Judge Randolph M. Hammock delivered a mixed ruling in the ongoing legal battle between Leah Remini and the Church of Scientology, finding certain documented attacks against Remini to be protected under the First Amendment and potentially leaving her responsible for the church's legal fees. The judge's decision effectively knocked out a swath of Remini's complaints, and the Church of Scientology's anti-SLAPP motion, if successful, could result in Remini bearing the burden of their substantial legal costs, raising broader questions about the balance between free expression and legal recourse in the face of powerful entities.
A California man is considering legal action against The Venetian Las Vegas after allegedly being stung in his testicles by a scorpion while sleeping in bed at the resort. Michael Farchi claims the incident occurred in December 2023 and resulted in him seeking hospital treatment. The hotel reportedly comped his room, but Farchi disputes this. The Venetian stated that they followed protocols for the incident, and this comes after other Las Vegas strip resorts made headlines for bed bug incidents.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been ordered by a court to submit to a DNA test in a lawsuit brought by a woman who claims to be his daughter. The ruling aims to establish or debunk her allegation of paternity, and comes after a prior agreement between her mother and Jones was sought to be invalidated. The woman's lawyer sees the court order as a "huge victory" and hopes it will bring her peace, while Jones's legal team argues that the woman's mother's husband at the time is legally presumed to be her father.
A Georgia judge has declined to dismiss a lawsuit against former NBA star Dwight Howard, which alleges sexual assault and battery. The lawsuit was filed by Stephen Harper, who claims Howard assaulted him in 2021, and also includes allegations of intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment. Howard's attorneys have denied the allegations, stating that the encounter was consensual. The case is still in the discovery phase, and no trial has been scheduled.
A man is suing Powerball organizers for nearly $1 billion after his lottery numbers were mistakenly listed as the winning ticket on the lottery's website for several days. The lawsuit alleges deceit, misrepresentation, and theft against the defendants, demanding $961.8 million in compensatory relief. The man purchased a ticket with specific numbers, which were erroneously posted as the winning numbers on the website. Despite presenting his ticket, the lottery office refused to honor it, citing the website error.
Marilyn Manson, also known as Brian Warner, has been ordered to pay Evan Rachel Wood $326,956 to cover her legal fees after a judge dismissed defamation and emotional distress claims from his lawsuit against her. The judge ruled that Wood was protected by the First Amendment when making allegations against Warner. Despite the dismissal, Wood and her friend still face claims of hacking and impersonation, with a trial set for May. Warner has denied the allegations and reached settlements with other accusers, while some lawsuits against him have been dismissed or recanted.
Roberta Kaplan, representing E. Jean Carroll, faced off against Donald Trump in a bitter defamation lawsuit, culminating in a Manhattan courtroom where a jury decided that Trump should pay Carroll $83.3 million. The clash highlighted the stark differences between the two New Yorkers, with Trump known for his libertine past and instinct for insult, while Kaplan is a methodical and disciplined lawyer.
Janel Grant's lawyer, Ann Callis, discussed the lawsuit against Vince McMahon, alleging sex trafficking, sexual assault, and more. Grant seeks to reclaim her life, help other victims, and invalidate the NDA. Callis believes there may be other victims and is gathering evidence for trial. Grant hopes to break the silence around abuse at WWE and begin the healing process. If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, help is available at 1-800-656-4673.
Attorneys representing the family of Gloria Serge, 85, who was killed by an alligator in Fort Pierce, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the community where she lived. The lawsuit alleges that the community was negligent in allowing the presence of the alligator, which resulted in Serge's tragic death. The family's attorneys argue that the incident was preventable and are seeking to hold the community accountable to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Roderick Jackson, a Texas man, is suing Walmart for $100 million in damages or free unlimited shopping for life after being falsely accused of shoplifting at a store in Omaha, Nebraska. This is the second time he has sued the company for the same incident, claiming racial profiling and civil rights violations. Walmart has stated that the allegations are almost identical to a previous lawsuit that was dismissed, and they intend to defend against the claims.
A Texas man is suing Walmart for $100 million in damages or unlimited free lifetime shopping after claiming he was falsely accused of shoplifting and experienced civil rights violations based on race/color at a Walmart store in Nebraska. The handwritten complaints were filed without an attorney, and the man also requests that Walmart pay all his court fees regarding the lawsuit. Walmart has stated that they do not tolerate discrimination of any kind and intend to defend the company against the allegations once they have been served.
A toddler in California is left permanently disabled after choking on a Candy Land Gummy Dot, leading to irreversible brain damage and spastic quadriplegia. The lawsuit alleges that the candy is defectively designed, excessively sticky, and lacks adequate safety warnings, and seeks more than $50,000 in damages from the candy manufacturer and toy maker. The family's attorney asserts that the candy was marketed to attract children and poses a significant choking hazard, resulting in severe injuries to the young girl.
A King County jury has ordered Monsanto, now owned by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, to pay $857 million in damages to seven plaintiffs who claimed exposure to harmful chemicals, known as PCBs, at the Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington. The verdict includes $784 million in punitive damages and $73 million in compensatory damages. The plaintiffs, including students, parents, teachers, and staff, allege brain injuries and other health issues resulting from the exposure to PCBs that leaked from light fixtures at the school. This brings the total amount paid by Monsanto in similar cases to $1.74 billion, with 19 more cases awaiting trial. Monsanto plans to appeal the verdict.
Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corp and co-chairman of 21st Century Fox, is being deposed under oath in a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit filed against Fox Corp. by Smartmatic, a voting technology company. This is the second time Murdoch has been deposed this year in a lawsuit accusing Fox News of airing damaging lies about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Murdoch stepped down as chairman of Fox and News Corp. earlier this month.
A jury has awarded Robert De Niro's former personal assistant $1.2 million after ruling that his company, Canal Productions, subjected her to workplace gender discrimination and retaliation. The jury found De Niro not personally liable for the discrimination or retaliation. The assistant alleged that De Niro created a hostile work environment, forced her to perform demeaning tasks, and subjected her to abusive outbursts and unwanted physical touching. De Niro had countersued, accusing her of misconduct. The jury ruled in favor of the assistant, awarding her four years' salary.
