Kansas

February 20, 2013

Ex-Husband of Murder Victim Settles Lawsuit

The ex-husband of a woman murdered in 2009 has settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed against him by his children.

The defendant, though never charged with his ex-wife’s murder, was sued by his children for the death of their mother. Another man and his wife were additionally named in the suit, though she was later dropped. The children alleged that the three individuals conspired to kill their mother.

Though the terms of the settlement with the man and his children are confidential, a court record did indicate a $200,000 judgment against the other individual named in the suit. He, by the way, was convicted of the woman’s death.

November 30, 2011

Man Sues Couple He Kidnapped

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea – A good start. I’ve heard them all. Lawyers often get bad raps due to frivolous lawsuits that have been filed. Sadly, many of these suits have merit, but the facts get so distorted by groups attacking personal injury lawyers, that the public doesn’t have the opportunity to learn the actual facts of the case, and in turn, they don’t realize that the Plaintiff has a legitimate claim.

On the other hand, there are ridiculous suits that are filed pro se, in which the public automatically assumes that suit was filed by an attorney. The latest story making headlines, which has people calling for the disbarment of a lawyer, one that doesn’t exist, takes place in Kansas. The suit is being brought pro se, by a convicted criminal serving an 11-year sentence.

November 10, 2009

Twittering Reporters During Trial

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

A federal court in Georgia ruled that Rule 53 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure prohibits “tweeting” from the courtroom.

The court basically found that Federal Rule 53 that prohibits photographs prohibits tweeting. Earlier this year, a Kansas court went the other way on this, ruling that a reporter could tweet a racketeering trial.

Personally, I this the call in Kansas was a better one. At some point, we all need to face – like it or not – this is 2009.

December 3, 2008

Truck Accident Jury Verdict in Kansas in New Mexico Truck Accident

by Ronald V. Miller, Jr.

A federal jury in Kansas jury awarded $23.5 million to a man who was severely injured in a truck accident in New Mexico on Route 54 near Tucumcari with a truck driver who tested positive for methamphetamine. Jurors found that the driver for Swift Transportation was 65% responsible for the accident that left Plaintiff with major spinal cord injuries. U.S. District Judge Monti Belot subsequently reduced the actual award consistent with New Mexico’s comparative negligence law to nearly $15.3 million.

This was a very serious injury case – the defendant has $5 million in past and future medical bills. A big as this case was, it is not the biggest verdict the defendant Swift Transportation has taken in, even the last year. Last December, an Arizona jury awarded $36.5 million to the family of a man killed in a collision with another one of its trucks.

There is a story on the verdict in the Wichita Eagle.