News from March 2019
Wrongful death trial begins in Mass. court against R.J. Reynolds, grocery store chain
DEDHAM, Mass. (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys representing the estate of a Massachusetts nurse who smoked Newports and died of lung cancer seven years ago is arguing the tobacco industry is to blame, while defense attorneys say the woman never attempted to quit.
Neb. company fights subpoena in dispute over Fla. measure that would list governor candidates in a new way on ballots
LINCOLN, Neb. (Legal Newsline) – A software company is fighting a subpoena in a lawsuit over the constitutionality of a Florida statue that challenges the order of the names listed on the ballot for the gubernatorial election, saying the subpoena seeks the disclosure of confidential information.
George Mason's Scalia Law School receives a $50 million grant for new academic chairs
FAIRFAX, Va. (Legal Newsline) – The Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Virginia has received a $50 million grant, the largest in the school's history.
Two Rivers Coffee owners allege they do not owe fees to Texas law firm because it was discharged for cause
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – A father and son who own a New Jersey business are making a case for why they don’t owe legal fees to a Texas law firm that represented the business in a lawsuit.
Texas lawmakers say the ALI's insurance law project 'not worthy of recognition by the courts'
AUSTIN, Texas – In response to the controversial passage of the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance last year, legislation has recently been filed by Texas lawmakers to discourage its being relied upon by courts.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION: Sys-con, LLC to Pay $70,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
Sys-Con, LLC, a Sys-Con, LLC, a Montgomery, Ala.-based general contractor, will pay two former female employees a total of $70,000 and furnish other relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced.
ARKANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Rutledge Announces Over $300,000 Restitution for Social Security Fraud
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced a Conway County man has been sentenced to probation and to pay more than $300,000 in restitution for social security fraud.
Litigious Louisiana municipalities the focus of Federalist Society event
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) – The New Orleans Lawyers Chapter of The Federalist Society held an event at Galatoire's in New Orleans to discuss class action litigation on March 8.
Dissent in Sandy Hook decision says Conn. SC misread federal law, victims shouldn't be allowed to sue Remington
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The Connecticut Supreme Court has said family members of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre can sue the manufacturer of the Bushmaster rifle used in the assault under a theory the company’s advertising violated the state consumer protection statute.
DOJ urges appeals court to throw out NYC's global warming lawsuit
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – In a brief filed March 7 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it supports the dismissal of New York City's climate change lawsuit against the oil industry.
Class action lawyers can benefit from new push for automatic renewal laws; Two states and D.C. follow California's lead
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Class action lawyers can take advantage of a recent trend in state legislation to adopt measures similar to a California law that prevents the automatic renewal of certain memberships and subscriptions, like to gyms and magazines.
Bulgarian lawyer files fraud allegations against Dixon Attorneys, Gibbons PC in $10M suit over legal fees
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – A Bulgaria-based lawyer who does business in New York is suing two law firms and an individual attorney claiming mishandling of trust funds, fraudulent billing, double billing, misrepresenting work performed and dereliction of their legal duties. He is seeking $10 million in damages plus interest, costs and more.
Brian Cummings helps patients, families find justice in malpractice cases
A resident physician’s undetected error may have cost a patient her life during treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center – just the type of case Nashville attorney Brian Cummings seeks to address.
Johnson & Johnson, not asked to testify on talc, alleges Congressional hearing was biased against it
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Johnson & Johnson, a company facing enormous liability concerns stemming from thousands of lawsuits that claim there is cancer-causing asbestos in its products, believes a Democrat-led House hearing on the alleged dangers of talc and consumer products was biased against it.
Plaintiff's family says mesothelioma is hell, but Johnson & Johnson argues its products are not the cause
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – This week in a New Jersey talc trial, relatives of the plaintiff recounted their experiences with his mesothelioma, while an epidemiologist testified for Johnson & Johnson that the company's talc-based products could not have caused the illness.
Class action lawsuit: Saints fans who bought tickets to NFC title game deserved better than that finish
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - The penalty call not heard ’round the world – one that many believe would have sent the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl instead of the L.A. Rams – is being resurrected in a lawsuit filed against the National Football League (NFL) on behalf of everyone who bought a ticket to the infamous NFC championship game in January.
Hershey says class action lawyers recruited plaintiffs through a website; Fight over subpoena ensues
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) – Chocolate maker Hershey's, who was sued by some customers regarding alleged artificial flavoring in its Brookside dark chocolate products and has moved to dismiss the case, is now facing challenges of its subpoena against the plaintiff's lawyer.
Virginia doesn't want one of Bloomberg's environmental prosecutors sent to its AG's office
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) – Virginia’s two houses of its General Assembly have taken a stand against Bloomberg Philanthropies' attempt to hire environmental activist lawyers to sue major companies such as Exxon and Chevron over global warming.
Mississippi law firm amends complaint in lawsuit over fee-splitting arrangement
JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) -- As previously reported by Legal Newsline, a Mississippi law firm is suing attorneys and law firms on counts of negligence, breach of duty, and fraud, regarding fees.
Human trafficking victim files suit against a different Promise Keepers (not the well-known nonprofit) to recoup nearly $8M
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Legal Newsline) – A new lawsuit says a human trafficking victim who was awarded nearly $8 million is going after a group that she believes is linked to the cult that trafficked her.