Reform
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.
Attorneys & Judges
Lawyer in hot water over insurance claims deserved a hearing, Fifth Circuit rules
State Supreme Court
Tennessee SC blocks companies from using defense in negligent training, supervision claims
Federal Court
Privacy class action firms jockey for control of 23andMe data breach claims; Edelson calls for new approach
Data privacy class action firm Edelson P.C. is seeking to control 40 class actions, potentially worth huge money, against 23andMe for allegedly allowing genetic info to be stolen in a data breach. In a new filing, Edelson is asking courts to reconsider how they decide which lawyers should lead
From WV Record
AGs urge federal court to review EPA’s new tailpipe emissions rules
CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is leading a group of 25 states calling on a federal appeals court to review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule on car tailpipes.
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.
Federal Court
PFAS case against Cava never makes it to class action status
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) - Class action lawyers won't be moving forward with their PFAS lawsuit against the Mediterranean food restaurant chain Cava Grill.
Lawsuits
Fla. lawyer accused of mishandling funds
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A recent lawsuit accuses a Florida lawyer of mishandling funds that were supposed to be used to support a victim of medical malpractice.
Lawsuits
Lawsuit alleges gun went off without trigger being pulled and shot man in abdomen
SEARCY, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - An Arkansas lawsuit alleges a gun made by Colt's Manufacturing went off without the trigger being pulled, causing serious injuries.
Opinion
The Buckeye Institute Calls on SCOTUS to Protect Citizens from Unconstitutional Forfeiture Laws
On Friday, The Buckeye Institute took a stand against unconstitutional forfeiture laws by filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Sanchez v. United States. The institute's senior litigator, Jay R. Carson, highlighted the concerning nature of these laws, stating, "The result of forfeiture laws is a system where revenue generation—not crime prevention—is the primary driver of law enforcement decisions."Carson referenced the infamous words of Willie Sutton to emphasize the influence of financial incentives on human behavior, stating, "When asked why he robbed...
State AG
Attorney General Moody Challenges Biden Administration's Electric Vehicle Mandate
Attorney General Ashley Moody, along with a multistate coalition, has taken legal action to block a new Environmental Protection Agency emissions rule that aims to increase the production of electric vehicles (EVs) significantly. The lawsuit is in response to the Biden Administration's push for stricter emissions standards on gas and diesel-powered vehicles, with the goal of having EVs account for nearly 70% of car sales in less than a decade.In a statement, Attorney General Moody criticized the EPA's approach, saying, "Biden’s EPA continues to push radical Green New Deal...
Lawsuits
Class action over data breach targets AT&T
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Class action lawyers have hit AT&T with a lawsuit over a data breach.
Lawsuits
Lawsuit claims benzene in CereVe acne medication
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - L'Oreal faces a class action lawsuit that alleges an ingredient in its acne medication turns into benzene.
State AG
Morrisey hails USSC ruling letting Idaho enforce ban on transgender medical treatment
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has praised a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says Idaho can enforce its ban on providing puberty blockers or hormones to minors.
Hot Topics
State treasurer announces SMART529 board votes to drop China investments from portfolio
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore has announced a state program that oversees the SMART529 is adopting his proposal to exclude China-based investments.
Fla. lawyer accused of mishandling funds
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A recent lawsuit accuses a Florida lawyer of mishandling funds that were supposed to be used to support a victim of medical malpractice.
Lawsuit alleges gun went off without trigger being pulled and shot man in abdomen
SEARCY, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - An Arkansas lawsuit alleges a gun made by Colt's Manufacturing went off without the trigger being pulled, causing serious injuries.
Washington hospitals could be liable for malpractice by contractor physicians
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - Hospitals may be liable for the actions of contractor physicians working in their emergency rooms, the Washington Supreme Court ruled, reversing the dismissal of a case involving a woman who died after an ER doc allegedly failed to diagnose flesh-eating bacteria in her shoulder.
Lawsuit claims benzene in CereVe acne medication
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - L'Oreal faces a class action lawsuit that alleges an ingredient in its acne medication turns into benzene.
America First Legal Sues HHS Secretary and National Archives for Illegal Deletion of Records
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against Secretary Xavier Becerra, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Archivist of the United States Colleen Shogan, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for unlawfully destroying federal records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The lawsuit stems from an investigation conducted by AFL which revealed that the CDC had been illegally deleting former employees' emails in violation of the Federal Records Act. AFL had previously requested an...
State treasurer announces SMART529 board votes to drop China investments from portfolio
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore has announced a state program that oversees the SMART529 is adopting his proposal to exclude China-based investments.
American Tort Reform Association president: California trial lawyers invest in advertising to ‘boost settlements and payouts’
Sherman "Tiger" Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), stated that trial attorneys in California "pump significant money" into advertising campaigns to attract "more clients" and secure "larger contingency fees for themselves." Joyce made this statement in a press release dated March 19.
South Carolina Senate passes citizen only voting amendment
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Senate has passed a resolution that would allow citizens to decide whether only American citizens can vote in state elections.
W.Va. governor, Senate president want non-citizen voting amendment on special session agenda
CHARLESTON – A resolution that would put a constitutional amendment before voters this fall to ensure non-citizens are unable to vote in West Virginia elections likely will be on the agenda for a planned special session.
Insurance Information Institute announces excessive litigation is raising car insurance rates
The Insurance Information Institute (III) has released a report suggesting that excessive lawsuits are contributing to rising auto insurance rates. The report outlines how practices such as third-party litigation funding and outsized jury verdicts are increasing costs for businesses and consumers.
Lawyer in hot water over insurance claims deserved a hearing, Fifth Circuit rules
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - A lawyer who worked at a Houston law firm that has run afoul of the law will get a second chance to show he shouldn't have been suspended for nine months.
Supreme Court boots ballot challenges to Trump, says states can't block presidential candidates under 14th Amend
The unanimous ruling strikes down rulings from Democratic judges in Colorado and Cook County, which had declared individual states have the power under the Fourteenth Amendment to block "insurrectionists" from seeking federal office
Inaction by Ga. House will help car-crash plaintiffs who weren't wearing their seatbelts still hit jackpots
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) - When a Georgia woman's airbag didn't deploy during a 2020 crash, she hit her head on the windshield and sued Ford, which figured it had the ultimate defense: She wasn't even wearing her seatbelt.
Bankruptcy plan to avoid asbestos lawsuits approved despite company's massive value
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - The contested strategy of a Georgia-Pacific unit created to clear asbestos claims will continue in bankruptcy court, a judge has ruled much to the dismay of plaintiff lawyers hoping to get their clients bigger paydays in civil courts.
It's raining asbestos: Court rejects case over steam line explosion in Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - A Tennessee woman's lawsuit over an explosion of an Eastman Chemical Company steam pipe has failed, as an appeals court has ruled that it is basically an asbestos case.
Court rules against booted USC football player in his fight against disciplinary process
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - It's more bad news from California courts for a University of Southern California player kicked off the team who claimed the disciplinary process to hear intimate violence charges against him was unfair.
Privacy class action firms jockey for control of 23andMe data breach claims; Edelson calls for new approach
Data privacy class action firm Edelson P.C. is seeking to control 40 class actions, potentially worth huge money, against 23andMe for allegedly allowing genetic info to be stolen in a data breach. In a new filing, Edelson is asking courts to reconsider how they decide which lawyers should lead
Report finds mass tort litigation relies on third-party financing, questionable science
The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), an organization dedicated to the reform of the civil justice system, has released a report outlining the tactics employed by trial lawyers in mass tort litigation. According to the report, these practices often involve third-party litigation financing (TPLF), reliance on questionable scientific evidence, and extensive advertising campaigns.