NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The Manhattan Institute's latest edition in its "Trial Lawyers, Inc.," series explores the effect the plaintiffs bar has on lawmakers at the state level and in Washington, D.C.

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Legal Newsline)-Legislation that would change the way Arizona selects its state judges appears to be foundering.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California state Assemblyman Pedro Nava, who is running for attorney general, appears to be leading the Democratic opposition to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pick for lieutenant governor.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California Attorney General Jerry Brown on Monday criticized the state's largest pension funds for continuing to invest in companies in Iran.

WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is planning to create a Climate Service to respond to the many requests NOAA receives from businesses and communities, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke said Monday.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Legal Newsline)--Retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice David Souter will speak at Harvard University's 359th commencement ceremony this spring, the school announced Monday

DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller's office filed charges Monday against the former manager of the Iowa Film Office and others connected to the filming of a movie.

BURLINGAME, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California's largest teachers' union has put $500,000 into its campaign to repeals corporate tax breaks intended by Republican lawmakers to jumpstart the state's lagging economy.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)- Retroactive pension increases paid to some retired public employees in California are unconstitutional, a Republican candidate for state attorney general said Monday.

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Agreements have been announced by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo with a venture capital firm and a placement agent firm to resolve allegations of their roles in pay-to-play practices involving the New York State Common Retirement Fund.

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - While New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has said Bank of America's merger with Merrill Lynch helped lead to the near-collapse of the financial system, a Wall Street Journal editorial says that feeling is misguided.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-California attorney general hopeful Ted Lieu, the only state lawmaker also currently in military service, was promoted Monday to lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

CONCORD, N.H. (Legal Newsline) - New Hampshire negotiators and FairPoint Communications have reached an agreement over FairPoint's future commitments to consumers in the state, New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney has announced.

NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - A final consent order has been secured by acting New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow requiring RBC Capital Markets, Corp., to complete or confirm its repurchase from New Jersey clients of auction-rate securities.

CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - Lawsuits have been filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan against two mortgage brokers alleged to have used unfair and deceptive marketing practices in soliciting reverse mortgages to seniors.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge has sided with Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and a union of workers that are protesting Pratt & Whitney's plans to move 1,000 jobs out of state.

DENVER (Legal Newsline)- United Parcel Service Inc., one of the nation's largest private shippers, is the target of a class action lawsuit over its Air-In-Ground program.

MIAMI (Legal Newsline)-Kick off today at Super Bowl XLIV will happen this afternoon under mostly sunny skies without the ugly specter looming of copyright infringement lawsuits being filed over the New Orleans Saints' popular rallying cry.

WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday vowed to continue pressing for an overhaul of the nation's health care system, despite recent political setbacks.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - A proposed Ohio constitutional amendment that would require minimum standards for housing farm animals has cleared the state attorney general's office, officials said Friday.