Monthly Archives: <span>June 2019</span>

Court Addresses Burning Question: Is a Coke Oven a Product or a Structure?

In a lengthy 12-page decision that touches on nearly every aspect of product liability, the New York Court of Appeals addressed whether the defendant met its burden on summary judgment that the large, industrial coke ovens located in decedent’s workplace …

Federal Lawsuit Charges Amazon’s Alexa Violates Children’s Privacy

If Big Brother isn’t watching, maybe his little sister is listening. An international law firm has filed a federal lawsuit against Amazon.com Inc., alleging that the company’s Alexa virtual assistant product violated privacy laws in Massachusetts and seven other states …

California Court: Marijuana OK in Prison, but not for Use

SACRAMENTO, Calif.– A California appeals court says it’s legal to have small amounts of marijuana in prison — so long as inmates don’t inhale. The 3rd District Court of Appeal ruled that California voters legalized recreational possession of less than …

Lawyers Pitch Plan to Include Entire U.S. in Opioid Settlement Talks

Lawyers representing county and municipal governments accusing drug manufacturers and distributors of fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic proposed a novel plan on Friday that would allow every community nationally to participate in negotiating billions of dollars in settlements. The proposal …

Crime App Citizen Draws 1 Million New Yorkers and Some Controversy

One afternoon in late October 2017, hundreds of students from the elite Avenues private school in Manhattan were loaded onto buses, ready to head home. Suddenly, school principal Abby Brody got a disturbing smartphone alert. The crime-tracking app Citizen buzzed …

Bayer Dangles $5.6 Billion Olive Branch to Roundup Critics

Bayer AG will pump about 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) of its research and development budget into alternatives to its weedkiller glyphosate over the next decade as it battles more than 13,000 lawsuits claiming the herbicide causes cancer. Trying to …

Oil Tanker Insurance Costs to Jump After Gulf Attacks

Oil tanker owners are turning increasingly nervous about loading cargoes from the world’s largest export region for crude after the latest round of attacks on vessels. Both owners and the companies that charter their ships paused bookings on Thursday as …

Musicians Lament Reported Loss of Records in Universal Fire

LOS ANGELES — Several big-name musicians voiced dismay on Wednesday that some of their recordings may have been among thousands of original masters that The New York Times Magazine reported were lost in the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot fire of …

Cult Economist Jailed for Hiding Rare Coins Says They’re His Now

The 58 rare coins at the center of two federal lawsuits are exceptionally valuable. Now a bankrupt company’s receiver wants them. And an antique dealer wants them. And so does Martin Armstrong, a self-taught economist with a cult following who …

State Farm Moves Auto Telematics into ‘Real Time’

The nation’s largest insurer has stepped up its investment in telematics, announcing this week an upgrade to its usage-based insurance program that allows policyholders to check on their driving habits trip-by-trip instead of waiting for a periodic score card. State …