Consumer Law

New Law to Make Child Products Safe is Dangerous to Retailers

Updated: It won’t even be effective until Feb. 10. But a new law intended to protect children from dangerous products that contain lead or phthalates is already sending shivers down the spines of retailers and their legal counsel. Although the goal of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008…

Jan 15, 2009 8:30 PM CST

No SLAPP Privilege for Client in Calif. Suit By Fired Former Counsel

A litigation privilege recognized in a California statutory scheme intended to protect citizen participation in civic matters didn’t apply to a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a nonequity partner against his former law firm and client, a state appellate court has ruled. Agreeing with a trial court’s determination that communications…

Jan 13, 2009 8:21 PM CST

License Plate Law Puts Ariz. Attorneys in Driver’s Seat for Marketing Efforts

An Arizona law requiring license plates to be installed so that the state’s name is not obscured apparently has provided a lucrative marketing opportunity for a few enterprising criminal defense attorneys. After 100 state residents showed up earlier for help getting their license plates put on correctly, Michael Urbano and…

Jan 6, 2009 9:57 PM CST

School Board Posts Transcript to Settle Open Meeting Complaint

So-called open meeting laws requiring governmental bodies to deliberate in public about official business, instead of behind closed doors, are common throughout the U.S. And so are violations, perhaps because it can be difficult to enforce such laws. Members of one suburban Chicago school board, however, are reminded of one…

Jan 6, 2009 1:14 AM CST

Nonlawyer Earns Almost $300K a Year from Disability Suits

Thomas Mundy isn’t a lawyer. But he says he’s filed 150 lawsuits over the past 18 months, seeking to enforce a federal law that requires businesses to be wheelchair-accessible. Disabled since a 1988 motorcycle accident and otherwise unemployed, Mundy sues when he runs across violations of state disabilities law, according…

Jan 5, 2009 10:58 PM CST

Madoff Trustee Provides Claim Info

Lawyers representing clients who lost money investing in Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme may wish to take a close look at the newspaper. A court-appointed trustee for Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities has mailed off claim forms to more than 8,000 investors, but claim information is printed as…

Jan 5, 2009 8:33 PM CST

Ill. Enacts ‘Model’ Lead Labeling Law for Kid-Friendly Products

Following a special investigation by the Chicago Tribune into toy safety, Illinois signed into law this week one of the nation’s toughest warning label provisions. The legislation signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich Tuesday requires that toys, children’s jewelry and baby items containing even small amounts of lead be labeled, according…

Dec 24, 2008 4:41 PM CST

New Rules Limit Surprise Interest Hikes on Credit Cards

New credit card rules that will make it harder for banks to surprise consumers with sudden annual interest rate increases are being approved today by several federal agencies. The rules, which apparently specify that such increases constitute prohibited “unfair or deceptive” practices, also will require lenders to give consumers a…

Dec 18, 2008 6:13 PM CST

Ex-Administrative Judge Loses Appeal in $54M Lost Pants Suit

Updated: A former administrative law judge who claims a dry cleaners lost his pants now faces another loss: the appeal of his $54 million lawsuit against the establishment. Today the District of Columbia Court of Appeals affirmed a decision in favor of the cleaners, the Legal Profession Blog reports. Former…

Dec 18, 2008 3:05 PM CST

Top NJ Court Voids ‘Super Lawyer’ Advertising Ban

An opinion by the Advisory Committee on Attorney Advertising banning New Jersey lawyers from participating in publications touting them as “Super Lawyers” and “Best Lawyers in America” has been voided by the state’s top court as unconstitutional. In a unanimous per curiam decision today (PDF), the New Jersey Supreme Court…

Dec 17, 2008 10:11 PM CST

3rd Parties Will Pay for Alleged $50B Madoff Fraud, Experts Predict

For those who invested in the claimed $50 billion Ponzi scheme allegedly run by Bernard Madoff under the guise of a hedge fund, exactly how they invested in the hedge fund could be crucial in determining whether they get their money back. Those who put their money directly into the…

Dec 17, 2008 8:32 PM CST

After Libel Suit Against Blogger Fails, Lohan Gal Pal Targets Own Lawyer

A defamation lawsuit brought by a gal pal of actress Lindsay Lohan against a well-known celebrity blogger didn’t turn out the way either the plaintiff or her counsel had hoped. Represented by a high-profile New York lawyer Martin Garbus, disc jockey Samantha Ronson had hoped for vindication against blogger Perez…

Dec 11, 2008 7:58 PM CST

Stricter Fla. Mortgage Regulation Still is Lacking, Newspaper Says

Despite a crackdown on individuals in Florida who had a significant role in writing millions of dollars worth of troubled mortgages, some of their colleagues who have been involved in the problem deals continue to ply their trade. Even though a new law bars criminals from being licensed as mortgage…

Dec 10, 2008 6:53 PM CST

Judge Axes YouTube Deposition Excerpt

Outraged by deposition testimony in a fraud suit against a Houston automobile dealership, a client of a Texas attorney arranged, with the lawyer’s help, to post a 6-minute excerpt on YouTube. But it can’t be found on the video-sharing website any more, after a state court judge ruled last week…

Dec 10, 2008 12:50 AM CST

Fla. Lawyer Barred From Offering Debt Relief Services

South Florida lawyer Laura Hess has been permanently banned from offering to help consumers with debt problems. Hess and her Hess Kennedy Law Firm are alleged to have stolen millions of dollars in direct deposits from clients who believed Hess was paying their creditors, Miami’s NBC 6 reports. But thousands…

Nov 26, 2008 7:25 PM CST