News from April 2016
New York consumer alleges Sunology misrepresents sunscreen
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - A New York woman is suing a sunscreen maker, alleging it misrepresents certain of its products.
New York customer alleges DoorDash overcharges
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - A New York woman is suing a third-party food delivery service, alleging it overcharges for the restaurant meals it delivers.
Judge dismisses suit against Marriott
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) - A lawsuit from a San Diego man against Marriott regarding alleged unsolicited telemarketing calls has been dismissed after the hotel chain made it clear that the calls weren't made by the company.
Ninth Circuit, in wake of Gomez ruling, says defendant can’t avoid class action by making deposit into court-controlled account
Allstate Insurance Company argued that a deposit of $20,000 in an escrow account would moot the named plaintiff’s claims. The Ninth Circuit, in its ruling last week, addressed an issue the U.S. Supreme Court left unresolved in Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez.
Suit filed against festival organizers after event was canceled
BATESVILLE, Ark. (Legal Newsline) – The organizers of a music festival are being sued after they canceled the festival and allegedly kept proceeds from tickets and other sales.
California customer accuses Massage Envy of conflicting contract provisions
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) - A California woman is suing a massage franchise, alleging it breaches its own membership agreement.
Florida residents allege Merrill Lynch harmed employees
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - Three Florida residents are suing Merrill Lynch, alleging it harmed certain employees after selling off its international business.
Federal judge: Law protects against transgender discrimination
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) — Over the last decade, federal courts and a federal agency have agreed that a law protecting people from sex discrimination also includes discrimination based on a person’s gender identity or transition from one gender to the other.
FTC sends 'strong message' over native ads, paid promotions on social media with Lord & Taylor settlement
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Companies using social media influencers or native advertising to promote their products should pay attention to the settlement between Lord & Taylor and the Federal Trade Commission, New York attorney Adam Z. Solomon says.
Pre-trial motions hearing set for Maryland v. Nero and Rice
A pre-trial motions hearing is scheduled for the cases of State of Maryland v. Edward Nero and State of Maryland v. Brian Rice.
CDA bars action claiming websites facilitated sex trafficking
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has delivered a win to Backpage.com in the case of three young girls who alleged they were victims of human trafficking after the website ran online prostitution ads featuring them, affirming that websites are immune under the Communications Decency Act (CDA).
States take range of action following varied fantasy sports opinions
With the question of the legality of daily fantasy sports popping up on a state-by-state basis, one thing is certain: The controversy isn’t going away.
Internet marketing training company to cease Iowa solicitation
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced at the end of March that it has reached an agreement with an internet marketing and training company to cease solicitation to Iowa residents.
Iowa AG alleges consumer fraud against Success Publishers
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller announced this month that money-making schemes and other mail-based announcements of this kind from a New Jersey company will stop targeting state residents.
West Virginia AG seeks change in methadone rules for state prescription drug monitoring programs
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey recently joined a coalition of 33 states requesting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to permit methadone clinics to provide state prescription drug monitoring programs with dispensing data.
Arizona man allegedly conducted illegal credit card scheme, attorney general announces
PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) – Andrew James May of Scottsdale has been indicted on six felony counts after an alleged credit card scheme, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced.
Court dismisses Google's lawsuit against Mississippi attorney general
JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) – Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has dismissed Google’s federal lawsuit against him, a move that will allow Hood’s office to continue its case alleging the company facilitates illegal behavior.
New Jersey AG details local woman's alleged scheme to swindle elderly citizens
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – New Jersey Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy announced that Jan Van Holt, the owner of an in-home senior care company in Atlantic County, plead guilty to allegedly participating in a scheme with her sister and a lawyer to steal millions of dollars from elderly clients.
Illinois AG sends letters to national retail companies debating use of 'on-call' shifts
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) – Along with seven other states and the District of Columbia, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sent letters to national retail companies expressing concern over the companies’ use of “on-call” shifts for employees.
Pathways and TeamBuilders cleared in New Mexico behavioral health care provider audits
SANTA FE, N.M. (Legal Newsline) – New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas recently announced that Pathways and TeamBuilders, the two remaining providers involved in the Public Consulting Group behavioral health care audit, have been cleared of fraud.