Terry Lisotta was arraigned in Baton Rouge on 14 counts of theft. Lisotta, CEO of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. until April 2007, is accused of improperly spending about $30,000 of the firm's money.

The criminal charges stem from an investigation by the Legislative Auditor's Office that questioned $106,000 of Lisotta's expense reports from 2003-2006. State Attorney General Buddy Caldwell's office is prosecuting.

Cynthia Haddad filed the gender discrimination lawsuit after she fired in April 2004 after 10 years at the Pittsfield Wal-Mart.

In 2007, a Berkshire Superior Court awarded Haddad nearly $1 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages. The company appealed.

A judge upheld the compensatory damages but agreed to revoke the punitive damages, saying there was insufficient basis for the jury’s decision.

On Thursday, both sides make their case on the issue of the punitive damages before the Supreme Judicial Court.

"These are two of the most flamboyant attorneys in town," DePaul University law professor Leonard Cavise says of the team of Sam Adam and his son, Samuel E. Adam.

Cavise predicts fireworks if Blagojevich goes to trial on federal corruption charges, including allegations that he tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Federal prosecutors are expected to obtain an indictment by April. Blagojevich was arrested by FBI agents in December and was booted from office Thursday when a state Senate impeachment trial ended with a 59-0 vote against him.

Some are already questioning the Adams' legal strategy — including their decision to let Blagojevich go on a whirlwind New York media tour before his impeachment trial ended, fielding questions about the criminal case from Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Larry King and more.

Blagojevich also gave an impassioned closing argument to senators before they removed him from office, although he didn't testify under oath.

His unwillingness to stay quiet cost him the help of his former lead attorney, Edward M. Genson, who announced he was withdrawing from the case before the media blitz.

Lawyers say Blagojevich tipped his hand about a possible defense when he said in his Senate plea that he had no intent to commit any crime.

Rep. Jeffrey Wood, an independent from Bloomer, is scheduled to make his initial appearance on charges of third-offense operating while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Wood was arrested in December while making a 200-mile drive home after a night of drinking in Madison.

Drivers called 911 to report Wood's erratic driving, which included smashing into a highway sign. A state trooper found Wood urinating on the shoulder of Interstate 39-90 and arrested him. A search of his vehicle turned up two bags of marijuana.

Wood has apologized for poor judgment but resisted calls to resign.

The suit names St. Louis-based Arch Coal Inc., and its subsidiary, Cumberland River Coal Co.

The lawsuit alleges that the company committed blatant safety violations that caused Sturgill's death. Sturgill died Jan. 8, 2008, after his truck backed over a dumping point and continued to go down the slope. Sturgill was employed by Bates Contracting in Whitesburg, a contractor that supplies workers to coal companies. He had only been a rock-truck driver for 12 days before the accident, and had only driven on the night shift four times, the lawsuit said.