Before becoming LegalReader's Editor-in-Chief, Jay W. Belle Isle worked as a freelance copywriter with clients on four continents. Jay has a degree in Business Administration from Cleary University and a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Jay has also worked as a contracts administrator for a DOD contractor specializing in vehicle armor.


Supreme Court Heard Arguments On Same-Sex Marriage Today

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on same sex marriage today. Arguably one of the nation’s hottest hot topics, SCOTUS is preparing to drop the hammer once and for all on whether I can marry Brad Pitt. The actual decision won’t surface until June, which is fine because… summer wedding! The justices heard two and


Lawsuit Claims Monsanto Lied About Roundup Safety

A recently filed class action lawsuit claims Monsanto lied about Roundup safety. The suit, filed in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County claims that the mega-corporation’s herbicide is not safe for humans as has been promised by Monsanto. Monsanto states that Roundup targets a specific enzyme (EPSP synthase) that is only found in


Olympus Duodenoscopes Carry Deadly Disease? Company Didn’t Warn U.S.

Olympus Corp., manufacturer of the TJF-Q180V duodenoscope, might have known about a risk involving their product at least two years ago. At least that’s when it issued letters to European hospitals warning that, without proper cleaning, it’s a possibility that Olympus duodenoscopes carry deadly disease. Unfortunately, in the U.S. that possibility may have become a


Heritage Foundation Tells SCOTUS Legalizing Gay Marriage Kills 900,000 Fetuses

The once-taken-seriously Heritage Foundation filed a 100-page amicus brief as SCOTUS prepares to hear the issue again. In the brief, the Heritage Foundation tells SCOTUS legalizing gay marriage kills 900,000 fetuses. The “logic” behind this mind-numbingly stupid claim? If “the gays” can legally marry, there will be fewer opposite sex marriages, which means more women


Mirena IUD May Increase the Chances of Developing Pseudotumor Cerebri

The Mirena IUD may increase the chances of developing pseudotumor cerebri creating a potential new cause of action. Certain plaintiffs in a 2014 suit regarding the Mirena IUD even asked to have their pseudotumor cerebri claims separated into a unique class. The request was denied based on there not being enough pseudotumor cerebri claims to



Pfizer wins first Zoloft birth defect case, Pesante v. Pfizer, Inc.

Pfizer wins first Zoloft birth defect case, Pesante v. Pfizer, Inc. On Friday, April 17, the verdict came in that mega-corporation Pfizer’s Zoloft anti-depressant was not the cause of plaintiff’s heart abnormalities. This is the first of over 1,000 such cases currently in the judicial system. The fact that Pfizer won will have widespread repercussions



VA Must Pay $21.5M to Stroke Victim in Record-breaking Medical Malpractice Case

U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty ordered that VA must pay $21.5M to stroke victim in record-breaking medical malpractice case. It is the largest individual personal-injury judgment in New Hampshire history. The judge ruled that the VA failed to properly diagnose and treat a stroke victim. New Hampshire’s former highest personal-injury award was $21.06M in a


BAP1 As a Possible Genetic Defense in Asbestos Exposure Litigation

BAP1 is a genetic mutation that may possibly increase the chances of developing mesothelioma from asbestos exposure. A few defense attorneys around the country are hoping they can use BAP1 as a possible genetic defense in asbestos exposure litigation. HeplerBroom attorney Rebecca Nickelson is heading the defense team for Georgia Pacific in an ongoing asbestos