Arizona court won’t halt sex suits naming Boy Scouts, others

Arizona victims of long-ago child sex abuse can proceed with lawsuits against groups like the Boy Scouts of America after the state Supreme Court rejected claims that a state law extending victims’ right to sue was unconstitutional. Arizona is among many states that have reacted to child sex abuse in recent years by allowing victims of even decades-old abuse to sue groups that didn’t protect them from predators. That has led to lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Church, Scouts and others. The high court last week rejected appeals by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and its affiliates in central and southern Arizona of lower court rulings that found a 2019 law extending the statute of limitations was constitutional. The rulings appear to be the first to directly address whether the Arizona law is legal, according to Phoenix attorney Robert Pastor, who represents victims in the two cases the high court considered. Those lawsuits allege that the group that connects youth called “Littles” with adult mentors known as “Bigs” did not properly oversee the Bigs. The cases involved two men who abused boys, one in 1983 and one in the 1970s, court filings show. The men are not defendants.

Groups seek to stop gold mine exploratory drilling in Idaho

Environmental groups are renewing efforts to stop exploratory drilling by a Canadian mining company hoping to build a gold mine in Idaho west of Yellowstone National Park. The Idaho Conservation League and Greater Yellowstone Coalition, in documents filed in federal court last month against the U.S. Forest Service, ask that the case involving Excellon Idaho Gold’s Kilgore Gold Exploration Project in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Clark County be reopened. Excellon Idaho Gold is a subsidiary of Toronto, Ontario-based Excellon Resources Inc. The company says the area contains at least 825,000 ounces (23.4 million grams) of gold near the surface, and potentially more deeper. The company said it is looking at possibly building an open-pit mine if exploration finds that the gold is mostly near the surface, or an underground mine if the gold is deeper.

Mexico high court OKs preference for state power plants

Mexico’s Supreme Court deemed constitutional Thursday a controversial energy law pushed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that gives government-owned power plants preference over private competitors. The law took effect in March 2021, but a number of private energy companies sought injunctions blocking enforcement. With the law ruled constitutional, the injunctions will now have to be resolved. The law establishes that electricity must be bought first from government power plants, which use primarily coal, oil and diesel to produce energy. If demand requires it, additional electricity could be purchased from private wind, solar and natural gas plants. Jesús Ramírez, presidential spokesman, celebrated the court’s decision. “History will judge those who betray the country and the interests of Mexican people,” he said via Twitter. Critics, including the United States government, maintain the law will undermine competition in the sector, hurt the environment and violate free trade agreements.

2nd defendant pleads guilty in 2018 hate crime in Washington

A second defendant has pleaded guilty in federal court to a hate crime and making false statements in connection with a 2018 racially-motivated assault in the Seattle area. U.S. Attorney Nick Brown said Jason DeSimas, 45, of Tacoma, Washington, is one of four men from across the Pacific Northwest being prosecuted for punching and kicking a Black man at a bar in Lynnwood, Washington. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones scheduled sentencing for July 8. According to the plea agreement, DeSimas was a prospective member of a white supremacist group. DeSimas believed that he and his group could go into bars and initiate fights, so that the rest of the members of the group could join in. On Dec. 8, 2018, the men went to a bar in Lynnwood, Washington and assaulted a Black man who was working as a DJ. The group also assaulted two other men who came to the DJ’s aid. The attackers shouted racial slurs and made Nazi salutes during the assault. DeSimas also admitted making false statements to the FBI during the investigation of the case. Under terms of the plea agreement, both sides will recommend a 37-month prison term. The judge is not bound by the recommendation. Daniel Delbert Dorson, 24, of Corvallis, Oregon, has already pleaded guilty in the case and is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 19. Jason Stanley, 44, of Boise, Idaho, and Randy Smith, 39, of Eugene, Oregon, are also charged in the case and are in custody awaiting trial.

Do You Need a Workers Comp Attorney in Chicago?

You count on your employer to maintain a safe, hazard-free work environment. Industrial employers have an obligation to hire qualified applicants, train their employees properly, and provide the safest possible workspace. However, employers in Chicago often fall short. A work injury can have significant impact on you and your family. If you recently had a workplace injury, it is a good idea to seek legal representation. While studies have found that the vast majority of workers’ compensation claims are legitimate, insurance companies often deny claims that raise red flags. Insurance claims can be very complex and take a long time. You will need an expert team like Krol, Bongiorno & Given to ensure that you get the compensation you need to recover from your injuries and continue working. Workers’ compensation is a complicated area of law. When you get injured at work, you only have a limited amount of time to file a claim for financial compensation. Remember that every second counts after a work injury, and putting off a claim or speaking to a lawyer can prevent you from getting the benefits you deserve. Hiring a work injury lawyer can immediately take the burden of settlement negotiations off your shoulders. At Krol, Bongiorno & Given, we fight for fair and full payment for injured workers in Illinois. As work injury lawyers, it is our goal to explain the process and how we will assist you with your workers’ compensation claim. We are experienced and client-focused trial attorneys. We have handled well over 30,000 claims for injured workers throughout the state of Illinois. If you are injured at work, call (312) 726-5567 for a free consultation or contact us online.

East Greenwich, RI Family Law Office

The Law Office of Erica S. Janton, P.C. offers a wide range of legal services in all areas of family law, encompassing divorce, paternity, adoption, child and/or spousal support, child custody and placement, post judgment modifications, mediation and other related issues. Erica S. Janton has extensive experience in complex high asset and high conflict family law matters and uses her experience within the family court arena to individually tailor strategies with each of her clients and provide realistic solution focused results. Erica S. Janton has extensive experience in complex high asset and high conflict family law matters and uses her experience within the family court arena to individually tailor strategies with each of her clients and provide realistic solution focused results. Attorney Janton utilizes her educational training as one component of educating her clients about the law and their choices so that each client can assist in the strategic plan of their case. These traits have earned Attorney Janton the reputation among clients, colleagues and judges of being a skilled and reasonable attorney and trusted counselor of her clients’ interests.

New lawsuit challenges end of vaccine mandate exemption

After losing their case in federal court, opponents of Connecticut’s elimination of a long-standing religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements have filed a new challenge in state court seeking to restore the exception. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court by the groups We The Patriots USA and CT Freedom Alliance, as well as three parents of schoolchildren. It names as defendants the state departments of Education and Public Health, local school boards in Bethel, Glastonbury and Stamford, and other state agencies and officials. Among the lawsuit’s arguments is that the ending of the religious exemption for childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care centers last year violates religious freedom rights provided by the state constitution. The state’s list of required vaccines does not include COVID-19 vaccines. The parents’ religious objections include the use of cell lines from aborted fetuses in the research, development and production of vaccines, the suit says. A federal judge last month dismissed a similar lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, saying the state has an interest in protecting the health of Connecticut’s students. We The Patriots, CT Freedom Alliance and the parents have appealed the ruling to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. Nicholas C. Minshew, Attorney at Law, concentrates his practice in the areas of Family Law including divorce, separation, child support, child custody, alimony, division of property, separation agreements, domestic violence, prenuptial agreements, and child support enforcement & modification. Mr. Minshew provides legal services to clients in Washington, D.C., and throughout Maryland, including Montgomery County, Frederick County, and Prince George’s County.