News from March 2018
Colonial Pipeline reaches agreement with Alabama for 2016 equipment ruptures
MONTGOMERY — Colonial Pipeline has entered into an agreement with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall to resolve allegations involving the company's 2016 gasoline pipeline ruptures and releases.
Virginia alleges loan shark company charged consumers 183% interest
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) — Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced a lawsuit March 7 against Future Income Payments LLC; FIP LLC; and their owner, Scott Kohn (collectively, "FIP"), for allegations of charging consumers illegal loans with interest rates as high as 183 percent annually.
SEC accuses N.Y. Stock Exchange of regulatory failures
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced March 6 that it has charged the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and two affiliates exchanges with regulatory failures.
National Grid to pay $7 million in Massachusetts after allegedly charging improper fees
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced March 7 that National Grid will pay $7 million to resolve allegations of improperly charging $50 service fees to 53,000 customers.
Controversial class action settlement changed after intervention from AGs, DOJ and CCAF
CAMDEN, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – Representatives for the Department of Justice and a group of state attorneys general showed up to a New Jersey courtroom March 19 to voice concerns with a controversial class action settlement that initially paid plaintiffs attorneys $1.7 million while providing $2 per bottle-sold coupons to class members.
Arkansas AG, GOP colleagues criticized litigation strategy on climate, embrace it on opioids
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge was a vocal critic of the aggressive litigation tactics her Democratic colleagues used against the oil industry over climate change. But she’s taken a different approach toward the opioid crisis.
SCOTUS decision changes everything in Missouri mass tort cases; Once-$72M verdict will stay vacated
ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) – The Missouri Supreme Court's decision earlier this month to not review a talcum powder case against Johnson & Johnson, leaving vacated a once-$72 million verdict signals that the "Show-Me State is now a less tort-friendly place," a mass tort litigator says.
California attorney general opposes HUD suspension of fair housing rule
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced March 7 that he has issued a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in which he opposed HUD’s suspension of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule.
Arizona secures up to $6.28 million in consumer restitution from General Motors
PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) — Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced March 7 that General Motors LLC will pay up to $6.28 in restitution to Arizona consumers after a settlement involving ignition switches in its vehicles.
California issues statement regarding immigration enforcement case
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced March 6 that he had issued a statement following a decision by the U.S., District Court for the Northern District of California to deny the federal government’s motion to dismiss and the state’s motion for preliminary injunction in a case involving federal funding for state law enforcement.
Court denies dismissal request by A.V.M. Enterprises in TCPA fax case; No business relationship existed, judge rules
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut denied a dismissal request submitted on Feb. 2 by Tennessee corporation A.V.M. Enterprises Inc. in a lawsuit brought by Gorss Motels Inc., a Connecticut company, over allegations A.V.M. sent unsolicited advertisements to the motel business between June 2015 and May 2016.
Home Depot settles hazardous waste allegations in California for $27.84 million
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced March 8 that Home Depot U.S.A. (Home Depot) will pay $27.84 million for allegedly allowing the disposal of hazardous waste at many of its stores and facilities in California.
Consumer board seeks comments on how it conducts rulemaking process
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced March 7 that it has issued a request for information (RFI) about the way it conducts its rulemaking process, and it is seeking comments from businesses and the general public.
Long Island pediatrics practice to pay $750,000 for alleged False Claims violations
HOLBROOK, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced March 7 that Freed, Kleinberg, Nussbaum, Festa & Kronberg M.D LLP, a pediatrics practice on Long Island, will pay $750,000 in a joint settlement with New York and the United States after allegations of submitting false claims to Medicaid.
Consumer board seeks public comments analyzing method for reporting complaints
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced March 1 that it has issued a request for information (RFI) to secure public comments about how the bureau conducts its public reporting of consumer complaints.
New York: Royal Bank of Scotland to pay $500 million to resolve role in financial crisis
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced March 6 that Royal Bank of Scotland will pay $500 million after allegations of deceptive practices and misleading conduct in in the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) in the lead-up to the financial crisis.
Southwest Mississippi Electric Power, facing lawsuit over profit surplus, moves to compel arbitration
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Legal Newsline) – In a move to stay a lawsuit in Mississippi federal court, Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association submitted a motion to compel arbitration and stay litigation on March 2.
New York secures $575,000 settlement from EmblemHealth after consumer security mishap
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced March 6 that EmblemHealth and wholly owned subsidiary Group Health Incorporated (“EmblemHealth”) will pay $575,000 and implement a corrective action plan after allegations that 81,122 Social Security numbers were accidentally disclosed on a mailing due to a mailing error.
Los Angeles Waterkeeper, waste management company agree to settlement in stormwater pollution case
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A Santa Monica-based environmental water quality nonprofit settled a lawsuit with a waste management corporation after the company agreed to upgrade its water treatment systems for storm runoff.
EPA secures settlement over manganese emissions along Pennsylvania-Ohio border
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced March 7 that S.H. Bell Co. must monitor and take measures to reduce manganese emissions from its 92-acre raw products storage and handling facility along border of Pennsylvania and Ohio in Ohioville, Pennsylvania. and East Liverpool, Ohio.