Lawmakers pass public defender overhaul

Among other things, the bill allows judges to appoint lawyers to represent indigent criminal defendants. It was among the final pieces of legislation to cross the finish line before the 2013 legislative session ended at 6 p.m. Friday.

PETA cat fight invokes state’s Merchandising Practices Act

A hospital training program’s claim that cats are functional substitutes for human infants runs afoul of consumer protection laws, according to an animal rights group.

SLU bids farewell to Morrissey Hall

Saint Louis University School of Law alumni, faculty and staff gather for a “Farewell to Morrissey Hall” Thursday morning in the Vincent C. Immel Atrium.

UPDATE: Second Injury Fund bill heads to governor

Lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that temporarily puts more money into the insolvent fund, though it also restricts the claims that can be made against it.

Efforts to change criminal code fail this year

Lawmakers’ attempts to revise Missouri’s criminal code this year were put to rest Wednesday as Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey acknowledged a task so huge it will take more than one session to complete.

Diplomat in spy scandal is son of St. Louis lawyer

The U.S. diplomat caught up in a spying investigation in Russia is the son of an attorney for Thompson Coburn in St. Louis.

Jury awards both sides in bulletproof vests case

A body-armor court battle in St. Louis has ended with awards for both sides.

UPDATED: Second Injury Fund fix in final stretch

The Missouri Senate approved a bill early today that temporarily puts more money into the fund, even as it restricts the claims that can be made against it. The bill needs a final vote in the House before it goes to the governor’s desk.

Order: Landfill to control stink

The landfill at the center of a suit the state filed will have to pay up and cover up as the suit progresses.

State Supreme Court says inmate’s challenge too late

A man forced to serve a 20-year prison sentence waited too long to file a post-conviction motion challenging his conviction, the Missouri Supreme Court said Tuesday.

U.S. Supreme Court clarifies ‘defalcation’ standard

The U.S. Supreme Court has clarified that proof of malicious intent is not required to prevent the bankruptcy discharge of a debt that arose from a trustee’s self-dealing.

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