State Supreme Court
Hospital stuck with immigrant's unpaid bills gets no help from South Dakota law
PIERRE, S.D. (Legal Newsline) - A hospital that provided $75,000 in care to a seasonal worker who skipped his bill and returned to Mexico can’t recover the money from the county where he worked, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled.
Federal Court
Federal judge allows some NAS claims to move forward
Hot Topics
Nonprofits, industry associations file amicus brief in support of upholding Prop 22
On April 3, five organizations - Chamber of Progress, NetChoice, Asian Industry B2B, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and sf.citi - submitted an amicus brief urging the California Supreme Court to uphold Proposition 22. This voter-approved measure from 2020 classifies app-based transportation and delivery drivers as independent contractors.
From Florida Record
Panera restaurants pull Charged Lemonades from their menus in the wake of lawsuits
Panera restaurants plan to remove their Charged Lemonade beverages from menus in the wake of two wrongful-death lawsuits filed against the company by the families of customers who consumed the drinks, including a Florida man.
In the wake of escalating auto insurance rates in Georgia, a small but significant legal reform could signal the beginning of relief for drivers across the state - if the House would take action…
From WV Record
From WV Record
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.
Lawsuits
Label manager says she was fired for rejecting boss Ryan Kane's sexual advances
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida woman claims Ryan Kane, the owner of Secure the Bag Record Label, made inappropriate advances to her, then fired her for rejecting them after getting her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Lawsuits
Adderall psychosis alleged in lawsuit against pharmacies like CVS, Publix
ORLANDO, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida man claiming psychosis from an over-prescription of Adderall is suing the pharmacies who provided the drug.
Lawsuits
Lawsuit blames American Airlines for turbulence, woman's toss into ceiling of plane
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida woman who has filed a lawsuit says she thought it was safe to use the bathroom on an American Airlines flight, but turbulence caused her to be thrown off her feet.
Lawsuits
Wrongful death lawsuit: Fisherman's line tangled with power line, electrocuting him
ORLANDO, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - The estate of a Florida fisherman killed when his line crossed with a power line is suing Duke Energy.
State Supreme Court
New Jersey court rejects contractor's claim he was an employee
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled against a real estate salesperson who entered into an agreement as an independent contractor but then sued under the theory he was an employee of the company.
Lawsuits
Solar company faces shareholder lawsuit over stock drop
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - An Oklahoma public pension system has filed a securities class action lawsuit against a solar power company over a drop in its value.
Lawsuits
Lawsuit accuses firm of inducing client to settle class action
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A nonprofit targeted with a class action lawsuit is suing the lawyers who represented it, accusing them of fraud and breach of contract.
State Court
Ky. court wipes away $23M defamation verdict for two W.Va. chiropractors suspected of fraud by CSX
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) - An appeals court has found several problems with a $23 million Kentucky verdict against CSX and its chief medical officer, who were accused of defaming two West Virginia chiropractors they thought were fabricating worker injuries.
State Supreme Court
Fla. SC answers whether 'surviving spouse' can sue despite 'marriage before injury' rule
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - Spouses who married personal injury plaintiffs after the onset of their injuries can recover damages for the loss of companionship, the Florida Supreme Court has ruled.
Label manager says she was fired for rejecting boss Ryan Kane's sexual advances
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida woman claims Ryan Kane, the owner of Secure the Bag Record Label, made inappropriate advances to her, then fired her for rejecting them after getting her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Adderall psychosis alleged in lawsuit against pharmacies like CVS, Publix
ORLANDO, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida man claiming psychosis from an over-prescription of Adderall is suing the pharmacies who provided the drug.
Lawsuit blames American Airlines for turbulence, woman's toss into ceiling of plane
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida woman who has filed a lawsuit says she thought it was safe to use the bathroom on an American Airlines flight, but turbulence caused her to be thrown off her feet.
Feds accuse PHEEA, student loan trusts of botching pandemic
SCRANTON, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has filed suit against the trusts that administer student loans, arguing they failed to grant forbearance to debtors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Law firm wants client data back from debt-settlement company
CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) - Following a split, a law firm representing clients troubled by debt has gone to court to retrieve their information from a settlement company.
Missouri Senate passes amendment banning non-citizen voting in state elections
The Missouri state Senate has approved a constitutional amendment to ban non-U.S. citizens from voting.
Nonprofits, industry associations file amicus brief in support of upholding Prop 22
On April 3, five organizations - Chamber of Progress, NetChoice, Asian Industry B2B, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and sf.citi - submitted an amicus brief urging the California Supreme Court to uphold Proposition 22. This voter-approved measure from 2020 classifies app-based transportation and delivery drivers as independent contractors.
Nevada drivers pay more than average for increasing insurance costs
The cost of motor vehicle insurance rose 22.6% over the last year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index summary from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In comparison, the overall rate of inflation for the last year was 3.4%.
Report finds number of 'nuclear' verdicts increased 27% in 2023
A report published on May 3 by Marathon Strategies, an independent public relations firm, revealed a significant increase in the number of "nuclear" verdicts, or jury verdicts exceeding $10 million. The report showed a rise of 27% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Nevada ballot initiative to cap attorney contingency fees withstands legal challenge
Carson City District Court Judge James Russell dismissed arguments against a ballot initiative in Nevada that would cap attorney contingency fees at 20%, ruling that the initiative complies with state requirements. The ruling was disclosed in a May 10 court filing in the First Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada.
Arizona man pleads guilty to fraudulent tax shelter scheme
An Arizona resident, Kent Ellsworth, admitted guilt on Friday to two charges of aiding in the creation of false tax returns for individuals who employed an abusive-trust tax shelter to understate their income and tax liabilities.
North Carolina lawmakers eye citizen-only voting amendment
North Carolina soon could join a host of other states in letting voters decide if only American citizens should be allowed to vote in all state elections.
Ohio AG squares off with social media companies over state's parental consent law
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is pointing at addiction statistics as he tries to hold together a state law targeting youth usage of social media websites.
Asbestos lawyers lose effort to change Vermont rule
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Legal Newsline) - The Vermont Supreme Court won't change the window for asbestos claimants to sue, rejecting a call from a Dallas plaintiffs firm to do so.
J&J's $6.5B talc settlement comes as plaintiff lawyers fear losing their experts
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - An offshoot of Johnson & Johnson is paying nearly $6.5 billion to settle almost all lawsuits alleging its talcum powder contained asbestos and caused certain cancers - two months before the company could question the findings of highly paid experts who drove tens of thousands of lawsuits.
Ky. court wipes away $23M defamation verdict for two W.Va. chiropractors suspected of fraud by CSX
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) - An appeals court has found several problems with a $23 million Kentucky verdict against CSX and its chief medical officer, who were accused of defaming two West Virginia chiropractors they thought were fabricating worker injuries.
Class action targets internet game addiction
JEFFERSON CITY — Several companies that create video games are being sued in a federal class action lawsuit alleging they fueled an addiction to video games with things like "micro-transactions."
Atlanta business owner: Lawsuits are ‘causing auto and commercial rates to explode’
Chris Hellgeth, owner of the Atlanta-based fuel-hauling company Vi-Mac, has called for "tort reform" to prevent lawsuits from "causing auto and commercial rates to explode." Hellgeth made this statement in an April 16 post on X.