News from March 2020
Facebook accused of stealing artificial intelligence algorithms
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – A Massachusetts technology company has sued one of its former employees and Facebook for allegedly stealing algorithms for artificial intelligence programs.
Indiana Supreme Court doesn't give plaintiffs more time to file product liability cases
INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) — The Indiana Supreme Court has concluded a section of the state code has a time limitation for legal action that can't be extended by post-delivery fixes, refurbishments or reconstruction of the product in question.
House passes coronavirus relief bill with limited liability protection for medical mask makers
A coronavirus relief bill passed by the House of Representatives early Saturday morning fell short of what medical mask manufacturers had sought to reduce their liability risks during the crisis.
Trump campaign wants federal judge to dismiss lawsuit against it over text messages
MINNEAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) — Attorneys for Donald Trump's campaign have asked a federal judge to dismiss, compel arbitration in or stay a lawsuit over text messages it allegedly sent without permission.
Tupperware deceived investors on trouble with Mexico enterprise, class action suit says
FT. MYERS, Florida (Legal Newsline) – Tupperware Brands Corp. misled investors about a business it owned in Mexico, according to a class action lawsuit.
Tropicana sued over alleged presence of artificial flavors
CHICAGO – Tropicana Manufacturing Co. Inc. deceives consumers by failing to disclose artificial flavors in its juice drinks, a federal class-action lawsuit alleges.
Democrats pressed to back coronavirus legislation that protects mask-makers from lawsuits
House Democrats have agreed this week to extend some liability protections to manufacturers of masks that can protect health professionals from the coronavirus, Legal Newsline has learned.
Man who sued Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for blocking him on Twitter abandons lawsuit
Representing himself, plaintiff didn't act on claim stemming from Twitter block
StubHub begins defense in racketeering lawsuit against it
Ticket reseller accused of owing millions in unpaid commissions
Politically generous lawyers poised to take billions from opioid settlement
CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) - Their request for some $3 billion in fees has generated fierce resistance from state attorneys general and defendants, but don’t worry about the financial states of private lawyers who represent thousands of municipal plaintiffs in opioid litigation.
The goal of climate change litigation in Rhode Island? Finding a 'sustainable funding stream'
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – Money was on the minds of Rhode Island officials who sued the energy industry when they couldn't convince state lawmakers to address climate change, according to records obtained by Energy Policy Advocates and submitted Tuesday to a federal appeals court.
Landlord not liable for death of tenant caused by stray bullet
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has affirmed the lower court's decision which found Verdure, LLC, as a landlord, owed no duty to a tenant who was killed by a stray bullet.
Loan company finds trouble with feds over agreements with veterans
AIKEN, S.C. (Legal Newsline) - A South Carolina company broke state and federal law through its involvement in high-interest loans to veterans who used their disability checks to repay them, according to a federal lawsuit.
No new defamation trial for Minnesota murder suspect who was cleared
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline) — The Minnesota Supreme Court found that reporting privileges protect news reports regarding certain statements made in police press conferences that were later reported on by media outlets.
Oil company misled investors, suit says
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. misled investors about the value of one its oil fields, according to a class action lawsuit.
Immunity doesn't extend to Native American-owned business, Arizona Supreme Court rules
PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) — The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that a tribal entity did not prove it is entitled to share in a tribe's sovereign immunity, and subsequently that a superior court did not err when it denied an business' motion to dismiss a lawsuit.
Lawmakers in Oklahoma, West Virginia the latest to call for rejection of ALI's insurance Restatement
PHILADELPHIA – Oklahoma and West Virginia can be added to the growing list of states seeking to formally reject the American Law Institute’s controversial Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance - a project that some see as evidence of an ideological shift at the organization that amounts to a power-trip.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION: Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit
Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc., a global supplier of automotive parts located in Monroe, Ga., will pay $85,000 and provide other significant relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced.
BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS: Bradley Partners Carol Van Cleef and Erin Illman Recognized as Women Law Firm Leaders in Blockchain by Bloomberg Law
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings issued the following announcement on March 6.Bradley attorneys Carol Van Cleef and Erin Illman were recognized by Bloomberg Law for being female leaders in the cryptocurrency law sector.
Arkansas Supreme Court says law was improperly applied in class action against Fort Smith
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) — The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that a circuit court erroneously interpreted the law when it concluded that a defendant waived its right to compel a pretrial notice.