Contracts

Telling tenants to ‘friend’ landlord Facebook page in 5 days or lose lease was mistake, lawyer says

When tenants in a Salt Lake City apartment building discovered an unusual lease addendum taped to their doors last week, a number were irked. It said they had to “friend” the landlord’s Facebook page within 5 days, reports KSL, or be found in breach of the rental agreement with City…

Jun 1, 2016 3:35 PM CDT

Appeals court overturns $1.27 billion penalty for Countrywide’s sale of risky mortgages

A federal appeals court has overturned a $1.27 billion civil penalty against Bank of America for risky loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by its Countrywide unit. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that the government had failed to prove Countrywide acted…

May 24, 2016 2:20 PM CDT

Early plaintiff in Uber case challenges $100M settlement, says he feels ‘utterly betrayed’ by lawyer

One of the first drivers to file suit in what has become 240,000-member class action against Uber Technologies Inc. has gone on the record in opposition to a $100 million settlement of the case over the smartphone ride-sourcing app. Saying that he felt “utterly betrayed” by class counsel Shannon Liss-Riordan,…

May 16, 2016 5:20 PM CDT

Coffeemaker win lacks perk for lawyer who asked for $180K in fees but got $6,800

Plaintiff Pamella Montgomery still gets the $250 settlement she was promised after a more than two-year legal battle with Kraft Foods Global Inc. and Starbucks Corp. over her purchase of a single-serve coffee maker. But the Michigan woman’s lawyer is receiving $6,800 in attorney fees and costs rather than the…

May 16, 2016 5:02 PM CDT

State AG sues companies that bought structured settlements from lead-paint victims

The Maryland attorney general filed suit against Access Funding and other finance companies this week, contending that they had taken advantage of vulnerable victims of lead poisoning by purchasing their structured settlements at less than fair-market value. Intended to provide a steady stream of income over a period of years,…

May 13, 2016 1:30 PM CDT

Law firm suit seeks pay disgorgement and punitives, alleges ex-partners conspired to form new firm

A Southern California law firm has sued four former partners, contending that they spent nearly 18 months planning to launch a competing worker’s compensation practice before Adelson, Testan, Brundo, Novell & Jimenez learned of the plan and fired them on April 4. Asserting claims including breach of contract, breach of…

May 11, 2016 4:25 PM CDT

CFPB seeks to ban mandatory arbitration of consumer disputes over banking, credit cards and loans

Updated: In a proposed rule (PDF) that could potentially affect hundreds of millions of accounts, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is seeking to ban mandatory arbitration clauses in a wide range of consumer contracts. Under the rule, which is to take effect next year after a public comment period, mandatory…

May 5, 2016 9:45 AM CDT

Colorado Supreme Court overturns fracking bans enacted by cities

Colorado municipal laws that limit gas and oil development are unenforceable because state law pre-empts them, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday. Fort Collins has a five-year moratorium on fracking within city limits, the Denver Post reports, and Longmont in 2012 banned the process. The municipal laws were challenged by…

May 2, 2016 1:20 PM CDT

Predatory land contracts take advantage of low-income homebuyers, NY Times says

Following the mortgage meltdown that began nearly a decade ago, it became harder for many buyers to get a loan to purchase a home. That has provided an opportunity for a number of private investors, however, who purchase needs-work homes for cash and then resell them to individuals outside the…

May 2, 2016 11:00 AM CDT

Judge says Amazon must refund parents for in-app purchases made by children

A federal judge on Tuesday agreed with the Federal Trade Commission that Amazon.com Inc. didn’t do enough to disclose to parents that children could potentially make in-app purchases while playing “free” games such as Pet Shop Story on electronic devices. So, granting a summary judgment sought by the FTC, U.S.…

Apr 27, 2016 4:55 PM CDT

Lawyer now says he won’t pursue $252.25 demand for missing soup at lunch

A Texas lawyer has backed down after demanding $252.25 from a Mansfield diner because his lunch special came without a cup of soup. If he had it to do over again, attorney Dwain Downing told WFAA on Monday, he wouldn’t have written the letter he sent to Our Place Restaurant…

Apr 26, 2016 3:55 PM CDT

Law prof ponders: If a highly advanced robot kills, is it murder or product liability?

We aren’t there yet. But a human-likerobot portrayed in the short story “Mika Model” could eventually be developed. And, if so, the central question of the story also could come to life, says law professor Ryan Calo of the University of Washington. That is, how should the legal system treat…

Apr 26, 2016 1:12 PM CDT

Alleged sex abuse victim of Dennis Hastert sues to enforce claimed $3.5M compensation contract

Federally Indicted last year on charges of structuring withdrawals of some $1.7 million from bank accounts to avoid federal reporting requirements and lying to the FBI, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert pleaded guilty about five months later to one count in the Chicago case and is currently awaiting sentencing.…

Apr 25, 2016 5:04 PM CDT

2nd Circuit upholds NFL decision, says Tom Brady must serve 4-game ‘Deflategate’ suspension

Noting that substantial deference is granted to labor arbitration awards, a divided federal appeals court panel on Monday reinstated a four-game suspension imposed on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady by the National Football League concerning the so-called Deflategate scandal. Reversing a federal district court, the 2nd U.S. Court of…

Apr 25, 2016 1:55 PM CDT

Lawyer sends demand letter seeking $252.25 because his lunch lacked soup—but later backs off

Updated: A Texas lawyer sent a letter to a Mansfield diner last week demanding $252.25 in compensation because it ran out of the homemade soup that was supposed to come with his meal. Attorney Dwain Downing of Arlington said in the letter that he went to Our Place Restaurant on…

Apr 25, 2016 11:30 AM CDT