News from July 2016
FTC settles with Ross-Clayton Funeral Home after allegations of violating Funeral Rule
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced Ross-Clayton Funeral Home Inc. will settle allegations it violated the Funeral Rule, which requires funeral providers to disclose pricing and important information to consumers when going over funeral arrangements.
FTC settlers with Warner Bros. over video game marketing tactics
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced it has settled with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. after allegations Warner deceived consumers during a marketing campaign for the video game "Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor."
EEOC targets RTG Furniture for alleged pregnancy discrimination
RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced a lawsuit against RTG Furniture Corp. of Georgia, a Florida corporation operating Rooms to Go furniture stores and distribution centers around the country, for allegations of violating federal anti-pregnancy discrimination laws.
New York attorney general targets Armor for allegedly failing duties to NCCC
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has filed a lawsuit against Armor Correctional Health Medical Services (Armor) for allegedly failing to provide proper medical services to inmates in Nassau County as mandated by its contract with Nassau County Correctional Center (NCCC).
U.S. DOJ defends Labor Department’s fiduciary rule in court filing, says injunction would be ‘detrimental’
Last month, the National Association for Fixed Annuities, or NAFA, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The DOJ, on behalf of the DOL and Perez, filed its own proposed order with the D.C. federal court last week, arguing the rule is necessary to “safeguard the retirement savings of millions of American consumers.”
Wyo. fracking case signals end of court deference to federal agencies, environmental attorney says
CASPER, Wyo. (Legal Newsline) – The Ute Indian Tribe's victory in federal court earlier this month fending off Bureau of Land Management-imposed fracking rules included a number of surprises, an environmental attorney said during a recent interview.
Spalding basketball lawsuit an example of class-action abuse, tort reform group says
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline)—A class-action lawsuit alleging the Spalding
Neverflat basketball does not perform as advertised is cited by a civil justice
reform organization as an example of the judicial abuse it is fighting to
change.
Race-based university admissions policies are unconstitutional despite Supreme Court decision, Pacific Legal Foundation attorney says
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold the University of Texas' race-based admissions policy is a disappointment to Pacific Legal Foundation, which maintains the practice is unconstitutional, a foundation attorney said during an interview this week.
After Spokeo decision, still much confusion on standing for privacy suits
GREEN BAY, Wisc. (Legal Newsline) —Nearly two months after a U.S. Supreme Court decision about when people are allowed to sue over privacy violations or the spreading of incorrect information, lower court rulings are not coming to any consensus, according to a privacy advocate.
NYC juries award $28M in two June asbestos trials against Burnham
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) —Law firm Belluck and Fox LLP won two multi-million verdicts in asbestos cases against Burnham LLC in June, and one of the lawyers in the case said he doesn’t expect the pace of such cases to slow, even decades after asbestos left common use.
‘Self-help discovery’ ruling could cause complications for employers, lawyer says
BOSTON (Legal Newsline)—A Massachusetts Supreme Court decision involving a lawyer who claimed she was fired in retaliation for claiming discrimination could have implications in every industry and at every level of a business, according to a lawyer who studied the case.
Group uses anti-SLAPP motion to fight climate change inquiry
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A District of Columbia-based organization recently filed an anti-SLAPP motion in D.C. Superior Court after objecting to a subpoena that originated in the United States Virgin Islands by its attorney general Claude E. Walker.
Group tracking 61 federal class actions over alleged fictitious pricing
CALABASAS, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – Fictitious pricing lawsuits, like the
one filed recently against Harbor Freight Tools USA by a class of customers
“appear to be trending,” according to TruthinAdvertising.org executive director Bonnie Patten.
Second Circuit declines Visa, MasterCard antitrust settlement
The federal appeals court rejected the deal reached between the credit card issuers, various banks and plaintiff merchants. The class, in its lawsuit, took issue with the fees that merchants, and ultimately consumers, pay on all credit and debit card transactions. The Second Circuit, in its June 30 opinion, said the plaintiffs were “inadequately represented” in violation of Rule 23(a)(4) and the Due Process Clause.
DOJ announces settlement with En Pointe Gov. and associated businesses
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – The Department of Justice announced that En Pointe Gov. Inc., En Pointe Technologies Inc., En Pointe Technologies Sales Inc., Dominguez East Holdings LLC and Din Global Corp., all of Gardena, California, will pay $5.8 million after allegations of violating the False Claims Act.
Chemet OKs agreement with Justice Department, EPA to examine East Helena plant
DENVER (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced a settlement with American Chemet Corp. (Chemet) that will allow the organizations to look into hazardous substance contamination at the company’s plant within the East Helena, Montana, Superfund site. The agreement will go before public comment for 30 days.
Bronx consumer accuses Sun Products of negligent misrepresentation
NEW YORK — A Bronx consumer is suing Sun Products alleging, violation of the deceptive and unfair trade practices act.
CFPB, Justice Department target BancorpSouth for discrimination allegations
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have announced the filing of a complaint against BancorpSouth Bank, alleging the company violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against African- Americans and other minority consumers.
Contractor banned from working in New Jersey, ordered to pay $1.1 million
NEWARK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) — The office of acting New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino has announced a Superior Court judge has banned Leroy N. Brown, an unregistered home improvement contractor, from working on homes in New Jersey. Brown also has been ordered to pay $1.1 million after allegedly violating the state’s consumer protection laws and regulations on at least 410 occasions.
FTC drops complaint against Cabell Huntington Hospital, St. Mary's Medical Center
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced it will dismiss its complaint against Cabell Huntington Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center after it had alleged their proposed merger violated U.S. antitrust laws.