Mahoning County to pay fees to law firm

Headline News

[##_1L|1114390982.jpg|width="130" height="130" alt=""|_##]Mahoning County commissioners approved paying legal fees of $99,500 Thursday to the law firm that sued the county in 2003 for having an overcrowded and unsafe jail. Prosecutor Paul Gains explained the fees were for work the firm Armbruster and Kelly of Akron did while working out a consent decree that detailed what would be needed to get the jail fully reopened and in compliance with the U.S. Constitution. That effort was completed May 17, when three federal judges signed a court entry that established standards for jail staffing, improvement of jail conditions, the reopening of jail facilities by Aug. 1, an allotment of jail beds for Youngstown city prisoners and an emergency prisoner-release policy to prevent future overcrowding.

In 2005, the lawyers won what Gains calls the liability phase of the case, in which U.S. District Judge David D. Dowd Jr. sided with the inmates and took control of the lockup.

Generally the losing party in a case pays the winning party's legal fees.

The county's insurance company, the County Risk Sharing Authority, also known as CORSA, paid the legal fees associated with the liability phase, Gains said.

But CORSA argued it shouldn't responsible for the fees associated with the consent agreement, Gains said, and he agreed to assign his staff to represent the county in that matter and to pay Armbruster and Kelly's fees.

Related listings

  • LA judge rules lawyer "deficient," orders new trial

    LA judge rules lawyer "deficient," orders new trial

    Headline News 06/28/2007

    [##_1L|1300690675.jpg|width="120" height="88" alt=""|_##]A computer wholesaler convicted of selling counterfeit goods was granted a new trial after a judge ruled that her attorney did a bad job defending her. U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper...

  • $54 million for some pants? Court doesn't buy it

    $54 million for some pants? Court doesn't buy it

    Headline News 06/26/2007

    A judge ruled Monday that no pair of pants is worth $54 million, rejecting a lawsuit that took a dry cleaner's promise of "Satisfaction Guaranteed" to an extreme.   [##_1L|1033810171.jpg|width="90" height="119" alt=""|_##]Roy Pearson became a wo...

  • U.S. judge criticizes president on wiretaps

    U.S. judge criticizes president on wiretaps

    Headline News 06/26/2007

    [##_1L|1191100322.jpg|width="100" height="110" alt=""|_##]A federal judge who used to authorize wiretaps in terrorist and espionage cases criticized President Bush's decision to order warrantless surveillance after the Sept. 11 attacks. Royce Lambert...

Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?

IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.

Forte Law Group is one of only a very few law firms within the state of Connecticut that is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.

Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.

Business News

St Peters, MO Professional License Attorney Attorney John Lynch has been the go-to choice for many professionals facing administrative sanction. >> read