News from October 2014
Obama continues to push for patent reform
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - President Barack Obama says he is focused on moving forward with legislation aimed at combating so-called “patent trolls.”
Cargill agrees to $6.1M settlement over labeling of Truvia; attorneys request $1.8M
HONOLULU (Legal Newsline) - Cargill agreed to a settlement with class members who alleged the claims that its Truvia sweeteners were natural were misleading.
Husband-and-wife plaintiffs lawyers' lifetime Texas donations surge past $21M mark
HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) – They aren’t the Koch brothers, yet, but Houston trial lawyers Steve and Amber Mostyn have certainly impacted the political scene in recent years, donating more than $21 million of their wealth to Texas candidates and committees.
Hannity calls Davis’ wheelchair attack ad ‘one of the most outrageous ever’
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) – A Fox News host called an attack ad recently released by Texas Sen. Wendy Davis, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, “one of the most outrageous attack ads ever” on his program.
Wash. attorney general challenges power company's proposed rate increase
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is recommending a significant decrease in the 9.5 residential rate hike proposed by PacifiCorp, which operates as Pacific Power and Light Company in Washington.
Calif. reaches $28.4 million settlement with rent-to-own company
California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris reached a $28.4 million settlement with Aaron's Inc. on Monday, resolving allegations that America's second largest rent-to-own company violated the state's consumer protection and privacy laws.
Four more years of ‘pay-to-play’ if DeWine returns as Ohio AG, says Dem challenger
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) – Expected to win in a landslide, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, if re-elected, will continue to award special counsel contracts to law firms who contribute heavily to his campaign, according to the Democrat facing him in the general election.
Avis Budget Rental Car sued over customers' traffic tickets
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) - A Florida woman is suing Avis Budget Rental Car Group LLC for charging drivers for traffic tickets incurred while renting Avis vehicles without providing the renters the opportunity to contest the fines.
Ohio court affirms Hodgkin's lymphoma-stricken man's award in asbestos case
CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) – An Ohio appeals court has affirmed a jury verdict in favor of a plaintiff who alleged he developed Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a result of asbestos exposure.
Third Circuit rules against plaintiff who 'just knew' asbestos was used in Navy vessels
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has ruled that summary judgment was proper in an asbestos case where the decedent’s only evidence was that he “just knew” asbestos was used in the products at issue.
Sophisticated user doctrine rejected in Calif. asbestos case
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – A California judge has rejected an asbestos defendant’s argument that a San Francisco case was collateral estoppel of a connected Pennsylvania case where summary judgment was granted based on the “sophisticated user” doctrine.
Antitrust case results in $450K settlement in Texas
Editor's note: A previous version of this article and its headline incorrectly stated that Rathmann & Associates agreed to pay a $450,000 civil penalty.
EPA accused of collaboration with anti-mining activists, violating advisory committees law
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Legal Newsline) – The Environmental Protection Agency secretly collaborated with environmental activists to prevent a mining project in Alaska, a recently filed lawsuit against the EPA alleges.
Texas financial advisor agrees to pay $450,000 in penalties
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott reached a settlement on Friday with R. Craig Rathmann and his firm, Rathmann & Associates L.P., over anti-trust allegations that resulted in Houston-area municipal utility districts paying inflated underwriting fees for bond refundings.
Kentucky joins in $28 million settlement with Extendicare Health Services
The commonwealth of Kentucky joined seven states and the federal government in a $28 million settlement with Extendicare Health Service Inc. and its subsidiary Progressive Step Corporation (ProStep), Attorney General Jack Conway announced on Friday.
Mo. AG negotiates $1.5 million settlement over mismanaged trust
Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster obtained a $1.5 million settlement for the University of Missouri and Three Rivers College on Friday in a case involving the mismanaged James Adams trust
N.Y. specialty pharmacy to pay $846,000 in restitution
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - CareMed Pharmaceutical Services agreed to pay $846,224 in restitution to Medicaid as part of a settlement with the state of New York, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced Thursday.
Citigroup to return $16 million in fee overcharges
YONKERS, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (CGMI) will return $16 million in overcharges to more than 31,000 of its customers nationwide as part of a settlement reached with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.