Consumer Law

Inter Alia on the Internet – April Fools' Edition

By Justinian Lane

I?m not feeling terribly creative this morning, so you have my assurance that there aren?t any fake stories here intended as an April Fools? joke. 

• What?s the best way for defendants to deal with a class action they believe is frivolous?  Take it to trial and clean the plaintiffs? clocks.  That?s what American Express did. This should put to rest the unfounded belief that it?s too dangerous to take a class action to trial.
• A nice analogy about the Stoneridge case: "When the Godfather orders a hit, he is only an accomplice to murder -- one who 'counsels, commands, induces or procures,' but he is nonetheless liable as a principal for the commission of the crime." 
• Here?s a shock ? special interest groups are here to stay. 
• Should/will the FDA end up regulating tobacco?  I personally don?t think the agency should, but I don?t run Congress, either. 
• A nice USA Today piece about the questionable ways in which banks charge overdraft fees.  In my opinion, banks should have to pay charges in a first-in-first-out method.
• What?s the worst kind of arbitration clause?  The kind that?s forced on you after the fact.  At least one court has found those to be illegal. 
• Want the background on the $79.5 million tobacco judgment that?s been in the news?
• GOP to 9/11 workers: Drop dead.
• Will Nevada undo the damage caps that were passed before the Hepatitis C Scandal?
• What do you think of the Payday Loan Reform Act of 2009? With this economy, we?re going to see a lot of bills to regulate industries that profit from the poor.
• When is speech like Beef Jerky?  When it?s based on data mining.  This will be an interesting case to watch.
• Someone?s suing AIG to get the bonuses back.  According to The Nation, that someone has an interesting past. 
• The FAA wants to keep data about bird strikes secret.  I hate their reasoning: If we make it public, airports/airlines will stop reporting it.  How about making it mandatory to report the information, and then fine the hell out of anyone who doesn?t?

Full post as published by TortDeform.com on April 01, 2009 (boomark / email).