News from August 2022
James De Vellis Appointed to WorldBoston Board of Directors
James De Vellis Appointed to WorldBoston Board of Directors.
Pa. Supreme Court rolls back med-mal venue rules, allowing plaintiffs greater filing leeway
HARRISBURG – The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s Civil Procedural Rules Committee has green-lit standards allowing plaintiffs statewide greater leeway in where to file medical malpractice liability cases, a move cheered by personal injury attorneys and criticized by health care and business interests.
Firefighters fired over penises drawn on Black colleague's family pictures lose lawsuit
MIAMI (Legal Newsline) - Firefighters who lost their jobs and sued the City of Miami and its fire chief for allegedly linking two events - penises drawn on a Black colleague's family photos and the later placement of a string resembling a noose on one of the pictures - had no case, an appeals court ruled, citing the absolute immunity afforded government officials for actions taken “within the scope of their duties.”
Lawsuit claiming giant throne was tripping hazard fails at appeals court
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) – A large throne is an open and obvious hazard, a New York appeals court has ruled in rejecting a personal injury lawsuit.
Judge chronically late to work gets 90-day suspension in Georgia
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) – A Georgia judge will be suspended 90 days without pay because of her history of showing up to work late.
Containers of PlantFusion protein powder only half-filled, lawsuit complains
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Packages of protein powder contain an illegal amount of empty space, a class action lawsuit against Reliance VItamin says.
Menard's faces class action lawsuit for charging pickup fees
MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) - Menard, Inc., has removed a class action lawsuit over pickup fees to federal court.
Michelle McGeogh Elected to Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Board of Directors
Michelle McGeogh Elected to Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Board of Directors.
State files lawsuit against Kroger alleging dual role in opioid crisis
WINFIELD – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office has filed a civil lawsuit accusing Kroger of helping fuel the state’s opioid crisis.
Woman who got flu shot instead of birth control closer to $10 million wrongful birth verdict
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - A woman who mistakenly received a flu shot instead of the contraceptives she was expecting may be entitled to $10 million in damages after she gave birth to a child with a rare congenital disease, the Washington Supreme Court ruled, rejecting the U.S. government’s argument the plaintiff had to prove she sought birth control to avoid such an outcome.
Nurses can be sued for following doctor's orders, North Carolina court rules
RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - Registered nurses can be sued for malpractice even if they were carrying out a doctor’s orders, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled, overturning a 90-year-old precedent shielding them from liability in all but the most egregious cases.
Lawyers won't get full $48.6 million in FirstEnergy bribery settlement
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) – An Ohio federal judge has given final approval to a $180 million settlement over scandal at FirstEnergy, but lawyers won’t be taking home quite as much as they hoped.
Claims against One A Day over serving size pop up in New York
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Lawyers are hoping to take advantage of a 2018 California appeals court ruling by filing the same allegations against the maker of One A Day chewable supplements in New York.
Three Wishes faces suit over protein claims
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - The protein in Three Wishes brand cereals is at issue in a new class action lawsuit against the company.
Morgan Lewis Partner Russell Franklin Named New York Law Journal Rising Star
Morgan Lewis Partner Russell Franklin Named New York Law Journal Rising Star.
Rockville courts to close early due to local events affecting traffic
Both the Circuit Court and District Court in Rockville, Maryland, will close early on Thursday, August 25.
Ballard Spahr's Sarah Wallace Nominated for Colorado Lawyers Committee Individual of the Year
Ballard Spahr's Sarah Wallace Nominated for Colorado Lawyers Committee Individual of the Year.
Shut out of cemetery tours, litigation not working for New Orleans group
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) – A New Orleans federal judge has again ruled against companies trying to get back into the city’s cemetery tourism industry.
Court says sexual assault of DUI suspect not outside 'scope of employment'
HELENA, Mont. (Legal Newsline) - A police officer who impregnated a woman he suspected of drunk driving after telling her “something needs to be done” wasn’t necessarily acting out of the scope of employment, the Montana Supreme Court ruled in answer to a question about state law from a federal appeals court.
Social worker caught up in drug test fraud will face lawsuit from victims
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - A couple who lost access to their children after a state worker falsified drug-test results can sue the social worker who relied on those tests to restrict their visitation rights, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled.