In The Courts
BP Ready For Trial In Deepwater Horizon Case
February 19, 2013 8:10 am | by Danica Kirka, Associated Press | News | CommentsBP acknowledged Tuesday it had failed to reach a settlement in advance of next week's civil trial on the Deepwater Horizon accident and is ready to defend itself vigorously against allegations of gross negligence in the U.S.'s biggest environmental disaster. Rupert Bondy, the group's general counsel, said in a statement that settlement demands were "not based on reality or the merits of the case."
Shell, BASF Offer Millions In Class Action Suit
February 15, 2013 10:04 am | News | CommentsBrazil's top labor court says Shell Brasil SA and BASF SA have offered more than $20 million to settle a class-action lawsuit with former workers allegedly contaminated at a pesticide plant in the state of Sao Paulo. The court says on its website Friday that the two companies have offered to provide 884 workers with lifelong health plans.
Toyota Pays $29M To Settle Safety Suit
February 15, 2013 8:14 am | News | CommentsToyota says it will pay $29 million to 29 states and American Samoa as part of a settlement related to its safety recalls. State attorneys general sued Toyota after it recalled 14 million vehicles globally in 2009 and 2010 for accelerating without warning. The lawsuit accused Toyota of failing to notify customers promptly about the problems.
U.S. Unaware Of Fraud As It Gives Egypt Co Tax Break
February 15, 2013 7:41 am | by Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press | News | CommentsState and local officials promised an Egyptian company $200 million in tax breaks to build a fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa without knowledge of a pending lawsuit alleging one of the company's subsidiaries defrauded U.S. taxpayers out of millions of dollars, officials told The Associated Press.
Merck Settles Investor Suits On Cholesterol Drugs
February 14, 2013 11:16 am | News | CommentsMerck & Co. has agreed to pay $688 million to settle two lawsuits brought by investors who alleged the drugmaker delayed releasing bad news on its blockbuster cholesterol drugs to prevent a drop in sales. Merck and then-partner Schering-Plough had repeatedly delayed disclosing results of a study called ENHANCE on the effectiveness of its pills Vytorin and Zetia.
Judge Approves Transocean's Plea Deal
February 14, 2013 11:11 am | by Kevin McGill and Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsA federal judge has approved Transocean Ltd.'s agreement with the Justice Department to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge and pay $400 million in criminal penalties for its role in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo accepted Transocean's plea and imposed the agreed-upon sentence during a hearing Thursday.
NY Town Sued For Banning 'Frack' Talk
February 12, 2013 1:13 pm | by Mary Esch, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe town board in Sanford, about 100 miles southwest of Albany in Broome County, passed a resolution in September saying there already had been hours of public comment for and against gas drilling and that no further discussion would be allowed during board meetings, although residents could still submit comments in writing.
Carnegie Mellon Wants To Triple $1.17B Verdict
February 12, 2013 11:44 am | News | CommentsAttorneys for Carnegie Mellon University want a judge to rule that a California firm willfully violated the school's patents and triple a $1.17 billion verdict by a federal court jury in Pittsburgh. Marvell plans to contest the verdict in post-trial motions and appeal to a higher court, if necessary.
Unions Sue Again To Block Mich. Right-To-Work Law
February 12, 2013 11:38 am | News | CommentsUnions say the law can't apply to private-sector employees because it overreaches into any area controlled by the National Labor Relations Act. AFL-CIO lawyer Andrew Nickelhoff also says the law is an unconstitutional attempt to control workplace activities in federal areas such as dockyards.
Apple CEO: Lawsuit Is 'Silly Sideshow'
February 12, 2013 11:36 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsApple CEO Tim Cook calls a shareholder lawsuit against the company a "silly sideshow" but says he is open to looking at the shareholder's proposals for sharing more cash with investors. Cook says the proposal puts more power in the hands of shareholders, making it difficult to understand why a shareholder would fight it.
U.S. Company Sued Over Oil Discharged In Gulf
February 12, 2013 9:23 am | News | CommentsThe Justice Department is suing a Houston-based company it accuses of illegally discharging oil from a platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The lawsuit filed Monday in New Orleans against ATP Oil & Gas Corp. says the company's alleged federal Clean Water Act violations were discovered during an Interior Department inspection last year.
Daiichi Sankyo Accused Of Gender Discrimination
February 12, 2013 8:25 am | by Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe lawsuit states the women are trying to end employment discrimination for themselves and several hundred other female sales reps who currently work for or have worked for the U.S. arm of Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. The Japanese pharmaceutical company makes cholesterol and blood pressure drugs.
Exec. To Be Sentenced In Tomato Price-Fixing Scam
February 12, 2013 6:01 am | by Tracie Cone, Associated Press | News | CommentsOn Tuesday, former company owner Frederick Scott Salyer, 57, will leave house arrest in Pebble Beach and be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Sacramento after pleading guilty last year to charges he bribed purchasing managers at food giants including Kraft Foods Inc. and Frito-Lay.
Finmeccanica CEO Arrested In Corruption Probe
February 12, 2013 5:54 am | by Colleen Barry, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsFinmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi is under investigation in a case involving the payment of €500 million ($670 million) in bribes for the sale of 12 helicopters to the government of India. Prosecutors in Busto Arsizio, north of Milan, ordered a search of Orsi's home, as well as the headquarters of Finmeccanica's AgustaWestland helicopter division.
Thousands Of Women Sue Over Surgical Mesh
February 11, 2013 8:44 am | by Kate Brumback, Associated Press | News | CommentsWhile many women benefit greatly from the mesh surgery, the Food and Drug Administration has warned some can suffer complications, and many women have sued, claiming manufacturers should have warned of potential harm. But some doctors have said the FDA's warning — and the lawsuits against the manufacturers — are misguided.
9 Things Apple Could Do With $137B
February 8, 2013 12:02 am | News | CommentsApple has never explained why it is salting away so much cash —other than to say the company is preserving its options. The money belongs to shareholders, so Apple is limited in what it can legally do with it. Leaving legality aside, here are some things Apple could do with $137 billion.
Greenlight Sues Apple, Wants More Cash
February 7, 2013 12:13 pm | by Barbara Ortutay, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsGreenlight Capital said Thursday that it is suing Apple in a New York federal court over the company's proposal to eliminate preferred stock. David Einhorn, who heads Greenlight, said the proposal would prevent Apple's board from unlocking shareholder value.
Shareholder Suit Challenges Dell Buyout Plan
February 7, 2013 8:00 am | by Randall Chase, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsA lawsuit challenging plans to take troubled personal computer maker Dell Inc. private is being filed in Delaware. The lawsuit filed Wednesday claims that company founder Michael Dell and a group led by investment firm Silver Lake are trying to buy the Round Rock, Texas-based computer maker on the cheap for $24.4 billion, or $13.65 per share.
5 Charged With Importing Unsafe Toys
February 6, 2013 12:16 pm | News | CommentsFederal prosecutors in New York say five people illegally imported unsafe toys from China into the U.S. with high lead content and other hazards. The five Queens residents were arrested Wednesday on charges they violated copyright laws and the consumer product safety act.
Court: Negligent Mine Inspectors Can Be Sued
February 6, 2013 11:20 am | by Vicki Smith, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe unanimous ruling penned by Justice Robin Davis says inspectors owe "a duty of care" to workers who count on them to do their jobs "with ordinary skill, care, and diligence" expected by members of their profession. Inspectors, the ruling said, know that negligence is likely to result in foreseeable harm to miners.
Aussie Court Clears Google In Deceptive Ad Case
February 6, 2013 8:40 am | by Kristen Gelineau, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe High Court's decision overturned a federal court ruling from April that Google had engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct with four ads that appeared on its Google Australia website. The advertisers used the names of competitors as keywords to trigger their own ads appearing.
Critics Seek To Delay NYC Sugary Drinks Size Limit
February 5, 2013 2:38 pm | by Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press | News | CommentsOpponents of the city's plan to crack down on supersized, sugary drinks have asked a judge to delay enforcement of it, saying beverage makers and sellers shouldn't have to spend millions of dollars to comply until a court rules on whether the measure is legal.
Tenn. Federal Secrets Case To Get Resentencing
February 5, 2013 8:07 am | News | CommentsThe decision means that Howley and Roberts, former engineers with Wyko Tire Technology, may face stiffer prison time in the corporate espionage case. Both men were sentenced to house confinement and probation. It's not clear whether either will appeal the decision.
A Rose By Any Other Name Is A Lawsuit
February 4, 2013 8:36 am | by Trent Taylor, Partner, McGuireWoods LLP | Articles | CommentsShakespeare, while perhaps the greatest writer in the English language, would never have made it as a lawyer. Because, as a recent litigation trend makes clear, what is in a name, what label one gives to describe an item, makes a huge difference, at least with regard to the potential liability of a food manufacturer.
Kraft Sues Cracker Barrel Restaurants Over Name
February 1, 2013 1:48 pm | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsKraft Foods is suing Cracker Barrel Old Country Store over the restaurant chain's plans to use the "Cracker Barrel" name on packaged ham, bacon and other foods. Kraft notes that it started using the "Cracker Barrel" name on cheese in 1954. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., which is based in Lebanon, Tenn. and operates 620 locations around the country, was established in 1969.
