A federal appeals court put plaintiffs’ lawyers on a monetary diet Monday when it affirmed a lower court’s decision to toss a lawsuit that claimed Dr Pepper/Seven Up falsely led consumers in California to believe that Diet Dr Pepper could help them lose weight. The opinion also provided an unexpected vocabulary lesson on the word ‘diet.’ Natalie Posgate explains.
Eight-Year FLSA Case Against Precision Drilling Ends with Dismissal
The ruling is important because a victory for the plaintiffs could have had implications for the drilling rig industry and possibly other blue collar fields because it may have obligated companies to pay workers for the time spent putting on and taking off personal protective gear, Norton Rose Fulbright, the prevailing law firm said.
Meet the Reasoners: Texas Legal Royalty
Harry Reasoner grew up on a farm outside San Marcos, milking cows and raising pigs for 4-H competition. At 80, he has had a storied career, representing corporations in some of the biggest trials in history. Clients pay as much as $1,500 an hour for his counsel. Now Reasoner’s two children – Barrett and Macey and the extraordinary courtroom success they’ve had – are making sure that their father’s legacy will continue for many, many years. Meet the Reasoners.
Dallas Jury Hits Greyhound with $20M Wrongful Death Verdict
A Dallas jury has awarded $20 million to the family of Hunter Brown, a 25-year-old Seattle resident who was killed in 2017 by a Greyhound bus as he tried to chase after it when it left him behind at a rest stop. Natalie Posgate spoke to Brown’s parents and their lawyer, Charla Aldous, and tells their story.
NRF Survey: Litigation To Rise in 2020
(UPDATED to include Texas responses). Litigation rose slightly in most dispute categories in 2019, but respondents in the annual Norton Rose Fulbright litigation survey say they are worried that economic turbulence in 2020 will provoke a rise in lawsuits over the coming year. The Lawbook has details.
Ouch! – Houston Bar Releases Judicial Evaluations
The Houston Bar Association has released its bi-annual evaluation of state and federal trial and appellate judges. The best rated judge mustered a “B” grade. Dozens of civil court judges got straight “F’s.” U.S. District Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal got the highest score, while Houston District Court judges Ursula Hall and Dedra Davis received the lowest rating.
Houston Chronicle: Harris Co. Accuses Big Pharma of Price Fixing, Seeks $27M
Harris County filed suit against three insulin manufacturers this week, accusing the firms of colluding to set artificially high prices for the medicine and other diabetic treatments.
NRP Scores Take-Nothing Judgment in $56M Dispute Against Anadarko
A state judge in Houston ruled Wednesday that a tax simplification restructuring deal involving mining properties in Wyoming does not require Natural Resource Partners to pay $56 million demanded by Anadarko.
By a Nose, Waco Overtakes Marshall as Patent Litigation Hotbed in TX
The reign of the Eastern District of Texas as the busiest patent docket in the U.S. ended last year when Delaware captured the top spot. Now, EDTX isn’t even the busiest patent jurisdiction in Texas. The designation now belongs to the Western District and new federal judge Alan Albright. The Texas Lawbook has an exclusive interview with Judge Albright, new data and an in-depth report on the new hot patent docket.
Lawsuit Alleges Anadarko Covered Up Risks on Mozambique Project
A terminated project risk manager for Anadarko claims the Woodlands-based company downplayed the risks of a multibillion-dollar LNG project in Mozambique. The action, the plaintiff says, came before a beheading of another Anadarko worker and a whistleblower complaint. Natalie Posgate reports.