Class Action

Class Action Defense Cases–DeBlasio v. Merrill Lynch: New York Federal Court Grants Motion To Dismiss Fraud Class Action Against Brokerages Finding Class Action Complaint’s Allegations Failed Under Rules 9(b) and 12(b)(6)

Posted on August 26, 2009
Defense Motions to Dismiss Class Action Granted because Allegations in Class Action Complaint Failed to Meet Rule 9(b)’s Requirements for Pleading Fraud with Specificity and because Class Action’s Allegations Failed under Rule 12(b)(6) New York Federal Court Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action against Merrill Lynch entities, Morgan Stanley entities, Citigroup entities, Charles Schwab entities and Wachovia entities, alleging inter alia violations of the Investment Advisers Act (IAA), the Sherman Antitrust Act, and New York’s General Business Law § 349; the class action complaint alleged that defendants violated state and federal laws by “engaged in ‘deceptive and misleading’ practices relating to a series of ‘Cash Sweep Programs’ that were offered as part of Plaintiffs’ brokerage accounts...

Class Action Defense Cases–Greenwich v. Countrywide: New York Federal Court Remands Class Action To State Court Holding Class Action Complaint Fell Within Exception To CAFA (Class Action Fairness Act) Removal

Posted on August 25, 2009
Class Action Complaint Satisfied Amount in Controversy and Minimal Diversity Requirements for Removal under Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA), but Remand Warranted because Plaintiffs Met Burden of Establishing Exception to Removal Jurisdiction in that Class Action Related Solely to Securities New York Federal Court Holds Plaintiffs, the holders of mortgage-backed securities certificates issued by various trusts, filed a putative class action in New York state court against various Countrywide entities seeking declaratory relief; specifically, the class action complaint alleged inter alia that Countrywide violated the federal Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA)...

FLSA Class Action Defense Cases–Boucher v. Shaw: Ninth Circuit Affirms Dismissal Of Labor Law Class Action Claims Against Individual Managers But Reverses As To Class Action's FLSA Claims Against Individuals

Posted on August 24, 2009
Labor Law Class Action Seeking to Hold Individual Managers Liable for Wages due Employees Properly Dismissed as to Class Action Claims under Nevada State Law, but Improperly Dismissed as to Class Action Claims under Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Ninth Circuit Holds Plaintiffs, former employees and their local union, filed a putative class action in Nevada state court against individual managers of the Castaways Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center alleging violations of state and federal labor laws; specifically, the class action complaint alleged that That the three individual managers – the Chairman and CEO, who had a 70% ownership interest in Castaways, the CFO, who had a 30% ownership interest in the Castaways, and the head of labor and employment matters for the Castaways – were personally liable for the state and federal labor law violations because “each defendant had custody or control over the ‘plaintiffs, their employment, or their place of employment at the time that the wages were due...

Class Actions Alleging Employment-Related Claims Maintain Top Spot Among Weekly Class Action Lawsuits Filed In California State And Federal Courts

Posted on August 22, 2009
To assist class action defense attorneys anticipate the types of cases against which they will have to defend in California, we provide weekly, unofficial summaries of the legal categories for new class action lawsuits filed in the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Oakland/Alameda and Orange County areas...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Class Action Defense Cases—In re Orleans Homebuilders: Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Grants Defense Motion To Centralize Class Action Litigation In Southern District Of Texas

Posted on August 21, 2009
Judicial Panel Grants Defense Request for Pretrial Coordination of Class Action Lawsuits Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, Unopposed by Class Action Plaintiffs, and Transfers Actions to Southern District of Texas Nineteen (19) class actions – seven in the District of New Jersey; two in the Southern District of Texas; and one each in the Middle District of Alabama, the District of Arizona, the Eastern District of California, the Southern District of California, the Northern District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, the District of Kansas, the Western District of Missouri, the Northern District of Ohio, and the Eastern District of Wisconsin – were filed against Heartland Payments Systems arising from an “electronic intrusion into Heartland’s processing system...

Class Action Defense Cases–Clark v. American Residential: California Appellate Court Reverses Approval Of Class Action Settlement Holding Trial Court Lacked Sufficient Information And Amounts Approved Were Excessive

Posted on August 20, 2009
Approval of Class Action Settlement Required Reversal because (1) Record did not Support Trial Court’s Valuation of Class Claims, (2) Incentive Award of 44 Times Average Recovery of Class Members was Excessive, and (3) Trial Court could not Award Costs in Excess of Amount set forth in Class Notice without Further Notice to Class California Appellate Court Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action in California state court against their employer, American Residential Services alleging labor law violations; the class action complaint alleged that defendant failed to pay minimum wage or overtime, and failed to provide meal and rest periods...

FedEx Class Action Defense Cases–In re FedEx Ground: Indiana Federal Court Grants Class Action Certification Motions As To Certain State Labor Law Class Action Claims And Denies Class Action Treatment As To Five State Lawsuits

Posted on August 19, 2009
Labor Law Class Actions, Coordinated for Pretrial Purposes by Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, Warranted Class Action Treatment under Certain State Laws but failed to Satisfy Prerequisites for Class Action Treatment under Other State Laws Indiana Federal Court Holds Numerous class action lawsuits were filed in various states against Federal Express alleging labor law violations in that FedEx allegedly failed to pay certain delivery drivers overtime and other wages; ultimately, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation coordinated the class actions for pretrial purposes in the Northern District of Indiana...

Class Action Defense Cases–In re CP Ships: Eleventh Circuit Affirms Class Action Settlement Of Securities Fraud Class Action Holding Class Members Of Canadian Class Actions Could Opt Out

Posted on August 18, 2009
District Court did not Abuse its Discretion in Approving Class Action Settlement in Securities Fraud Class Action Filed in United States because Class Members with Claims in Canadian Class Actions were Provided Adequate Notice of the Right to Opt Out of the U...

Class Action Defense Cases–Fener v. Belo: Fifth Circuit Court Affirms Denial Of Class Action Treatment In Securities Fraud Class Action Holding Plaintiffs Failed To Establish Loss Causation

Posted on August 17, 2009
Class Action Complaint Alleging Securities Fraud Properly Denied Class Action Treatment because Plaintiffs Failed to Establish that Decline in Stock Price was Connected to Disclosure of Alleged Fraud rather than Long-Term Industry Trends Fifth Circuit Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action against Belo Corporation and others alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; specifically, the class action complaint alleged that Belo – a media company that inter alia published the Dallas Morning News (DMN), which accounted for 30% of Belo’s revenue – “engaged in a fraudulent scheme designed to inflate DMN’s circulation artificially...

Heavy Week For New Class Action Filings And Labor Law Class Actions Maintain Top Spot Among New Filings In California State And Federal Courts

Posted on August 15, 2009
In order to assist class action defense attorneys anticipate the types of claims against which they will have to defend in California, we provide weekly, unofficial summaries of the legal categories for new class action lawsuits filed in the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Oakland/Alameda and Orange County areas...

Class Action Defense Cases—In re Citigroup: Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Grants Defense Motion To Centralize Class Action Litigation In Southern District Of New York

Posted on August 14, 2009
Judicial Panel Grants Defense Request for Pretrial Coordination of Class Action Lawsuits Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, Over Objection of Class Action Plaintiffs, and Transfers Actions to Southern District of New York Three class actions – two in New York and one in Pennsylvania – were filed against Citigroup and others alleging that “Citigroup entities and/or its employees made misrepresentations or omissions in the context of the sale of auction rate securities (ARS)...

Qualcomm Class Action Defense Cases–Lorenzo v. Qualcomm: California Federal Court Dismisses Antitrust Class Action Complaint Against Qualcomm For Lack Of Standing And Failure To Adequately Plead Damage

Posted on August 13, 2009
Class Action Alleging Antitrust And State Law Violations Against Qualcomm Warranted Dismissal because Plaintiff Lacked Standing to Prosecute Clayton Act/Cartwright Act Antitrust Claims and Failed to Adequately Plead Damage Resulting from Defendant’s Conduct California Federal Court Holds Plaintiff filed a putative class action against Qualcomm alleging inter alia violations of state and federal antitrust laws, as well as violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law and Unfair Practices Act; specifically, the class action complaint “challenged the lawfulness of Qualcomm’s licensing practices with respect to its intellectual property used for Code Division Multiple Access (‘CDMA’) wireless technology...

Antitrust Action Defense Cases–Ginsburg v. InBev: Missouri Federal Court Grants Motion For Judgment On The Pleadings Of Antitrust Class Action

Posted on August 12, 2009
Antitrust Class Action Challenging Merger of Anheuser-Busch and InBev Fails as a Matter of Law because InBev could not Reasonably be Viewed as a “Potential Competitor” Prior to the Merger Missouri Federal Court Holds Plaintiffs, characterizing themselves as “a group of Missouri beer consumers and purchasers,” filed a putative class action against Anheuser-Busch and InBev NV/SA challenging the proposed merger of the companies; the class action complaint alleged that “the merger “violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act because it would eliminate InBev as a ‘perceived’ and ‘actual’ potential competitor” in the United States beer market...

Blue Cross Class Action Defense Cases–Yeager v. Blue Cross: California Court Affirms Judgment For Insurer In Class Action Challenging Infertility Treatment Coverage Holding Full Coverage Not Required By Statute

Posted on August 11, 2009
Trial Court Properly Granted Insurer’s Motion for Summary Judgment in Class Action Challenging Infertility Treatment Benefits because California Law Requires only that Blue Cross “Offer” such Coverage on Terms Negotiated with Employer, not that the Insurance Benefits Provide “Full” Coverage for Infertility Treatments California Appellate Court Holds Plaintiff filed a putative class action against Blue Cross of California alleging for violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and false advertising; specifically, the class action complaint alleged that California law required Blue Cross to offer to provide insurance coverage for infertility treatments, but that it only offered “to pay up to $2,000 a year for half the cost of each group member’s treatment for infertility...

UPS Class Action Defense Cases–Hohider v. United Parcel Service Express: Third Circuit Reverses Class Action Certification Of ADA Class Action Holding District Court Abused Discretion In Granting Certification

Posted on August 10, 2009
District Court Order Granting Certification Of ADA Class Action under Rule 23(b)(2) Warranted Reversal because District Court Abused Discretion in Overlooking Individualized Inquiries Inherent in Class Action Claims and because Monetary Relief was not Merely Incidental to Class Action Complaint Third Circuit Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action against United Parcel Service “alleging UPS has adopted and implemented companywide employment policies that are unlawfully discriminatory under the [Americans with Disabilities Act] ADA...

Relative Percentage Of Labor Law Class Actions Filed In California State And Federal Courts Soars

Posted on August 08, 2009
As a resource to California class action defense attorneys, we provide weekly, unofficial summaries of the legal categories for new class action lawsuits filed in the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Oakland/Alameda and Orange County areas...

Class Action Defense Cases—In re Comcast: Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Grants Plaintiff Motion To Centralize Class Action Litigation In Eastern District Of Pennsylvania

Posted on August 07, 2009
Judicial Panel Grants Plaintiff Request for Pretrial Coordination of Class Action Lawsuits Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, Rejects Request of Overwhelming Majority of Responding Parties for Transfer to Northern District of Illinois, and Transfers Actions to Eastern District of Pennsylvania as Requested by Moving Party Nine class actions –three each in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and one each in the Eastern and Northern Districts of California, and the Southern District of West Virginia – were filed against Comcast and others alleging antitrust violations; specifically, the class action complaints allege that “Comcast improperly tied and bundled the lease of cable boxes to the ability to obtain premium cable services in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act...

Insurance Class Action Defense Cases–Spagnola v. Chubb: Second Circuit Generally Affirms Dismissal Of Class Action Claims For Violations Of New York's Insurance Law And Deceptive Business Practices Act But Reverses As To Breach Of Contract Claim

Posted on August 06, 2009
Class Action Claims Challenging Increases in Homeowner’s Insurance Premiums Properly Dismissed Except for One Aspect of Breach of Contract Claim Second Circuit Holds Plaintiff filed a putative class action against his homeowner’s insurer, Chubb, alleging inter alia violations of New York’s Insurance Law and deceptive business practices act; the class action complaint alleged that Chubb violated the terms of the policy “by improperly increasing coverage and premiums without his consent and in excess of the [Consumer Price Index]...

Class Action Defense Cases–Desai v. Deutsche Bank: Ninth Circuit Affirms Denial Of Class Action Treatment In Securities Fraud Class Action Case Holding Issue Of Reliance Defeated Predominance Prong Of Rule 23(b)(3)

Posted on August 05, 2009
District Court did not Abuse Discretion in Denying Class Action Certification in Securities Fraud Class Action because Reliance Required to Establish Securities Exchange Act § 10(b) Violation could not be Proven on a Class-Wide Basis Ninth Circuit Holds Numerous putative class action complaints were filed against Deutsche Bank alleging securities fraud in the alleged manipulation of the stock price of GenesisIntermedia, Inc...

Target Class Action Defense Cases–Loeffler v. Target: California State Court Affirms Dismissal Of Class Action Holding Plaintiffs Lacked Standing To Challenge Sales Taxes Collected By Target

Posted on August 04, 2009
Class Action Alleging Target Improperly Collected Sales Tax on Sale of Hot Coffee “To Go” Properly Dismissed because Plaintiffs do not have Standing under California Statutory Scheme to Seek Reimbursement from Retailer of Sales Taxes Paid to State and Lack Standing to Directly or Indirectly Enjoin the Collection of Sales Taxes California State Court Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action in California state court against Target alleging that it unlawfully collected sales taxes on purchases of coffee; the class action complaint sought reimbursement of the sales taxes paid by class members, and an injunction against the collection of such sales taxes in the future...

FedEx Class Action Defense Cases–Babineau v. Federal Express: Eleventh Circuit Affirms Denial Of Class Action Certification Of Labor Law Class Action Holding District Court Acted Within Its Discretion

Posted on August 03, 2009
District Court did not Err in Denying Class Action Treatment of Labor Law Class Action because Court did not Abuse its Discretion in Concluding that Individualized Factual Issues Concerning Gap and Break Periods Predominate over Common Issues Eleventh Circuit Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action against Federal Express alleging labor law violations in that FedEx allegedly “fail[ed] to pay hourly employees for all time worked”; the lawsuit has been characterized as “Round Two” because “the district court denied certification of a nationwide class of FedEx employees asserting substantially similar claims in Clausnitzer v...

Class Actions Alleging Employment-Related Claims Hold Top Spot Among Weekly Class Action Lawsuits Filed In California State And Federal Courts

Posted on August 01, 2009
To assist class action defense attorneys anticipate the types of cases against which they will have to defend in California, we provide weekly, unofficial summaries of the legal categories for new class action lawsuits filed in the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Oakland/Alameda and Orange County areas...

Class Action Defense Cases—In re LandAmerica: Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Grants Plaintiff Motion To Centralize Class Action Litigation In District of South Carolina

Posted on July 31, 2009
Judicial Panel Grants Defense Request for Pretrial Coordination of Class Action Lawsuits Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407 and Agrees to Transfers Class Actions to District of South Carolina Two class actions – one in California and one in South Carolina – were filed against various defendants, including LandAmerica and SunTrust Banks, “on behalf of individuals and entities that sought to enter into a Section 1031 tax-deferred exchange and entrusted money to facilitate the exchange with the qualified intermediary LandAmerica 1031 Exchange Services, Inc...

BofA Class Action Defense Cases–In re Consumer Privacy: California Appellate Court Affirms Trial Court Approval Of Class Action Settlement And Award Of Attorney Fees Under Clear Sailing Agreement

Posted on July 30, 2009
Trial Court did not Err in Approving Class Action Settlement in Class Action Against Bank of America for Invasion of Privacy Arising from Sale of Customer Information to Third Party Marketers and “Clear Sailing Agreement” as to Attorney Fee Award to Class Counsel did not Invalidate Award California Appellate Court Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action against Bank of America and related entities alleging inter alia invasion of privacy arising from the Bank’s alleged disclosure of “personal and confidential information to third party telemarketers and direct mail marketers for a fee, to enable them to market services to plaintiffs”; the class action was coordinated with two similar class actions against the Bank, and a consolidated class action complaint was filed in 2003...

Labor Law Class Action Defense Cases–Hernandez v. Vitamin Shoppe: California Court Affirms Order Barring Attorney In One Class Action From Contacting Class Members In Related Class Action After Class Conditionally Certified In That Action

Posted on July 29, 2009
As Matter of First Impression, Class Action Plaintiff Attorney Ethically Prohibited from Contacting Class Members in Class Action once Trial Court Conditionally Certifies Litigation as a Class Action and Appoints Class Counsel California State Court Holds Plaintiffs filed three separate putative class action lawsuits against Vitamin Shoppe alleging labor law violations; specifically, the class action complaint alleged that defendant failed to pay employees overtime, or to provide meal and rest periods, as allowed by California law...

Class Action Defense Cases–Martorana v. Marlin & Saltzman: California Court Affirms Dismissal Of Claims Against Defendant And Class Counsel Arising From Class Action Settlement By Class Member Who Submitted An Untimely Claim

Posted on July 28, 2009
Class Action Settlement Approved by Court Provided Procedure for Timely Submitting Claims for Benefits as part of Resolution of Labor Law Class Action, and Putative Class Member’s Negligence Claims against Class Action Defendant and Negligence/Malpractice Claims against Class Counsel Properly Dismissed because Defendant and Class Counsel Owed no Duty to Class Members to Ensure that they Timely Submitted Claims Forms California State Court Holds A putative class action was filed in California state court against Allstate Insurance Company (the Sekly action) alleging that the company failed to pay overtime wages to its claims adjusters in violation of California’s Labor Code, and seeking damages and related penalties; several years later, “the parties in the Sekly action agreed to a class action settlement totaling $1...

Labor Law Class Action Defense Cases–Vinole v. Countrywide: Ninth Circuit Affirms Order Granting Defense Motion To Deny Class Action Treatment To Labor Law Class Action

Posted on July 27, 2009
District Court did not Err in Granting Defense Motion to Deny Class Action Certification in Labor Law Class Action because Rule 23 does not Preclude Defendants from Filing such Motions, Plaintiffs had Adequate Time to Conduct Discovery, and District Court did not Abuse its Discretion in Concluding Rule 23(b)(3)’s Predominance Requirement could not be Satisfied Ninth Circuit Holds Plaintiffs filed a putative class action against Countrywide Home Loans alleging labor law violations; the class action complaint alleged that defendant misclassified its 1,140 External Home Loan Consultants (HLCs) as “exempt” and, accordingly, failed to pay them overtime and other wages lawfully due non-exempt employees...

Labor Law Class Actions Retain Grip On Top Spot Among Weekly Class Action Lawsuits Filed In California State And Federal Courts

Posted on July 25, 2009
As a resource for California class action defense attorneys, we provide weekly, unofficial summaries of the legal categories for new class action lawsuits filed in the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Oakland/Alameda and Orange County areas...

BofA Class Action Defense Cases—In re Bank of America: Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Grants Defense Motion To Centralize Class Action Litigation In Southern District Of New York

Posted on July 24, 2009
Judicial Panel Grants Unopposed Defense Request for Pretrial Coordination of Class Action Lawsuits Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, and Transfers Actions to Southern District of New York Thirty (30) individual and class action lawsuits were filed against Bank of America and other defendants arising out of “alleged misrepresentations and omissions made in the context of Bank of America’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co...

Class Action Defense Cases–Steinberg v. Nationwide: New York Federal Court Awards Attorney Fees Following Class Action Settlement Using Lodestar Method And Applying 1.5 Multiplier

Posted on July 23, 2009
Class Action Counsel Obtained Significant Benefit through Class Action Settlement Following 10-Year Litigation but Requested Multiplier was Excessive given Billing Rates of Class Counsel, Warranting Multiplier of 1.5 rather than 1.79 as Requested New York Federal Court Holds Plaintiff filed a class action in New York state court against his automobile insurance company following its payment of insurance benefits that allegedly “did not reflect the amount that plaintiff, the insurance adjuster and the dealer had agreed upon...

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.