The Ohio Supreme Court’s task force on court reporter certification released its 54-page report along with 17 recommendations for state certification on June 22.
Thirty states already have mandatory certification for court reporters, and another eight – Indiana & Kentucky included -- have voluntary registration systems in effect, according to the National Court Reporters’ Association. Ohio, however, at this point does not have any statewide requirements.
Among the recommendations sent the Supreme Court are: the creation of a commission to oversee certification of court reporters; classifying court reporters according to a 5-tiered structure & certifying them as same, requiring applicants be able to receive passing grades on official exam to be adopted by that commission; and the adoption of a Code of Ethics & Professionalism, along with other regulations and a grievance system to investigate alleged & prosecute wrongdoings.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Subprime mortgage foreclosure regulation & legislation
In the wake of the recent – and ongoing – “subprime lending meltdown,” federal regulators have announced “beefed-up” guidelines according to an article in this past weekend’s Wall Street Journal, aimed at curbing weak underwriting standards for subprime mortgage loans. The guidelines “require more than 8,000 federally regulated lenders to underwrite loans based on a borrower’s ability to make payments on a loan’s adjusted rate and not just its low introductory rate.”
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion will be hosting a second meeting in Washington on July 16th. focusing on the subprime mortgage issue.
There’s quite a bit of related federal legislation in the works, too:
· Senate Bill 1222, introduced April 25th. directly addresses the issue of “mortgage transactions which operate to promote fraud, risk, abuse, and underdevelopment.
· House Bill 2061, introduced April 26th., seeks to “amend the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 to prohibit any person, in connection with a subprime federally related mortgage loan, from providing mortgage lending or brokerage services unless such person is certified by the Secretary of Housing & Urban Development.”
· House Bill 1427 deals with “fannie mae” and “Freddie mac” issues
· House Bill 1852, in part, would “modify requirements governing the maximum principal loan obligation and cash downpayments by mortgagors in eligibility criteria for mortgage insurance.”
Perhaps the most innovative or ambitious in it’s undertaking is Senate Bill 1299, which would “amend the Truth in Lending Act to deem a mortgage broker, in the case of a home mortgage loan, to have a fiduciary relationship with the consumer, and subject such broker to all federal and state requirements for fiduciaries.” (See article)
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion will be hosting a second meeting in Washington on July 16th. focusing on the subprime mortgage issue.
There’s quite a bit of related federal legislation in the works, too:
· Senate Bill 1222, introduced April 25th. directly addresses the issue of “mortgage transactions which operate to promote fraud, risk, abuse, and underdevelopment.
· House Bill 2061, introduced April 26th., seeks to “amend the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 to prohibit any person, in connection with a subprime federally related mortgage loan, from providing mortgage lending or brokerage services unless such person is certified by the Secretary of Housing & Urban Development.”
· House Bill 1427 deals with “fannie mae” and “Freddie mac” issues
· House Bill 1852, in part, would “modify requirements governing the maximum principal loan obligation and cash downpayments by mortgagors in eligibility criteria for mortgage insurance.”
Perhaps the most innovative or ambitious in it’s undertaking is Senate Bill 1299, which would “amend the Truth in Lending Act to deem a mortgage broker, in the case of a home mortgage loan, to have a fiduciary relationship with the consumer, and subject such broker to all federal and state requirements for fiduciaries.” (See article)
Death Penalty lawsuit
The mother of Joseph Lewis Clark, the Ohio inmate it took 90 minutes to execute on May 2, 2006—the second longest in American history—is suing the Southern Ohio Correctional Institute at Lucasville and the entire execution team for $150, 000 and other further relief, both in law & equity, as the court deems just.
The complaint, filed in Southern Ohio District Court yesterday, contends a portion of Ohio’s execution protocol which requires that “prior to the execution & upon arrival at the institution, a medical review of the inmate shall be conducted to establish any unique factors which may impact the manner in which the execution team carries out the execution,” was not followed, which resulted in the bizarre execution that received international attention – and cruel and unusual punishment.
A separate case by 15 inmates challenging Ohio’s lethal injection protocol is also in Southern Ohio District Court, pending the outcome of an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Articles here and here
The complaint, filed in Southern Ohio District Court yesterday, contends a portion of Ohio’s execution protocol which requires that “prior to the execution & upon arrival at the institution, a medical review of the inmate shall be conducted to establish any unique factors which may impact the manner in which the execution team carries out the execution,” was not followed, which resulted in the bizarre execution that received international attention – and cruel and unusual punishment.
A separate case by 15 inmates challenging Ohio’s lethal injection protocol is also in Southern Ohio District Court, pending the outcome of an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Articles here and here
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