Archive for March, 2010
New trial ordered in DuPont litigation
The Exponent Telegram
By Matt Harvey
March 28, 2010
CLARKSBURG — The jurors who in 2007 awarded a nearly $400 million verdict against DuPont in a Harrison County pollution/medical monitoring case didn’t have the last word after all.
The state Supreme Court on Friday issued a ruling that sets the stage for one of the highest-stakes showdowns ever to [...]
Election legislation could attract lawsuits
By Lawrence Messina
The Associated Press
March 28, 2010
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia officials may wind up in court over a pair of measures passed this legislative session that would change how elections are conducted.
Gov. Joe Manchin has already signed one of the bills, which offers public funding to state Supreme Court candidates in 2012. The other [...]
W.Va. Ranks Last in Lawsuit Environment Study
The State Journal
By Michael Hupp
March 26, 2010
West Virginia’s lawsuit climate once again is considered the worse in the nation according to a report released March 22 by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform.
The rankings were based on responses to 10 questions by corporate lawyers familiar with the state’s current litigation environment.
The report comes after [...]
Supreme Court public campaign finance bill signed
The Register-Herald
By Mannix Porterfield
March 24, 2010
— Manchin had proposed such a bill as a pilot project to gauge the success of publicly financed campaigns in West Virginia.
Strictly on a voluntary basis, candidates in a contested primary in 2010 may get $200,000, while those who run without opposition would collect $50,000.
In the general election, candidates who [...]
Political choices help keep West Virginia poor
Charleston Daily Mail
March 23, 2010
IN 1990, 13 percent of West Virginia’s (non-farm) jobs were at manufacturing plants. Today, manufacturing accounts for only7 percent of the state’s jobs.
That’s an indictment of the state’s anti-business tax code and legal policies. They have deterred investment, reduced wealth creation, and promoted poverty, dependence and population loss.
The state’s political class [...]
Legislative session debate continues
West Virginia Record
By Chris Dickerson
March 19, 2010
CHARLESTON — The 2010 regular Legislative session is over, but talk about the actions — and inactions — of lawmakers will continue for quite a while.
Regarding court-related issues, the biggest topic seems to be that the Legislature didn’t create create an intermediate appellate court, which was recommended by Gov. [...]
W.Va. still last for business-friendly courts, survey finds
West Virginia Record
By Chris Rizo
March 22, 2010
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)– West Virginia still holds the distinction of having the most anti-business courts in the nation, a survey released today indicates.
The Harris Interactive survey found that the states with the most favorable legal environments were Delaware, North Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana, and Iowa. At the bottom of the [...]
Manufacturing jobs scarce in W.Va.
The Charleston Daily Mail
By George Hohmann
March 22, 2010
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Fewer than 7 percent of the jobs in West Virginia are in manufacturing, a percentage that is declining here while increasing in neighboring states, said state Chamber of Commerce President Steve Roberts.
Roberts said that trend has resulted from business taxes that are too high and [...]
Third Time A Charm?
MetroNews
Staff
March 13, 2010
The legislature is trying for a third time to expand disclosure requirements for those spending money to advertise in elections.
The House and Senate gave final approval Saturday to a bill that would extend the requirements on those advertising in newspapers.
A federal judge has struck down two previous attempts and Senator Evans Jenkins, D-Cabell, [...]
Senators OK business courts proposal
The Charleston Gazette
By Phil Kabler
March 10, 2010
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Circuit courts in more populous areas of the state could set up business courts under a proposal approved by state senators Wednesday, after concerns some senators had about the cost of the new court systems were allayed.
The bill (HB4352) was approved on a 32-0 vote.
Senate Judiciary [...]
