Michael Riccardi

October 05, 1999 |

The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct has the discretion to refuse to investigate charges brought to it by an attorney against a judge, a Manhattan Supreme Court justice has ruled. The justice upheld the commission's decision not to proceed with an investigation into the actions of Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Donna G. Recant, who was accused of changing a court ruling based on personal animus against the complaining lawyer.

By Michael Riccardi

4 minute read

June 23, 1999 |

The Pa. state Supreme Court yesterday handed Ernest D. Preate Jr., the former Pa. AG, a five-year suspension from the practice of law, and made it retroactive to Aug. 16, 1995. The ruling, announced in a one-paragraph per curiam order, means that Preate, who pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud charges in connection with improper campaign contributions, may resume his law practice on Aug. 16, 2000, if the Supreme Court agrees to readmit him to the bar.

By Michael Riccardi

5 minute read

September 01, 1999 |

A law that created a watchdog group in New York City that investigates alleged police misconduct is valid, a Manhattan Supreme Court justice ruled Tuesday. Justice Richard F. Braun said that the law, which was passed over the veto of Mayor Giuliani, was not defective procedurally or substantively. The Giuliani Administration and Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau challenged the law, saying that in enacting the measure, City Council had overstepped its authority.

By Michael Riccardi

4 minute read

October 26, 1999 |

In an intellectual property fight over computer software for processing copyright and trademark applications, a U.S. district court judge ruled the copyright interest in the software product may be infringed even if the codes used in the second program are different. The judge found that similar user interfaces, even if generated by different programs, can give rise to a cause of action for copyright infringement by the original developer of the interface.

By Michael Riccardi

3 minute read

November 12, 1999 |

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new trial in a case where a plaintiff secured a $1 million judgment against a Connecticut Roman Catholic diocese because he was allegedly sexually molested by a priest in the 1960's. The court said the plaintiff must go back to the trial court to justify filing the lawsuit more than three decades after the alleged abuse. The plaintiff must show he lacked knowledge of the facts to establish the sexual assault cause of action until 1991, the court said.

By Michael Riccardi

4 minute read

June 07, 1999 |

In a move that could make the rivalry between law firms and the Big Five accounting giants even more ferocious, a closely watched ABA commission may recommend today that attorneys be allowed to share fees with nonlawyers. Geoffrey Hazard Jr., a University of Pennsylvania law professor and legal ethics expert who serves on the 10-member ABA commission, said the panel will propose eliminating the long-standing prohibition against fee sharing because it's no longer relevant to law practice.

By Siobhan Roth and Michael Riccardi

7 minute read