Dee Thompson News
Alabama Supreme Court sends workers' compensation suit back to court to decide retaliatory discharge claim
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) – The Alabama Supreme Court remanded a workers' compensation case back to state court to decide if the retaliatory discharge claim, filed by an injured nursing home worker, was covered under her employer’s program designed to compel arbitration.
Rite Aid wins TCPA suit over health care reminder calls
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – In a recent court decision, Rite Aid won the right to place pre-recorded calls to customers and remind them to get a flu shot.
Maryland Court of Appeals rules circuit court erred in dismissal of wrongful death suit
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Legal Newsline) – The dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit by a Maryland circuit court recently was reversed by the state's court of appeals.
California Supreme Court clarifies day of rest requirements for employees
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – The California Supreme Court has answered questions posed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in a case involving the day of rest statutes regarding employment.
Ore. SC allows claim for loss of chance at recovery in med-mal case
EUGENE, Ore. (Legal Newsline) – The Supreme Court of Oregon ruled on May 11 that it would reverse a decision by a court of appeals in a medical malpractice case involving the “loss of chance” legal theory.
Supreme Court paves the way for cities to sue banks under FHA
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Supreme Court on May 1 issued an opinion allowing the city of Miami to proceed as a homeowner under the FHA program and sue Bank of America and Wells Fargo Bank for alleged discriminatory loan practices.
Potato chip maker wants class action over sugar tossed from court
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Inventure Foods Inc. has filed a motion to dismiss a class action lawsuit brought by two plaintiffs who allege the defendant's Boulder Canyon potato chips contain sugar and the label is deceptive.
Not enough money in question in butter spray class action
TAMPA, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - A class action lawsuit filed regarding the advertising of cooking sprays has been dismissed by a federal judge.
Wording in Maine overtime law ambiguous, First Circuit says in class action ruling
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a decision March 13 that impacted Maine’s overtime law and at issue was the use of a simple comma.
Calif. appeals court decides property owner is not an affiliate of lessee in spine injury case
The question of whether a property owner and business lessee are “affiliated” has been decided by the state's 3rd District Court of Appeal.
Seventh Circuit to address alleged civil rights violations in Wisconsin's controversial John Doe raids
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) –The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is considering the appeal in a Wisconsin civil rights case brought by Cindy Archer, former assistant to Gov. Scott Walker. Walker was the target of two John Doe investigations by Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisolm in 2010 and 2011.
Arizona Supreme Court to decide liability in take-home asbestos exposure case
PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) – The Arizona Supreme Court is considering whether a company should be liable for injuries caused by an employee taking home asbestos fibers on his clothing, years ago. It will hear oral arguments on April 25 in the case of Quiroz v. Alcoa.
Georgia Supreme Court rules timing is key in settling cases according to 2013 statute
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) — A recently-enacted Georgia law regarding the timing of deadlines in settlement offers has resulted in the Georgia Supreme Court siding with a couple whose daughter died in a car wreck, and against an insurance company.
California Supreme Court rules on summary judgment and expert opinion admissibility
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – On Feb. 23 the Supreme Court of California issued an opinion in the case of Wilson Dante Perry v. Bakewell Hawthorne LLC. The conclusions reached specify what information may be used when one side is asking for the court for summary judgment.
New class action seeks to help veterans get Combat-Related Special Compensation benefits
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The federal government was named as defendant in a class action filed March 2 by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) on behalf of combat-disabled veterans who say they were not given their fair share of disability benefits.
Widow loses out on $6M verdict; Attorneys fees can't be recovered on top of $1M agreement
TRENTON, N.J (Legal Newsline) – An appellate court rejected a New Jersey widow’s request for attorneys fees on Feb. 16, stating it was not part of an agreement negotiated by her attorneys that cost her a $6 million verdict.
Ga. SC overturns $3.7M verdict of girl sexually assaulted at dentist's office
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) – Is a dental practice liable if a patient is sexually assaulted by a contractor while under anesthesia? The Georgia Supreme Court recently decided, in the case of Goldstein Garber & Salama v. J.B., that it is not.
Goodwill chapter, facing EEOC lawsuit, says it acted properly after harassment allegations
OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – Goodwill Industries is the defendant in a lawsuit filed Dec. 13 by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging a pattern of sexual harassment and disability discrimination at its facilities in the East Bay Area of Northern California. The suit also claims managers who tried to help victims faced retaliation.
Class action over disputed text messages continues despite no messages
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Legal Newsline) -- A Florida class action case that has been ongoing since 2012 continues, despite the plaintiff’s deletion of disputed text messages on his phone.
Sugar class action against Dole a 'policy-oriented brief,' law prof says
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) -- A new class action lawsuit against Dole Foods alleges two of its products are advertised as healthy but, in reality, they are high-sugar in content and not healthy at all.