The development in downtown Durham, known as West Village, is an effort to convert an abandoned tobacco factory into a mixed-use facility housing restaurants, offices, and apartments. The project has an estimated price tag of $170 million. It has been in development since 1995, when Laettner and Davis formed Blue Devil Ventures around the idea of renovating abandoned factories to rejuvenate a city once dependent on the tobacco industry. The first phase of West Village was finished in 2000 and the second was completed in 2006; the expansion project at the heart of the lawsuits has been delayed by funding problems and is ongoing.

The Jackson family attorney, Londell McMillan, reported that the family has not heard from the two eldest children's biological mother, Deborah Rowe. Rowe married Michael in 1996, divorced him in 1999, and relinquished her parental rights. When she sought them again in 2003, she and Michael reached a settlement (in 2006) - the terms of which were never disclosed. Michael's youngest child was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.

A court hearing is set for August to determine whether Katherine will obtain permanent guardianship.

Since 2006, Matrixx has spent millions of dollars to settle hundreds of lawsuits with Zicam® users who lost their sense of smell, with hundreds more still pending. Despite the warning and recall, the company denies that its products are responsible for the condition, which is known as anosmia. Spokespeople for Matrixx have claimed that anosmia is no more likely among users of its products than among the general population, and that the condition is more likely caused by the common cold itself. The FDA has publicly disagreed with this assessment.

Matrixx also faces an investigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is accused of unlawful marketing, and of mischaracterizing the recall as "voluntary." Matrixx has disagreed strongly with both allegations, potentially setting the stage for a lengthy dispute.

The problem is rooted in the fact that so many different over-the-counter medications contain acetaminophen. In addition to over-the-counter painkillers such as Tylenol® and Excedrin®, cough medicines such as NyQuil® also contain significant amounts of the offending chemical. Though FDA and pharmaceutical-industry officials maintain that the substance is safe at recommended doses, many people unknowingly overdose when they take multiple acetaminophen-containing medications simultaneously.

FDA regulators could take a number of measures, including reducing recommended dosage levels and eliminating products that mix acetaminophen with other active ingredients. Such restrictive measures could meet resistance from the pharmaceutical industry, which could lose money if it can no longer sell the offending products.

According to the Justice Department, the Essex County Department of Corrections suspended and eventually terminated the woman because the scarf violated its uniform policy. She allegedly requested a religious accommodation, but was rebuffed. The suit seeks a court order requiring the county to alter its policies to provide for employees' religious practices.

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division regularly pursues civil rights litigation on behalf of individuals who have allegedly suffered discrimination. Recent suits include a settlement with the transit authority of Washington, DC, over alleged uniform-related religious discrimination, and a similar suit against the transit authority of New York City that is currently unresolved.

A jury ruled that Caltrans was partially at fault for the accident in which a teenage girl intentionally sped on a rolling stretch of road that runs through the San Bernardino Mountains.

Two teenagers were killed in the accident, and their families will receive damages for wrongful death. A surviving passenger will receive damages for personal injury.

The driver of the vehicle survived and pleaded guilty in juvenile court to charges of vehicular manslaughter. She was speeding at the time of the accident with the intent to go airborne when she lost control of the vehicle.

Caltrans argued that the road was safe as long as drivers did not speed and followed other traffic laws. The jurors in the case determined that Caltrans was aware of the hazardous nature of the road and, therefore, partially responsible for the accident.

The plaintiff, Mr. William Theiss, had been hired to paint at a newly constructed high school in Hanover, Illinois. Mr. Theiss severely injured his foot, ankle, and heel after falling 15 feet from a lift. The accident occurred when he tripped over a chain that was being used in place of guardrails. According to safety regulations, guardrails should have been on the lift.

As a result of the accident, Mr. Theiss developed an infection in his heel and had to endure over a dozen surgeries. He is now instructed by his doctors to avoid standing on his feet for more than an hour at a time.

The defendants in the case were Hoffman Construction Company and CIDAC, Inc., the drywall contractor. After a two-week trial, a Jo Daviess County jury awarded Mr. Theiss damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and medical expenses.

The suit was filed by Jose Padilla, a Brooklyn-born Muslim who was classified as an enemy combatant and held in solitary confinement for three years. He was subsequently convicted of supporting terrorism and other crimes, and is serving a 17-year sentence. Padilla alleges that during his time in solitary confinement, he was subjected to "gross physical and psychological abuse" that has been described as torture by some experts. Padilla seeks just $1 in monetary damages, and a declaration by the court that his treatment was unconstitutional.

Yoo and his lawyers have not commented since the decision, but he criticized the suit in an article he wrote for the Wall Street Journal, saying, "The legal system should not be used as a bludgeon against individuals targeted by political activists to impose policy preferences they have failed to implement via the ballot box."

On July 12 in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Piekarsky, Donchak, and several other teens allegedly baited Ramirez, an undocumented Mexican immigrant, into an argument on the street. According to reports, the teens had been drinking. They beat Ramirez so severely that, according to a medical testimony, brain tissue oozed from his skull. One of the other teens involved pleaded guilty in juvenile court, and another's case is being processed in federal courts.

Critics of the teens' sentence, including the judge in the case and Pennsylvania's governor, reportedly believe the sentence was too lenient. The teens' attorney reportedly believes it is too harsh, since state laws would have permitted probation.

Advocacy groups, who have called on the Department of Justice to bring hate crime charges against the teens, are expected to continue fighting the sentence.

Usher, 30, and Foster Raymond, 38, met when she was Usher's stylist. The couple married in August 2007, after briefly postponing their wedding. According to the divorce petition, the couple has been separated since July of 2008.

The couple's marriage and subsequent separation were gossip fodder among fans; many questioned Foster Raymond's motives for marrying the singer (she was a married mother of three children when they met), and the singer's mother reportedly disapproved of the marriage.

Neither Usher nor Foster Raymond has yet spoken publicly about the divorce.

The case began in 2004, when Goldman's then-wife, Bruna Bianchi Carneiro Ribeiro, abducted Sean and took him to Brazil, claiming they were taking a brief vacation.

Ribeiro then divorced Goldman and married a Brazilian lawyer. She died in September. Sean now lives with his step-father in Rio. The stepfather's family reportedly claims that Goldman has not demonstrated adequate interest in the child. The prosecution cites international treaties against child abduction.

On Wednesday, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court ruled that it cannot determine who should have custody of Sean. Last week, the Court suspended a lower court ruling that would have granted custody to the U.S. consulate, which would then have handed Sean over to Goldman.

The custody battle is expected to continue until resolution.

Stallworth, 28, is charged in the March death of a pedestrian, Mario Reyes, 59. Stallworth was driving with a blood alcohol level of .126 - well above the legal limit - when he hit and killed Reyes, who was returning home from work.

On June 4, authorities charged Stallworth with DUI manslaughter, a charge that typically carries a four- to 15-year sentence. Stallworth pleaded not guilty. He was subsequently freed on $200,000 bond and allowed to commute between Cleveland and Miami.

Reyes' family reportedly pushed for a quick plea deal to resolve the case and minimize further trauma to the victim's 15-year-old daughter. Stallworth's clean driving record, cooperation with authorities, and demonstration of remorse were other factors in determining a plea deal.

The accident took place on February 19th, 2008, when Mr. Hatton was crossing Main Street in downtown Los Angeles. A NASA Services, Inc. garbage truck made a right turn onto Main Street and struck Mr. Hatton as he was in the crosswalk. Mr. Hatton was caught under the front of the truck and was dragged for approximately 20 to 25 yards.

Mr. Newkirk speculates that the driver of the garbage truck never saw Mr. Hatton because he was looking to the left while making the right turn. Mr. Newkirk also said that the garbage truck driver might not have stopped had he not been pulled over by a Los Angeles Police Department squad that happened to be behind the truck and witnessed the accident taking place.

The case was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in July 2008.

The plank that Mr. Nunez was standing on gave way because the metal bolts that supported the walkway had been cut. According to records, NYC Transit lawyers tried to blame Mr. Nunez for the accident by claiming that he did not have his safety harness attached to the central line. However, Mr. Nunez's supervisors testified that no one had told their crew that the bolts had been cut and so they had not instructed Mr. Nunez to secure his safety harness.

After the fall, Mr. Nunez was in a coma for two months. He sustained massive injuries to his face, arms, hands, and pelvis as a result of the accident. According to his attorney, Mr. Lawrence Blondi, Mr. Nunez is practically unable to move his wrists or fingers. He also suffers from lingering brain damage.

A Brooklyn Supreme Court jury ruled in Mr. Nunez's favor after a three-week trial. A spokesman for the NYC Transit Authority says that the agency will appeal the verdict.

The Michigan Court of Appeals approved the case this week, meaning it will be heard in court. Though the relevant budgetary decisions are typically made at the local level, the suit claims that the state of Michigan's own budgetary problems and allocation decisions render it ultimately responsible. The suit is aimed at specific counties that the ACLU sees as problematic, but it could influence the way the public defender system works statewide if it is successful.

Under the terms of the settlement, Microsoft will pay $40 million to the state of Mississippi and set aside an additional $60 million to be distributed among those who purchased and used Windows. Any consumer or institution that purchased the software between January of 1996 and June 11, 2009 is eligible for restitution. If some of the consumer money is left over, the state could claim up to an additional $8 million.

Microsoft also announced this week that it would remove Internet Explorer from the European release of its upcoming operating system, Windows 7. The move was announced after the government of the European Union launched a probe with the aim of determining whether Microsoft's bundling violates European antitrust laws.

Watson also sought spousal support and joint legal and physical custody of the couple's 10-year-old daughter. Watson, 39, and Bonds, 44, married in 1998. The marriage was reportedly strained by Bonds' relationship with former girlfriend Kim Bell, which he continued after the wedding. The marriage was also strained by his retirement from baseball, which appeared to have been forced: no team signed him after his contract with the Giants expired in 2007.

The divorce is just one of Bonds' legal concerns in recent years. He was indicted in 2007 for denying knowingly taking performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds also went through a highly publicized divorce from his first wife, Susann Branco, in 1994, during which time he began a relationship with Bell.

Bonds' divorce proceedings are expected to continue.

The accident occurred in April in Fullerton, California (Orange County). Gallo ran a red light and struck a vehicle, killing Adenhart and two other victims and critically injuring a fourth. Authorities claim Gallo was driving drunk.

Gallo faces three counts of second-degree murder.

Gallo's attorney, Randall Longwith, will have to contest the evidence against Gallo: Gallo's blood alcohol level at the time of the accident; prosecutors' claim that he fled the crime scene; and his previous DUI-related charges. Longwith plans to improve Gallo's chances of obtaining a fair trial by seeking a change of venue for the court proceedings. (The trial is currently set to take place in Orange County.)

Authorities are detaining Gallo in lieu of $2 million bail. If convicted, Gallo could face life in prison. His trial is scheduled for late July.

The accident occurred at the intersection of West Prospect Avenue and Superior Avenue. An RTA bus driven by Anedra Smith, 42, of Cleveland, was taking a left turn onto Superior Avenue when it hit Mr. Muniz as he was in the crosswalk. According to Michael Saltzer, the attorney for the Muniz family, the victim had the right of way before the accident. The bus driver was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide.

Mr. Muniz's death resulted in a training program called "Left Turn Blitz" in which all 1200 RTA drivers received instruction to wait for two seconds before making a left turn to give them time to look for pedestrians and to help prevent the likelihood of similar accidents from occurring.

Attorneys for the Atherton family argued that Kozlowski had been out drinking for most of the night before the accident. They claimed that he lost control of his semi truck and it tipped over because he was extremely fatigued.

Mr. Kozlowski's attorney attributed much of the blame to bus driver, claiming that he should have been able to see the overturned semi and avoid crashing into it. Although Kozlowski was acquitted, Whole Foods still agreed to pay money to the Atherton family to settle the civil lawsuit that had been filed over his death. Fifteen other civil lawsuits were filed by victims and their families after the accident, but none have reached a jury trial. Four other people were killed in the accident, including the bus driver, the band director, and his wife and granddaughter.

Thomas bought the stake in Midway from investor and National Amusements CEO Sumner Redstone in November for $100,000, simultaneously assuming the $70 million in Midway debt that was originally owed to National Amusements. The deal was controversial among other Midway creditors, who accused Thomas of fraudulent transfer and other violations. They also sued Redstone for breach of fiduciary duty.

Midway's creditors committee has stated that it believes the company would have won in court against Thomas, but that legal fees and other costs made the $5 million settlement a better financial decision for the company. If the bankruptcy judge handling the case approves the settlement, Midway will be free to negotiate with the smaller stockholders who remain.

The lawsuit marks the first serious federal challenge on the gay marriage issue, which has so far been addressed only by individual states. Some states, including Vermont, Iowa, and Maine, have recently legalized gay marriage; others, like California, have either considered or actually passed bans. If the Boles/Olson suit is eventually heard by the Supreme Court, it could be a precedent-setting case.

Ted Olson's involvement in the case is politically significant. In addition to serving as Bush's first Solicitor General, Olson was Assistant Attorney General under President Reagan and defended him during the Iran-Contra scandal. Olson also won the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case that awarded the Presidency to Bush in 2000; Boles represented former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore in that case.

The sentence concludes several years of litigation; the Spector trials began in 2007. His first trial ended in mistrial in 2007. His second trial ended last month when, after deliberating for 30 hours, jurors pronounced him guilty of second-degree murder.

In February 2003, authorities found Clarkson dead at Spector's Alhambra, California residence with a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth. The pair had returned to Spector's residence after meeting in a bar. In Spector's first trial, the defense argued her death could have been a suicide.

Spector's attorney reportedly plans on filing an appeal. Spector's wife remains supportive of her husband.

According to the Contra Costa Times, Pierson was riding in a Ford passenger van in Iowa with members of his band when icy conditions caused the driver to lose control of the van and veer off the road. The van rolled over in a ditch and Pierson's seat came loose, causing him to hit his head on the roof of the van. He suffered severe spinal injuries that resulted in the loss of his legs and most of his arms.

Pierson was the only one of the seven passengers in the van who was injured. He is now a quadriplegic and requires continuous care as a result of the rollover accident. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California awarded him $12.3 million for medical expenses and lost earnings and $6 million for pain and suffering.

In a decision rendered on May 18th, the Los Angeles County Superior Court found that Tata Motors, the Indian auto company that owns the Land Rover brand, was liable for Mr. Pannu's injuries and responsible for paying the multi-million dollar settlement. Tata Motors bought the Land Rover brand from Ford Motor Corp. in March of 2008.

According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the design and construction of the Land Rover were cited by Judge Robert H. O'Brien as major contributing factors in the victim's injuries. Lawyers for Tata Motors have announced that they plan to appeal the court's decision.