Gov. Bob Riley, at a recent press conference with Alabama Department of Senior Services Commissioner Irene Collins, U. S. Office of Consumer Choice and Protection Director Barbara Dieker and Alabama Association for Justice (formerly the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association) President-Elect Gibson Vance, announced a new campaign to fight Medicare fraud.

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Gov. Bob Riley's administration and a plaintiff lawyers' group are teaming up to provide kits aimed at protecting Alabama's elderly from Medicare fraud.

Alabama trial lawyer C. Gibson Vance was feeling confident. At a December 6 dinner in Washington, the treasurer of the newly renamed American Association for Justice boasted that with the end of 12 years of Republican rule on Capital Hill, the plaintiffs bar was in the driver's seat.

A Texas jury dealt a painful blow, finding the drug maker liable for a Vioxx patient’s death and slapping it with $253 million in damages. With about 4,200 more Vioxx lawsuits to go, the verdict was an ominous start for Merck.

A Henry County jury awarded a record $2.9 million verdict in a securities fraud case July 13, 2004.

The Alabama Trial Lawyers Association recently installed a slate of new officers at its annual conference.