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Product Liability
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March 28, 2024
Meta Says Speech Immunity Dooms Instagram Addiction Case
Meta on Thursday asked a Massachusetts judge to toss a lawsuit alleging it has intentionally misled users about Instagram features purportedly designed to addict children and teens, saying it is shielded both by federal law and the First Amendment.
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March 28, 2024
Reynolds Falsely Hypes Foil As 'Made In USA,' Suit Says
Reynolds Wrap misleadingly claims its aluminum is made in the United States although a significant amount of aluminum production takes place elsewhere, and none of the bauxite ore used to make it is mined in the U.S., according to a proposed class action filed in New York federal court.
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March 28, 2024
FDA Warns 61 Stores Over Illegal Vape Sales
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week sent warnings to 61 retailers for selling illegal Lava and Elf Bar cigarettes, saying that both of the unauthorized brands are popular with young people.
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March 28, 2024
Spokeo Accused Of Flouting NJ Judicial Protection Law
Spokeo Inc., the people search database provider, violated New Jersey state law by not removing information about law enforcement personnel from its database after requests were filed, a data privacy company contends in a lawsuit.
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March 28, 2024
Insurer's $1.37M Suit Over Stolen Walmart Flare Gun Misfires
An Oregon federal judge has thrown out a $1.37 million suit from Ascot Specialty Insurance Co. against Walmart Inc. seeking to hold the retailer liable for a fire started by a stolen flare gun, saying the insurer has failed to show how Walmart is responsible for a third party's criminal acts.
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March 27, 2024
Tribes Want Climate Change Row With Oil Cos. In State Court
Two Native American tribes urged a Washington federal court to remand their consolidated case against ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 back to state court, arguing they've only asserted state-law causes of action.
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March 27, 2024
Pool Co. Says Objection To Trial Attys Leaving Is 'Misplaced'
A swimming pool equipment maker has hit back at objections to some of its counsel exiting the case after a nearly $15 million trial loss over false ad claims in North Carolina, saying its rival's grievances are "misplaced."
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March 27, 2024
Judge Trims Porsche EV Charging Speed Fraud Claims
A Georgia federal judge has narrowed the scope of a proposed class action that alleges Porsche sold defective chargers for its flagship electric car and then throttled their charging speed to make up for the design weakness, finding the plaintiff's fraud and breach of warranty claims fall short.
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March 27, 2024
LG Chem Mostly Wins Discovery Feud In Vape Battery Suit
A New Jersey appellate court on Wednesday allowed an LG Corp. unit to prevail on 21 out of 22 discovery challenges in a suit over an exploding vape pen battery, saying the majority of the plaintiff's requests were overly broad and not tailored to his claims.
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March 27, 2024
On Deck In JPML: Baby Food, 23andMe Privacy, NCAA
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation's packed meeting Thursday in South Carolina will see the panel mulling consolidation of privacy litigation against 23andMe, claims of heavy metals in baby food, and scholarship-fixing claims by student athletes against the NCAA — and that's just for starters.
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March 27, 2024
9th Circ. Rejects Rust-Oleum's Bid To Sink Class Cert.
The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday upheld the certification of a class of Rust-Oleum customers who are suing the company for allegedly greenwashing its degreaser products with the terms "non-toxic" and "Earth friendly."
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March 27, 2024
Casino Beats Suit Over Diabetic Customer's Fall
A now-shuttered floating casino that was moored in Lake Michigan can't be held liable for the fall of a longtime patron who injured her hip after tripping in a hallway that connected two boats, an Illinois federal court has ruled, finding the patron couldn't support any element of her premises liability claim.
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March 27, 2024
Fla. Panel Reverses $43M Judgment In Tobacco Suit
Florida's Third District Court of Appeal on Wednesday reversed a $43 million judgment against Philip Morris USA Inc. in a wrongful death case, issuing a split decision stating that hearsay testimony allowed during the trial wasn't offered to prove that the female decedent believed filtered cigarettes were safe.
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March 27, 2024
CoreLogic Sued For Violating NJ Judicial Protections Law
A proposed class action removed to New Jersey federal court on Tuesday accuses property data company CoreLogic of failing to comply with a state law requiring it to delete records of certain public officials, including judges and law enforcement officials.
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March 27, 2024
Smucker Needn't Pay Multiple Limits For Tainted Jif Row
J.M. Smucker Co. does not have to satisfy the retained limit for 225 underlying claims seeking damages for salmonella-contaminated Jif peanut butter individually before being eligible for coverage, an Ohio federal judge ruled, holding that the underlying claims constituted a single occurrence.
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March 27, 2024
6th Circ. Won't Rethink $25M Crash Award Against Nissan
Nissan North America Inc. still can't offload a $25 million award against it for a fatal crash onto a brake supplier, as the Sixth Circuit panel that ruled against it has said it will not reconsider its ruling, and the full court has declined to take up the matter.
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March 26, 2024
EPA Pressed On Cost, Strength Of Slaughterhouse Water Rule
Meat and poultry industry groups and environmentalists are clashing over how strict the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's water quality regulations for slaughtering, processing and rendering facilities should be, while local regulators urged a focus on feasibility.
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March 26, 2024
Subaru Can't Duck Suit Over Starlink Infotainment Defect
A New Jersey federal judge on Tuesday declined to throw out a proposed class action alleging the Starlink infotainment system in certain Subaru vehicles is defective, throwing out one plaintiff's state consumer protection claim, while allowing the remaining claims to go forward.
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March 26, 2024
Baltimore Bridge Collapse: What We Know So Far
The overnight collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, after being struck by a container carrier Tuesday, will trigger multiple inquiries into maritime and vessel safety, as well as bridge design and engineering standards, that experts say will have significant implications for future lawsuits, regulatory actions and infrastructure rebuilding efforts.
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March 26, 2024
AI Weapons Detector Faces Investor Suit After Gov't Probes
Evolv Technologies, which makes metal detectors that purportedly use artificial intelligence to detect weapons, is facing a proposed shareholder class action in Massachusetts federal court alleging that false claims about its products' abilities to screen for types of tactical knives and guns led to federal investigations and share declines.
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March 26, 2024
Conagra Can't Sink Sustainable Fishing False Ad Suit
An Illinois federal judge trimmed but refused to toss a proposed class action claiming Conagra Brands Inc. deceptively labels its seafood products as sustainable when the fish is sourced with methods harmful to oceans, saying the customers have sufficiently alleged the phrase "Good for the Environment" is deceptive.
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March 26, 2024
Combat Arms Earplugs Settlement Moves To Final Resolution
More than 249,000 U.S. service members who claimed they suffered permanent hearing loss due to 3M's allegedly faulty combat earplugs have signed onto the $6 billion settlement, boasting "more than 99%" participation, according to a Tuesday announcement by the company.
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March 26, 2024
Opioid Public Nuisance Claims 'Unique,' Ohio High Court Told
Counsel for two Ohio counties that won a $650 million verdict against Walmart, CVS and Walgreens told the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday that opioids are a "unique" problem during oral arguments about whether the counties' public nuisance claims are blocked by the state's product liability law.
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March 26, 2024
Widow Gets $1.75M Verdict In SC Asbestos Death Suit
A South Carolina jury has awarded a widow $1.75 million in damages from gasket-maker John Crane Inc. in a suit over her husband's death from asbestos-related mesothelioma, finding the company negligent.
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March 26, 2024
Fishers Say Tire Cos. Can't Escape Salmon ESA Suit
Fishing groups are fighting tire companies' attempt to dismiss an Endangered Species Act suit over the use of a rubber additive known as 6PPD, which harms salmon, telling a California federal judge the companies are trying to delay accountability.
Expert Analysis
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How Purdue High Court Case Will Shape Ch. 11 Mass Injury
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent arguments in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma, addressing the authority of bankruptcy courts to approve nonconsensual third-party releases in Chapter 11 settlement plans, highlight the case's wide-ranging implications for how mass injury cases get resolved in bankruptcy proceedings, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.
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How New Expert Rules Are Already Changing Court Decisions
Though not formally effective until last week, some courts have been relying for several years on amended federal rules clarifying judges’ gatekeeping role, so counsel should be prepared to justify their expert witnesses’ methodologies and expect additional motion practice on expert testimony admissibility, say Colleen Kenney and Daniel Kelly at Sidley.
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Opinion
Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave
To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.
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Pa. Court's Venue Ruling Is Likely To Worsen Forum Shopping
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s recent Hangey v. Husqvarna decision claims to narrowly clarify the standard for evaluating whether a venue is proper, but has broader implications that are likely to exacerbate the forum-shopping problem that already plagues corporate defendants in Pennsylvania, says Stefanie Pitcavage Mekilo and Joseph Schaeffer at Babst Calland.
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Superfund Site Reopenings Carry Insured Risk, Opportunity
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's reported plans to reopen certain Superfund sites citing the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances raise notable liability concerns, but may also present unique opportunities for policyholders under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, say attorneys at Haynes and Boone.
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Series
Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.
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What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance
Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories
The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.
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How Color Psychology Can Help Tell Your Trial Narrative
Research shows that color is a powerful sensory input that affects memory and perception, so attorneys should understand how, when and why to use certain shades in trial graphics to enhance their narrative and draw jurors’ focus, says Adam Bloomberg at IMS Consulting.
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And Now A Word From The Panel: Tracking MDL Geography
In recent years, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has predominantly selected states east of the Mississippi River as venues for new MDLs — but with half of the proceedings it has created in recent months venued in Arizona and California, the panel is not neglecting the western part of the country, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.
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Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.
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Opinion
FDA And Companies Must Move Quickly On Drug Recalls
When a drug doesn't work as promised — whether it causes harm, like eyedrops recalled last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or is merely useless, like a widely used decongestant ingredient recently acknowledged by the agency to be ineffective — the public must be notified in a timely manner, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio & Dubey.
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The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms
In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.
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Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary
The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.
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AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier
Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.