A Wisconsin landlord has been sued by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development after refusing to rent a property to a single mother. The landlord, who is a woman, said it was because the renter didn’t have a man “to shovel the snow.” [More]
lawsuits
Federal Appeals Court In Virginia Tosses Out Challenge To Health Care Reform
By 9.8.11
The final of three federal appeals court rulings on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has come down, and this round goes to the White House. [More]
Video Released Of Walgreens Pharmacist Fired For Shooting At Armed Robber
By 9.8.11
Last May, a pharmacist at a Michigan Walgreens was dismissed from his job at the drugstore chain after he fired his own handgun at an armed robber. Now the man is suing Walgreens and his lawyers have released footage of the incident to defend their client. [More]
Judge Tells AT&T And DOJ To Be Prepared To Discuss Settlement On T-Mobile Deal
By 9.7.11
The judge in the Justice Dept. lawsuit to block AT&T’s purchase of T-Mobile USA has not only set a date for the first hearing in the case, she’s also advised both sides to start thinking about settlement terms. [More]
Sprint Sues To Block AT&T From Buying T-Mobile
By 9.6.11
Less than one week after the Justice Dept. filed a lawsuit to block AT&T’s pending $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA, Sprint has filed a lawsuit of its own (but related to the DOJ suit), seeking to have the deal called off. [More]
Judge Says Couple Can Sue Laptop Security Business For Recording Sex Chats
By 8.31.11
Security companies that track down stolen laptops don’t necessarily have the right to peek into virtual bedrooms. A U.S. District judge ruled that there are potential grounds for a jury to find that a company violated a couple’s privacy when it recorded their sex chats as it attempted to track down a stolen laptop the woman was using. [More]
Lawsuit: Background-Check Service Incorrectly Reporting People As Sex Offenders
By 8.26.11
This may actually be worse than having the world think you’re dead. A new class-action suit claims that a credit and background checking company is reporting “hundreds or thousands of consumers as sex offenders in consumer reports provided to employers.” [More]
Campbell's Settles Lawsuit Over "25% Less Sodium" Soup Label
By 8.26.11
Back in April we told you about how Campbell’s Soup was in some legal hot water over labels that declared “25% less sodium” but contained no less sodium than before. Earlier this week, the soup giant settled a pair of related lawsuits for $173,000. [More]
Hells Angels Sue L.A. T-Shirt Maker For Copyright Infringement
By 8.26.11
It seems the Hells Angels aren’t cool with the idea of an L.A. fashion boutique slapping its name on a t-shirt. The notorious motorcycle club is suing the designer and several online retailers for copyright infringement. The shirt in question bears the message: “My boyfriend’s a Hells Angel.” [More]
How A Call To Fix Clogged Toilet Spiraled Into $13,698 Plumbing Bill
By 8.25.11
On March 31, a 73-year-old man in Wisconsin called a plumber to fix a clogged toilet. He says that a day later, on April 1, the plumbers handed him a bill for $13,698, but it was no April Fools Joke. Of course, this has all ended up in court, where the customer alleges employees at the plumbing business are told it’s part of their job to upsell additional work to the consumer. [More]
Samsung Cites 1968 Movie To Prove It Didn't Rip Off iPad
By 8.24.11
Responding to Apple’s lawsuit alleging it copied designs for the iPad and iPhone, Samsung’s lawyers have pulled out video evidence from the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. In a 1-minute clip, the lawyers imply that the iPad-style form factor predates Apple’s devices. [More]
Comcast Withdraws Complaint About DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Ads
By 8.19.11
UPDATE: A DirecTV rep tells Consumerist that Comcast is “grossly misrepresenting” the situation. [More]
In-N-Out Burger Sues Maryland Burger Joint Over Logo & Menu Items
By 8.19.11
The lawyers at In-N-Out Burger have a bit of an issue with a Maryland burger shop called Grab-N-Go, claiming that eatery’s name, logo and menu items are a little bit too close to the bigger chain’s trademarks. [More]
Government Sues Panda Express For Alleged Civil Rights Violations
By 8.19.11
According to a federal lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a Panda Express general manager at a San Jose, Calif. location mistreated Latino workers, assigning them fewer work hours and more difficult and dirty tasks than he did Asian employees. [More]
Texas AG Accuses Gas Station Chain Of Diluting Fuel
By 8.18.11
When you choose a grade of gasoline at the fuel pump, you’re taking the gas station at its word that the gasoline coming out of the nozzle is the octane you selected. But the Attorney General for the state of Texas has filed a lawsuit against a chain of filling stations, alleging that its premium- and medium-grade gasoline has been diluted with the regular stuff. [More]
Starbucks Pays $75,000 To Settle EEOC Lawsuit Over Barista With Dwarfism
By 8.18.11
Here’s an update to a story we brought you in May about a lawsuit brought against Starbucks by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of a former barista with dwarfism who claimed she was fired during her training period after she requested the use of a step-stool or stepladder because of her small stature. Starbucks announced today that it has agreed to pay $75,000 to settle the issue. [More]
Judge Tosses Gorilla Coffee's Suit Against NYT For Posting Workers' Walkout Letter
By 8.16.11
A popular Brooklyn coffee shop’s lawsuit against the New York Times just got chucked. The paper’s City Room blog had reprinted the letter penned by eight employees who simultaneously quit over working conditions, and the owners of Gorilla Coffee felt that the Times’ action was defamatory and an “intentional infliction of emotional distress.” A judge disagreed. [More]
Ball Park & Oscar Mayer Square Off In Court Over Who Has The Best Wiener
By 8.15.11
“Let the wiener wars begin.” That’s what a judge in a legal battle between the nation’s two biggest hot dog brands declared earlier today, as the makers of Oscar Mayer and Ball Park franks each accused the other of misleading and deceptive advertising practices. [More]
