USA Today is reporting that “the first payouts have been distributed from a $25 million settlement with Holocaust survivors who lost jewelry, artwork and other treasures when a Nazi “Gold Train” was commandeered by the U.S. Army during World War II.” The U.S. government settled the class-action lawsuit in September, and lawyers involved in the…
Monthly Archives: January 2006
MN Schools Get $55M From Microsoft Settlement
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced today that St. Paul schools will receive more than $55 million in vouchers to purchase new computers and computer software, thanks to a recent Microsoft settlement. In Minnesota, 467 school district and charter schools will receive vouchers, which range in amounts from a few hundred dollars to $6.3 million. The…
Minnesota Cigarette Tax Challenged
Here’s something new — a suit *for* the smokers. TwinCities.com reports that three smokers have filed a suit over Minnesota’s 75-cent-per-pack fee: Three smokers who pay the state’s 75-cent-per-pack “health impact fee” that a judge has declared illegal want their money back. Two Minneapolis law firms filed the lawsuit Monday on behalf of the three…
Wal-Mart class action in Philly
Betsey Piette of Workers World reports on the certification of another class action suit against Wal-Mart: No matter how they try to sell it, Wal-Mart’s image just sustained another well deserved blow on Jan. 16 when a Pennsylvania state court judge certified a class-action suit against the billion-dollar chain store for failing to give meal…
Rocky Flats Class Action Wrapping Up
Here’s the start of an AP article published at The Denver Channel: After hearing months of testimony, a federal court jury was expected to soon begin deliberating whether the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant contaminated neighboring land with plutonium as claimed by thousands of residents. Residents filed a class-action lawsuit against Rockwell International Corp….
Protests Put Netflix Settlement On Hold
“A proposed class-action settlement involving Netflix customers may be rewritten in response to complaints that the agreement does little for consumers while rewarding the company and the lawyers who filed the suit,” writes Caroline E. Mayer of the Washington Post. A hearing over the $4 million settlement had been scheduled in California Superior Court today…
Attorney-manned Help Desk for Civil Litigants
Though this isn’t directly related to class actions, it’s definitely useful advice that I’m sure someone out there (especially someone living in Chicago!) could use: CHICAGO – Mountains of paperwork and confusing legal terms can be intimidating to the thousands of people who forgo a lawyer and represent themselves in court. But a federal court…
Chalk’s Ocean Airways sued after fatal crash
A class action suit has been filed against Chalk’s: MIAMI — Family members of the 20 people who died on a Chalk’s seaplane crash off Miami Beach are filing a class action lawsuit against the airline. Early investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board showed that the stress fractures in the right wing of the…
Sempra Energy to Pay $377 Million
Sempra Energy will pay $377 million to settle the energy crisis-related class action suit: SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sempra Energy said on Wednesday it will pay $377 million in cash to settle a class-action lawsuit related to the California and Western energy crisis of 2000-2001. The energy holding company, which operates San Diego Gas &…
Did H&R Block get you to sign away your class-action rights?
Attorneys are alleging that H&R Block has convinced some customers to sign away their class-action rights, according to David Twiddy of the Associated Press: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tax preparer H&R Block Inc. has tried to encourage thousands of customers to unwittingly sign away their right to participate in a class-action lawsuit over the company’s…