Articles by Jack Elliott Jr.

Mississippi High Court Declines to Rule on State’s Damages Cap

The Mississippi Supreme Court says it does not have enough information to decide whether the state’s limit on non-economic damages — as applied to a federal lawsuit — is constitutional. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, …

Mississippi Court Orders New Trial in Worker’s $15M Asbestos Award

The Mississippi Supreme Court has ordered a new trial in a workplace asbestos exposure case in which a Jones County man was awarded $15.2 million. However, the Supreme Court did not rule on the jury verdict. Instead, the justices found …

Mississippi Judge Declares Damages Cap Unconstitutional

A state judge has declared a legislatively imposed cap on how much juries can award in non-economic damages unconstitutional. Circuit Judge Charles Webster in Coahoma County issued the ruling April 20 in a 14-page opinion. He criticized the Legislature for …

Conoco Phillips Appeals Mississippi Worker’s $15.2M Asbestos Award

A Jones County man waited too long to file a lawsuit over exposure his exposure to workplace asbestos, attorneys told the Mississippi Supreme Court this week. The Mississippi Supreme Court heard arguments from Conoco Phillips Corp., which has appealed a …

Mississippi High Court Weighing Limit on Lawsuit Damages

The Mississippi Supreme Court has asked attorneys for more information as it considers whether the state’s limitation on damages in civil cases is constitutional. In an order last month, the court asked attorneys for Sears, Roebuck and Co. and for …

Mississippi Supreme Court Asked to Settle Lawyer Fees Dispute

Republican state Auditor Stacy Pickering has asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to declare funds the attorney general collects from lawsuits to be public money and to require the money to all be turned over the Legislature, including what private law …

Mississippi High Court to Hear Appeal in Lawyer Fees Case

It’s round two for Republican state Auditor Stacy Pickering and Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood in a fight over the constitutionality of a law that allows Hood to hire private lawyers to represent Mississippi in lawsuits. The Mississippi Supreme Court …

Mississippi Case Shines Light on Relationships Between Judges, Lawyers

The corruption case involving Paul Minor and two former Harrison County jurists has changed forever the relationships between Mississippi judges and lawyers, a federal public defender says. “Every judge in Mississippi has looked at what happened to Mr. (Wes) Teel …

Mississippi Supreme Court Hears Premises Shooting Liability Case

The owners of a Belzoni convenience store shouldn’t be liable after a man was shot and wounded in its parking lot, attorneys for the business told the Mississippi Supreme Court this week. Justices heard arguments in the appeal of a …

Store Shooting Case Tests Mississippi Damages Limit, Premises Liability

Attorneys for Ronnie Lymas go to the Mississippi Supreme Court on June 8 hoping to resurrect a $4.1 million jury verdict vehemently opposed by dozens of trade associations and Republican Gov. Haley Barbour. Critics say Lymas is not legally entitled …