Federal Court
Build-A-Bear, Squishmallow head into legal battle over plushies
ST. LOUIS — Build-A-Bear and Squishmallow are suing each other over "knock off" allegations.
State Supreme Court
$4 million for kids, nothing for mom's suffering after they pulled the plug
Climate Change
Oil industry asks SCOTUS to put an end to local government climate change suits
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - For the first time, the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review the merits of long-running climate change litigation that represents an alliance between personal injury lawyers and government officials nationwide.
From Southern California Record
San Diego judge slashes 90% off $332M verdict awarded to man in Roundup trial
The judge said $325 million in punitive damages was excessive, compared to the $7 million in compensatory damages the jury awarded plaintiff Mike Dennis. The judge cut punitive damages to $21 million. Monsanto still plans to appeal
Paul Grewal, the chief legal officer of crypto exchange Coinbase, said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not successfully disputed the Howey test requirement that securities offering must include an investment contract in its response to Binance's motion to dismiss the SEC's lawsuit against it. Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in Sept. and has since been supported by amicus briefs from multiple third parties.
From WV Record
From WV Record
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Arizona Estate Law Firm Unveils New Brand, Website
Chandler, Arizona (AZ) attorney Bernard M. Strass is excited to announce fresh branding and a new website for his AZ estate law firm, Desert Rose Estate and Elder Law. The law firm’s new name reflects a full concentration on estate and life planning that enables Strass to provide focused and dedicated legal services for these matters. It also honors Strass’s father, Luke, who owned Desert Draperies and Interiors in Phoenix for many years and Strass’s mother’s family, the Roses.
Coash Court Reporting & Video Announces Acquisition, Rebrand, New Website
The team at Coash Court Reporting & Video is excited to announce the acquisition of the court reporting agency by Cristina and Jerry Coash Jr. The company’s transition kicked off with rebranding and the debut of its new, user-friendly website.
Latest News
State AG
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Huffman ISD and Aledo ISD for Illegal Electioneering
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken legal action against Huffman Independent School District ("ISD") and Aledo ISD for allegedly engaging in illegal electioneering. According to Paxton, both school districts used state resources to influence political races in violation of the Texas Election Code.In a statement, Attorney General Paxton highlighted the seriousness of the issue, stating, "School districts should be aware that illegal electioneering is criminal conduct and violators could be subject to criminal prosecution by local authorities." Although Paxton is...
State Supreme Court
Nevada Supreme Court tosses Steve Wynn's defamation suit against AP
LAS VEGAS (Legal Newsline) - The Associated Press was exercising its First Amendment rights to report on a decades-old rape allegation against casino mogul Steve Wynn even though the reporter told a colleague one of the complaints “is crazy,” the Nevada Supreme Court ruled, affirming the power of news organizations to end lawsuits under the state anti-SLAPP statute.
Lawsuits
8-year-old beat with a baseball bat sues Babe Ruth League
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida lawsuit blames a youth baseball league for the beating of an 8-year-old player with a bat.
Lawsuits
Chipotle faces class action over value of gift cards
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A class action lawsuit centers on Chipotle's refund policy for gift cards.
State AG
Attorney General Moody Launches Cold Case Investigations Unit to Help Florida Law Enforcement with Select Unsolved Cases
Attorney General Ashley Moody has introduced Florida’s Cold Case Investigations Unit to aid law enforcement in solving unsolved homicides. The unit, operating under the Office of Statewide Prosecution, aims to provide support to law enforcement agencies struggling with resources for unsolved cases. Attorney General Moody emphasized the importance of the unit, stating, “Our Cold Case Investigations Unit will serve as a resource to law enforcement agencies statewide to help give select unsolved cases new life.”National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Executive...
Federal Court
Lawsuit against L.A. over alcohol withdrawal death hits major road block
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - The family of an alcoholic who died in jail from withdrawal will have to fix their wrongful death lawsuit if they want to hold Los Angeles County liable.
State AG
Attorney General Miyares Challenges Biden Administration on Missing Migrant Children
Attorney General Jason Miyares has raised concerns about the treatment of missing migrant children by the federal government, urging for better collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities for the safety and welfare of these vulnerable minors. In a statement, Attorney General Miyares emphasized the importance of addressing the issue promptly, stating, “The missing migrant children are a serious emergency that is being ignored by the federal government. Vulnerable unaccompanied minors are being dropped off in our cities and counties, and local social services...
State AG
Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Injunction Against Castleberry ISD for Illegal Electioneering
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured an agreed injunction with Castleberry Independent School District (“ISD”) after suing the district for illegal electioneering.In response to the legal action, Castleberry ISD agreed that the superintendent and all employees would refrain from using any funds or resources, including emails, to engage in illegal electioneering. Paxton filed the lawsuit after the superintendent of Castleberry ISD allegedly distributed a list of political endorsements and instructed the district’s administration to “vote accordingly,” a clear...
Lawsuits
Lawsuit questions whether VA nurse can receive millions from man's estate
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The estate of a New York man worth millions is looking for clarity as to whether it is legal for a Veterans Administration employee to be named in the will.
8-year-old beat with a baseball bat sues Babe Ruth League
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida lawsuit blames a youth baseball league for the beating of an 8-year-old player with a bat.
Chipotle faces class action over value of gift cards
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A class action lawsuit centers on Chipotle's refund policy for gift cards.
Lawsuit blames murder on 'useless' monitoring of domestic violence suspect
PORTLAND, Ore. (Legal Newsline) - Vigilnet and an Oregon county outfitted a man arrested for domestic violence with electronic monitoring but failed to take steps to prevent him from committing a murder days later.
Groups take to court to challenge Minn. law penalizing corporate speech about unions
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline) - A new law criminalizing corporations that speak to their employees about political issues like labor unions is the subject of a challenge in federal court.
Lawsuit questions whether VA nurse can receive millions from man's estate
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The estate of a New York man worth millions is looking for clarity as to whether it is legal for a Veterans Administration employee to be named in the will.
Attorney abuse of legal system drives up costs for insurance policyholders
The most recent summary of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that car insurance costs have risen significantly more than the overall inflation rate. Investigations have discovered that these rising insurance costs are partially due to legal system abuses.
Class action lawsuits enrich attorneys, harm Georgia consumers
Bankrate, a consumer financial services company, has announced that drivers in Atlanta are paying an average of $2,802 for full coverage auto insurance. This figure is higher than both the state and national averages. A contributing factor to these rising costs is an increase in class action lawsuits that benefit attorneys but force businesses to raise their prices.
3M earplug settlement to meet participation threshold, led by controversial attorney Christopher Seeger
3M, the multinational conglomerate, has announced that it expects to surpass the 98% claimant participation threshold in the class action settlement over its Combat Arms Earplugs ahead of the March 25 deadline. The $6 billion settlement was secured by plaintiffs led by Christopher Seeger, a founding partner at Seeger Weiss.
Kentucky bill to make U.S. citizenship a voting requirement passes Senate
FRANKFORT, Kentucky – A bill that would prevent non-citizens from voting in Kentucky has passed the state Senate.
Stuart questions Biden's qualifications to be on W.Va. ballot
CHARLESTON – A state Senator and candidate for state Attorney General is questioning President Joe Biden’s qualifications for candidacy on the West Virginia ballot.
Favorable recommendation for Dechert as it fights hacking lawsuit
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The global law firm Dechert LLP should defeat a lawsuit that accused it of illegally obtaining privileged emails from opposing parties in cases.
Taylor calls opponent 'most liberal justice' on Alabama Supreme Court
Bryan Taylor sees himself as the only true conservative in the race to be chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Associate Justice Sarah Stewart is the only other Republican candidate for the seat. The primary election is March 5.
CalChamber loses bid to delay California data privacy regulations
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - California can begin enforcing data privacy regulations under a law voters passed in 2020, an appeals court ruled, rejecting arguments by the California Chamber of Commerce that there should be a one-year delay between the promulgation of new rules and when they can be enforced.
Louisiana Supreme Court finds $10M in asbestos case too much
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - The Louisiana Supreme Court cut a $10.5 million jury verdict in an asbestos lawsuit in half, saying an analysis of whether a jury abused its discretion must include an examination of awards in similar cases.
Asbestos not an 'obvious' hazard for removal worker in 1979, court rules in $2.3M case
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - Jurors didn’t need to be instructed on the defense of “known and obvious” risks in the case of a worker who developed a deadly cancer decades after a three-month assignment removing asbestos from a Mobil refinery in 1979, the Washington Supreme Court ruled.
Ex-NFL player can sue NCAA in Maryland over college injuries
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) - A former Rutgers University football player who went on to a career in the NFL can sue the NCAA in Maryland for brain injuries he says he suffered in college, an appeals court ruled, rejecting the NCAA’s argument it didn’t do anything to cause the plaintiff’s injuries in Maryland.
EQT says royalty class certification missing 'fundamental requirements'
RICHMOND, Virginia – EQT says a federal appeals court should reverse a lower court class certification order in an oil and gas royalties case.
Law passed to help with medical malpractice insurance rates struck by Washington justices
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - Answering a question posed by a federal court, the Washington Supreme Court said an eight-year time limit for filing medical malpractice suits passed by state legislators in 2006 is unconstitutional because it takes away the right to sue from some plaintiffs while leaving it in place for others.