lawsuit

Apr 4 2011

Federal copyright infringement lawsuit

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Hollywood's top studios filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit today against the movie-streaming service Zediva for allegedly offering movies on the Internet without obtaining the required licenses.

The complaint, filed in federal court in Los Angeles by the Motion Picture Association of America on behalf of its member studios, names WTV Systems, the parent company of Zediva, and Venkatesh Srinivasan, Zediva's founder and chief executive officer.

Mar 18 2011

False advertising

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Calabasas-based Fuel Doctor, which makes a small device it claims can increase vehicle miles per gallon by 25 percent, was sued by a consumer who says it did nothing for her car.

Mlissa Drinville filed her lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging false advertising and unfair competition.

She is asking for an injunction to stop the company from claiming the device increases fuel efficiency, along with unspecified damages. She also wants to add other consumers to the suit and make it a class action.

Feb 23 2011

ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A suit filed by the ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations accuses the FBI of violating the 1st Amendment rights of hundreds of Muslims by using a paid informant to monitor several Southern California mosques.

The mosques were targeted based solely on religious grounds, according to the suit, which was filed in federal court Tuesday on behalf of three Muslims and seeks damages, class-action status and the destruction of all materials collected by an FBI informant.

Jan 25 2011

Lawsuit claims "meat filling"

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Taco Bell uses "100 percent USDA-inspected beef,'' according to the Irvine-based fast-food chain, which announced today it plans to pursue legal action of its own against the attorneys who filed a lawsuit claiming it dishes up a "meat filling.''

The class-action lawsuit filed Jan. 19 in Santa Ana federal court claims Taco Bell is violating consumer rights with advertising that it serves "seasoned ground beef'' or "seasoned beef.''

Jan 20 2011

Bratz was created at Mattel

SANTA ANA, Calif.—El Segundo-based toy giant Mattel is going after the Bratz doll franchise in an Orange County courtroom, trying to win back money on a product it claims was stolen from them.

“We will prove to you that Bratz dolls were created in Mattel’s design center,” Mattel attorney John Quinn said in opening statements in a federal courtroom in Santa Ana. “We will prove Bratz was created at Mattel and stolen by MGA (Entertainment Inc.).”

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.