Taryn Phaneuf News
Justice reform groups continue push for venue, jurisdiction bills in Missouri Legislature
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling regarding jurisdiction that looks like a win for the business community doesn’t negate the need for legislation reforming the way the state’s courts settle venue and joinder matters, civil justice reform advocates say.
Linda Singer changes firms, not focus
A plaintiff's attorney who’s built a reputation for representing attorneys general and other public entities has traded one prominent law firm for another.
Securities lawsuits continue record pace
U.S. federal courts are being inundated with an unprecedented number of securities lawsuits, two recent reports indicate. The record-setting pace of publicly traded companies being the target of class-action suits began last year and has continued so far in 2017.
Sixth Circuit backs Kentucky county's right-to-work ordinance; Illinois advocates look on with crossed fingers
To stop the flow of manufacturing jobs out of Illinois, policy experts and reformers in the state, including Gov. Bruce Rauner, have pointed to enacting right-to-work laws that seem to do the trick in nearby states, such as Michigan and Indiana.
Investment firm defamed pharma company to drive down stock price, lawsuit says
LAS VEGAS (Legal Newsline) — A $20 million lawsuit involving a pharmaceutical company and the investment firm with a stake in the company is a battle for control, a University of Toledo professor says.
New California law says employment contracts can't take disputes outside the state
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — Beginning in 2017, employers can’t require employees who work in and primarily live in California to bring disputes outside California.
Edelson firm turns back Spokeo defense in case against Gannett
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — A judge has ruled that providing personally identifiable information to a third party obtained from app users' viewing data can cause the users harm.
Third-party funders that chased Liberian judgment face sanctions by federal judge
PHILADELPHIA — Called out for violating a U.S. district court order, a group of third-party litigation funders faces sanctions in a case that a defense attorney says illustrates the dark side of a growing industry.
SCOTUS opinion on standing impacts Wisconsin 'serial plaintiff's' case
GREEN BAY, Wis. (Legal Newsline) — A key U.S. Supreme Court decision has derailed a scheme that netted one so-called “professional plaintiff” more than $230,000 in individual settlements.
IARC reverses itself on link between coffee and cancer
After decades fending off negative health claims made against coffee, the industry was vindicated last month when a controversial cancer research group changed its mind about classifying America’s favorite caffeine beverage as a possible carcinogen.
Controversial body's glyphosate research isn't reliable, critics say
Pesticides’ association with neurotoxicity, cancer and birth defects over the years have led to rigorous testing before they’re deemed safe to use. So when a cancer-research agency unexpectedly declared that a popular herbicide probably causes cancer, the news had a major impact, with reactions ranging from confused to concerned.
Consumer advocates, financial services industry butt heads over CFPB
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Five years after it was created, the success of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is hotly debated.
Attorney: Parmesan cheese suit will likely get an early dismissal
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) — Lawsuits against Parmesan cheese makers “spiked” after a new report in February claimed some companies use too much cellulose as a filler, Jacob Harper, a Troy Gould attorney and specialist in consumer class actions, told Legal Newsline.
Contact lens retailers oppose tightening rules for verifying prescriptions
A group of contact lens retailers and consumers stand in sharp disagreement with groups calling for legislation changing the way a retailer verifies a prescription with an eye doctor.
Judge dismisses FCA claim against hospice provider; DOJ likely to appeal
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Legal Newsline) — After meandering through the legal system and attracting a lot of attention, a lawsuit alleging a national chain of hospice providers made false Medicare claims has been dismissed.
Complaints about Subaru Outback's lights preceded class action
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — The federal agency responsible for taking consumer complaints about vehicle defects has recorded roughly 90 complaints about 2010 and 2011 Subaru Outbacks whose exterior lights allegedly fail frequently and prematurely.
Chipotle lawsuits could lead to 'greater scrutiny' of companies' GMO claims
SAN FRANCISCO — Another lawsuit filed against Chipotle over its decision to keep away from genetically modified ingredients could trigger more complaints against other companies making similar claims.
Sen. Thune: TCPA 'showing its age'
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The chair of a U.S. Senate committee said at a Wednesday hearing that a federal telemarketing law passed 25 years ago doesn’t appear to be aging well.
Even free app users could be considered consumers under video privacy law, court rules
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — A federal appeals court has interpreted who qualifies for protections under a federal privacy law governing video content accessed through mobile applications.
Eye doctors say patient safety is at the heart of federal rule for contact lenses
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — In April, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it sent letters to 45 prescribers and 10 sellers of contact lenses, warning them that they may be violating the agency’s Contact Lens Rule.