Daily Briefs

Court clears path for perjury case against former lawmaker


LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan appeals court says there’s no protection for a former lawmaker who is charged with perjury related to a sex scandal that forced him to quit in 2015.

The state constitution grants immunity to lawmakers for certain acts of official business. But the appeals court says it doesn’t apply to Todd Courser in this case.

Courser is charged with lying to a House committee that was investigating him. In a 3-0 opinion Tuesday, the court says he was testifying about his fitness for office, not legislative business.

Courser, a Republican from Lapeer, resigned, while Cindy Gamrat, a Republican from Allegan County, was expelled from the House. They were accused of using state resources to try to cover up their extramarital affair.

 

Howard & Howard attorney authors  chapter for Intellectual Property Law book
 

Jake Grove, a partner at Royal Oak-based law firm Howard & Howard, has authored a chapter in a new legal reference book entitled Evidence in Patent Cases.

Published by the American Intellectual Property Law Association and authored by a team of experienced attorneys, the volume explains the use of evidence in patent litigation cases from initiation through appeal.

Grove wrote the “Privileges” chapter, which details the law and rules of attorney-client privilege in intellectual property cases.

Focusing his practice on patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret matters, Grove has served as lead counsel in dozens of successful intellectual property cases.

Grove is a graduate of University of Michigan (B.A./B.S.), University of Chicago (M.A.) and Wayne State University (J.D.). He has been named to Michigan Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Leading Lawyers and Top Lawyers (dBusiness magazine).

He also a member of the State Bar of Michigan (Intellectual Property Law Section); Federal Circuit Bar Association; American Intellectual Property Law Association; International Trademark Association; Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association; and Michigan Intellectual Property American Inn of Court.

In addition, Grove is an adjunct professor at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

 

Correction
 

In the Oct. 24, 2018, edition of the Detroit Legal News, the index incorrectly listed the date of the City Council minutes as 03-07-18. The correct date for the minutes is 03-07-17. We regret the error.

––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available