Recent Articles

Sotomayor hearings

cowdent@gtlaw.com
July 13, 2009 22:02

The blawgs today are all about the Sotomayor conformation hearings. I would probably be more inclined to follow them all if I had any fear she would not be confirmed.  But anyway, today was just opening statements. For those who want to know what happened minute by minute,  try...

Judge, Please make opposing counsel wear nicer shoes...

cowdent@gtlaw.com
July 10, 2009 21:33

  That’s the gist of a Motion to Compel Defense Counsel to Wear Appropriate Shoes at Trial, filed last month in a personal injury case in Florida. It seems defense counsel Michael Robb  has a habit of wearing a pair of loafers with holes in the soles, in aid of a  tactic...

Indigent defense caseload study reveals public defenders overworked, inadequately funded

cowdent@gtlaw.com
July 10, 2009 21:15

I'm not sure a study was needed to determine this, but perhaps this makes it official. The Supreme Court Indigent Defense Commission has received the study it requested of the indigent defense systems in Clark and Washoe Counties.  The Court had previously issued performance standards for...

CLE slackers beware!

cowdent@gtlaw.com
July 10, 2009 21:08

The Supreme Court wants to crack down on lawyers who don’t keep up with their CLE obligations. In an order filed July 7, the Supreme Court ordered the Board of Continuing Legal Education to conduct a comprehensive review of Board and Supreme Court rules about CLE and issue a report with...

Congratulations to Al Franken

cowdent@gtlaw.com
June 30, 2009 22:50

Al Franken won the election as senator from Minnesota, the Minnisota Supreme Court ruled today.  The court stated:  Franken "received the highest number of votes legally cast" and is entitled "to receive the certificate of election as United States senator from the...

Self insured employers may recover from NIGA.

cowdent@gtlaw.com
June 26, 2009 22:22

 In  MGM Mirage v. Nevada Ins. Guaranty Ass’n, The Nevada Supreme Court held that self-insured employers can seek reimbursement from the Nevada Insurance Guaranty Association (NIGA) for amounts that should have been paid by an insolvent excess insurance carrier. NIGA pays out...

Easements may be moved without dominant owner's agreement

cowdent@gtlaw.com
June 26, 2009 22:17

In  St. James Village, Inc. v. Cunningham, the Nevada Supreme Court held that an easement can be relocated over the objection of the dominant estate owner, provided the new location reasonably preserves the value of the easement, and the original grant did not preclude relocation and did not...

I'm still here

cowdent@gtlaw.com
June 26, 2009 18:49

  Things have been busy in my life lately, what with moving into a new house, and then a new firm.  And then, of course, there is that work for clients.   So anyway, I have some catching up to do. Updates on the Nevada Supreme Court opinions will be forthcoming in the next...

No man may choose the judge in his own cause

Tami Cowden
June 08, 2009 20:09

That was the conclusion today of the U.S. Supreme Court’s  ruling in Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co.. The Court found that the failure of a  judge on West Virginia’s highest court to recuse himself from a matter in which a sizable donor  to the judge’s...

Supreme Court Upholds Decision to Keep Culinary Measures off the Ballot

Tami Cowden
May 28, 2009 23:34

  I’ve never had a case decided so quickly before!  Ruling less than two weeks after briefing was completed, the Supreme Court upheld Judge Barker’s decision holding that the ballot measures supported by the Culinary Union were properly kept off the ballot. The Court’s...