News from November 2015
Caldwell’s TV endorsers are paid millions, state records show
On television ads endorsing Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell for re-election, Paul Connick says a lot — but he never acknowledges that Caldwell approved $1.7 million in payments to his private practice.
Metagenics Inc. sued over claims its products cannot be classified as 'medical food'
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A California man is suing a global lifestyle food manufacturer alleging unfair business acts and practices for allegedly advertising its powdered beverages and ready-to-eat bars as "medical food" despite the fact that these products do not meet that definition.
DraftKings, FanDuel allegedly engage in illegal gambling
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – An Orange County man has brought a class action lawsuit against multiple fantasy sports organizations for their allegedly deceptive and unfair practices and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act by working in concert to allow their employees to participate with each other's gambling enterprises and in violation of Title 18 of United States Code Section 1962(c).
BMW sued for allegedly failing to disclose defective throttle control system
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – A California resident has brought a class action lawsuit against an automobile manufacturer, alleging the defendant failed to disclose a material and dangerous defect in the throttle control system of the cars they manufacture and sell.
Plaintiffs bring class action lawsuit against Volkswagen, sellers over alleged deceptive and unfair trade practices
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) – Two Arkansas residents are suing an automobile manufacturer and sellers for what they claim are unfair and deceptive trade practices in the marketing of so-called environmentally friendly cars.
Calif. plaintiffs lawyers using Transparency Supply Chains Act to file class actions
Plaintiffs’ attorneys in California have identified a new way to raise complaints against businesses - alleging that violations of 2010 California Transparency Supply Chains Act, which was originally intended to prevent human trafficking, fall under other class action-friendly laws, a defense attorney says.
Proctor and Gamble facing lawsuit over one of its Pantene products
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – A well-known beauty products company is facing a lawsuit over claims that one of its shampoos does not perform as advertised.
Plaintiffs claim Hubert's Lemonade producer engaged in deceptive and unfair practices
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – Plaintiffs from multiple states have brought a class action lawsuit against a lemonade producer for its alleged unfair and deceptive practices in the marketing of a lemonade containing non-natural products as all-natural.
Los Angeles woman brings class-action lawsuit against Suntime Energy for collection calls allegedly made to cellphones
A Los Angeles woman, on behalf of herself and others, is bringing a lawsuit against a solar power company for collection calls that were allegedly made to cellular phones without agreement or permission.
Plaintiffs claim Vizio violated their privacy, consumer protection laws
A Yolo County, California man and a Harris County, Texas woman are bringing a class action suit against a television manufacturing firm and related companies for alleged violations of their privacy due to data sharing practices they claim violate the Video Privacy Protection Act, California's Consumer Records Act, California's Unfair Competition Law, and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act.
Indian film distributor sued over allegedly misleading company statements
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - An Ontario, Canada resident is suing distributors of Indian films claiming they made false or misleading statements about their business and operations.
Cheerios Protein cereal allegedly does not contain enough protein
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – General Mills, producer of Cheerios and breakfast cereals, is facing trouble over allegedly misleading its consumers.
Ford being brought to court over its PowerShift Transmission
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – Ford is facing a lawsuit over claims that its PowerShift Transmission is defective.
Cincinnati suing liquid aluminum sulfate manufacturers and distributers over price manipulation allegations
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) –The City of Cincinnati is suing manufacturers and distributors of liquid aluminum sulfate over claims of price fixing.
American Chemistry Council says Calif. AG's proposed Prop 65 reform not enough
“Clearly, what is needed is substantial, fundamental change to this program, not the kind of little incremental change that the regulatory proposal is likely to deliver," a senior director at the American Chemistry Council told Legal Newsline.
Eighth Circuit's decision to lower whistleblowers' award could change circuit's reputation, attorney says
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently vacated a settlement award to whistleblowers who initially filed suit against technology contractors, a decision one attorney called "somewhat unusual."
Judge: Consumers should look at labels to figure out ingredients, not pictures
A "common sense" ruling has dismissed a class action lawsuit brought by a woman who felt she should have been able to rely on the pictures on a package of food to tell her what was in it, rather than looking at the ingredients list, an attorney says.
Pleading changes coming for patent plaintiffs
Starting Dec. 1, patent plaintiffs will be subject to the same heightened pleading standards required of plaintiffs in other types of civil litigation due to changes made to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Asbestos firm goes on attack in response to Garlock's RICO suit against it
Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett, one of five plaintiffs firms facing racketeering lawsuits from Garlock Sealing Technologies, has filed a counterclaim that maintains Garlock is the one that engaged in racketeering.
AG Madigan sued over refusal to fight work comp claims brought by 'personal assistants'; CMS director says millions have been improperly paid
Over the past five years, more than 200 personal assistants have received $5.8 million in workers' compensation benefits, according to a spokesperson with Illinois Central Management Services, which averages $29,000 per claim.