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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.