Minnesota Litigator
News & Commentary
Do not consider the blog to be a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state.
Now it’s Hecker’s leaf blower…
One-time high-flyer car dealer, Dennis E. Hecker, is reduced to this: the Bankruptcy Trustee has sought an order from the Court to turn over Hecker’s leaf blower (it is a nice one). Things are bad when a Minnesotan is stripped of his leaf blower. (The Trustee is seeking a handful of other assets and […]
Big Bux Banking Trial Showdown in Texas: Datatreasury v. US Bank — $27MM VERDICT
UPDATE: Jury returns verdict for +/- $27 million (but no finding of wilfulness) against US Bank, et al. Here’s the earlier story from 2/28/10: Reported on MinnnPost (excellent article by Brad Allen!), Minneapolis-based US Bank is headed for trial in United States District Court in Texas (E.D. Tex., Marshall Division) to defend a patent infringement […]
One Company, One Pot of Zip…
Minnesota’s Sleep Number company, Select Comfort, had a commercial transaction gone bad with a company that has now gone bankrupt, an altogether too common scenario over the past year or two. And from Select Comfort’s allegations, it would appear that money was paid, but services not provided. However, there are at least a few problems […]
3M vs. Du Pont Co. : Patent Litigation over Perfluorocarbon Technology
Surfactants, or surface active agents, are chemicals with interesting and valuable properties. They are used in no-stick frying pans, water-proofing/stain-proofing, cosmetics, lubricants, and fire-fighting materials. They have even been experimentally used as blood substitutes. Their uses are obviously diverse and the revenues from surfactants are in the many billions of dollars annually. A particular family […]
“Eat What You Kill,” Incentives, Behavior…
Lawyers in private law firms are generally very familiar with the controversy in law firm management regarding the proper alignment of individual lawyer incentives with the law firm’s goal of maximizing overall profitability — and the widespread model known colloquially as “eat what you kill.” Firms confront the challenging puzzle of crafting a compensation system […]
Many Bridges To Cross….Settling 35W Bridge Collapse Claims
News today that contractor URS has settled claims of the state of Minnesota in connection with the 35W Bridge Collapse on August 1, 2007 for $5 million. Minnesota Litigator has been covering this case for some time. Today’s on-line Star Tribune reports, “URS still faces scores of lawsuits by victims of the collapse.” To be […]
“Don’t call us ‘trial lawyers’ and don’t call yourself one either….”
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, ATLA, changed its name several years ago to the American Association for Justice (AAJ). ATLA’s motivation is a matter of speculation but it is safe to say that, over time, an endorsement of or contribution to a politician from ATLA arguably came to be a mixed blessing. From […]
When it’s over, it’s OVER….
Earlier this month, Minnesota Litigator highlighted the all-too-common experience of parties having problems by blowing past the “i-dotting/t-crossing” minutiae critical to fully and finally concluding litigation. For obvious reasons, the other extreme is less common — that is, wanting to keep the battle raging after a truce has been reached — but such scenarios are […]
Motions In Limine for Bench Trial: Cross-Motions Denied
Previously, in reference to the “bubbly battle,” Minnesota Litigator touched on the paradoxical strategy of bringing a motion before a Judge to ask the Judge to ignore evidence that the other side will seek to offer at trial (before the same Judge). Needless to say, the Judge will have to look at the evidence to […]
Federal Bar Association, MN Chapter, March Lunch: White Collar Crime Prosecutors in Minnesota
Bill Michael, former Green Beret, judge advocate, federal prosecutor and Dorsey & Whitney white collar crime lawyer hosted a panel of three Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Joe Dixon (corporate and investments (Petters) prosecutor), Mike Cheever (prosecutor for tax crimes), and Tim Rank (prosecutor for cybercrimes) on white collar crime in Minnesota. The U.S. Attorneys Office is […]