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Oklahoma considers foreign law court ban
U.S. Court News |
2013/02/15 14:48
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Oklahoma lawmakers are considering banning judges in the state from basing any rulings on foreign laws, including Islamic Sharia law.
A Senate panel on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the bill, which has broad support in the Republican-controlled Legislature. The bill would specifically make void and unenforceable any court, arbitration or administrative agency decision that doesn't grant the parties affected by the ruling "the same fundamental liberties, rights and privileges granted under the U.S. and Oklahoma constitutions."
"This is a way to protect American citizens ... where somebody may try to use any kind of foreign law or religious law to affect the outcome of a trial," said Sen. Ralph Shortey, R-Oklahoma City, who sponsored the bill. Shortey described it as "American Law for American Courts."
A handful of other states have laws aimed at keeping courts from basing decision on foreign legal codes, including Islamic law. Oklahoma voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2010 that would have specifically prohibited courts from considering Sharia law, but a federal judge blocked its implementation after a Muslim community leader alleged it discriminates against his religion.
Shortey said he didn't know of an instance in Oklahoma where a judge has relied on foreign laws, but he said there have been cases in other states.
That prompted state Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, to describe the measure as a "solution that's looking for a problem." Crain was the only member of the Senate committee to vote against the bill. |
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cused UK police killer changes plea to guilty
Court News |
2013/02/12 10:33
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A 29-year-old man accused of murdering two unarmed British police officers in a gun and grenade attack dramatically changed his plea to guilty Tuesday, midway through his trial.
Dale Cregan had denied killing Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, but on Tuesday admitted the murders, replying "guilty" as a court clerk read out the charges.
The two officers were killed as they responded to a burglary call near Manchester, northwest England, in September.
Prosecutors said Cregan — who had made the false emergency call — waited for police to arrive, then opened fire with a Glock pistol.
He fired 24 shots at Bone, hitting her between five and eight times. Hughes was shot eight times, including three times in the head as she lay on the ground.
As he fled, Cregan lobbed a military fragmentation grenade into the yard of the house where the police officers lay, prosecutors said. |
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Wilchins Cosentino & Friend LLP
Legal News |
2013/02/05 07:31
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Wilchins Cosentino & Friend LLP, formerly associated as Seegel Lipshutz & Wilchins, is committed to providing the best possible legal experience available. Wilchins Cosentino & Friend LLP is organized into six major practice areas Private Client, Litigation, Family Law, Real Estate, Corporate and Financial Services Litigation. Within those practice areas, we offer a wide range of services that help our clients reach their business and personal goals.
Our attorneys are dedicated to providing sophisticated legal services to our clients promptly, efficiently and economically. We serve a wide spectrum of clients, including major corporations, financial institutions, individual entrepreneurs, closely held private companies, not-for-profit corporations, families and individuals. We strive to learn as much as possible about each client’s business and the industry in which each client operates.
Wilchins Cosentino & Friend LLP is organized into seven major practice areas
Private Client
Litigation
Employment Law
Family Law
Real Estate
Corporate
Financial Services Litigation.
Wellesley Office Park
20 William Street, Suite 130
Wellesley, MA 02481 |
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Lindsay Lohan appears in court, trial delayed
Court News |
2013/02/01 14:59
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Lindsay Lohan briefly appeared in court Wednesday for the first time in nearly a year and left with a new attorney, new trial date and new judge.
Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner shook her head when she saw Lohan seated with her attorney, just months after the judge had warned the "Liz and Dick" star to grow up and stay out of trouble.
The actress was required to attend the pretrial hearing involving three misdemeanor counts filed after a car crash last summer. Lohan has pleaded not guilty to lying to police, reckless driving and obstructing officers from performing their duties.
Sautner previously sent her to jail, placed her under house arrest and forced her to perform morgue cleanup duty in another case.
Sautner warned Lohan on Wednesday that she could face jail time for a possible probation violation, even if she is acquitted of the counts filed after her sports car crashed into a dump truck.
Lohan was on probation at the time of the wreck and could be sentenced to 245 days in jail if a judge determines her actions in the crash were a violation of her sentence in a theft case.
Sautner, however, won't be handling Lohan's upcoming case. The judge said she is retiring before the next court hearing on March 1. Lohan will not be required to attend that hearing. |
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