A selection of the need-to-know civil justice news for the week of April 2-8.
Toys R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond Sued Over Website Terms
Kat Greene | Law360
Toys R Us and Bed Bath & Beyond are trying to squeak by consumer complaints for selling substandard or dangerous products with online contracts that violate New Jersey law, according to a pair of similar proposed class actions filed Wednesday.
Japanese Lawyers’ Problem: Too Few Cases
Mitsuru Obe | Wall Street Journal
Japan is struggling with an unlikely problem: Its people aren’t litigious enough. Fifteen years ago, the nation kicked off a plan to double the number of lawyers. Officials thought they could breathe dynamism into society by mimicking the Western legal system, where courts are more involved in settling issues such as consumer safety and corporate malfeasance.
California Supreme Court Rules on When Employers Must Offer Seats to Workers
Jacob Gershman | Wall Street Journal
California’s highest court has made it easier for retail and banking employees to bring class-action claims against their employers for not providing them seats while they work, according to a plaintiffs’ lawyer spearheading the litigation.
Patriots Fans Suing NFL Over Forfeited ‘Deflategate’ Draft Picks
Ron Clements | Sporting News
In what seems to be an increasingly litigious society, a group of New England Patriots fans have contributed another frivolous lawsuit. A group of seven Patriots fans from Florida, Massachusetts and New Jersey have accused the NFL of racketeering and inflicting “emotional distress” on the team’s fan base. The suit was filed Tuesday in a Massachusetts U.S. District Court.
Lawsuit Alleging Under-Filled Lattes Gives Starbucks a Caffeine Headache
U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform
America is addicted to the quick and customizable cups of coffee that Starbucks offers, but a recent class action lawsuit claims that the coffee chain under-fills their lattes. The California lawsuit alleges that Starbucks is violating consumer protection laws by under-filling their lattes by as much as 25%. The suit is asking for $5 million in damages.
Uber and the Gig Economy’s Existential Litigation Threat
Alison Frankel | Reuters
Uber calls itself a tech company. Its product, according to the company, is not transportation but a mobile device app that connects customers who want rides with drivers who supply them. And those drivers, according to Uber, are not employees entitled to protection under state and federal labor laws. They are independent contractors who use Uber’s app to monetize their time and access to a car.
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