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Seventh Circuit Strikes Down Stealth Class Actions

In Ali v. City of Chicago, —F.4th—, 2022 WL 1548176 (May 17, 2022), the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently struck down one litigant’s attempt to employ a “stealth” class action....more

Seventh Circuit Construes CAFA Exception for the First Time

The 7th Circuit in Schutte v. Ciox Health, LLC., construed the Local Controversy Exception to the Class Action Fairness Act.[1] CAFA’s Local Controversy Exception applies, in pertinent part, if “during the 3-year period...more

Ninth Circuit Case Reflects Split Judicial Landscape Regarding Intervenors’ Appellate Rights in Class Settlements

A recent Ninth Circuit decision—In re Cathode Ray Tube Antitrust Litig., 20-15697, 2021 WL 4306895 (9th Cir. Sept. 22, 2021)—that prevented a group of plaintiffs from challenging the approval of a settlement award in a...more

Fourth Circuit Outlines Burden of Proof for Objector to Class Action Settlement

In 1988 Trust for Allen Children Dated 8/8/88 v. Banner Life Insurance Co., 2022 WL 774731 (4th Cir. Mar. 15, 2022), the Fourth Circuit identified the correct burden of proof required for a party to object to a proposed class...more

Eleventh Circuit Denies Petition to Appeal a Sua Sponte Remand of a “Class Action”

In Ruhlen v. Holiday Haven Homeowners, Inc., 11th Cir. No. 21-90022, 2022 WL 701622 (11th Cir. Mar. 9, 2022), the Eleventh Circuit denied a petition for permission to appeal a district court’s sua sponte remand of a case to...more

3/23/2022  /  Appeals , CAFA , Class Action , Remand , Sua Sponte

Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and Non-fungible Token Litigation Primer: A Tort Class Action

A Feb. 28, 2022, McGuireWoods alert discussing a recent case concerning non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and breach-of-contract claims suggested that future litigation over digital assets — especially as it relates to tort claims...more

Fourth Circuit Upholds Class Settlement Despite Absent Class Member’s Objections to Notice, Fees, and Scope of Release

On a question of first impression in the Fourth Circuit, McAdams v. Robinson, 2022 WL 401806 (4th Cir. Feb. 10, 2022) concluded that absent class members objecting to a magistrate judge’s jurisdiction over settlement are not...more

Beyond the Eight Corners: Determining Whether a Liability Insurer’s Duty to Defend Is Triggered

In two recent decisions, the Texas Supreme Court defined the limited parameters in which Texas courts can look beyond the “four corners” of the complaint against the policyholder and the “four corners” of the insurance policy...more

Blockchain, Cryptocurrency and Non-fungible Token Litigation Primer: A Look at McKimmy v. OpenSea

Since 2020, the market for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has grown rapidly. NFTs are units of data stored in a distributed ledger that represent unique collectibles, artwork or other property and can be sold and traded. (For a...more

First Circuit Upholds Sanctions Related to Attorney’s Fees

In Arkansas Teacher Retirement System v. State Street Corporation, — F.4th —-, 2022 WL 391450 (1st Cir. Feb. 9, 2022), the First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district court’s sanction of law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann &...more

6th Circuit Rules Nonsensical Contract Clause Does Not Equate to Ambiguity

In Hall v. Rag-O-Rama, LLC, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit affirmed the decision of a district court that rejected Sally Hall’s breach of contract claims based on a poorly worded contract provision. The 6th...more

Re-Evaluating Bifurcated Discovery in Class Actions After a Recent Seventh Circuit Decision

A new Seventh Circuit decision – Santiago v. City of Chicago – bolsters the strategy among some class action defense lawyers to not bifurcate class certification and merits discovery. This strategy instead contemplates that...more

Georgia Supreme Court Ruling “in tension” with SCOTUS Precedent on Personal Jurisdiction

Many states have statutes establishing that, as a condition of registering to do business in a state, a foreign corporation consents to general personal jurisdiction in that state. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in...more

Associations, stand down: Sixth Circuit Casts Doubt on Associational Standing

In Association of American Physicians & Surgeons v. United States Food and Drug Administration (“AAPS”), __ F.4th __, 2021 WL 4097325 (6th Cir. Sept. 9, 2021), the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently cast doubt on the...more

Ninth Circuit Gives Defendants Breathing Room to Challenge Personal Jurisdiction at Class Certification

Last year, the Seventh and D.C. Circuits addressed the contours of personal jurisdiction in federal class actions. Now, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has joined the mix in Moser v. Benefytt, Inc., __ F.4th __, 2021 WL...more

Using Contracts to Avoid Problematic Jurisdictions and Unfavorable Law

For far too long, companies facing consumer and product liability litigation have relied solely on personal jurisdiction doctrine to try avoiding unfavorable forums applying unfavorable law. Personal jurisdiction doctrine,...more

High Court’s Upcoming Decision May Have Major Impact on Foreign Arbitrations

On March 22, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a petition for writ of certiorari in Servotronics, Inc. v. Rolls-Royce PLC, a decision that will likely resolve a circuit split over the power of an arbitrator to issue...more

North Dakota Court: Similar Sales Admissible to Determine “Just Compensation” for Eminent Domain

In WBI Energy Transmission, Inc. v. Easement and Right-of-Way Across, WBI Energy Transmission’s "Motion in Limine to Exclude Evidence or Testimony of Other Easement Transactions” was denied in a ruling filed April 1, 2021....more

College Covid Class Actions

Almost exactly a year ago, the first COVID-19 tuition reimbursement lawsuits were filed against higher education institutions across the United States and we warned of the continued onslaught of such litigation. With the...more

Sixth Circuit Holds Class Certification Evidence Does Not Have to be Admissible

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent opinion in Lyngaas v. Curaden AG (“Lyngaas”), has important implications for federal class actions regarding personal jurisdiction and the use of non-admissible evidence to support...more

Pipeline Progeny: The Bounds of Eminent-Domain Power and FERC Certificates

Companies seeking to enforce eminent-domain power pursuant to the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and FERC certificates should continue to monitor PennEast Pipeline Co. v. New Jersey and its progeny. 938 F.3d 96, 99 (3rd. Cir. 2019)...more

Seventh Circuit Rejects the “Reasonable Indication” Approach For Class Member Opt-Outs

Recently, in the Matter of Navistar MaxxForce Engines Mktg., Sales Practices, & Prod. Liab. Litig. (“Navistar”), the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals was asked to adopt the “reasonable indication” approach, which would allow...more

Supreme Court Opens Door for Nominal Damages to Satisfy Article III Standing Requirement

In Uzuegbnam v. Preczewski, the Supreme Court held that the award of nominal damages is sufficient to redress a past injury, satisfying Article III’s redressability requirement. While at first blush, the opinion may appear...more

Expert Testimony, Substantiated Facts Tip the Scale: 8th Circuit Ruling Favors Energy Company

The saga of J.B. Turner v. XTO Energy, Inc. reached another milestone on Feb. 25, 2021, when the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted summary judgment in favor of XTO Energy on Turner's claims of breach of contract and...more

Beware Dietary Deceit: FDA Warns Companies Allegedly Involved in Misrepresenting Supplements

A Jan. 27, 2021, McGuireWoods article discussed the Federal Trade Commission’s crackdown on deceptively marketed cannabidiol (CBD). The focus of the inquiry was to “send a clear message to the burgeoning CBD industry: Don’t...more

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