Law

Budget Woes Mean Big Delays For Small Claims Courts

5:14am May 17, 2013

by Emily Green

With budgets tight, the court in San Joaquin County, Calif., stopped hearing all small claims cases in September. More than 800 people have since filed claims with no hearing dates in sight. Many other counties nationwide are experiencing similar delays for civil cases as they grapple with spending cuts.

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Managing The $30 Million 'One Fund' To Aid Boston Victims

1:59pm May 16, 2013

Days after the marathon bombing, officials established the One Fund for Boston to assist victims and their families. Attorney Ken Feinberg, who managed similar funds after Sept. 11 and Virginia Tech and is managing this fund, says there's no easy way to decide who gets how much of the $30 million that's been donated.

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National

For Supreme Court, Monsanto's Win Was More About Patents Than Seeds

11:59am May 15, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

The high court ruled unanimously that when farmers use patented seed for more than one planting in violation of their licensing agreements, they are liable for damages.

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Politics & Government

Holder Called To Capitol Hill To Testify On Controversies

6:23am May 15, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

In an NPR interview, Attorney General Eric Holder answers questions about the IRS's processing of tax-exemption applications, the Justice Department's subpoenas for reporters' phone records and other hot issues. Holder faces questions on Capitol Hill Wednesday during an oversight hearing.

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A family friend posts fliers after Samantha Koenig's disappearance in 2012. Koenig's father is now an advocate for a mandatory national missing persons database.

National

With No Unified Database, Many Murder Victims Remain Nameless

7:15pm May 14, 2013

by Daysha Eaton

Israel Keyes confessed to murdering as many as 11 people across the country before killing himself in 2012. But Keyes didn't name his victims, and efforts to identify them have been frustrated by a lack of a federally mandated national missing persons database.

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A smartphone user shows the Facebook application on his phone.

Facebook Users Question $20 Million Settlement Over Ads

5:42pm May 14, 2013

by Steve Henn

Facebook is expected to pay out $20 million in a settlement over its "Sponsored Stories" advertising service, after placing user images in personalized ads. But the settlement doesn't stop the service, and a legal expert says Facebook's option to let users opt out creates more problems.

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Court: Philly Doctor Guilty Of Murder In Late-Term Abortions

1:19pm May 14, 2013

by Jeff Brady

A Philadelphia doctor who performed abortions could face the death penalty now that he's been convicted in the deaths of three babies who authorities say were delivered alive and then killed. Dr. Kermit Gosnell was also found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the drug-overdose death of a patient who had undergone an abortion.

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National

Vermont Legislature Approves Assisted-Suicide Bill

1:19pm May 14, 2013

The bill would allow physicians to provide lethal medication to terminally ill patients who request it. If the governor approves the measure, Vermont would become the fourth state in the nation with an aid-in-dying law.

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National

Why We Can't Look Away From True-Life Courtroom Dramas

2:25pm May 13, 2013

The trial of Jodi Arias, convicted of murdering her boyfriend, has become a national media sensation. Former Law and Order producer Robert Nathan and authors Laura Lippman and Walter Mosley explore why Americans are so drawn to real-life courtroom dramas.

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World News

Cybercriminals Drain $45 Million From ATMs Around The World

1:13pm May 13, 2013

by Joel Rose

Prosecutors in New York have announced charges against eight men for their roles in a "massive, 21st century bank heist." The operation stole more than $45 million from ATMs around the world in a matter of hours. Prosecutors declined to comment on who organized the heist, or where the hackers may be located.

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