legal issues

Bishop Tobin, Advocates Clash on SCOTUS + Same-Sex Marriage

Ian Donnis — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:46:12 +0000

Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin issued a statement this morning, calling on the General Assembly to put the brakes on same-sex marriage legislation due to the US Supreme Court's consideration of related issues:

Mediation to continue in unions' challenge to state pension overhaul

Ian Donnis — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:02:01 +0000

The mediation aimed at settling a legal challenge by a series of unions to the state pension overhaul of 2011 is set to continue through the month of February.

Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter met Friday morning with the two sides in the case, according to court spokesman Craig Berke. "They are going to continue to mediate," Berke said, adding that Taft-Carter is scheduled to get another update on February 28.

Are there too many lawyers in the General Assembly?

Ian Donnis — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:22:03 +0000

As the General Assembly starts a new session on Tuesday, one legislative constant will remain unchanged -- a lot of the 113 lawmakers on Smith Hill are lawyers.

The ProJo's Political Scene says there are 24 lawyers in the legislature -- 15 in the 75-member House and nine in the 38-member Senate:

RI Supreme Court decides not to delay pension case or rule on Taft-Carter

Ian Donnis — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:45:00 +0000

The Rhode Island Supreme Court has declined a state motion to stay the big pension case pending before Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter. Via news release:

In the matter of Rhode Island Public Employees’ Retiree Coalition et al v. Lincoln Chafee et al, the Supreme Court today declined to intervene in the union and coalition lawsuits against the state regarding the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act of 2011.

“Super-lawyer” Boies’ request to practice law in RI expected to be on for Friday

Ian Donnis — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:00:45 +0000

High-profile lawyer David Boies’ request to practice law in Rhode Island is expected to be considered by Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter early Friday, according to court spokesman Craig Berke. That’s the same morning when Taft-Carter is slated to hear a state motion to dismiss a union challenge to last year’s pension overhaul.

The granting of permission for an out-of-state lawyer to practice in Rhode Island is usually a formality.

Chafee says seeking a pension settlement is in taxpayers’ interest

Ian Donnis — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:00:45 +0000

Governor Lincoln Chafee says the uncertainty and cost of litigating a union challenge to last year’s landmark pension overhaul justify efforts to seek a settlement.

In a telephone interview from Washington, DC, where he’s attending a National Governors Association meeting, Chafee dismissed concerns that a settlement would dilute the pension overhaul to such an extent that it would hurt Rhode Island’s fiscal condition.

Pegden gets nod as legal counsel for Speaker Fox

Ian Donnis — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Susan Pedgen, best known as the press secretary for Charles Fogarty during his two terms as lieutenant governor, has gotten the nod to become chief legal counsel for House Speaker Gordon Fox. She’s slated to start $121,308 job next Monday, December 3.

Pegden will be the first woman to be chief legal counsel for a speaker, according to Fox spokesman Larry Berman. As a resident of Hope Street, she is also a constituent of the speaker.

Via news release:

Boies lured to RI by big national stakes on pensions

Ian Donnis — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 09:00:00 +0000

The emergence of super-lawyer David Boies in Rhode Island’s high-stakes pension fight — first reported yesterday by RIPR — was triggered by his interest in the even broader significance of the case.

Alison Frankel reports for Thomson Reuters:

State motion to dismiss unions’ pension legal challenge on tap for December

Ian Donnis — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter is slated to consider next month a motion by the state to dismiss the challenge filed by a series of unions against Rhode Island’s landmark 2011 pension overhaul.

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for December 7. It is not known how long Taft-Carter will take to make her decision on the motion.

RI Supreme Court denies Tobon’s case in challenge to San Bento

Ian Donnis — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 08:00:00 +0000

On a 3-2 decision, the Rhode Island Supreme Court has denied Carlos Tobon’s call for a manual recount following his controversial and contested one-vote loss to state Representative William San Bento of Pawtucket.