Free Republic

The barons of the tort bar must have thought 2007 would be a very good year: Some of their biggest cases (Katrina, Enron) were set to pay out, and a Democratic Congress meant no more worries about legal reform. Talk about reversal of fortune: As the year ends, we are witnessing nothing short of the dismantling of what are alleged to be major tort criminal enterprises. Bill Lerach, the king of class actions, stands disgraced as an admitted felon. His former partners at Milberg Weiss face trial for being part of the same kickback scheme as Lerach. Federal prosecutors continue...

(Dickie) Scruggs arrested on bribery charges

The FBI in Jackson has been searching the Scruggs Law Firm on The Square since 10:30 this morning for a specific document that is "ancillary" to Hurricane Katrina insurance litigation, attorney Joey Langston said this afternoon. The FBI confirmed this morning that a search warrant had been executed at the law firm headed by high-profile attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, who successfully sued Big Tobacco and has represented hundreds of policyholders suing insurance companies over Katrina damage.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) - Louise Scruggs, the wife and manager of legendary banjo player Earl Scruggs who helped expand the audience for bluegrass music, has died. She was 78. Mrs. Scruggs died Thursday, her family said. She had been treated for respiratory disease. The couple married in 1948, two years after they met while he was performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with bluegrass founder Bill Monroe and she was a member of the audience. After Scruggs left the Monroe band to form Flatt & Scruggs with guitarist and singer Lester Flatt, Mrs. Scruggs took over managing their...

Contributions in MississippiAre Probed by Law OfficialsBy MICHAEL OREYStaff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNALFederal and state law-enforcement authorities in Mississippi are investigating contributions to state judicial campaigns by plaintiffs' lawyers, including Richard Scruggs, a Pascagoula, Miss., attorney who made hundreds of millions of dollars suing the tobacco industry.The probe, which is at an early stage, appears to be examining whether money was illegally funneled to judges with the aim of influencing the outcome of particular cases, people familiar with the situation said. Mississippi is a key battleground in judicial elections because business groups consider the state's courts to be...