In The News Today – June 12, 2014
The state of Florida argued Wednesday to a state appellate court that it has the authority to dismiss a False Claims Act suit brought against Motorola Inc. The court deemed it frivolous, “saying it does not need approval from the relator who filed suit.” The state Attorney General’s office urged judges on Florida’s First District Court of Appeal, “to prohibit a trial court from hearing a motion to strike a July 2013 voluntary dismissal notice by Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose previous attempts to block the hearing were denied by the Leon County Circuit Court.” (Law360)
The North Carolina Senate passed a package of legal reform bills that include protections for product manufacturers who have received approval from a state or federal agency, such as the FDA; protections for North Carolina companies, “that are sued by patent trolls,” as well as reforms to limit asbestos lawsuits against companies who are, “innocent successors” (i.e. companies that never themselves manufactured products with asbestos, but purchased companies that previously did manufacture such products). (WRAL.com)
Reuters’ Andrew Longstreth writes that the Supreme Court’s decision in Halliburton v. Erica John P. Fund, expected within the next two weeks, could benefit a number of company currently embroiled in shareholder litigation if the Court rules in favor in Halliburton. “A decision setting a higher bar for class actions would not end the lawsuits, but it would allow these defendants to file briefs demanding that shareholders have to again seek court approval for the status – and this time under a new, tougher standard.” (Reuters)
