After 10 years, the legal battle over a silly 29-second YouTube video of a baby dancing to a Prince song has hit a dead end, with the Supreme Court announcing this morning that it will not hear arguments in this high-profile copyright case. [More]
lawsuits
Supreme Court: It’s Unconstitutional To Reject Potentially Offensive Trademarks
By 6.19.17
The Supreme Court has struck down a longstanding clause in federal law that prohibits the Patent and Trademark Office from registering trademarks that “disparage… persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring them into contempt, or disrepute.” [More]
American Airlines Passenger Claims Unsecured Beverage Cart Caused Brain Injury
By 6.16.17
An American Airlines passenger says that he suffered “chronic traumatic brain injury” after allegedly being struck in the head by a runaway beverage cart. Making matters worse, claims the traveler, the cabin crew was not prepared to deal with the situation. [More]
Rape Victim Sues Uber After Learning Company Exec Obtained, Shared Her Medical Records
By 6.15.17
The 2014 rape of an Uber passenger by her driver was in the news again recently when it was reported that an Uber executive had not only obtained the woman’s medical records in an attempt to discredit her, but shared them with others at the company. Now the passenger is suing the ride-hailing service for invading her privacy. [More]
11 States Sue Trump Administration For Second Time Over Appliance Energy Efficiency Delays
By 6.13.17
For the second time in two months, a coalition of state attorneys general has sued the Department of Energy, once again claiming the Trump administration has violated federal law by refusing to implement a number of new energy efficiency standards for multiple types of appliances. [More]
6 Key Allegations From The D.C. & Maryland Lawsuit Against President Trump
By 6.12.17
This morning, the attorneys general for both the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump, accusing him of violating the so-called “emoluments clauses” of the U.S. Constitution by continuing to own his various business hotel, restaurant, golf, and real estate ventures. But what are the exact allegations being brought in this case? [More]
12 States Say They Will Sue Trump Administration If EPA Rolls Back Vehicle Emissions Standards
By 6.9.17
The environmental fight between certain states and the Trump administration continues, with more than a dozen attorneys general putting the White House on alert that they will sue if the Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with its plan to undo automotive greenhouse gas emissions standards that the previous administration put in place. [More]
Sears Settles With One Craftsman Supplier, Files New Lawsuit Against USA-Made Hand Tool Company
By 6.7.17
After resolving its contract dispute with one supplier for Craftsman tools, Sears Holdings has filed another lawsuit against another. The company claims that negative press coverage is leading its suppliers to demand early cancellation of contracts, or unreasonable terms. [More]
The Honest Company Settles False Advertising Lawsuit For $1.5M
By 6.7.17
Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company has agreed to pay $1.55 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit that accused the brand of using sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in its products — an organic chemical derived from coconut oil and found in common items like laundry detergent and toothpaste — despite the fact that the company had pledged not to include that ingredient. [More]
‘Pink Slime’ Defamation Trial Underway In South Dakota
By 6.6.17
Five years after Beef Products Inc. first filed a lawsuit against ABC News, blaming it for tying its name to the idea of “pink slime” — what the meat processor calls lean finely textured beef products — the defamation trial is underway in South Dakota. [More]
Lawsuit: Dollar Express Claims Dollar Tree Pushed It Out Of Business
By 6.5.17
When Dollar Tree battled Dollar General for the affections and assets of Family Dollar in 2014 and won, it sold more than 300 stores to a new company called Dollar Express in order to satisfy federal regulators. Fast forward to today: Dollar Express sold itself to former suitor Dollar General, and it’s suing Dollar Tree, claiming that it’s partly to blame for its failure. [More]
Congratulations Wisconsin, You Can Sell Your Homebaked Cookies Like Everyone (Except New Jersey)
By 6.1.17
Three Wisconsin entrepreneurs have the sweet taste of victory in their mouths today after a judge ruled that a law banning the sale of home-baked goods doesn’t fly under the state’s constitution. [More]
Ohio: Makers Of OxyContin, Percocet & Other Opioids Helped Fuel Drug Epidemic By Misleading Doctors, Patients
By 5.31.17
As Americans nationwide deal with the ongoing opioid epidemic, which has also resulted in the resurrection of heroin in many parts of the country, the Ohio Attorney General is accusing five major pharmaceutical companies of misleading the public about the safety and benefits of opioid painkillers. [More]
Court Temporarily Halts School’s Expulsion Of Student Who ‘Liked’ Racist Instagram Images
By 5.30.17
Four California high school students who were suspended earlier this year for their alleged support or complicity with a racist Instagram account will not immediately have to face the immediate possibility of expulsion or further disciplinary action after a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order against the school district. [More]
Zillow’s “Zestimates” Probably Aren’t The Best Way To Figure Out How Much Your House Is Worth
By 5.26.17
If you’ve been in the market for real estate lately — or even just idly browsing your old neighborhood from curiosity — you’ve almost certainly seen the “Zestimate” splashed across a property’s Zillow listing. But now, multiple lawsuits are claiming those numbers are so far from realistic that they’re actually harmful, and Zillow itself is launching a contest, hoping to crowdsource a better Zestimate. [More]
Customer Accuses Chipotle Of Covering Up For Manager Who Put Spy Cam In Bathroom
By 5.25.17
A woman in Texas claims that not only did a manager at her local Chipotle repeatedly install spy cameras in the restaurant’s female restroom, but that the restaurant and its corporate office covered up the peeping; a charge the Chipotle HQ denies. [More]
Feds Shut Down Alleged Scam Promising Student Loan Relief & Forgiveness
By 5.25.17
A federal court has shut down a Florida-based operation that charged customers $1,200 up front and $50/month with allegedly false promises of getting their student loan payments reduced or forgiven, sometimes in the impossible timeframe of only three years. [More]
