House

New Bill Could Be a Game-Changer for Mulit District Litigations and Class Actions

The Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2017, introduced in the U.S. House and approved by the Judiciary Committee last week, proposes far-reaching changes to the rules governing multidistrict litigations (MDLs), removals and class actions. Sponsored by the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va), the bill’s stated purpose is to …


House, Justice Department Ask for Delay in ObamaCare Lawsuit

Republican lawmakers and the Department of Justice have asked for more time Tuesday to decide whether they want to move forward in the House’s lawsuit over ObamaCare’s cost-sharing subsidies. The House and the DOJ made the request in a joint motion Tuesday. The House filed the lawsuit two …


House Files Lawsuit Against Florida Lottery Over Contract

The House of Representatives filed a lawsuit late Friday accusing the Florida Lottery of illegally signing a long-term contract for ticket sales, escalating a feud between House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Gov. Rick Scott a little more than a week before the legislative session begins. Corcoran’s decision to file the lawsuit represents a head-on confrontation with an agency overseen by Scott. In response, the governor’s office slammed Corcoran, an attorney, as …


GOP Leaders Renew Push to Block Lawsuit Over Election Spat

Mississippi House Republican leaders will appeal a court ruling in a dispute over an election that tied, went to a drawing of straws and was later flipped. The disputed election gave House Republicans a three-fifths supermajority by changing a seat from Democrat Bo Eaton to the GOP’s Mark Tullos. The lawsuit was filed by five voters whose ballots were discarded.


House Republicans Vote to Shield Dangerous Corporations From Consumer Lawsuits

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have passed a resolution that would limit class action lawsuits against companies who kill, poison, or cripple American citizens. This is a massive payoff to the GOP’s corporate donors and a huge setback for American consumers. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.


With Lawsuit, Melania Defines Public Service, Trump-Style

We can all thank Melania Trump for giving us a clearer sense of what she and her family are looking for from their stay in the White House. In court papers Melania filed Monday as part of a libel lawsuit against the parent company of the Daily Mail, she said that the British tabloid and website, by falsely reporting that she had once worked as a prostitute, caused the first lady to miss “major …


U.S. Chamber Commends House Introduction of Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act

Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), made the following statement today about the introduction of the “Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2017” (H.R. 985) in the U.S. House of Representatives: “Class action lawsuits were created to make it easier for plaintiffs to get justice. But today, class actions are rife with …


What’s at Stake in Melania Trump Lawsuit: The First Lady’s Reputation, Earning Potential

First lady Melania Trump is — in and of herself — a “brand,” one that could elicit lucrative endorsement opportunities, according to a lawsuit refiled by her attorneys on Monday. The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court, argues a now-retracted Daily Mail Online article published last August that falsely alleged the first lady once worked for an escort service has damaged her reputation to …


Elon Musk’s Companies Join Immigration Ban Lawsuit

Tesla and SpaceX — two companies owned by Elon Musk — have signed on to a legal brief in support of a lawsuit against President Trump’s executive order on immigration and refugees. Musk has been on the defensive for the past week for remaining a member of the president’s advisory councils in the wake …


New Arizona House Speaker Mulling Minimum Wage Lawsuit

The incoming speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives said Monday he is considering whether to file a lawsuit to block an increase to the minimum wage approved by voters last month. Rep. J.D. Mesnard said the increase might run afoul of the state Constitution’s requirement that initiatives contain a funding source if they require state outlays.