Mass Torts vs. Class Actions: A Tale of Two Strategies
Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Putative Class Claims
Class Action | Eleventh Circuit Reinstates No Hire Antitrust Claims Against Burger King
John Lewis of BakerHostetler Discusses Use of Social Media in Gawker Class Action
Wearables and the Future of Intellectual Property Law
In October of this year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals analyzed the issue of federal preemption in the context of poultry product labeling. The plaintiff in Cohen v. ConAgra Brands, Inc., brought a putative class action...more
Judge Beth Freeman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California recently dismissed with prejudice a putative class action alleging that Mott’s apple-based products were deceptively labeled “Natural” and...more
Schumer Urges USDA To Delay Hemp Rule - U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to “delay the issuance of a U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program final rule until 2022 and...more
Lawsuits against Tom’s of Maine (Tom’s) and Colgate-Palmolive Co. (Colgate), the parent company of Tom’s, have made news of late and raise concerns over representations about “natural” products on package labeling. ...more
A New York federal court recently dismissed a putative class action alleging that a line of dog food products was improperly labeled as “natural” where the plaintiff alleged that the products contained only trace amounts of...more
LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS & STANDARDS - CBD Banned from New York Restaurants, in Limbo in Idaho - New York City’s health department has reportedly ordered restaurants to stop serving products that contain cannabidiol...more
LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS & STANDARDS - U.K. Launches Consultation On Allergen Labeling - The U.K. Food Standards Agency has opened a public consultation on labeling allergens on prepared food products. ...more
On August 1, plaintiff and putative class representative Markeith Parks sued celebrity chef Rachael Ray’s dog food brand Nutrish® alleging that the products are falsely labeled and marketed as “natural.” The complaint states...more
Newman v. Dierbergs Markets, Inc., No. 1822-CC00194 (Mo. Cir. Ct. – St. Louis): Putative class action asserting violations of Missouri’s Merchandising Practices Act, and raising a claim for unjust enrichment. Plaintiff...more
Baby food maker Gerber has scored a partial victory in a false labeling would be class action. The Ninth Circuit in Bruton v. Gerber Prods. Co., Case No. 15-15174, has reversed itself and thrown out a deceptive labeling claim...more
Food for Thought is a review of significant court decisions affecting the food, beverage, dietary supplements and personal care products industry. Although many cases in this edition focus on class certification, others...more
On January 3, 2017, the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s decision to grant class certification, finding that, at the class certification stage, Rule 23 does not require plaintiffs to demonstrate that there is an...more
Key Points - - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit joined the 6th, 7th, and 8th Circuits in declining to adopt an “administrative feasibility” requirement for plaintiffs seeking to certify a class under...more
The Ninth Circuit held that a consumer’s definition of “natural” as alleged in the complaint is sufficient for the court’s determination of the sufficiency of the pleading with respect to a motion to dismiss. In Balser,...more
RECENT SIGNIFICANT RULINGS - Subway Settles Footlong Complaints - In re: Subway Footlong Sandwich Mark’g & Sales Practices Litig., No. 3:13-md-2439 (E.D. Wis.): The Court granted preliminary approval to a nationwide...more
This Newsletter Aims to keep those in the food industry up to speed on developments in food labeling and nutritional content litigation. RECENT SIGNIFICANT RULINGS - Class Certification Denied In Popcorners “All...more
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently addressed preemption in the context of food and cosmetic labeling. Food Manufacturers Can Label Honey as “Honey” - In June, the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion in Brod v....more
THIS NEWSLETTER AIMS to keep those in the food industry up to speed on developments in food labeling and nutritional content litigation. RECENT SIGNIFICANT RULINGS - District Court Dismisses and Stays False...more
In This Issue: - RECENT SIGNIFICANT RULINGS ..Court Dismisses in Part “Natural” Claims ..Court Enters Partial Dismissal of “Handmade” Claims ..Court Dismisses Injunctive Relief Claim Allows...more