News from April 2021
Atlanta businesses seek injunctive relief against City to maintain signs
In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against the City of Atlanta, local businesses are seeking injunctive relief from enforcement of regarding nonconforming signs under a 1982 sign ordinance they allege is unconstitutional in its entirety.
South Carolina judge can boot asbestos lawyer from her court, like Iowa colleague did
CHARLESTON, S.C. (Legal Newsline) – Shunned from an Iowa courtroom for turning in paperwork that ignored a history of disciplinary measures against her, a Dallas asbestos lawyer now waits to see if she’ll be allowed to continue working in one of her firm’s preferred jurisdictions.
Court delays $1.1 million payment to lawyers until class redeems coupons
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) - In a victory for objectors who complain that class-action settlements too often feature cash fees for the lawyers but worthless coupons for their clients, a federal judge has put a law firm’s million-dollar fee on hold until he sees how many coupons consumers actually redeem.
Big Fortnite settlement challenged by class action lawyers wanting to pursue their own claims
RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – The second front of class action lawyers’ attack on their colleagues’ $26.5 million settlement over in-game purchases in Fortnite has begun.
Lawsuit filed over chemicals seeping into macaroni and cheese
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – Class action lawyers are targeting General Mills with a lawsuit that claims macaroni and cheese contains phthalates.
Airlines say new San Francisco law goes too far
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – An air travel trade group is suing the city and county of San Francisco over a new law regarding health care benefits for airline employees.
Infant thoracic surgery leads to loss of motor function, says malpractice lawsuit
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - The New Jersey parents of an infant have filed a medical malpractice suit in the New York Supreme Court related to a surgery that allegedly left the child initially paralyzed, then without full motor function on her right side.
Louisiana Supreme Court tosses $6 million verdict over tugboat-damaged oyster beds
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - Louisiana’s highest court reversed a $6 million verdict stemming from the collision of two of the state’s most important industries, oyster fishing and commercial shipping. The court cited unreliable testimony from a plaintiff expert who lacked the proper background to testify that silt from a grounded tugboat decimated oyster production across a large area.
CFPB says new rule, under assault from community groups, will help smaller lenders
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – A District of Columbia federal judge now has arguments from both sides in the dispute over whether a new rule changing how mortgage data is collected is “arbitrary and capricious.”
Judge: Class action lawyers suing Nestle never said what product their client bought
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) – Be more specific, a federal judge is demanding of class action lawyers who claim Nestle made misleading statements about the origin of the cocoa it uses.
Law firm leases a Tundra, sues Toyota over echo on hands-free phone
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) – An Illinois law firm wants to be the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against Toyota over an alleged echo in its hands-free phone system.
Three say NYC cops chased, arrested them without cause
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – New York City and several of its police officers are facing a civil lawsuit that claims the cops chased, assaulted and arrested three individuals without reason to.
Lawsuit alleges violence by cops at police brutality protest
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Police brutality protestors say that is exactly what happened to them in Washington D.C.
Company that invests in lawsuits just donated $100K to New York's trial lawyers
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A Florida company that advances loans to plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits has donated $100,000 to the New York State Trial Lawyers Association in a move one tort-reform advocate described as an attempt to influence lawmakers considering tighter regulation of the industry.
Maryland courts to resume jury trials with COVID-19 safety measures
The Maryland Judiciary is set to enter Phase V of its COVID-19 emergency reopening plan.
Another lawsuit says Arkansas billionaire recruited women at strip clubs, then drugged and trapped them
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) – Arkansas billionaire Terry Flaming faces a fourth lawsuit alleging that he and his companies created a human trafficking scheme.
GREENBERG TRAURIG LLP: City & State Names Greenberg Traurig’s Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick and Edward C. Wallace to Law Power 100 List
City & State has named former Court of Appeals Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s National Appellate Practice Group, and former New York City official Ed Wallace, co-chair of the firm’s New York City office to the City & State 2021 Law Power 100 list.
BALLARD SPAHR LLP: Experienced Commercial Lawyer and Litigator Steven A. Burkhart Joins Ballard Spahr in Baltimore
Steve Burkhart—a commercial lawyer and litigator with more than 25 years of experience who for over a decade was vice president, general counsel, and secretary at BIC—has joined Ballard Spahr, firm Chair Mark Stewart announced.
HUSCH BLACKWELL LLP: Five from Husch Blackwell Earn JD Supra 2021 Readers Choice Awards
Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that five of its content authors have been named Top Authors in JD Supra's 2021 Readers Choice Awards.
Federal judge remands Minnesota's climate change lawsuit funded by Bloomberg charity to state court
A federal judge remanded Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s lawsuit against oil and gas last week to Ramsey County state court.“Defendants may appeal this decision which would result inevitably in a much longer delay,” wrote Chief Judge John R.