News from November 2014
U.S. PTO considers using ‘crowdsourcing’ to head off patent trolls
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is looking at using “crowdsourcing” to combat so-called patent trolls.
South Carolina agency rules lawsuit loans are traditional loans subject to state law
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Legal Newsline) – Entities that fund litigation in exchange for a piece of any recovery are providing loans, as the term is defined by South Carolina law, a state agency has ruled.
Mich. AG fighting recent request for utility rate increases
Two utility companies that have requested electric rate increases in Michigan might not get what they're looking for, as Attorney General Bill Schuette has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to deny the rate hikes.
North Carolina paver banned
A North Carolina paver, who allegedly scammed customers in a driveway paving scheme, is now banned from paving or graveling in the state, according to an announcement by North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper on Friday.
Federal judge dismisses evidence spoliation claims in asbestos case
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) – An Illinois federal judge granted several motions to dismiss allegations that the defendants destroyed or spoiled evidence in an asbestos case after the plaintiff failed to adequately describe the events leading to the spoliation allegations.
Asbestos MDL grants 32 motions to dismiss in Virgin Islands maritime cases
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) – The asbestos multidistrict litigation judge has granted 32 motions to dismiss in the maritime docket for cases that were originally filed in the district court for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
First Circuit rules 'highly compensated employees' exempt from overtime protections of FLSA
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court has ruled the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against the Saint Consulting Group Inc. are exempt from overtime pay protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
American farmers and ag businesses adopt Chinese position in corn suits
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – American farmers and agricultural businesses claim an American pesticide contaminates corn, and for proof they plead that Chinese communists say so.
Illinois AG sues unlicensed roofer
An unlicensed roofer could be banned from working in Illinois after Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit against him on Thursday alleging that he did poor work on customers' roofs and misled them with a false company name.
Partner at D.C. IP firm nominated to Federal Circuit
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - President Barack Obama has nominated a partner at a Washington, D.C., intellectual property law firm to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
NJ furniture company owners agree to $300,000 settlement
New Jersey Acting Attorney General John. J. Hoffmann reached a $300,000 settlement on Thursday with two furniture company owners after it was found customers couldn't receive refunds or received bad checks on refunds.
Fla. businesses banned from marketing or selling medical devices
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi obtained a permanent injunction on Thursday that effectively shuts down several Orlando businesses for allegedly “robocalling" consumers.
PA sues online payday loan company
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane sued a Texas loan company on Thursday for allegedly targeting consumers in the state through an illegal Internet-based payday loan scheme.
RICO cases against asbestos firms unsealed in response to Hodges’ order
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – After Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges ordered the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy case unsealed for public access, a district judge has also granted access to the record for the accompanying racketeering cases against asbestos plaintiffs firms.
Garlock: ACC motion to reopen estimation proceeding 'remarkably thin'
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – Now that Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges has ordered the estimation record in the Garlock Sealing Technologies case unsealed, the Asbestos Claimants’ Committee, or ACC, is seeking to reopen the estimation proceeding to conduct more discovery.