Iowa News

The Iowa Legislature has unanimously passed a measure designed to improve the state's process of hiring outside lawyers.  The House passed House File 563 on Monday, 96-0.

Key lawmakers said Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady made a strong case Wednesday for putting more money into the court system.

Senator Charles Grassley is pressing Attorney General Eric Holder for details on guidance on a foreign bribery law the Department of Justice is set to release next year.  In a series of written questions, Grassley asked Holder whether forthcoming guidance on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act would address concerns raised by the business community about the law’s enforcement, which, they argue, puts U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage. The undated questionnaire was sent this week.

A year after the start of a nationwide investigation of foreclosure practices, state and federal negotiators haven’t settled with banks and face infighting that might leave some states outside any agreement.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) introduced H.R. 966 to amend Fed.R.Civ.P. 11 in an attempt to reduce frivolous lawsuits. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) then introduced its Senate companion bill, S. 533. Mr. Smith stated that lawsuit abuse has become too common in American society partly because the lawyers who bring these cases have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who is leading foreclosure settlement negotiations with the nation's largest banks on behalf of all 50 states, abruptly removed New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman from the coalition's executive committee Tuesday, saying he had "actively worked to undermine" the group's efforts in recent months.

State attorneys general and federal officials held an all-day negotiating session Wednesday on the nation's foreclosure crisis with five of the nation's largest banks, seeking to resolve allegations of wrongdoing that law enforcement officials say have impacted millions of Americans facing foreclosure.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said settlement negotiations are likely to begin soon with mortgage-servicing companies under investigation for sloppy paperwork and other problems. "It's time to negotiate," said Mr. Miller, who is leading the nationwide probe by state attorneys general. The officials are in talks with companies in the probe over when and how the negotiations will occur.