Judge Cofield Suspended Without Pay Over Child Welfare Cases

by JAY STAPLETON

Superior Court Judge Curtissa Cofield has been suspended for 30 days without pay for delaying decisions in child welfare cases. The sanction was part of an agreement that was reached between Cofield and the Judicial Review Council.

Judge Quinn To Retire As Chief Court Administrator

Connecticut Chief Court Administrator Barbara Quinn, who has helped guide the state court system through difficult financial times related to state budgetary challenges, is retiring effective October 1. Her successor, according to Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, will be Judge Patrick Carroll, the current deputy chief court administrator.

Chimp Attack Victim To Appeal Claims Commissioner Ruling

by Associated Press

A woman disfigured by a friend's pet chimpanzee in 2009 plans to appeal a decision denying her permission to sue the state on her claim that officials knew the chimp was dangerous.

Auto Body Case May Lead To CUTPA Reassessment

by THOMAS B. SCHEFFEY

In what is believed to be the largest unfair trade practices award of its kind ever issued in Connecticut, a Stamford complex litigation judge has awarded $20 million in punitive damages to a class of auto body repair shops.

No More Automatic Fee Waivers For Low-Income Litigants

by JAY STAPLETON

In the just-completed General Assembly session, lawmakers approved a measure aimed at low-income, self-represented parties who do not have to pay court filing fees.

Macellaio v. Lewis

Even if a plaintiff files a civil action or an ethics complaint against a judge, that may not be sufficient to disqualify the judge.

• General Civil Practice

Raynolds v. Napolitano

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is not required to rule on an alien's application for naturalization within 120 days of interviewing the alien.

• Immigration Law

Plunkett v. Rathi

A medical-malpractice suit that is filed in New York, years after medical treatment ceases, and that does not include a written opinion from a similar healthcare provider, as required by Connecticut law, may not be sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss in either state.

• Health Law

U.S. v. Ahmad

Even if information is "tangentially relevant" to a defendant's case, the government can file an ex parte motion and invoke the state secrets privilege for classified material, the disclosure of which could endanger national security; the government can also request permission to substitute unclassified abstracts, in order to comply with discovery.

• Criminal Law

Burgess v. Wallingford

Absent any evidence that an individual was arrested because of a message on his shirt, which clearly constituted speech, police officers may be entitled to qualified immunity on the individual's First Amendment claim.

• Civil Rights & Constitutional Law

Henderson v. Williams

To prevail on claims of false arrest, a plaintiff must prove underlying charges ended in his favor.

• Civil Rights & Constitutional Law

Cell Phone Evidence Should Cut Both Ways

by Norm Pattis

It's been along time since I first saw in open court the power of the surveillance state. A client of mine was accused of rape. When the victim turned up dead, the state accused my client of killing her. Prove it, we said. The state did, with the help of cell tower evidence.

Opinion: Gun Law Discriminates Against Disabled? Hardly

by Norm Pattis

If you doubt the law's capacity to transform almost anything into a farce, look no further than the case of Disabled Americans for Firearms Rights LLC, et al., v. Dannel P. Malloy.

Opinion: Ruling Raises Stakes In NCAA Lawsuit

by Dan Krisch

I am watching with a mixture of delight and uncertainty as the NCAA gets taken to school.

Opinion: Legislature Shouldn't Tinker With Fee Waiver Law

by Anne Louise Blanchard

In Connecticut and across the country, there is growing awareness that low-income individuals have difficulty obtaining civil access to justice. Legal aid programs struggle financially and many more people need lawyers than legal aid agencies can represent.

Opinion: Santa V. The Easter Bunny

by Amy Goodusky

I heard, or, more to the point, thought I heard that Easter, that fiesta of hard-boiled, chocolate-covered indulgence, now rivals Christmas as an occasion on which gifts are expected to be bought, wrapped and distributed.