Daily Archives: November 29, 2012 - 5 results

Each year, 3.5 million Americans will experience homelessness. On a given night, 636,000 individuals are homeless. Of this number, 40 percent will be “unsheltered.” They will have no place to stay, not even a homeless shelter, and will be sleeping on the streets, in cars, in tents or in abandoned buildings. Homelessness is associated with the poor economy, high unemployment rates and a lack of affordable housing. Those most at risk are people currently ”doubling up” and living with someone …

LEGAL NEWS OF THE WEIRD — Darren Hieber, 33, became the most recent person to choose drastic means to reconcile with an ex. Twice Hieber, of Onawa, Iowa, arranged to have himself shot in order to win his ex-wife’s sympathy. The first hit man shot Hieber in the leg, but the wife still ignored him, and a second job was arranged in March, with two different shooters, but that failed, also. Adding to his frustration, Hieber was sentenced to 10 …

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a case that could change workers’ ability to hire lawyers to help them bring personal injury suits when their employers have paid for their medical expenses.   Subrogation Blues James McCutchen, a US Airways employee, was seriously injured in a car accident. He settled a negligence suit with the driver responsible for the accident and collected uninsured motorist coverage from his own insurance – after his employer, US Airways, had paid $66,866 …

The U.S. Supreme Court this month heard arguments on a case that could have a dramatic impact on consumers’ ability to join forces in class action lawsuits against corporations that violate their rights. In Comcast v. Behrend, the court will decide how high of a hurdle plaintiffs must clear to even be certified as a class before they can proceed with a lawsuit. Cable customers tried to team up to file a suit against Comcast, alleging that the Philadelphia-based cable …

A Louisiana man who was apparently killed because he had black friends could be the subject of a federal hate crime trial, experts believe. Michael Luke Darby, 24, was stabbed to death by assailants last month after he left a bar with two black companions. Two men have been arrested for the murder after Darby’s body was found behind some bushes in Lafayette. According to local news reports, on Oct. 14 Darby and his friends were confronted in the street …