Connecticut News
Thursday, June 20, 2013
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.
Lawyers In The News
- Rob Morris
- E. Curtissa R. Cofield
- Joette Katz
- George Jepsen
- Jim Gaston
- Monte Frank
- Will Rodgers
- Herbert Brail
- Michael DePrimo
- David Atkins
- Kerry O'Connell
- Eric M. Grant
- William Carbone
- Francis J. Carino
- Elisa Gilbert
- Ralph Monaco
- Thomas L. Tisdale
- James W. Bergenn
- Lenny Isaac
- James Sulick
- Brendan Levesque
- Benjamin Zivyon
- Raymond Hassett
- Christopher Hankins
- Patricia Cofrancesco
- Thomas B. Mooney
- Stephen Sedensky
- Kevin Kane
- Danny R. Kraft, Jr.
- James Lowery
- Terry Budd
- Christopher Meisenkothen
- Jerry Kristal
- Adam Cooper
- David Golub
- Jonathan D. Cogan
- Barbara Brazzel-Massaro
- Richard Robinson
Departments
Recent Editorials
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Editorial: Coping With Pro Se Litigants
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Editorial: The Acceptance Of Security Cameras
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National News
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Moscow the Only Loser Among NLJ 350 Overseas Markets
by Leigh Jones
Moscow was the only city to lose lawyers last year among the overseas markets tracked by the NLJ 350 Regional Report, as U.S. firms operating in the Russian capital dropped attorneys at a rate of 2 percent.
Federal Circuit Nominee Sails Through Confirmation Hearing
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by Todd Ruger
A career staff attorney at the U.S. Justice Department who could become the first openly gay federal appellate court judge sailed through his confirmation hearing Wednesday on Capitol Hill.
What's So Special About Patent Law, Judge Asks
by Vanessa Blum
Judge Lucy Koh sounded off to a packed room of IP litigators.
Connecticut Opinions
Thursday, June 20, 2013 Search All Court Decisions »Macellaio v. Lewis
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Even if a plaintiff files a civil action or an ethics complaint against a judge, that may not be sufficient to disqualify the judge.
Raynolds v. Napolitano
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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.
Plunkett v. Rathi
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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.
U.S. v. Ahmad
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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.
Burgess v. Wallingford
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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.
Henderson v. Williams
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To prevail on claims of false arrest, a plaintiff must prove underlying charges ended in his favor.
Judges in Decisions
- Judge Trial Referee Adams
- Judge Trial Referee Aronson
- Judge Beach
- Judge Bellis
- Judge Bentivegna
- Judge Bishop
- Judge Bryant
- Judge Cosgrove
- Judge dos Santos
- Judge Eginton
- Judge Espinosa
- Judge Hall
- Justice Harper
- Judge Janet C. Hall
- Judge Klatt
- Justice Norcott
- Judge Peck
- Judge Trial Referee Purtill
- Chief Justice Rogers
- Judge Sferrazza
- Judge Simon
- Judge Underhill
- Judge Vacchelli
- Judge Wiese
- Justice Zarella
Judicial Profiles
See Judges Profiles »Courts and Agencies
Most Viewed Opinions
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State v. Esarey
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Capstone Building Corporation v. American Motorists
Insurance Company
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State v. Lindsay
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Claude v. Claude
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State v. Martin M.
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Columns
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Cell Phone Evidence Should Cut Both Ways
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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
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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
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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.
Featured Columnists
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Cell Phone Evidence Should Cut Both Ways
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Featured Practice Section
Law Trib's Honors Night Award Winners
These lawyers will be honored in a special Law Tribune Honors Night ceremony on Thursday. Two lawyers will be receiving Service to the Profession Awards. Another will receive our Publisher's Award, and one lawyer will be presented with our Pro Bono Award.
Featured Verdicts & Settlements
Good Samaritan Plaintiff Loses Dog Bite Claim
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by CHRISTIAN NOLAN
Penny Hoyt v. James Kennedy, et al.: A woman who tried to help an injured dog, but was bitten in the process, lost her bid to receive compensation for her injuries, as jurors decided that she had been inadvertantly "tormenting" the animal.




