News from January 2014
Ga. man falls off dock, files lawsuit
GALVESTON - A Georgia man blames Caribbean Breeze Boat Rental for injuries he claims to have sustained while on its premises back in October.
League City man sues Galveston attorney for poor representation
GALVESTON - A Galveston attorney faces a lawsuit from a League City local who claims he was misrepresented.
ATRA: Asbestos litigation ‘more incredible every year’
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – In light of the recent Judicial Hellhole Report released in December, it is clear that asbestos played a key role in the rankings, given what the report’s authors feel is a vast negative impact on the court system nationally.
Pharmacist asserts city of Sugar Land intimidating customers, demands $38 million
HOUSTON - A Houston pharmacist who runs a pharmacy in Sugar Land is suing the city for $38 million, claiming it is trying to ruin her business.
Cable malfunction during boat ride caused woman's head injury, court papers say
GALVESTON - A Houston couple claims the wife was injured during a boat ride almost two years ago and has pursued legal action, recent court papers say.
Head of IP lawyers group calls Leahy patent bill the ‘better approach’
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – The head of a national bar association made up primarily of intellectual property lawyers says a Senate version of a measure aimed at curbing abusive patent litigation is the “better approach.”
Texas trial lawyer: AG’s office should be about ‘bringing in money’ and protecting consumers
HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) – No one would argue that Sam Houston helped shape Texas’ role as a prosperous state – a state that, some would argue, continues to economically outshine its union counterparts to this day by fostering a business-friendly atmosphere.
Class action lawsuit filed against Target for data breach
PORTLAND, Ore. (Legal Newsline) – A class action lawsuit has been filed against Target Corp. for a data breach of up to 40 million customers’ credit and debit cards.
Mostyn hits TWIA with accusations of racism
Houston trial attorney Steve Mostyn is in another fight with the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, this time claiming he has emails showing a culture of racism at the agency.
Litigation Look Back: Mother claimed cruise ship worker molested daughter
GALVESTON - When Harris County resident Bernadette Dale and her daughter embarked on a Carnival cruise in the summer of 2008, little did the two know they would return home to launch a legal battle against the company.
Eighth Circuit says Neb. AG’s patent troll appeal not frivolous
ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) – A federal appeals court has ruled that Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning did not file a frivolous appeal over an order he issued against a Texas law firm representing patent trolls.
Abbott among 11 AGs to comment on proposed Obamacare change
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Legal Newsline) – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and 10 other attorneys general, including Greg Abbott of Texas, sent a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday about a proposed Affordable Care Act change.
Their View: Patent trolls threaten small businesses
By Scott Joslove
Siemens sues company for using software without license
A software maker has filed a copyright infringement suit over its product management software.
Tyson sued after woman dragged down assembly line by hair weave
A chicken processor is suing Tyson Foods after an overhead hook got caught in her hair weave and pulled her down the assembly line.
Woman blames fall on dark parking lot at Texas Roadhouse
A Texas woman has filed suit against a popular restaurant chain, claiming improper lighting caused her to fall in a dark parking lot.
Injured audience member files suit against circus
A Collin County woman is suing a traveling circus, claiming she was struck by an inflatable slide.
Texas courts enter digital age with e-file mandate
AUSTIN – The State of Texas has become the nation’s largest state to implement a mandatory electronic court filing (e-filing) system designed to digitize court filings.
Catholic diocese settles suit over abuse allegations
The Catholic Diocese of Beaumont recently settled a civil suit alleging a priest abused young boys for 30 years.
Galveston hotel owner sued over falling marble tile files motion to compel
GALVESTON - The owner of a Galveston hotel named in an Oklahoma woman's personal injury lawsuit has filed a motion to compel, recent Galveston County court records show.