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Oregon Prohibits Initiative Signature Collection Against Lawyers
A judge in Marion County on Wednesday denied an attempt by the sponsors of two citizen initiatives to lift a state-imposed ban on gathering of voter signatures for the initiatives.Darryl L. Larson, a retired Lane County judge who was temporarily assigned to the case, refused to grant a temporary restraining order against the state Elections Division, which imposed the signature gathering ban. The two initiatives target trial lawyers, key allies of the Democratic Party. One would limit the amount of contingency fees lawyers could collect in civil cases. The other would require courts to sanction lawyers who file "frivolous" legal claims. The Elections Division imposed the ban on several initiatives until their sponsors comply with a new state record keeping law. Initiative sponsors have until July 3 to submit voter signatures to qualify for the Nov. 4 general election ballot. The sponsors of the two initiatives are also seeking to overturn the ban in U.S. District court in Eugene, where they have challenged the constitutionality of the new state law. Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-06-26 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=242692 |