SCOTUS drops case after pro se litigant goes missing

The U.S. Supreme Court has dropped the case of Bobby Chen, who filed a pro se cert petition over the power of federal judges to extend the time for service of lawsuits. The court dismissed the case on Friday because Chen could not be found, report the Wall Street Journal,…

Jan 12, 2015 6:46 AM CST

Debt buyer will seek to vacate 4,500 judgments, pay $675K to settle AG suit

A consumer debt buyer accused by the New York attorney general of illegally obtaining judgments in thousands of collection cases brought over debt that is too old to collect has agreed to settle a lawsuit by AG Eric Schneiderman. Encore Capital Group Inc. will seek to vacate some 4,500 judgments…

Jan 9, 2015 12:35 PM CST

It’s unethical for prosecutors to allow debt collectors to use official letterhead, says ABA opinion

Jan 1, 2015 2:40 AM CST

Odor in the court! Another judge complains of ‘repugnant stench’ from filing by state AG’s office

It wasn’t the legal arguments made by the Indiana attorney general’s office that caused several state appeals judges to sniff out a problem with its legal briefs. The filings literally stink, the jurists complained, comparing the smell to cigarette or pipe smoke, according to Above the Law and the Indianapolis…

Dec 18, 2014 4:40 PM CST

After last-minute lead plaintiff substitution, iPod users seek $350M at trial and get zilch

Corrected: A $350 million federal class action noteworthy for its last-minute appointment of a new lead plaintiff made it the jury this week—only to have the jury rule for the defendant company after about three hours of deliberation. The jury on Tuesday found Apple Inc. not liable for allegedly suppressing…

Dec 16, 2014 3:55 PM CST

Unusual SCOTUS lineup supports class-action defendant seeking to transfer case to federal court

An unusual five-justice majority of the U.S. Supreme Court has sided with a defendant who sought to remove a class action from state to federal court. The court ruled that a defendant seeking to remove a class action does not need to introduce evidence with the notice of removal showing…

Dec 15, 2014 10:56 AM CST

Pro se cert petitioner can’t be located; his SCOTUS brief is due soon

A Baltimore property owner who persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case has gone missing. The court granted cert last month based on a petition written by property owner Bobby Chen without the help of a lawyer, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports. A reporter who visited…

Dec 10, 2014 7:19 AM CST

Judge boots lead plaintiff in $350M case at trial against Apple, orders counsel to find a substitute

Agreeing with Apple Inc. that the only remaining lead plaintiff in a $350 million class action over iPods didn’t actually purchase one of the devices at issue, a federal judge has booted her from the case. However, rather than dismiss the antitrust case, which is at trial in Oakland, California,…

Dec 9, 2014 2:00 PM CST

Does $350M case at trial against Apple have a lead plaintiff? Judge hasn’t yet ruled

One of two lead plaintiffs dropped out of a $350 million antitrust class action against Apple Inc. last week, after lawyers for the computer goliath questioned whether she had purchased one of the iPods at issue in the California case. However, the federal judge overseeing the trial that is now…

Dec 8, 2014 5:40 PM CST

Bill Cosby seeks sanctions against plaintiff in sexual battery suit and her lawyer

Blasting back at a woman and her attorney over a Tuesday lawsuit accusing Bill Cosby of sexually molesting a 15-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion four decades ago, counsel for the famous comedian is seeking its dismissal and reimbursement of attorney fees. In a Thursday court filing, Martin “Marty” Singer…

Dec 5, 2014 12:32 PM CST

Uh-oh. Did lead plaintiffs seeking $350M in Apple trial purchase iPods as required?

Several days into the trial of a federal antitrust class action in which some 8 million iPod purchasers seek $350 million in damages from Apple Inc., a problem has arisen. It isn’t clear that the two lead plaintiffs did, in fact, purchase devices at issue in the nearly 10-year-old case,…

Dec 5, 2014 10:15 AM CST

Venable sues ex-client over $300K bill, claiming fraudulent inducement

In a federal lawsuit filed last week against a former client, Venable doesn’t simply accuse Overseas Lease Group Inc. of failing to pay a $300,000 bill. The company fraudulently induced Venable to step in and pursue big-ticket contract litigation against the U.S. government on its behalf after failing to pay…

Dec 1, 2014 3:10 PM CST

Feds cite ‘epidemic’ of debt-collection abuse, charge 7 individuals and company in ongoing probe

A Georgia-based debt-collection company, its owner and six employees have been criminally charged in what is described by federal authorities as a $4.1 million national scheme that took advantage of more than 6,000 people. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of Manhattan, who is overseeing the case, says a larger investigation of…

Nov 18, 2014 5:17 PM CST

State of emergency in Missouri as grand jury mulls slaying of black teen in Ferguson

As a grand jury may be nearing a decision about whether to charge a white police officer in the controversial slaying of an unarmed black teen in Ferguson, the Missouri governor on Monday declared a state of emergency. That will allow the Missouri National Guard to help keep order around…

Nov 17, 2014 4:00 PM CST

US Supreme Court allows Kansas same-sex marriages to proceed; two justices dissent

The U.S. Supreme Court has lifted a temporary stay and allowed same-sex marriages to proceed in Kansas. The court acted Wednesday night, the New York Times, the Washington Post and SCOTUSblog report. The order vacates a stay issued Monday evening by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles emergency appeals from the…

Nov 13, 2014 8:36 AM CST