News from February 2017
Florida customer accuses Cheesecake Factory of violating federal law
MIAMI (Legal Newsline) — A Florida man has filed a class action lawsuit against the Cheesecake Factory, alleging violation of federal law.
Iowa SC reinstates slip-and-fall after proper defendant found
BOISE, Idaho (Legal Newsline) – On Jan. 19, the Idaho Supreme Court vacated a lower court's dismissal of a slip-and-fall lawsuit against Snake River Peterson Properties by Geralyn Gallagher.
IPC Healthcare's successor to pay $60 million for allegedly violating False Claims Act
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Feb. 6 that TeamHealth Holdings, a successor in interest to IPC Healthcare Inc., will pay $60 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act.
Request for full court hearing in Trump immigration case is 'encouraging,' observer says
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – A sua sponte request for a vote has been made by the chief judge of the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit begging the question that something was missed in the initial decision to deny the restraining order in the immigration suit brought forth by the states of Washington and Minnesota against President Donald Trump.
NE Diving to pay $64,000 for allegedly violating Massachusetts wage laws
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Jan. 26 that Northeast Diving Services LLC (NE Diving) and owner Richard B. Spring will pay $64,000 in restitution and penalties after allegations of failing to pay employees the prevailing wage rate for work on the town of Falmouth Long Pond Water Treatment Facility public works project.
Connecticut targets Fairfield County doctor, husband for alleged False Claims Act violations
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) — Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen announced a lawsuit Feb. 2 against a Fairfield County doctor and her husband, a University of Connecticut employee, for alleged violations of the Connecticut False Claims Act.
Traffic crash victim accuses helicopter transport business of overcharging
CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) — Two Ohio men are suing a helicopter transport company, alleging breach of contract and unfair competition.
Consumers sue over trailer tire
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — Three consumers have filed a class action lawsuit against tire businesses, alleging breach of warranty, fraud and negligent misrepresentation.
Oakland consumer accuses Bayer of unfair competition
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) — An Oakland consumer has filed a class action lawsuit against the Bayer pharmaceutical company, alleging breach of warranty, unfair competition and unjust enrichment.
LG hit with class action over V10 phones
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — A California consumer has filed a class action lawsuit against mobile phone businesses, alleging breach of implied warranty, breach of warranty, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair competition.
Class action against Vitamin Shoppe filed over St. John's Wort
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) — An Illinois consumer has filed a class action lawsuit against a vitamin business, alleging fraud and negligent misrepresentation.
Shareholder alleges therapeutics business violated federal law
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — A shareholder has filed a class action lawsuit against a therapeutics business, alleging violation of federal law.
Ninth Circuit rejects class action settlement approved by magistrate
MIAMI (Legal Newsline) – A federal appeals court has ruled a magistrate judge abused her discretion to approve a class action settlement by giving the green light to an agreement that required members to give up their rights to seek damages in exchange for injunctive relief that had no value.
Advocacy groups file lawsuit over Trump’s ‘one-in, two-out’ regulation executive order
The groups take issue with President Donald Trump’s Jan. 30 order, “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs,” which calls for rescinding two government regulations for every new rule introduced, along with interim guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, Feb. 2.
Defendant makes unusual move in class action, embraces more discovery
CINCINNATI (Legal Newsline) – A defendant in an Ohio class action was successful in an unusual discovery move seeking to identify the scope of a possible class, which will affect its defense strategy, a Carlton Fields attorney says.
Consumer board targets law firms over alleged illegal fees
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) —The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Jan. 30 that it has filed a complaint in federal court against a group of law firms and attorneys who allegedly collaborated to charge illegal fees to consumers seeking debt relief.
Abbott's attempt to exit Alere merger could set precedent
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) – Pending litigation in Delaware between Abbott Laboratories and Alere may set new precedents in the state if the court agrees to let Abbott back out of the proposed merger.
Class action filed against Logitech
TRENTON, N.J. (Legal Newsline) — Two consumers have filed a class action lawsuit against a California tech company, alleging breach of implied warranty, breach of warranty and unjust enrichment.
SEC bans private equity adviser Scott Landress from securities industry
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced Feb. 7 that Scott M. Landress, a private equity adviser, has been barred from the securities industry and will need to pay $1.25 million in penalties after allegedly withdrawing improper fees from two private equity funds he managed.
EEOC alleges Pioneer Health Services committed disability discrimination
JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced a lawsuit Feb. 3 against Pioneer Health Services Inc., a health care company in rural Georgia, alleging it unlawfully discriminated against an employee due to her disability.