Jessica M. Karmasek News
Ninth Circuit upholds dismissal of proposed class action over melatonin-laced brownies
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) -- A federal appeals court this week upheld a lower court's dismissal of a proposed class action filed over the allegedly harmful effects of a company's melatonin-laced brownies.
Report: Ariz. AG suing over negative ads
TUCSON, Ariz. (Legal Newsline) -- Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne reportedly is suing a group that has been running negative ads against him.
W.Va. AG: Banking companies to pay state nearly $4 million to settle lawsuits
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) -- West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said Tuesday Discover Financial Services and HSBC Finance Corporation will pay the state $1.95 million each, or $3.9 million total, to settle lawsuits alleging the companies' credit card protection programs violated state law.
Johnson & Johnson to settle hip replacement lawsuits for $2.5 billion
WARSAW, Ind. (Legal Newsline) -- Johnson & Johnson has agreed to settle thousands of lawsuits over defective all-metal replacement hips for $2.5 billion.
N.J. SC swears in new justice
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) -- One day after he was approved by the state Senate, Faustino Fernandez-Vina was sworn in as a justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court.
DOJ, federal and state working group reach record $13 billion settlement with JPMorgan Chase
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) -- New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced Tuesday that a state and federal working group he co-chairs, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, have reached a $13 billion settlement with JPMorgan Chase.
Man files wrongful death lawsuit against deceased wife's employer, says she was 'worked to death'
CINCINNATI (Legal Newsline) -- An Ohio man is suing the hospital where his wife worked, saying she was "worked to death."
W.Va. AG: County ambulance authorities can't sue to collect unpaid special fees
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) -- West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, in an opinion earlier this month, said a local emergency ambulance authority can't file lawsuits in magistrate court to collect unpaid special emergency ambulance service fees.
U.S. SC agrees to hear securities class action litigation
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that business groups argue challenges a key precedent in securities class action cases.
Donziger calls Ecuadorian SC's judgment a 'profound' accomplishment
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) -- New York attorney Steven Donziger, who is being sued by Chevron Corp. for fraud, called a $9.5 billion damage claim that was upheld against the oil giant last week by Ecuador's Supreme Court a "profound" historical accomplishment by indigenous groups.
U.S. SC removes Chesley from its rolls
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- Prominent plaintiffs lawyer Stanley Chesley can no longer practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senate GOP blocks third D.C. Circuit nominee
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- Senate Republicans now have blocked all three of President Barack Obama's nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Texas State Troopers Association sues AG in federal court
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) -- The Texas State Troopers Association filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Greg Abbott in federal court last week, arguing the state's top lawyer is intimidating and discriminating against the nonprofit.
Two former Md. AGs backing Brown for governor, not Gansler
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) -- Two former Maryland attorneys general are throwing their support behind Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown in the race for governor.
NFHA expands complaint against Bank of America over foreclosed properties
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- This week, the National Fair Housing Alliance, along with five member organizations, added four more cities to a federal housing discrimination complaint against Bank of America.
Federal jury finds JM Eagle liable for fraud for making, selling faulty pipes
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) -- A federal jury on Thursday found JM Eagle, one of the largest pipe manufacturers in the world, liable for knowingly manufacturing and selling to government entities substandard plastic pipe that was used in water and sewer systems in various states.
Reid files cloture on third D.C. Circuit nominee; vote expected next week
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- A vote is expected next week on U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit nominee Robert Leon Wilkins.
Lawsuit abuse bill passes U.S. House
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill aimed at reducing the number of frivolous lawsuits plaguing the nation's legal system.
Son of Ky. governor to run for attorney general
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) -- Andy Beshear, son of Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, filed papers Thursday to run for state attorney general in 2015.
Report: Johnson & Johnson could settle hip replacement lawsuits for $4 billion
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) -- Johnson & Johnson has agreed to settle thousands of lawsuits over defective all-metal replacement hips for up to $4 billion, according to reports this week.