News from June 2023
Consumer class action: Theo's dark echolocate contains heavy metals
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — A consumer class action alleges Theo dark chocolates contain heavy metals.
California man alleges Fungi-Nail product falsely marketed as curing fungus
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — A California man alleges in a class action that a line of Fungi-Nail products is fraudulently marketed as curing nail fungus.
Sour note: Judge says wrong for lawyers to pick up $1.7M in Napster case while clients get 'meager' payouts
A federal court has ruled a judge was "unreasonable" in awarding $1.7 million in fees to lawyers who handled a copyright class action against music streamer Napster, which only netted their clients a "measly" $52K
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP hosts New FDA Regulatory Framework for Cosmetics: The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 on June 15, 2023
Join us for the Legal Compact — your one-stop shop for the latest in cosmetics & personal care products law.
9th Circuit revives Lanham Act lawsuit pitting cybersecurity software firms against one another
2-1 opinion holds statements about protective software can be verified and aren't protected opinion
Johnson & Johnson defense attorneys challenge plaintiff researcher’s cancer fiber no-show in Northern California trial
Defense attorneys in a trial to determine if a man’s mesothelioma was caused by Johnson & Johnson baby powder continued to say visible proof is lacking while plaintiff attorneys maintain that it’s by far the most likely culprit
Coalition of AGs challenging EPA, California truck ban
CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has joined a coalition of 19 states challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to allow California to ban trucks.
Ruling declaring California corporate board diversity quotas unconstitutional could impact similar measures, proposals in other states
After a federal judge struck down a California law that required diversity quotas for corporate boards, it’s raising questions about the degree to which the state should regulate business policy, and how such laws align with the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
J&J defense attorney in Northern California talc trial portrays plaintiff expert witness as biased career courtroom testifier
An attorney defending Johnson & Johnson in a trial accusing the company of causing a man’s mesothelioma sought to discredit a plaintiff expert as a highly paid, biased witness who claimed asbestos exposure when testing had found none.
Iowa senator looks to throw the emergency brake on far overbudget spending on out-of-control train projects
A Republican senator from Iowa has introduced legislation to block the federal government from shoveling money into transit projects that exceed their construction budgets by more than $1 billion. This would include California's high speed rail project, which has blown its budget by nearly $100 billion
Class action: Rugs.com allegedly has misled consumers into thinking their items are steeply discounted, when they may not be
The class action lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court accuses online floor covering retailer Rugs.com of false advertising
Contra Costa Superior Court: Actions Taken on June 5
The Contra Costa Superior Court reported the following activity on June 5 in the suits below:
Group of AGs support challenge to California's Unsafe Handgun Act
CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has joined 23 other state AGs in support of a challenge to the constitutionality of California’s Unsafe Handgun Act.
Lawmakers, worker advocates line up to defend independent contractors vs efforts to take California-style restrictions national
The U.S. Department of Labor under President Biden is preparing to seek to impose rules nationwide to limit the ability of people to work as independent contractors, mirroring and expanding rules imposed by California through legislation like AB5.
June 5: Contra Costa Superior Court docket for "fl" cases
The following cases categorized as "fl" were on the docket in the Contra Costa Superior Court on June 5. All case details are allegations only and should not be taken as fact:
Medical asbestos researcher tells court asbestos in J&J baby powder caused man's mesothelioma in Northern California trial
A medical occupational specialist serving as an expert plaintiff witness said toxic asbestos in Johnson & Johnson baby powder caused a man's mesothelioma
California taxpayers to foot $557K bill for part of gun control law no one wanted
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) - Making a political point can have real-world costs, and California's taxpayers will now get to pay more than a half-million dollars so that state Attorney General Rob Bonta could deliver a message to Texas.
California Supreme Court says public entities can't be sued for tripled damages in sex abuse suits that involve cover ups
The California Supreme Court has ruled public bodies are exempt, under the Government Claims Act, from facing enhanced punitive damages in sex abuse suits allegedly involving cover-ups, saying compensatory damages are adequate to satisfy such plaintiffs.
California prepares for cuts as new budget deficit tops $30 billion
With the June budget deadline fast approaching, the state needs to fill a $32 billion deficit but precisely what is going to be cut remains to be seen.
Class action accuses Tubi, Fox of paying female workers less than male counterparts
The lawsuit asserts the work environment at the Fox-owned streaming service Tubi discriminates against women, with female employees allegedly earning 28-60% less than their male counterparts