News from December 2021
Connecticut town not liable for teacher's sexual abuse of football players
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - A Connecticut judge properly dismissed a town from lawsuits by three high school football players who sued over a teacher’s sexual abuse of them, the state supreme court ruled, citing sovereign immunity and a lack of evidence school officials had reason to suspect what was going on.
The legal fight over Kaiser Permanente's COVID vaccine mandate is over
OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – Kaiser Permanente workers who had hoped to stop their employer from imposing a COVID-19 vaccination mandate have given up on their lawsuit.
Judge puts dollar figure on failed Trump-was-robbed Michigan lawsuit
DETROIT (Legal Newsline) – Attorneys who pursued failed litigation that claimed the 2020 Presidential election was rigged have been left with the tab.
Texas law against Facebook and Twitter bans is blocked
AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) – A Texas federal judge on Dec. 1 blocked a new state law that targets censorship by Facebook and Twitter.
Acclaimed Labor Attorney Frank T. Mamat Joins Dinsmore in Detroit
Acclaimed Labor Attorney Frank T. Mamat Joins Dinsmore in Detroit.
Littler Launches New Affinity Group for Individuals with Disabilities
Littler Launches New Affinity Group for Individuals with Disabilities.
Real Estate Finance Attorney Thomas L. Patalano joins Polsinelli’s Growing New York Office
Real Estate Finance Attorney Thomas L. Patalano joins Polsinelli’s Growing New York Office.
Inflation – Manchin's litmus test for spending bill – will be around longer than expected
WASHINGTON – Sen. Joe Manchin always said inflation would be his guide in deciding on the massive Build Back Better bill. Now, a new report on inflation says it will stay with us for much longer than anticipated, further calling into question by some the addition of trillions more in federal spending.
Catholic Church must face lawsuit over gay teacher's firing
INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline)- The Catholic Church can’t avoid a lawsuit by a gay teacher who was fired after the archbishop enforced a strict “morals clause” on his school, an Indiana appeals court ruled, reversing a trial judge’s dismissal of the case on First Amendment grounds.
Special Olympics-hopeful gets second chance to pursue discrimination allegations
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) - A young man who failed an eye examination needed to participate in the Special Olympics deserves another hearing on whether the Delaware Human Rights Commission improperly rejected his parents’ complaint of discrimination.
Utah Supreme Court expands liability for asbestos defendants
SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) - Companies can be liable for “take-home” asbestos exposure if they require their employees to work around asbestos or exert sufficient control over contractors who place their workers in harm’s way, the Utah Supreme Court ruled.
Man who was shot by cops after running over woman can sue San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – A man who fled San Jose, Calif., cops and ran over a woman in an intersection can make claims that his subsequent gunshot wounds were the result of widespread use of excessive force in the police department.
Orrick Adds Direct Lending Advisor to Growing New York Team
Orrick Adds Direct Lending Advisor to Growing New York Team.
Husch Blackwell Wins 2021 Cigna Well-Being Award
Husch Blackwell Wins 2021 Cigna Well-Being Award.
More clients sue Hagens Berman over failed birth defect lawsuits
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) - Prominent plaintiff law firm Hagens Berman has been sued by more of its clients who claim they were shoved aside by their lawyers after serious ethical concerns emerged in how the firm handled lawsuits over the banned drug thalidomide.
Plaintiff lawyers will have to answer for flood of Boy Scouts sex abuse claims before deadline
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) - The judge overseeing the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy has ordered lawyers who signed thousands of abuse claims to submit to questioning from insurance companies that say many of those claims are poorly substantiated or invalid.
Split opioid trial would be waste of time, Alabama Supreme Court rules
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - The Alabama Supreme Court halted a trial judge’s plan to split trials against opioid manufacturers and distributors into two parts, ruling it would be a waste of judicial resources because jurors would have to hear much of the same evidence twice.
Washington opioid trial: State introduces distributor's internal 'pillbillies' memo mocking addicts
Inter-office memos in 2012 issued by officials of AmerisourceBergen, one of three distributors of opioid pills accused of irresponsibly flooding the drug market for profit and causing an overdose epidemic, used humor that some have described as cruel.
Ninth Circuit asked where suicide case against Netflix should be heard
OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – Class action lawyers hoping to blame Netflix for a rise in teen suicides following the release of the series 13 Reasons Why are appealing a ruling that puts their case in federal court instead of state.
Washington AG allowed to withhold info on possible climate change litigation
TACOMA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) – An appeals court has backed Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson as he fights to keep materials related to climate change litigation secret.