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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RECORD

Friday, April 19, 2024

Latest News


Privacy class action firms jockey for control of 23andMe data breach claims; Edelson calls for new approach

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Data privacy class action firm Edelson P.C. is seeking to control 40 class actions, potentially worth huge money, against 23andMe for allegedly allowing genetic info to be stolen in a data breach. In a new filing, Edelson is asking courts to reconsider how they decide which lawyers should lead

Second Amendment rights group sues California over restriction on out-of-state residents carrying guns

By Michael Carroll |
A gun owners rights advocacy group has filed a federal lawsuit against California’s attorney general in an effort to challenge a state law that is “unconstitutionally restrictive” and offers no avenue for out-of-state residents in California to carry firearms in public.

Judge: Nestle can't melt class action over white chocolate content in TollHouse white baking chips

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A San Jose federal judge said a recent decision from a California state appeals court in a virtually identical case against Walmart will require Nestle to work harder to beat the class action accusing the company of misleading consumers

SCOTUS: CA appeal court wrong to block man from suing El Dorado County over $23K 'traffic fees' for one house

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The U.S. Supreme Court took to task the California Third District Court of Appeals for ruling that the Fifth Amendment's prohibition on property takings doesn't apply to permit fee schemes enacted by legislatures, like the El Dorado County Board.

California election authorities can't bump Fong from race to replace McCarthy in Congress, appeals panel says

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A California state appeals court has ruled California Secretary of State Shirley Weber misinterpreted the state's election laws in attempting to block Republican State Assemblyman Vince Fong from the ballot in the contest to replace former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Appeals panel: Investors can go after Genius Brands for over-boosting 'Rainbow Rangers'

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A federal appeals panel says a L.A. federal judge wrongly tossed a lawsuit against kids TV producer Genius Brands for misleading investors about the prospects for its show "Rainbow Rangers" and for boosting a report that they could be bought by Disney or Netflix

American Tort Reform Association president: ‘significant campaign contributions’ from California attorneys ‘raise concerns about the potential influence on legislative and judicial decisions’

By D. L. Deener |
Sherman "Tiger" Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), expressed concerns about a new report that analyzes California trial attorneys' campaign contributions. The report suggests these contributions may have potential influence on legislative and judicial decisions. Joyce voiced his concerns in a press release dated March 19.

Insurance Information Institute CEO: 'there are multimillions of dark money investor dollars' behind lawsuits

By R. B. Pepalis |
Sean Kevelighan, CEO of the Insurance Information Institute (III), stated that "there are multimillions of dark money investor dollars" fueling litigation that ultimately escalates insurance costs for consumers. This assertion was made in a press release dated Feb. 27.

Judge: California courts can't decide if Lufthansa should pay for revealing man's gay marital status to Saudis

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A California federal judge said "foreign policy overtones" implicated in case prevent her from exercising jurisdiction over the claims of gay married couple who say Lufthansa violated California law by allegedly letting the Saudi Arabian government learn of Saudi national's secret sexuality and marital status

Class action takes on Zyn, alleges Philip Morris is targeting youth

By Legal Newsline |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - The popular nicotine product ZYN is at the center of a new class action lawsuit against its maker, Philip Morris.

Appeals court: Not too late for Mendocino County to subject completed Ukiah gun club project to enviro review

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A state appeals panel has ruled Mendocino County wrongly let a gun club in Ukiah move forward with a project to build a new gun range without environmental review under state CEQA law, so a nearby resort can continue to sue to force the club to make potentially costly changes

Governor restricts legal challenges to L.A. development in push for more housing

By Michael Carroll |
Gov. Gavin Newsom is streamlining a major mixed-use development near Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles to speed the building of housing and urban infrastructure, using new state laws aimed at reducing environmental litigation.

Appeals panel: Local density caps OK'd by voters don't defeat state law allowing denser housing

By Jonathan Bilyk |
California appeals judges said Senate Bill 10, which allows cities and counties to approve certain higher-density housing developments, don't violate the state constitution by overriding local voter initiatives setting housing density caps.

Over 75% of claims made in $45.5M Altria e-cigarettes settlement found to be potential fraud; Judge OKs deal

By Michael Carroll |
A federal judge has given a final OK to a $45.5 million settlement with Altria over allegations the tobacco firm misled consumers about the addictiveness of Juul e-cigarettes, despite evidence that more than 75% of the filed claims are invalid or fraudulent.

The Utility Reform Network calls for relief for California ratepayers

By Northern California Record |
The Utility Reform Network (TURN) has raised concerns about the financial burden on California's ratepayers, who are grappling with "record-breaking bills" that are allegedly pushing families into poverty and homelessness. The organization points out that Californians are dealing with escalating costs for basic necessities such as housing, food, utilities, and insurance.

'De facto invisible': High costs, state rules, lack of online access can block public from monitoring 'public' court proceedings

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A settlement has resolved a class action vs federal courts over fees charged to access online court documents. But high costs for certain records and varying court rules about public access to court records in Illinois and elsewhere create a legal patchwork that mostly limits public view into the courts

Business groups, others, ask SCOTUS to force CA courts to abide by earlier SCOTUS decision in PAGA cases

By Sarah Downey |
The petition asserts the California courts have issued 'nonsensical' rulings, finding that under the SCOTUS' Viking River decision, California workers who are blocked from suing their employers by arbitration clauses can still sue their employers under California's PAGA law on behalf of coworkers

Meta can't escape class action claiming Facebook 'Potential Reach' for ads misled advertisers

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A majority on a split panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said it should only matter that Facebook allegedly inflated the "Potential Reach" of "boosted" ads, not by how much individual advertisers may have been misled, if at all

Tenderloin residents, biz sue SF city hall, say city abandoned their streets to crime, homeless, drugs

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The plaintiffs have asked a federal court to order the city and county of San Francisco to end an unwritten policy to "contain" criminal activity in the Tenderloin, which they say has created a drug-filled, unsanitary, violent and unlivable neighborhood, violating their constitutional rights

Realtors to pay $418M to end home seller commission class action; Big changes coming to home sale process

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Lawyers who brought the lawsuits could be in for a big payday, as well, potentially claiming $140 million from the deal, plus $69 million from earlier settlements with large real estate brokerages facing similar claims of alleged collusion to boost real estate agent commissions