The Federal Reserve tried to hide the identities of companies that received emergency funding as the world economy went to hell, but a federal judge stepped in with a backhand Monday and stopped the practice, saying the Fed had failed to show that naming the businesses would cause “imminent competitive harm.”
lawsuits
Class Action Suit Against Apple And AT&T For Lack Of MMS On iPhones
By 8.21.09
No matter how awesome the iPhone is at multimedia, gaming, or taking money out of your wallet and mailing it to AT&T and Apple, it still doesn’t let you use multimedia messaging service (MMS)—you know, that thing where you send a photo to a friend over text message. Earlier this year AT&T finally said it would happen by the end of summer, but now a group of customers in Louisiana are tired of waiting.
Redbox Sues Warner Bros. And Asks For Help From Consumers
By 8.20.09
Concerned that rentals are hacking into DVD sales profits, Warner Bros. has restricted rental companies such as Redbox and Neftlix from offering its movies until 28 days after movies hit retail shelves.
Marriott Drops "It's Your Fault" Claim In Rape Case
By 8.17.09
After it broke last week that Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa was claiming it was the fault of the victim and her two toddlers that she was raped in their parking garage, the hotel has decided to withdraw the claim. They also apologized for the rape in a general sort of way—but not for subpoenaing her friends and professional acquaintances who otherwise would not have known about the crime.
Verizon Sued After Tech Punches Customer In The Face
By 8.17.09
According to a lawsuit filed by a Verizon customer in Queens, NY — the tech the company sent out wasn’t quite as affable as the ones in the commercials. Instead of fixing the customer’s problem — the tech allegedly punched him in the face.
Marriott Says Woman Is Responsible For Her Rape
By 8.14.09
[Update: Marriott has dropped the appeal.] If you want to live dangerously, why not try an unrelaxing visit to the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa? It features a game room, a BBQ/picnic area, $10 a day Internet access, and the occasional mentally unhealthy transient wandering for days around the parking garage waiting to attack you. Best of all, if you are attacked Marriott will let you take all the credit for it, and then subpoena your friends and professional contacts, thereby permanently ruining any anonymity you hoped to maintain. Because at Stamford Marriott, if you’re raped in our parking garage by a guy our security should have noticed and kicked out, don’t come crying to us!
One-Armed Abercrombie & Fitch Worker Wins Wrongful Dismissal Case
By 8.14.09
A former UK Abercrombie & Fitch employee whose prosthetic arm didn’t comport with the store’s “look policy” has won a case against the clothier for wrongful dismissal and emotional trauma.
Judge Tells Microsoft It Can't Sell Word In U.S.
By 8.12.09
Thanks to a Texas judge’s ruling earlier this week, Microsoft has been prohibited from selling or supporting any more copies of Word that can edit XML-based documents. A Toronto-based company, i4i, sued Microsoft in 2007 over its XML editing patent, and the judge ruled in i4i’s favor. The ruling kicks in 60 days from now, unless Microsoft decides to appeal. We have a feeling it will.
Chicago "In-N-Out" Settles Trademark Infringement Lawsuit
By 8.6.09
Don’t think you can call your place “Nicky’s In-N-Out” and include a certain familiar-looking big yellow arrow in your logo and get away with it. In-N-Out — the beloved California burger chain — has settled a trademark lawsuit against a Chicagoland copycat gyro joint.
Trade Walgreens Hippie Cold/Flu Remedy For Actual Flu Shot
By 8.4.09
First, there was Airborne. Then there was Rite-Aid’s house brand version of Airborne. Now, the Walgreens brand of homeopathic cold and flu remedy was also the subject of a class action lawsuit, and the settlement is at hand.
30 Songs? That'll Be $675,000
By 8.1.09
A Boston jury yesterday ruled that file sharer Joel Tenenbaum would have to pay the Recording Industry of America $675,000 for sharing 30 copyrighted songs. The hefty award was all the more surprising because Tenenbaum was represented by a crack team of legal eagles from Harvard’s law school. The trial didn’t unfold nearly the way they planned…
Kindle Deletions: Amazon Ate Student's Homework
By 7.31.09
I was never much for writing in books in school, though I did use Post-Its frequently. Which is a precursor to leaving digital notes in a Kindle edition of the book. A Michigan high school student is one of the parties in a class action suit against Amazon because in deleting the unauthorized MobileReference edition of 1984, the company effectively ate his homework.
Madoff Gives First Prison Interview To Victims' Lawyers
By 7.29.09
Bernie Madoff has given his first prison interview…to attorneys representing his victims. Highlights: He’s quite candid now (what has he got to lose?), he can’t believe that he got away with running an epic Ponzi scheme for as long as he did, and apparently he’s been working out.
Tenant Sued After Using Twitter To Complain About Moldy Apartment
By 7.28.09
If the the puiblic didn’t read Amanda Bonnen’s Twitter feed before, they will now, thanks to a defamation lawsuit brought against her by Horizon Group Management in Chicago.
3 Big Banks Sued For Overdraft Fee Practices
By 7.27.09
Banks don’t believe in first come, first served, when it comes to processing your transactions. Instead, it’s biggest appetite, first served. In other words, they process a batch of debits on your account by order of largest to smallest. The result, critics, and now, several lawsuits, charge that it maximizes the overdraft fees they can harvest.
Scientists Agree: Denny's Is Dangerous
By 7.25.09
Denny’s entrees are loaded with dangerous amounts of salt, according to a class action suit filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The CDC recommends consuming no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium each day, but some Denny’s entrees contain a whopping 5,500 milligrams.
By 7.24.09
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If you’re an E*TRADE customer who lives in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, or Washington, you may be eligible for a class action settlement regarding the undisclosed recording of phone calls. The deadline to file your claim form is September 25, 2009. [Settlement site]
