As previously reported by Home Textiles Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced a “record civil penalty” of $3.175 million against a retailer who failed to tell the truth about whether the products it sells...more
Judge Krupp, sitting in the Massachusetts Business Litigation Session, ruled that the statute of limitations barred the plaintiff’s tort, contract, and unfair and deceptive practices claims against Williams-Sonoma....more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has requested comments on its proposed Made in USA rule, which would codify its Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S. Origin Claims and allow the FTC to seek civil penalties for violations. ...more
In a consumer class action pending in California, the Ninth Circuit recently vacated a discovery order that would have forced Williams-Sonoma - prior to class certification - to identify all of its California customers who...more
In the past few months, a minority of the commissioners have called for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) to take the heretofore unprecedented step of seeking consumer redress in Made in USA (MUSA) cases. (In...more
The parties to class action litigation frequently contest whether plaintiffs are entitled to pre-certification discovery aimed at identifying additional or replacement class representatives. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the...more
A New Jersey district court denied certification of a putative class of furniture delivery drivers and helpers employed by various transportation companies (the “Driver/Helpers”) and individuals who owned those transportation...more
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced the latest penalties imposed on companies in 2014 for failure to report potential product defects. The first, announced on October 28, 2014, was the largest...more
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California has held that the prohibition against requesting or requiring personal identification information in connection with credit card transactions contained in...more
Julia Child Foundation Whips Up Lawsuit Against Williams-Sonoma - Williams-Sonoma illegally used the name and likeness of the late Julia Child more than 100 times in advertising, marketing, and promotional materials...more
A California court ruled last week that retailers could lawfully collect ZIP code information to reduce credit card fraud, efforts that result in lower prices for consumers. Following the California Supreme Court’s decision...more