Blagojevich's attorneys asked U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel last week to postpone the trial, which is scheduled to begin June 3, by five months.

Prosecutors told Zagel that Blagojevich "has repeatedly and publicly challenged the legitimacy of the charges against him."

"As a result, the public has a strong interest in the expeditious resolution of the charges — an interest that would not be served by an unnecessary delay of five months in the start of his trial," prosecutors said.

They also reminded Zagel that by June 3, Blagojevich will have had more than a year to prepare with a number of lawyers working on his behalf.

Blagojevich is charged with racketeering conspiracy and other offenses that include allegations he schemed to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat and illegally pressured people doing business with the state for campaign contributions. He has pleaded not guilty.

His attorneys have asked that the start of the trial be delayed until Nov. 3, saying they must review an overwhelming number of documents and there is no way they can have the job done by June.

Robbins Umeda LLP, a California-based law firm, announced this week that it has launched an investigation into the recent acquisition of Broadview Security by Tyco International.

According to a statement issued by the firm, the investigation will look into possible breaches of "fiduciary duty" and other state laws by the Broadview board of directors.

The firm added that is will also determine if the acceptance and recommendation of the offer by the Broadview board was fair and if they disclosed all information necessary to share holders so that they could make an informed decision on how to vote.

Broadview share holders who want more information can contact attorney Lauren Levi at 800-350-6003.

London's High Court on Tuesday suspended a winding-up order against the debt-ridden Premier League club that was being pursued by the revenue and customs service.

Gregory Mitchell, the lawyer representing the service, told the court that Portsmouth entering financial administration "offers the best chance of the club surviving".

Portsmouth is likely to be relegated to the League Championship. The south-coast club is bottom of the Premier League -- eight points from safety -- and is set to be docked nine points for entering administration.

Law firms are circling geothermal energy company Ormat Technologies, after a class action law suit was filed accusing the firm and its executives of knowlingly falsifying its accounts.

Pennsylvania firm Howard G Smith filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of investors, after Ormat revealed back in February that it would have to revise its accounts for the year up to December 2008.

Ormat announced on February 26 that it had reviewed its accounting procedures, and decided the way it had treated costs associated with discontinued geothermal projects had been “discontinued”.

The move will see its income for 2008 downgraded by $6.2 million.

The law suit has arisen since Ormat’s admission apparently led to its share value dropping by nearly 13%. The class action alleges that Ormat and its executives were liable for investors’ losses.

A number of law firms came out over the weekend, chasing Ormat investors with the offer of representing them in the class action suit. These include the Colorado-based Shuman Law Firm, Oklahoma City firm Federman & Sherwood, Connecticut-based Izard Nobel, Dallas firm Kendall Law Group and the New York-based Brualdi Law Firm.

Thomas McFarland had unsuccessfully sought to enter a pretrial intervention program that would have spared him a criminal record.

Under terms of a plea agreement, the state will recommend the 61-year-old be sentenced to one year of probation and be ordered to pay the seaside town of Avalon $100,000 to offset cleanup costs.

McFarland admitted dumping hypodermic needles, cotton swabs and other medical waste into an inlet just before Labor Day weekend in 2008.

His lawyer says the dentist was distraught to the point of mental illness over his wife's lung cancer, and appeared to be acting out in "a cry for help."

The law firm Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co. has opened an office in downtown Akron, the firm’s first in Summit County.

The firm has offices in Jackson Township, Alliance, New Philadelphia and Sugarcreek.

Managing Director Terry A. Moore said the firm’s clients in and around Summit County have asked for a location in Akron, and it appeared the timing was right.

In the Akron Centre at 50 S. Main St., Suite 501, the office will be managed by attorney Edward V. Buehrle, who recently joined Krugliak as a shareholder and director.

Buehrle’s practice is focused on real estate and financial and business-related transactions. He received his bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale College and a master’s of business administration and law degree from the University of Akron.

The law firm was founded in 1958. For more information, visit www.kwgd.com.

A gender justice group took African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema to the Johannesburg Equality Court after he made the comment to students in January 2009. Jacob Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 after he insisted the sex was consensual and went on to become president last year.

Just hours after the conviction, a court official sent a second round of hate-speech complaints to Malema. These complaints address Malema's decision last week to lead college students in singing a song that calls for the killing of white South African farmers.

The judge who convicted Malema ordered him to make an unconditional public apology within two weeks and pay 50,000 rand ($6,700) to a center for abused women, called People Opposing Women Abuse, within a month, South African media reported.

"Instead of perpetuating rape myths, public figures should make it clear that rape can happen anywhere ... We need to make sure that women who have been raped are not stigmatized and are not made to feel like the crimes against them were their fault," said Mbuyiselo Botha, spokesperson for the Sonke Gender Justice group that took Malema to court.

Malema was not present in court to hear Monday's judgment. Malema's lawyer said his client will appeal soon.