Filed under: Litigation

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Obama administration sues BP, others on Gulf spill

The Obama administration sued BP Plc and four other companies over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Wednesday, charging violations of U.S. environmental laws, in the opening salvo in what will likely be a lengthy legal battle.

The lawsuit seeks damages from BP, Transocean Ltd, Anadarko Petroleum Corp, Mitsui & Co Ltd unit MOEX and BP’s insurer Lloyds of London for their roles in the worst offshore oil spill disaster in U.S. history. Get the full story »

Critics sue McDonald’s over kids meals

A 3-year-old eats fries from his Happy Meal in a California McDonald's. (AP /Eric Risberg)

After months of threats, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has sued  Oak Brook-based McDonald’s, alleging that its practice of giving toys with children’s meals is deceptive advertising.

The organization garnered a slew of media attention last summer when it threatened to sue McDonald’s, claiming that the toys constitute a method of circumventing parental control and teaching children unhealthy eating from a early age. Get the full story »

Band sues for ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ royalties

Bloomberg News | Psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly has sued Warner Music Group to recover royalties of at least $236,549  from their 1960s anthem “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.”

UK judge orders payments to ‘toxic sofa’ victims

A British judge has ordered retailers to pay hundreds of people who suffered burns and respiratory ailments from toxic sofas. The 408 victims became ill after using leather sofas made by Chinese companies that used dimethyl fumarate, now banned in the EU. Get the full story »

Continental appeals ruling in Concorde crash

AFP | Continental Airlines on Monday lodged an appeal against a conviction by a French court, which found it criminally responsible for the 2000 Concorde air disaster in which 113 people were killed.

Olivier Metzner, lawyer for the U.S. airline, said he had lodged the papers with the appellate court in Versailles, west of Paris. Get the full story »

Former head of Canopy pleads guilty to wire fraud

A co-founder of Chicago-based Canopy Financial pleaded guilty today of defrauding investors and clients of more than $93 million, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Jeremy Blackburn, 37, of Bolingbrook, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in U.S. District Court. Blackburn, a former president and chief operating officer of Canopy, admitted participating in a scheme to bilk investors out of $75 million and siphoning funds in excess of $18 million, from 1,600 customer accounts that were intended for medical expenses. Get the full story »

Judge tentatively refuses to dismiss Toyota suits

Dozens of personal injury lawsuits against Toyota Motor Corp. will be allowed to move forward if a federal judge’s tentative ruling becomes final. Get the full story »

Woman sues McD’s for $300K after spitting incident

From WBBM | A woman who claimed a McDonald’s worker screamed at and spit on her during an early morning visit to the drive-through at the restaurant on Western and Madison is suing McDonald’s Corp. for $300,000.Get the full story>>

Abbott settles inflated drug price case with feds

Abbott Laboratories and two other drugmakers will pay $421 million to settle allegations that they falsely inflated product prices to gain larger government reimbursement payments, the U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday.

Abbott’s share of the settlement is $126.5 million for violations of the False Claims Act involving pricing of two antibiotics and agents used to facilitate intravenous infusions of other drugs, the Justice Department said. Get the full story »

Tribune creditors to vote on 4 reorganization plans

The judge in Tribune Co.’s contentious bankruptcy case signaled his approval Monday to send four competing restructuring plans out for vote by the Chicago-based media company’s creditors.

If he issues the formal order by Wednesday, which will mark the two-year anniversary of the case, solicitation packages containing disclosure documents explaining the four plans will likely be mailed on Dec. 22, said a Tribune Co. lawyer.

Creditors will then have until Jan. 28 to cast their votes and the judge will use those results to gauge support for the various plans ahead of a five-day confirmation hearing set for early March. Get the full story »

Huron settles lawsuit for $38M, takes Q4 charge

Huron Consulting Group said it agreed to settle a securities lawsuit for $38 million and expects to take a related non-cash charge of about $11 million in the fourth quarter. Get the full story »

Minnesota AG sues Discover over ‘protection’ fees

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is suing Discover over allegations that the credit card company charged customers for unauthorized account protection programs such as credit score tracking and identity theft protection.

Swanson filed a lawsuit Monday in Hennepin County District Court against Discover Bank, DFS Services and Riverwoods-based parent company Discover Financial Services. Discover is one of the nation’s largest credit card companies. Get the full story »

Kraft seeks injunction against Starbucks

Kraft is seeking a preliminary injunction against Starbucks Coffee Co., which has announced plans to sever its agreement with the Northfield-based packaged food company to manage its grocery coffee business. Starbucks plans to assume responsibility of the coffee business March 1.

“Starbucks is proceeding with flagrant indifference to the terms of the contract and customary business practices,” Marc Firestone, Kraft’s general counsel said in a statement. Get the full story »

‘Super Bowl Shuffle’ owner sues Viacom

"The Super Bowl Shuffle" by the Chicago Bears Shufflin' Crew in 1985. Left to right: Mike Richardson (27), Gary Fencik (45), Willie Gault (83), William Perry (72), Walter Payton (34), Richard Dent (95), Jim McMahon (9), Otis Wilson (55), Steve Fuller (4), Mike Singletary (50). (Tribune file photo)

The owner of a beloved ditty by the 1985 Chicago Bears is preparing to shuffle on down to federal court to take on a media conglomerate.

“Super Bowl Shuffle” owner Julia Meyer filed a lawsuit in Chicago this week alleging Viacom used the video on MTV and VH1 without permission. Get the full story »

Google pays just $1 to end lawsuit over Street View

Google admitted to trespassing, but will pay just $1 to resolve a lawsuit over its use of photos of a couple’s Pennsylvania home for its Street View mapping service.

The agreement ends a case brought by Aaron and Christine Boring, who said the Internet search company violated their privacy by photographing their Pittsburgh home and swimming pool without their permission. They said the home sits on a street clearly marked “Private Road.”

“Google could have just sent us an apology letter in the very beginning, but chose to try to prove they had a legal right to be on our land,” the couple said in a statement. “We are glad they finally gave up.” Get the full story »