NLJ Home > Court Decisions
Massachusetts high court allows lung cancer monitoring claims to go forward
The high court of Massachusetts recently ruled that state law allows smokers to file medical monitoring lawsuits against cigarette makers to demand that companies pay for early testing for lung cancer.
Use these tools to search all U.S. Circuit and Supreme Court decisions from the past year.
Supreme Court cautious in question of regulating mutual fund fees
The U.S. Supreme Court appeared wary Monday of second-guessing the fees that mutual funds pay to the investment advisers who run them during oral arguments in Jones v. Harris Associates, a closely watched case that could have major impact on the fee structure in the nation's $10 trillion mutual fund industry.
THE COURTS & LITIGATION
Congress examines judge recusals
The House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. John Conyers, is planning a hearing on federal recusal guidelines amid controversies that have swept through state court systems in recent years, culminating in a U.S. Supreme Court decision five months ago that tightened the recusal requirements for elected state judges.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
1st Circuit finds an implied contract to develop purchased technology
A federal appeals court recently ruled that technology purchase deals include an implied contract under Massachusetts state law requiring buyers to make reasonable efforts to develop and promote the technology. The case could encourage similar cases to be brought in the state, which is a center for high technology.
Another $29 million agreed to settle concrete price-fixing case
Irving Materials Inc., a Greenfield, Ind.-based construction materials supplier, has agreed to pay $29 million to settle claims that it conspired with six other concrete companies to overcharge thousands of customers, most of them contractors doing construction work in Indiana.
DOJ urges 7th Circuit to shield Iranian artifacts
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit heard arguments on Oct. 26 in a case asking whether the Field Museum in Chicago and the University of Chicago must give up artifacts purportedly owned by Iran as compensation for victims of a terrorist bombing allegedly sponsored by Iran.
Suit claims that Redbox charges late fees despite promise not to
A class action has been filed against Redbox Automated Retail LLC on behalf of consumers who claim they were charged late fees on DVD rentals, even though the kiosk retailer advertises that it does not charge late fees.
For PepsiCo, the price of not showing up was $1.26 billion
What's the cost of not showing up to court? For PepsiCo Inc., it's a $1.26 billion default judgment. A Wisconsin state court socked the company with the monster award in a case alleging that PepsiCo stole the idea to bottle and sell purified water from two Wisconsin men. Now the company is scrambling to salvage the situation.
En bank 9th Circuit to rehear insurance discrimination ruling
A federal appeals court has agreed to rehear a class action alleging that Farmers Group Inc. discriminated against African-American homeowners by charging them higher rates for property and casualty insurance.
WASHINGTON
Failed bank wants the money back
Washington Mutual contends JPMorgan has illegally refused to return roughly $4 billion in deposits since last year's sale of the largest failed consumer bank in American history. The hydralike litigation has become a case study in how a bank holding company can create a legal headache for the government, and for companies that buy banking assets, long after its main business has disappeared.
