The law, which also applies to other state licensing boards that oversee health care workers, also requires board officials to “periodically” notify complainants of the status of their complaints. Robert Leach, the board’s executive director, said complaints that aren’t contested typically are now dismissed or closed within 90 days. But, he added, there “are no rules” establishing a timeline for contested cases that involve an investigation. This new law attempts to change all that.

While the new law requires posting of malpractice judgments rendered by a judge or jury, it does not require the board to post information about malpractice settlements, which account for about 97 percent of malpractice payouts across the country over the past decade, according to the National Practitioner Data Bank, which tracks disciplinary actions against doctors. That should be good news for both doctors and patients as confidentiality of settlements are necessary to keep the settlement process moving.

The law also calls for a task force study of the state Medical Practice Act to “ensure that it effectively protects the safety and well-being of the citizens,” and a state legislative audit of the Board of Medical Practice to evaluate its performance. Results of those studies, along with recommendations for developing a uniform process and standard for conducting criminal background checks by all health boards, will be presented to legislators in 2013.

These are significant changes that will impact consumers and medical professionals alike. That’s why you need the skilled and reliable attorneys of Doyle Hance on your side. Contact us for all your litigation and criminal law needs.

Federal District Judge Ursula Ungaro said the governor’s policy amounted to an unreasonable search and seizure and must end. Scott, a former health care executive, issued an executive order for random drug testing of about 80,000 state employees who work for the 15 agencies that report to him. The program has been suspended since June once it became subject of litigation.

Judge Ungaro ruled the governor had overreached in his executive order because there was no evidence of a large-scale problem and no reason to mandate drug tests. The testing requirement “does not identify a concrete danger that must be addressed by suspicionless drug-testing of state employees,” Judge Ungaro wrote. “And the governor shows no evidence of a drug-use problem at the covered agencies.”

Gov. Scott objected to the ruling, insisting drug testing state employees was reasonable and practical. “As I have repeatedly explained, I believe that drug testing state employees is a common-sense means of ensuring a safe, efficient and productive work force,” he said in a statement. “That is why so many private employers drug test, and why the public and Florida’s taxpayers overwhelmingly support this policy. I respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling and will pursue the case on appeal.”

The constitutional requirement of reasonable suspicion is a critical protection from the kind of government overreach going on in Florida right now, yet oftentimes employees and individuals don’t fully understand their rights. If you have any questions about your 4th Amendment rights contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance.

The lawsuit is yet another in the ongoing battle over “who knew what and when” with the housing collapse and spiraling recession that started in 2008.  The plaintiff, ACA Financial Guaranty Corp., alleges that Goldman worked with a hedge fund, Paulson & Co. Inc., to create a type of security called a collateralized debt obligation that was designed to fail. Paulson designed it to fail so he could profit from it by taking a short position. The security, known as ABACUS, was tied to a pool of residential mortgage-backed securities which later would go on to tank the economy. ACA alleges that the securities were largely chosen by Paulson.

ACA sold Goldman financial guaranty insurance on ABACUS. Goldman took a long position in the security. ACA alleges that it was misled into believing that Paulson, like Goldman, had a long position on ABACUS. If it had known that Paulson had a short position, ACA would never have insured the security it claims. The lawsuit which includes claims of fraudulent inducement, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment details the heart of these allegations.

Unsurprisingly, Goldman moved to dismiss. It argued that ACA could not show that it relied on any misrepresentation by Goldman or that its losses were caused by any such misrepresentations. The bank said ACA could have discovered that Paulson was taking a short position simply by asking Paulson, but that it never did. Kapnick, however, ruled that it would be “premature” to dismiss the two fraud claims.

Fraud and misrepresentation claims require a lot of specific evidence to prove so Goldman’s motion here is not surprising. But the fact that it was dismissed suggests there’s life to these claims. If you or your business is facing claims of fraud or misrepresentation contact the criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance and let us fight for your rights.

This comes as a criminal investigation of an unnamed Goldman executive emerged last week during the pretrial hearing of a former Goldman executive, Rajat K. Gupta. Gupta, a former director, is accused of telling Mr. Rajaratnam about the bank’s private boardroom discussions.

The New York Times reports that the United States attorney’s office in Los Angeles has been investigating whether or not Mr. Korenberg, a Goldman investment banker based in San Francisco, tipped off Gelleon about health care mergers. This is according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter who, according to the Times, has asked for anonymity because he was unauthorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Mr. Korenberg, who was named a managing director in 2009, is at least the third Goldman executive under investigation as part of the government’s insider trading inquiry. The government is also investigating the relationship between Galleon and David Loeb, a Goldman salesman, and Henry King, a technology stock analyst at the bank. Paul Yook, a former Galleon employee who focused on health care stocks, is also under investigation. Mr. Yook worked as a health care investment banker at Goldman earlier in his career and was acquainted with Mr. Korenberg.

Evidence of other supposed Goldman tipsters could aid in the defense of Mr. Gupta, who is set to go on trial May 21. His lawyers could use the evidence to try to convince the jury that Mr. Rajaratnam had other possible sources of inside information at Goldman.

The Goldman case represents just why if you are facing criminal investigation you need the best and the toughest criminal defense attorneys, like the ones at Doyle Hahn to protect your rights.

Stuart Carson, 73, the former head of Control Components Inc., a valve manufacturer in Rancho Santa Margarita, California and his wife Hong “Rose” Carson, 48, the director of sales for China and Taiwan, each entered pleas in mid-April. Carson faces up to 10 months in prison and his wife faces three years’ probation which may include home confinement.

According to reports, Control Components supplies valves to the nuclear, oil and gas and power-generated industries. Carson and his wife were indicted in 2009 along with four former executives on charges of paying $4.9 million in bribes and providing luxurious vacations to officials at companies in countries including China, Korea, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to secure business from 1998 to 2007.

Control Components pleaded guilty in 2009 to three counts of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and the Travel Act plus two violations of the FCPA. The company paid an $18.2 million criminal fine and was placed on probation for three years. The company admitted that from 2003 to 2007, it made corrupt payments in more than 30 countries, which resulted in $46.5 million in profits.

If you or your business is expanding overseas and you have questions or concerns about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and how you can avoid inadvertently running afoul of the law, contact the dedicated and experienced criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance for a free consultation. Our attorneys can advise you and help you avoid problems like those Control Components ran into.

The case stems from claims the plaintiffs made that they were defrauded by an Atlanta developer and their former investment partner and that the law firm protected his interests over theirs. The jury found the firm liable for fraud, legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty following a seven-week trial and six days of deliberations.

The law firm maintains it had no attorney-client relationship with the investors themselves and acted only as legal counsel for their investment entities. The plaintiffs claim they lost $15 million in cash and are on the hook to banks for almost $20 million in loan guarantees for real estate parcels in the Florida panhandle, Atlanta and Tampa. Similar suits are pending in Tampa alleging similar claims.

Attorneys in real estate deals like the ones at the heart of these disputes must take extra care not to inadvertently create a conflict of interest in structuring and closing development deals. The experienced and knowledgeable real estate attorneys at Doyle Hance have considerable experience negotiating development deals and do so without calling into question our loyalties to our clients. Our attorneys have represented both buyers and sellers, structured financing plans and have seen some of our clients most treasured dreams blossom into reality.

If you or your business is considering developing a parcel of real estate, contact the experienced real estate attorneys at Doyle Hance and let us close the deal for you.

Zimmerman is currently facing second-degree murder charges in the death and the Department of Justice is investigating the shooting and police response under the new federal hate crimes law. At a recent court appearance Zimmerman appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest under his suit and tie, and his parents and wife testified via telephone because of fears for their safety. That’s a sign of just how controversial this case is.

Florida is not the only state with “stand your ground” laws. Wisconsin recently passed one as well and several other states are considering them. They are a new and complex area of criminal law which is why if you are a homeowner and keep a firearm for protection you want the advice of a knowledgeable advocate to protect your rights. The nationally recognized criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance are just those advocates. Our attorneys have decades of experience litigating complex criminal matters and can help make sure you understand the scope of your rights under these laws.

If the Trayvon Martin case has taught us anything it is that these kinds of tragedies can be avoided, but only if all parties are armed with as much knowledge of the law as firepower. A decision to fire a gun in self-defense is a life-changing decision. Make sure it’s a decision that doesn’t change your life for the worse. Contact the criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance and make sure you know your rights.

Under the law future defendants and current death row inmates are allowed to present evidence, including statistical patterns if they believe race played a major role in their being sentenced to death. Nearly all of North Carolina’s 157 death row inmates have filed claims under the act and the criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance can see why. Capital punishment is the ultimate exercise of force and authority by the state and we must protect citizens at every step of the process.

The order issued by the judge does not exonerate the defendant of the crime he was convicted of. Instead, it merely opens the sentence up for review. And in this case Judge Gregory A. Weeks declared that “race was a materially, practically and statistically significant factor” in the jury selection process not only in Mr. Robinson’s trial but in trials across the country and state.

The court also considered a statistical study of racial disparities during jury selections and revealed strong enough findings to “support a conclusion of intentional discrimination” at every level said the judge.

The ruling comes as states around the country are taking another look at execution as a means of punishment. Connecticut’s legislature voted to repeal the death penalty and Californians may vote on the issue in a referendum.

Contact the experienced and dedicated criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance for a free consultation and let our knowledgeable and tenacious advocates fight for your rights.

According to reports, MetLife failed to thoroughly use the Social Security Administration’s database of deceased individuals, known as the Death Master File, according to a joint investigative hearing held by California Controller Chiang and California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones in May. In a coordinated effort, several other states held similar hearings.

Regulators concluded that when MetLife was aware of policyholders who died, it often didn’t make payments to beneficiaries. And in many cases when benefits went unclaimed after several years, Chiang’s office said MetLife did not forward the funds to the state controller’s office as required by law. Several other life insurance companies used similar practices, possibly to boost profits, regulators said. MetLife executives have denied dragging their feet on paying out benefits.

MetLife issued a statement in response to the settlement and promised to impliment a number of reforms. “MetLife agrees that periodic matching of administrative records against available external sources such as the Social Security Death Master File is a best practice and the company is implementing a monthly matching process,” the company said.

MetLife further promised to conduct a thorough search for beneficiaries while also attempting to reconnect with policyholders over age 90. It also said it launched a website to help customers find their policies. The company said it paid out about $12 billion in life insurance claims last year, with 99% of claims submitted by beneficiaries. Policyholder deaths that don’t involve a claim are a “small proportion” of the total, MetLife said.

This story illustrates why it is so important to have tenacious and skilled litigation attorneys like the ones at Doyle Hance advocating for your rights. Contact our skilled and dedicated attorneys for all your litigation needs.

But when the lead investigator recommended that Wal-Mart expand the investigation to fully understand the scope of the problem they were dealing with Wal-Mart did just the opposite. It shut the investigation down and covered it up.

The investigation by the New York Times found credible evidence that bribery played a persistent and significant role in Wal-Mart’s rapid growth in Mexico, where Wal-Mart now employs 209,000 people, making it the country’s largest private employer.

Usually allegations of violations of the FCPA involve conduct that falls short of handing envelopes of cash over to government officials to speed up the approval of permits and expansions, but that does not seem to be the case here. Bust despite the fact that the allegations are stunning, like a lot of business crimes, the real story is not in the underlying allegations of wrongdoing, but in the cover up. Wal-Mart and its executives made the classic mistake of trying to “manage” a situation that had already become unmanageable. The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Doyle Hance have seen this mistake before. If you do business overseas and have questions or concerns about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, contact our dedicated criminal defense attorneys and let us help guide your business away from trouble.