Latest news with #settlement
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Louisiana Supreme Court: Ex-wife of former LSU coach gets $8.13M in settlement
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Former LSU head coach 'Ed' Orgeron's ex-wife was awarded $8.13 million of Orgeron's settlement with the university. The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in favor of Kelly Orgeron. She sued to claim a portion of Orgeron's $16.9 million settlement after his contract with LSU was terminated without cause in 2021. She argued that the terms of the settlement were made during their marriage, making it community property. In Louisiana, community property refers to assets acquired during a marriage and is owned equally by both spouses. In the event of a divorce or the death of a spouse, the property is divided. The Court emphasized that the binding term sheet and employment agreement were in effect as of January 14, 2020, before the divorce filing. Orgeron filed a request with LSU to alter the effective date of the Binding Contract from Jan. 14, 2020, to April 23, 2020. The Court viewed this as 'an audacious, nearly fraudulent attempt to move the effective contract date away from that which had been created and existed during the community property regime.' Kelly will be given $8,134,500, or half of Orgeron's settlement. Read the full opinion below. Orgeron-LawsuitDownload Man with prior human smuggling arrest accused of impersonating ICE agent: police Karen Read gets movie deal for murder trial adaptation: Reports Senate blocks Iran war powers resolution Gavin Newsom suing Fox News for $787 million 6 Americans detained in South Korea for trying to send rice and Bibles to North Korea by sea Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
New Hampshire lawsuit seeks to stop politicization of youth center abuse victims' fund
Lawyers representing hundreds of men and woman who claim they were abused at New Hampshire's youth detention center filed a class action lawsuit Friday seeking to prevent the independent administrator of the state's settlement fund for victims from being replaced with a political appointee. Lawmakers created the settlement fund in 2022, pitching it as a 'victim-centered' and 'trauma-informed' alternative to litigation that would be run by a neutral administrator appointed by the state Supreme Court. But the Republican-led Legislature changed that process through last-minute additions to the state budget approved Thursday and signed into law by Gov. Kelly Ayotte on Friday. Under the new provisions taking effect July 1, the governor will have the authority to hire and fire the fund's administrator, and the attorney general — also a political appointee — would have veto power over settlement awards. In affidavits filed with their complaint, the lead plaintiffs said the change amounts to a bait and switch that reignited the skepticism they initially felt about the settlement process but tried to put aside. 'I never would have shared the full story of what happened to me if I did not think I would be heard by someone impartial,' said a woman identified only as Jane Doe, who said she ran away from home to escape sexual abuse only to be further abused in state custody. 'I feel incredibly betrayed by the state's actions, but this is just the latest in a long list of betrayals by the state, so maybe I should not be surprised,' she said. 'This also makes me wonder whether the state will next betray the promise of confidentiality, because it seems like their word does not mean anything to them.' Another plaintiff, Andrew Foley, described being diagnosed with PTSD, not from his time as a combat soldier in Iraq but from the physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child. 'As I understand it, the State will now decide for itself how much my claim is worth. That is the opposite of a fair process,' his affidavit said. 'As I always believed, the state cannot be trusted.' Neither Ayotte nor Attorney General John Formella responded to requests for comment Friday. More than 1,300 people have sued since 2020 alleging that they were physically or sexually abused in state custody as children, most of them at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester. Only one case has gone to trial, resulting in a $38 million verdict, though the state is trying to slash it to $475,000. Two other cases have been settled for $10 million and $4.5 million. The state also has brought criminal charges against former workers, with two convictions and two mistrials so far. Many of the alleged victims put their lawsuits on hold and applied to the settlement fund, which caps payouts at $2.5 million. As of March 31, 296 cases had been settled, with an average award of $543,000, according to the most recently available statistics. The lawsuit filed Friday seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent the governor from firing the current administrator, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick.
Associated Press
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
New Hampshire lawsuit seeks to stop politicization of youth center abuse victims' fund
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Lawyers representing hundreds of men and woman who claim they were abused at New Hampshire's youth detention center filed a class action lawsuit Friday seeking to prevent the independent administrator of the state's settlement fund for victims from being replaced with a political appointee. Lawmakers created the settlement fund in 2022, pitching it as a 'victim-centered' and 'trauma-informed' alternative to litigation that would be run by a neutral administrator appointed by the state Supreme Court. But the Republican-led Legislature changed that process through last-minute additions to the state budget approved Thursday and signed into law by Gov. Kelly Ayotte on Friday. Under the new provisions taking effect July 1, the governor will have the authority to hire and fire the fund's administrator, and the attorney general — also a political appointee — would have veto power over settlement awards. In affidavits filed with their complaint, the lead plaintiffs said the change amounts to a bait and switch that reignited the skepticism they initially felt about the settlement process but tried to put aside. 'I never would have shared the full story of what happened to me if I did not think I would be heard by someone impartial,' said a woman identified only as Jane Doe, who said she ran away from home to escape sexual abuse only to be further abused in state custody. 'I feel incredibly betrayed by the state's actions, but this is just the latest in a long list of betrayals by the state, so maybe I should not be surprised,' she said. 'This also makes me wonder whether the state will next betray the promise of confidentiality, because it seems like their word does not mean anything to them.' Another plaintiff, Andrew Foley, described being diagnosed with PTSD, not from his time as a combat soldier in Iraq but from the physical and sexual abuse he suffered as a child. 'As I understand it, the State will now decide for itself how much my claim is worth. That is the opposite of a fair process,' his affidavit said. 'As I always believed, the state cannot be trusted.' Neither Ayotte nor Attorney General John Formella responded to requests for comment Friday. More than 1,300 people have sued since 2020 alleging that they were physically or sexually abused in state custody as children, most of them at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester. Only one case has gone to trial, resulting in a $38 million verdict, though the state is trying to slash it to $475,000. Two other cases have been settled for $10 million and $4.5 million. The state also has brought criminal charges against former workers, with two convictions and two mistrials so far. Many of the alleged victims put their lawsuits on hold and applied to the settlement fund, which caps payouts at $2.5 million. As of March 31, 296 cases had been settled, with an average award of $543,000, according to the most recently available statistics. The lawsuit filed Friday seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent the governor from firing the current administrator, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Judge approves $7m settlement for men suing bar over ‘ladies' night' admission fee
A judge has given preliminary approval of a $7 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging a 'ladies' night' event at a San Diego bar discriminated against men and nonbinary people. The owners of the Omnia Nightclub, which closed in 2020 in the city's lively Gaslamp Quarter, were sued in 2020 after the plaintiffs claimed the themed night violated California's civil rights law. The plaintiffs alleged that they, along with other men and nonbinary people, were made to pay full price on entry, while women were let in for free or at discounted rates at the 'ladies' night' event. The men also alleged that they were frisked by security before entering the club but women were not. The claims in the class action date back to 2015. San Diego Superior Court Judge Matthew Braner gave preliminary approval to the settlement in May and a final fairness hearing is scheduled for August 29. The agreement does not include an admission of any wrongdoing by the defendants. California 's anti-discrimination statute, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, is at the heart of the case. The law prohibits businesses, including bars and nightclubs, from discriminating against customers based on sex, race, religion, gender identity and age. Alex Maystrenko and Steve Frye, the two named plaintiffs in the suit, will each receive $25,000 for their roles as the class representatives. There could be thousands of men who are eligible for a slice of the settlement, which, depending on the final number of claimants, could be between $245 and $4,000 each. Up to 40 percent of the settlement will likely go toward legal costs. Courts in California have previously ruled that gender-based promotions at venues violate the Unruh Act. A family-run San Francisco restaurant was forced to shut down at the end of last year because of a 'ladies' night' discrimination lawsuit. Alfred Rava, a San Diego-based attorney, has brought hundreds of other 'ladies' night' suits. Rava is representing two men who decided not to join the other members of the 2020 class action. 'I and my clients hardily disapprove of businesses treating patrons or consumers differently based solely on their sex,' Rava said.
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
'Rust' crew settles lawsuit against film producers and Alec Baldwin in fatal shooting
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A settlement has been reached in the civil lawsuit alleging negligence in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of the Western movie 'Rust', according to court documents released Friday. The lawsuit was brought by three 'Rust' crew members seeking compensation for emotional distress from producers of 'Rust,' including Alec Baldwin as co-producer and lead actor. The civil suit accused producers of failing to follow industry safety rules — allegations they denied. Terms of the settlement were not available. Attorneys for 'Rust' producers and the plaintiffs could not immediately be reached by phone or email. Plaintiffs to the lawsuit included Ross Addiego, a front-line crew member who witnessed at close range the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins at close during a rehearsal on October 2021 on a filmset ranch on the outskirts of Santa Fe. A charge of involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin was dismissed at trial last year on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense. Separately, 'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and completed an 18-month sentence in May. Prosecutors accused Gutierrez-Reed of unwittingly bringing live ammunition on set and failing to follow basic gun safety protocols. Baldwin was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Addiego testified at Gutierrez-Reed's trial and appeared before the grand jury that indicted Baldwin. The filming of 'Rust' was completed in Montana. The Western was released in theaters in May.
