Jessica Karmasek News
J.G. Wentworth Company sued over alleged misrepresentations related to stock purchase deal
The plaintiff, the owner of a privately-held residential mortgage company, argues JGW was in possession of “material non-public information” and made “misrepresentations and omissions of material fact” regarding JGW’s business in connection with a March 2015 stock purchase agreement.
Public-interest firm calls $5.5 million settlement with Google over privacy settings ‘unacceptable’
According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Class Action Fairness’ filing last month, class counsel negotiated a settlement that provided zero dollars to class members and $5.5 million to be divided between class counsel and third-party charities.
Plaintiffs attorney says food, beverage companies simply need to comply to avoid class action lawsuits
Consumer advocacy group agrees compliance, along with better government regulation, would help curb litigation.
Attorney: ‘Very likely’ CFPB will finalize proposed arbitration rules before Obama’s departure
President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice President-Elect Mike Pence are to be inaugurated Jan. 20. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is expected to issue its final set of rules prohibiting arbitration clauses that prevent class action lawsuits by then.
Will FDA guidance, or lack thereof, affect food and beverage litigation?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it does not approve food labels before they are put on the market.
Why are consumers unhappy with their food and drink filing class action lawsuits?
Increased consumer interest and more plaintiff-friendly consumer statutes and consumer-friendly courts also have contributed to the increase in filings since 2008.
Plaintiffs attorneys argue tort reform group’s ‘judicial hellholes’ report is ‘rigged’
The Circuit Court for the City of St. Louis is the nation’s No. 1 “judicial hellhole,” according to the American Tort Reform Association’s 2016-17 report, meaning it is the “most unfair” in the nation in terms of handling civil litigation.
St. Louis court tops list of ‘judicial hellholes’ by tort reform group
California, New York City’s asbestos court, Florida’s Supreme Court and South Florida, and New Jersey rounded out the American Tort Reform Association’s top five this year.
Head of DOJ Criminal Division issues apology to prosecutors for panel comments
Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said during a panel discussion last week that some criminal cases brought by the federal government don’t necessarily have merit and that oversight of federal prosecutors, in some districts, is not what it should be.
‘UnSettled’ documentary, on asbestos lawsuits brought against businesses, to hold screening
A so-called “work-in-progress” screening of “UnSettled: Inside The Strange World of Asbestos Lawsuits” will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and online Wednesday afternoon.
CEI, in agenda for new Congress, pushes lawmakers to rein in federal agencies
The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s congressional agenda, which was released last week, focuses on eight policy areas, including regulatory reform and agency oversight, banking and finance, and labor and employment, among other topics.
Head of DOJ Criminal Division admits oversight of prosecutors in some districts lacking
“The Limits of Federal Criminal Law,” a panel discussion held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Thursday, included Leslie Caldwell, assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and attorneys Cristina Arguedas, Ben Hatch, John Richter and Joseph Savage.
Boston financing company accuses debt elimination companies of swindling merchants
Forward Financing LLC filed its lawsuit in a Massachusetts federal court last month, alleging Protection Legal Group LLC and Corporate Bailout LLC are scamming businesses and keeping payments from its company.
Attorneys for plaintiffs in lawsuit brought over DOL ‘persuader rule’ seek nearly $480,000 in fees
Houston law firm Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Steward PC, Lubbock firm Bustos Law Firm PC and El Paso firm Kemp Smith LLP are hoping to recover a maximum of $479,834.50 in fees, but said in their motion they also would accept $323,442.63 or $222,645, depending on the rate used by the Texas federal court.
Cyber security expert: More companies require ‘reasonable security’
DENVER (Legal Newsline) -- David Willson, a retired Army officer, attorney and currently owner of Titan Info Security Group, travels the country, educating CEOs and executives on how to assess and protect their companies from data breaches, which have become increasingly common in recent years.
Wells Fargo wants plaintiffs in class action over sales practices to submit claims to arbitration
The bank filed its motion to compel and a 16-page memorandum in support in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division, Nov. 23.
Class counsel seek $9 million in fees, expenses for Wells Fargo class action settlement
The attorneys also are seeking an incentive award of $15,000 for the named plaintiff.
Texas federal judge issues nationwide permanent injunction against U.S. Department of Labor’s ‘persuader rule’
The persuader rule, or Persuader Advice Exemption Rule, was meant to effectively eliminate the “advice exemption” under the Labor-Management Reporting Disclosure Act, or LMRDA. Basically, LMRDA requires employers to report each time they engage a consultant to persuade employees on how to use their collective bargaining rights.
California federal judge dismisses Dallas asbestos firm’s lawsuit against John Crane Inc.
Judge Consuelo B. Marshall for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, in an order last week, said the plaintiffs, Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett PC, failed to file an amended complaint.
Pharmaceutical wholesale group says accreditation policy will ‘irreparably damage’ the nation’s prescription drug delivery system
The Association of Independent Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Inc. filed its complaint against a pharmacy benefit manager and the federal government in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia earlier this month. It contends the Verified-Accredited-Wholesale Distributor policy violates various state and federal laws.