News from August 2015
NYC asbestos judge sets plans for new rules governing cases
Judge Peter Moulton won't grant the stay asked for by defendants in NYC asbestos lawsuits, but he will allow defendants to work with plaintiffs attorneys to create new rules in the case management order. NYC's asbestos docket was rated the most plaintiff-friendly by a national legal reform group last year.
FLSA Rising: Ever-shifting wage, hour standards promise to keep employers, lawyers struggling to keep up with law
Chicago attorney says issues surrounding wage and hour lawsuits make it expensive to have employees, while new revisions to FLSA could lead to even more litigation.
Law professor to take over for Arkansas SC chief justice
Howard Brill, who has been a professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law since 1975, will replace Chief Justice Jim Hannah, who is stepping down at the end of the month due to health issues.
MDL established for class actions filed over Pacquiao-Mayweather fight
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, in an order last week, selected the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to handle the litigation.
Realtor sues Megadoor, alleging failure to pay contractors prevailing wage
A real estate agent is suing Megadoor USA, alleging failure to provide a prevailing wage for its contractors and subcontractors violating federal law.
SpecialCare Hospital defendants to pay $8M to Medicaid programs for allegations of false claims
Five defendants connected with SpecialCare Hospital Management Corp. will pay $8 million to Medicaid and Medicare programs
Massachusetts construction companies to pay $1.4M for allegedly violating equal opportunity laws
Three Massachusetts construction companies will pay a total of $1.4 million to the state to resolve legal action that accused the companies of falsely certifying compliance
Health agency Empire State Home Care to pay $6M to settle reporting cost claims
Empire State Home Care, a home care agency in Brooklyn, will pay $6 million to the state to settle claims that it didn't properly report home health aid hours, said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Monday.
Massachusetts gas company to reduce proposed rate increase by $13M
Columbia Gas of Massachusetts will reduce its proposed rate increase by more than $13 million in an agreement with the state, said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey on Aug. 20.
Massachusetts race track owner and builder to pay $250K for allegations of damaging protected wetlands
- Palmer Motorsports Park and J. Read Corp., the owner and builder of a sports car race track in Massachusetts, will pay the state $250,000
Arkansas allowed to intervene in EPA lawsuit involving Clean Air Act
A federal court in Arkansas on Monday granted the state's motion to intervene in a case involving a power plant and the U.S.
Contractor being sued over its alleged mismanagement of CityTime project wants lawsuit transferred
SFN Group Inc., formerly known as Spherion Corp., filed papers to have a lawsuit filed by one of its former consultants on the timekeeping system project moved to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Conservative group sends out memo urging others to reject proposed patent reforms
The Conservative Action Project released its “Memo for the Movement” on Friday, arguing that current suggested reforms -- including the House’s Innovation Act -- are unwarranted and the result of “crony corruption.”
Class actions start to mount in federal courts following Ashley Madison data breach
So far, three class action complaints have been filed against Avid Life Media, the owner of the website that was designed to facilitate affairs, in federal courts in California and Texas.
Maryland court schedules pre-trial motions for high-profile case
The Circuit Court for Baltimore City is set to hold pre-trial motion hearings in the case of State of Maryland v. Caesar Goodson, Edward Nero, Garrett Miller, Brian Rice, Alicia White, and William Porter.
Milwaukee personal injury firm is plaintiff in class action against litigation-funder
Urban & Taylor says it received unsolicited faxes from the company and is suing under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The firm's partners are members of the 65-member board of directors for the state's trial lawyers group.
Springstone Financial to pay $700,000 to customers for alleged deceiving loan program
Springstone Financial, in Massachusetts, will pay $700,000 in restitution to victims for allegedly deceiving them through one of their lending programs, said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Aug. 19.
U.S. PTO releases new proposed rules governing PTAB proceedings
PTO Director Michelle K. Lee says the changes were proposed in response to concerns from some patent owners that they are disadvantaged by certain current rules.
Makers of Copper Fit sued over effectiveness claims of products
The makers of the Copper Fit athletic compression products are being sued for making false representations of the effectiveness of its products.
Sears sued for allegedly charging for service it never completed
Sears Holdings Corp. is being sued in California court for allegedly charging an installation fee for an HVAC system and never performing the work.