his job. [Courier Times] * A New York attorney has had his bank accounts frozen after clients alleged that the lawyer stole money from them. [Crain's New York] * A Pennsylvania law firm is moving to a new space after 118 years in the same building. Hope they at least got a pretzel day for that loyalty... [WPXI News]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.25.21

* A lawyer who is raising money for the Oath Keepers apparently likes to cite to Lord of the Rings in legal briefs. Bet he hopes judges don't say "you shall not pass" in response to motions to dismiss filed against him... [Daily Beast] * A Pennsylvania lawyer faces up to decades in prison for identity theft and stealing from clients. [Daily Voice] * California may soon have its first Filipino Attorney General. [NBC News] * The family of a black New York teen, who was falsely accused of stealing a cell phone, has filed a lawsuit. [CBS News] * Check out this article on why Supreme Court proceedings should not be televised. Since oral arguments may have been held from a bathroom during the pandemic, this is a strong position... [Washington Post]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.24.21

* Legal tech startup Clearbrief is raising money to provide AI-driven writing technology to the legal sector. Hope they don't make AI that writes the Morning Docket... [Geek Wire] * Senator Chuck Schumer is asking President Biden to appoint candidates who would be the first black U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. [Politico] * A lawsuit alleging that an NHL owner broke rent-stabilization laws with tenants is being allowed to proceed. Guess the judge will decide who belongs in the penalty box. [Crain's New York Business] * A member of a prominent Utah family is accusing the Mormon Church of fraud in a new lawsuit. [Washington Post] * A Pennsylvania lawyer is in hot water after he allegedly copy and pasted a substantial amount of his trial-level arguments in an appeal. At least he didn't need to bill much extra for the work... [ABA Journal]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 03.22.21

* Tesla's Board allegedly failed to hire a lawyer to regulate Elon Musk's tweets. Sounds like this could be a pretty fun job. [Business Insider] * A new lawsuit alleges that Arkansas police detained and searched a black law student because of his skin color. [ABC News] * A Pennsylvania prosecutor is in hot water after he reportedly worked for DoorDash during working hours. This might be more illustrative of the low pay of some prosecutors than anything else... [Fox News] * College students are continuing to sue universities over charging high tuition fees during the pandemic. [CBS News] * Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen claims he learned much about startup companies in prison. Could help him find a career after the law... [Market Watch]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.24.21

* A Texas electricity utility is being sued over alleged price gouging. Guess it's not normal to get an electric bill for nearly $10,000... [Houston Chronicle] * Immigration lawyers in Massachusetts are asking to be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. [Boston.com] * Check out this article about the best options for term limits at the Supreme Court. [Bloomberg Law] * Mitch McConnell is backing Merrick Garland's nomination to be Attorney General. [CBS News] * A Pennsylvania lawyer pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from his former wife and mother-in-law to purchase porn, strip club visits, and other items. [Philadelphia Inquirer] * A series of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of baby food in recent months. And this litigation is not child's play... [National Law Review]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 02.09.21

* A lawsuit has been filed following the Rose Bowl being played in Texas this year because of COVID-19. They should have a bowl game to resolve the dispute... [Fox News] * President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen has apologized to Stormy Daniels for putting her through "needless pain." [Yahoo News] * A Pennsylvania lawyer, who allegedly helped clients commit insurance fraud, has been disbarred. [Bloomberg Law] * Robinhood is facing a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a college student who allegedly killed himself after purportedly sustaining trading losses using the platform. [Hill] * The Justice Department has dropped a lawsuit filed against a former aide to Melania Trump over a tell-all book published about the Trump Administration. That book must be a pager-turner... [Washington Post]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 12.23.20

* A lawyer for a Pennsylvania man, who allegedly pretended to be his dead mother to cast an extra vote, claims his client was engaged in "civil disobedience." Pretty sure Gandhi and MLK didn't use that strategy... [Yahoo News] * President Trump issued a flurry of pardons and commutations yesterday to many individuals in his political circle and others. [CNN] * A Colorado lawyer is accused of allegedly mishandling $2 million earmarked by clients to purchase personal protective equipment. [Denver Post] * Walmart is being sued over allegations that the company helped fuel the opioid crises. [New York Times] * A New York lawyer, who allegedly went on a racist rant at a restaurant in 2018, has been disciplined for his conduct. [New York Post] * Somewhat relatedly, a Texas judge, who allegedly used racial slurs against Mexicans, has been sanctioned. [Texas Lawyer]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 11.25.20

* Netflix has settled a lawsuit over the "Choose Your Own Adventure" trademark. Guess Netflix chose the adventure that doesn't end in a trial... [Hollywood Reporter] * Two women, who were detained in northern Montana for speaking Spanish, have settled a lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection. [Reuters] * A new lawsuit alleges that a 70-year-old worker at the grocery store chain Publix contracted COVID-19 and died as a result of lax policies of his employer. [NBC News] * Check out this article on the legal prowess of Daredevil and She-Hulk (had no idea She-Hulk was a comic-book character!). [Screen Rant] * A Texas man is in hot water for allegedly filing a mandamus petition on behalf of two clients even though he is not a licensed attorney. [Bloomberg Law] * A Pennsylvania lawyer has been found guilty of identity theft and other crimes. So tempted to make a My Cousin Vinny joke right now... [Legal Intelligencer]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.23.20

* A lawyer for Edward Snowden claims the whistleblower has received permanent residency from Russia. Guess he'll be going without Hot Pockets for a while longer... [New York Daily News] * A judge has thrown out the Trump Campaign's lawsuit against New Jersey's mail-in-voting plans. [Politico] * A Pennsylvania lawyer who was disbarred in 2000 for substance abuse issues and criminal convictions was denied reinstatement, even though he completed rehabilitation. [Bloomberg Law] * President Trump has seemingly selected his pick to replace Judge Amy Coney Barrett on the Seventh Circuit. [Chicago Tribune] * Walmart has sued the federal government in anticipation of being litigated against for opioid claims. [Wall Street Journal]

By Jordan Rothman
Morning Docket

Morning Docket: 10.20.20

* A lawyer has been suspended from practice for five drunk driving arrests. This attorney needs to learn how to "pass" a bar... [Bloomberg Law] * A pregnant Pennsylvania lawyer completed a hearing in a murder case last week after her water broke during the proceedings. [Today] * A curfew in Miami, Florida, has been eliminated thanks to a lawsuit filed by a local strip club. [Fox News] * Los Angeles is facing a lawsuit over mamajuana delivery licenses. [Independent] * Goodwin Procter has promoted a trans lawyer to equity partnership. [Bloomberg Law] * A Rhode Island criminal trial may be decided by a semicolon in a statute. Still waiting for the Oxford comma to make an appearance in a criminal trial... [Providence Journal]

By Jordan Rothman