Rachel Beck of the Associated Press has written an article about how companies settling suits pay lower taxes: NEW YORK – New estimates put the federal budget deficit at $331 billion this year, and one reason it’s so big is that companies will be claiming billions of dollars in tax breaks for settling shareholder lawsuits…
Category Archives: Misc. Legal Questions
FDA Places Restrictions on Accutane
The FDA is placing restrictions on accutane: WASHINGTON – The thousands of Americans who take the acne drug Accutane — and people who prescribe and dispense it — must enroll in a national registry, part of a major government program to tighten access to the medicine that causes birth defects. The Food and Drug Administration…
Important news about class actions in California
David Lazarus of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote today about how California consumers have notched a win. Here’s the gist of his article: The court’s June 27 ruling essentially guarantees you the right to file a class action against a company under California law — a right that many companies have sought to deny people…
Supreme Court decision on class action jurisdiction
A recent Supreme Court decision “will make it easier for companies to litigate class actions and multi-party claims in federal court,” according to an article at Mondaq.com originally published on July 29th. The Supreme Court last week handed down a ruling with significant consequences for corporations engaged in multi-party and class action litigation. The Court…
The ABCs of tort reform
Here are some excerpts of an article by Amy Crane called “The ABCs of tort reform.” Most people have heard of tort reform, a movement to reshape the way consumers can access the courts by restricting their right to sue and limiting the awards they could receive. But not that many people, including some with…
Class actions moved to federal courts
Here’s part of a recent article about the class action reform legislation that was signed into law by Bush several months ago: The class action reform legislation transfers most large class action suits from state courts to federal courts. Any suits filed before Feb. 18, when the legislation was signed into law, will remain where…
Asbestos lawyers’ scams
Here’s the start of an interesting Washington Examiner article about asbestos laywers’ scams: A Supreme Court vacancy has forced the Senate Judiciary Committee to delay other business, including a bill that would create a trust fund to compensate victims of asbestos-related illness. In the meantime, trial lawyers continue the feeding frenzy that this bill could…
Class action fraud is widespread
According to the American Thinker, class action fraud is widespread: A Wall Street Journal editorial (subscription required) entitled “The Silicosis Sheriff” covers the painstaking efforts by Texas federal Judge Janis Graham Jack, a Clinton appointee, to uncover the massive fraud in nationwide silicosis litigation. Lawyers, doctors, plaintiffs and screening companies participated in this fraud. Most…
Class action web sites untested
The National Law Journal has recently printed an article by Leigh Jones entitled “Class Action Web Sites Untested.” A recent decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals bodes well for the legions of plaintiffs’ law firms that host class action Web sites, but much remains untested for attorneys using the Internet to connect…
Class Action Fairness Act of 2005
There’s a terrific article on the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 by Anthony J. Sebok (a Professor at Brooklyn Law School) at FindLaw.com. It was published back in February, so, yes, it’s a little dated. But it’s an insightful review just the same… On Friday, February 18, President Bush signed the “Class Action Fairness…