Attorneys

The legal showdown between Michael Jackson's family and AEG has yet to begin, but sparks are already flying between attorneys. For more than a week, jurors have been brought into Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos' courtroom in groups of 35 and asked whether they had the ability to serve on a trial that is estimated to take as long as four months. On Wednesday, after Palazuelos mentioned the court could schedule a couple days off to accommodate jurors during the trial, attorney Brian Panish objected to prolonging proceedings in any way. “I don't have 1,000-plus lawyers in my law firm and I don't have 20 lawyers working on this case,” said Panish, who represents Jackson's mother, Katherine, and the pop star's three children.

The civil trial in which Michael Jackson's mother and three children have blamed entertainment powerhouse AEG for the music legend's 2009 death is expected to include a string of witnesses -- a list both lengthy and celebrity-studded. Attorneys for the plaintiffs have listed 97 possible witnesses and the defense 113, many of which overlap. Among those who could testify are Jackson's mother, Katherine' two of his children; his ex-wives Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe; and nearly all of his siblings.

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich offers an explanation for why his reelection challenger has racked up the lion's share of endorsements as the May 21 runoff approaches: "He's part of the old-boys club; he's a career politician and I'm independent. " But former lawmaker Mike Feuer points to the backing he's received from hundreds of elected officials - including both of California's U.S. senators - civic and other groups, environmental organizations, labor, law and community leaders as evidence of "a clear desire for change" in the city's top legal post.

Rutgers University officials had known for months that their basketball coach had harassed players in practice so severely that he could have been fired, according to a university report. Concerned by practice footage of Coach Mike Rice roughhousing Rutgers athletes and using gay slurs, outside attorneys hired by the university in November 2012 discreetly compiled a report that said Rice had broken university harassment and intimidation policies. Rice's contract included a stipulation that he not do anything to embarrass the university, which his behavior had clearly violated, the attorneys said.

SACRAMENTO - It was the compliment that spawned a million tweets. And before long, President Obama was apologizing for it. On Thursday, Obama said California's Kamala Harris was the "best-looking attorney general," and commentators raced for their keyboards and smartphones to denounce the remark as sexist or defend it as benign. The next day, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the president had called Harris to apologize for the remark and the distraction it caused. The comment, made during a Bay Area fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee, had become grist for the nonstop, politically charged news cycle.

Singer Chris Brown was ordered to return to court this summer after attorneys asked a judge Friday for more time to review new evidence related to allegations he failed to complete court-ordered community service. Brown appeared in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday wearing an untucked white button-down shirt and tan pants. When his attorney emerged from a meeting with the prosecutor and judge and whispered in Brown's ear, the R&B star sighed and nodded. He was ordered back in court June 10. Brown is on five years' probation after pleading guilty to a felony count of assault in connection with a 2009 attack on then-girlfriend Rihanna . As part of his probation, he was required to perform 180 days of community labor in Virginia.

Brian Banks was inside a New York television studio, waiting to tape an episode of "The View," when he got a long-awaited call from a friend. For weeks, Banks had known that signing a contract to play with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons was a possibility. But he had tried out with several NFL teams the season before and did not come away with a contract. “You're holding your breath,” Banks' attorney Justin Brooks said.     Brooks was with Banks and his mother Tuesday when the exonerated former high school football standout heard the magic words: The Falcons wanted Banks in Atlanta the next day for a physical exam.

Former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona will continue serving time in federal prison on a witness tampering conviction after a judge denied a request by the former lawman's attorneys to shorten his sentence. Attorneys for Carona, 57, who was once hailed as "America's sheriff," argued that a 66-month sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford on a witness tampering conviction should be adjusted because of changes in the law. So far, he has served two years of 5 1/2-year prison sentence.

President Obama had lots of kind words for California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris on Thursday -- including some remarks that raised eyebrows in the political world. Speaking at a Bay Area fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee, the president said Harris is "brilliant," "dedicated" and "tough. " Then he added, "She also happens to be, by far, the best-looking attorney general.” According to reports from the fundraiser, the crowd laughed and Obama said, “It's true! C'mon.

Orange County's former sheriff is waging a battle to be released from federal prison, where he is serving time for witness tampering in a corruption case that exposed wrongdoing in the state's second-largest sheriff's department. On Monday, a federal judge heard arguments on whether to resentence Michael S. Carona, once a rising political star before he was indicted in late 2007 in a sprawling corruption case. Carona's attorneys argued that the 66-month sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford on the one witness-tampering charge on which he was convicted should be adjusted based on changes in the law. About one year after Carona's sentencing, the Supreme Court narrowed a definition of corruption to just bribes and kickbacks.