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Philadelphia Law Firm Pays $4 Million To Settle Family Court Development Dispute

By Pat Loeb

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court's chief justice, Ron Castille, says he has settled a lawsuit against a law firm that he claimed was double-dipping in the development of a new Family Court building in center city Philadelphia.

Castille says the firm of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel will pay $4 million to settle the suit.

"All the funds are going to go into development of the courthouse, and we're glad to have that behind us," Castille said.

The $200-million courthouse is now under construction at 15th and Arch Streets, a site Castille selected with the paid consultation of Jeffrey Rotwitt, an attorney at the Obermayer firm.

It turned out Rotwit was also one of the developers of the site.

Castille sued to recover the fees that Rotwit earned, and says he's satisfied with the settlement.

"It gives us money to work with in outfitting the building and making sure it's a top-flight facility," Castille tells KYW Newsradio.

The law firm declined comment.

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