News from May 2016
Are 'Restatements' from prominent group reshaping law?
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A series of memos that energized a core opposition of more than 100 lawyers won the day at a packed Ritz-Carlton ballroom.
FTC adds three defendants in alleged tech support scam
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced it has added three new defendants to an ongoing case against an alleged tech support scam.
U.S. Senate passes resolution to block DOL’s fiduciary rule
The rule, sometimes referred to as the conflicts of interest rule, mandates financial professionals who service individual retirement accounts, including IRAs and 401(k) plans, to serve the “best interest” of the savers and disclose conflicts of interest.
California customer alleges Utz falsely represents chips
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A California man is suing a food company, alleging it misrepresents certain potato chips.
Intercept alleges Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's actions void
FARGO, N.D. (Legal Newsline) - A payroll processing company is suing the Consumer Financial Protection Board, alleging its director has unconstitutional power.
3 consumers allege Kellogg's misrepresents 'whole grain' crackers
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - Three women are suing Kellog's, alleging it misrepresents certain of its crackers.
Retirement board's new figures indicate massive increase for False Claims Act penalties
HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) — A rule recently issued by the Federal Railroad Retirement Board likely points to penalties under the False Claims Act nearly doubling starting on Aug. 1.
What is 'healthy?' FDA to re-consider meaning of term
SILVER SPRING, Md. (Legal Newsline) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is re-evaluating the meaning of the term "healthy" for use on food labels.
Environmental coalition sues EPA over wastewater guidelines
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia, seeking to force it to revise and publish new guidelines for the handling of oil and gas waste, in particular wastewater associated with the oil mining method known as fracking.
Rising shareholder class actions an 'important issue'
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – With a Cornerstone Research report recently revealing that the number of accounting securities class action lawsuits went up again in 2015, Dorsey & Whitney LLP partner Thomas O. Gorman told Legal Newsline that “firms would be well advised to carefully evaluate their compliance programs and internal controls to ensure they are effective.”
Department of Education increases investigations into website compliance with ADA
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – School districts and educational institutions across the country take heed: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has recently opened as many as 350 nationwide investigations to determine whether educational agencies’ websites are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Complaints about Subaru Outback's lights preceded class action
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — The federal agency responsible for taking consumer complaints about vehicle defects has recorded roughly 90 complaints about 2010 and 2011 Subaru Outbacks whose exterior lights allegedly fail frequently and prematurely.
Attorney: CFPB study shows arbitration more often benefits consumers
Defense attorney Matt Stromquist joins academics, industry and federal lawmakers in criticizing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s set of proposed rules prohibiting mandatory arbitration clauses that prevent class action lawsuits and the study upon which they’re based. Stromquist also takes issue with how arbitration has been depicted in recent months.
EEOC announces $45,000 settlement with Office Concepts Inc.
INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that Office Concepts Inc. will pay $45,000 to settle allegations of pregnancy discrimination.
FTC approves final order in case against Henry Schein Practice Solutions
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that, after a public comment period, it has approved a final order that resolves allegations Henry Schein Practice Solutions Inc. falsely advertised the level of encryption it provided to protect patient data.
FTC settles with Lunada over allegations of deceptive marketing
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Lunada Biomedical Inc. and its three principals settled allegations of deceptive marketing related to the dietary supplement, Amberen.
FTC approves final consent order in Lord & Taylor case
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has approved a final consent order after public comment that settles allegations Lord & Taylor failed to properly disclose paid native advertising and online endorsements for its products.
EEOC accuses Covenant Transport of disability discrimination
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced it has filed a lawsuit against Covenant Transport Inc., charging the trucking company with violations of federal disability laws.
Public interest firm takes fight over class action settlement to U.S. SC
The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Class Action Fairness filed a petition with the nation’s highest court last week, asking for review of a settlement that awarded $5 million in fees to class counsel. CCAF argues the deal -- one of two reached over the sale of personal data reports to debt collectors -- is unfair to the class.
California consumer alleges F. Gavinia & Sons misrepresents coffees
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - A California man is suing a coffee products company, alleging it misrepresents certain of its flavored coffees.