FCA Suit Alleges Dallas Doctor and Clinic Made $4.2M in Bad Claims
The civil False Claims Act complaint alleges the Dallas dermatopathologist and his clinic falsely billed the government for medically unnecessary tests through TRICARE.
When Will In-Person Jury Trials Resume in TX? Three Major Counties Weigh In
Now that the Texas Supreme Court lifted its statewide ban on in-person court proceedings and jury trials, the question is when and how will district courts open their courtrooms. The answer: Not all at the same time or the same way. This article has in-depth interviews with the judges making the decisions.
Final Sentencing in Forest Park Fraud Case
The sentencing of 14 defendants convicted in the Forest Park Medical Center bribery scam have finally been sentenced to a combined 74+ years in federal prison. The last to be sentenced was Alan Beauchamp, the architect, builder and marketer of the fraud. The Lawbook's Bruce Tomaso was there for the end of a three day marathon of reckoning in one of the most substantial and prominent medical frauds in Dallas history.
Four More Doctors Get Prison Time as FPMC Sentencing Continues
“Crime does not pay, even when millions are involved.” With those words, U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced Douglas Won, once a wealthy, preeminent spinal surgeon, to five years in federal prison for his role in a massive bribery and kickback scheme involving Forest Park Medical Center, a now-defunct physician-owned hospital in North Dallas. The judge also sent Won’s onetime business partner, surgeon Michael Rimlawi, to prison.
Federal Judge to Forest Park Medical Defendants: Change Scrubs to Stripes
A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Mac Burt, a founder and top administrator of Forest Park Medical Center, and surgeon Shawn Henry to several years in prison and ordered them to pay millions of dollars in restitution for their role in a $40 million fraud and kickback scheme. A nurse was hit with a three year prison term. Four more doctors will be sentenced Thursday. The Texas Lawbook's Bruce Tomaso was in federal court in Dallas all day and has an in-depth report.
A Modern Power Grid Can Deliver More Than Just Resiliency
In the wake of last month’s winter storm disaster, Texas has an opportunity to reinforce its position as a global energy leader by acting thoughtfully to guide the evolution of our electric grid. Parts of Texas’ grid were simply not built to withstand sustained freezing temperatures and significant frozen precipitation. Generation assets went offline at an alarming rate, leading to a shortfall in electric supply that forced tens of thousands of megawatts of customer load to be shed, leaving millions in the dark. This did not need to happen.
Texas Bar Members Approve Law Firm Trade Names
Vinson & Elkins and Baker Botts are highly unlikely to change their firm names to “Bad Ass Lawyers” or “Energy M&A Deals are Us,” but four out of five Texas lawyers who voted in a State Bar of Texas referendum over the past few weeks think they should be able to do so if they want.
State Bar Disciplinary Actions
In its most recent monthly disciplinary report, the State Bar of Texas cited eight suspensions and six public reprimands. The violations ranged from failure to meet professional obligations to failure to account for client funds.
Key Considerations for a Texas Privacy Law
In 2020, California became the first US state to pass a comprehensive privacy law in the mold of the EU General Data Protection Regulation. More and more states appear ready to enact similar laws. Texas is no exception. To guide the 87th Legislature and prepare Texas general counsel for what is likely to come, this article examines the CCPA, the GDPR, and other comprehensive privacy laws to highlight four key considerations that the Legislature will likely take into account in drafting a comprehensive Texas privacy law. CORRECTION: Three edits have been made to this article.
Steve Cox Resigns as EDTX U.S. Attorney, First Asst. Takes Over
Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Steve Cox resigned today. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei, a career federal prosecutor, will be acting U.S. Attorney until the Biden administration appoints a replacement. Cox, in an exclusive interview with The Texas Lawbook, discusses his time in the EDTX and the huge impact he has had on corporate regulatory and enforcement reforms during his time at DOJ.