MLM Counties News. Notices. Need-to-know Information.

Supporters of the status quo have filed two legal challenges to a ballot measure that would overhaul how Missouri selects its appellate judges. Heavy hitters from both political parties are involved. Former Supreme Court Judges Edward “Chip” Robertson, a Republican ...

Tagged with: ballot summary Chuck Hatfield Dale Doerhoff Edward "Chip" Robertson Harold Caskey John Schneider Nonpartisan Court Plan Roseann Bentley

New deputy named for DNR

State Economic Development Director Linda Martinez has resigned after less than a year on the job. Gov. Jay Nixon made the announcement Monday afternoon, saying in a statement that he wished Martinez well in her return to private legal practice but didn't elaborate on where she's headed. His office would not release her resignation letter, with spokesman Scott Holste calling it a personnel matter. That's not the only change in personnel in the Nixon administration. Nixon tapped attorney Bill Bryan on Monday to be deputy director of the Department of Natural Resources and also lead the Division of State Parks.

Tagged with: Bill Bryan Bryan Cave Linda Martinez Missouri Department of Economic Development

You've passed the bar! Break out the champagne - and the Germ-X. People who took the Missouri bar exam in July are getting the news of whether they passed and can officially call themselves lawyers. (Click here to read the list) But court officials are urging people to think twice about the spread of the flu as they make plans to attend the enrollment ceremony at the Supreme Court on Sept. 17.

Tagged with: Bar Passers Beth Riggert Missouri Bar swine flu

Supreme Court says 25 percent is all that state must spend

The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld Missouri's method for funding public schools. More than 200 school districts, called the Coalition for Educational Equality, sued the state in 2004, arguing Missouri doesn't spend enough on education and distributes the money it does spend unfairly.

Tagged with: 25 percent Coalition for Educational Equality Missouri Supreme Court public schools Richard Callahan school districts school funding

State legislators Jeff Smith (left) and Steve Brown have submitted their resignation letters today to the governor's office after both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice charges. Nixon announced this afternoon that he's setting Nov. 3 as the special election date to fill the seats vacated by Smith, a senator from St. Louis, and Brown, a House member from Clayton and an attorney.

See earlier stories: Sen. Smith to resign from Senate; Lawyer: Rep. Steve Brown to plead guilty to obstructing justice

Tagged with: Jay Nixon Jeff Smith Steve Brown

Longtime bar leader Mark Levison (left) lost his effort to keep his seat on the Board of Governors after injury attorney Terry Crouppen campaigned against him. With the loss, so goes Levison's campaign for president of The Missouri Bar.

Previous story: Crouppen targets Levison

Tagged with: Board of Governors Jennifer Joyce Marie Kenyon Mark Levison Mark Neill Missouri Bar Nancy Mogab Terry Crouppen William Bay

BetonSports founder Gary Kaplan has pleaded guilty to three charges tied to his ownership of the online gambling organization, likely bringing the years-long case close to conclusion. Kaplan and federal prosecutors reached a plea agreement in which he agreed to ...

Tagged with: Betonsports Gary Kaplan

A pharmacy owner will pay more than $3.9 million to settle a Medicaid fraud case against him, the attorney general’s office said Thursday. Noel R. Botsch owns Special Design Health Care, based in Cape Girardeau. The specialty business provides in-home ...

Tagged with: fraud Medicaid Noel R. Botsch Special Design Health Care

In a move that surprised few, Gov. Jay Nixon has appointed his longtime aide, Karen King Mitchell, to the Western District Court of Appeals. Mitchell was one of three finalists for a vacancy on the Kansas City-based appellate court. That ...

Tagged with: Jay Nixon Karen King Mitchell Mark Pfeiffer Missouri Court of Appeals Western District Paul Spinden

Heather Kilpatrick (pictured) was driving in Independence, visiting a friend, when a truck in the next lane made a sudden U-turn and they crashed. The impact shattered her hip and pelvis, and she still suffers from nerve damage two years later. She didn't recover enough to pay her bills. Now she is among 62 people receiving a payout from the state's Tort Victims Compensation Program. The program is funded by money paid out as punitive damages in Missouri courts.

Tagged with: Tort Tort Victims Compensation Program

Lori Drew has prevailed after all. A federal judge in California this afternoon threw out the conviction for her role in a St. Louis area teenager's suicide. Drew had faced a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Instead, U.S. District Judge George Wu threw out her misdemeanor computer fraud conviction. Prosecutors charged Drew using a novel application of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, a law previously used largely to prosecute computer hackers.

Tagged with: Computer Fraud and Abuse Act George Wu Lori Drew