Calif. justices to decide if undocumented alien can practice law 
Published: May 23, 2012
Tags: practice of law, undocumented immigrants, undocumented workers
The California Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a law graduate’s status as an undocumented alien disqualifies him from being admitted to the state bar.
ADA doesn’t protect medical marijuana users 
Published: May 23, 2012
Tags: ADA, AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, civil rights, disability discrimination, medical marijuana
Federal disability discrimination law does not protect medical marijuana users who claimed their civil rights were violated by local municipalities that interfered with the lawful distribution of the drug, the 9th Circuit has ruled in affirming judgment.
Stryker isn’t liable for pain-pump injury 
Published: May 23, 2012
Tags: failure to warn, pain pump, product liability
A medical device manufacturer didn’t violate a duty to warn a patient who allegedly suffered the destruction of cartilage as a result of a pain pump used following shoulder surgery, the 6th Circuit has ruled in affirming a summary judgment.
Employee can’t sue for anti-immigrant bias 
Published: May 23, 2012
Tags: employment discrimination, Title VII
Federal employment discrimination law does not provide a remedy for a bank employee who claims she was fired because of her marriage to a Mexican citizen who had entered the U.S. illegally, the 7th Circuit has ruled in affirming a summary judgment.
Benchmarks: Select Comfort mold claim gets green light 
Published: May 23, 2012
Tags: design defect, failure to warn, negligence, product liability, strict liability, toxic mold
A federal judge on Monday gave the go ahead to a product liability lawsuit filed by a California woman who claimed she suffered injuries from a mass of toxic mold growing in her Sleep Number mattress.
Md. court must hear same-sex divorce case 
Published: May 22, 2012
Tags: comity, same-sex marriage
A state court should have heard a complaint for divorce filed by a woman who entered into a same-sex marriage in another state, Maryland’s highest court has ruled in reversing judgment.
The plaintiff married another woman in California in 2008 when same-sex marriage was legal. The parties separated and the
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Class claims against Owens Corning weren’t discharged 
Published: May 22, 2012
Tags: breach of warranty, Chapter 11, class action, fraud, negligence, strict liability
A class claims seeking damages for alleged defects in Owens Corning roofing shingles were not discharged by the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, the 3rd Circuit has ruled in reversing a summary judgment.
Hostile environment suit needn’t include ‘sex’ claims 
Published: May 22, 2012
Tags: hostile work environment, sexual harassment
A female public employee could sue for hostile work environment under state law – even if the alleged offending conduct fell outside the definition of “sexual harassment,” the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled.
Benchmarks: 11th Circuit upholds identity theft conviction 
Published: May 22, 2012
Tags: identity theft
A Mexican woman stands convicted in the U.S. of aggravated identity theft, but contends there is a loophole in the federal statute that should allow her to get out of prison. Yesterday, the 11th Circuit dashed her hopes of freedom.
Party can’t recover cost of translating documents 
Published: May 21, 2012
Tags: Supreme Court, translator
A defendant that prevailed in a personal injury case filed in federal court could not recover its costs for translating documents from Japanese to English, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a 6-3 decision.
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