A selection of the need-to-know civil justice news for the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6.

 

NJ Assembly Advances Consumer Contract Restrictions

Martin Bricketto | Law360

New Jersey legislation that would bar consumer contracts in which customers waive their ability to sue, file class actions and lose other rights was cleared by a state Assembly committee on Thursday despite business objections that the measure runs afoul of federal arbitration law.

Full story. 

 

NJ Bill On Retroactive FCA Claims Moves Forward

Matt Sharp | Law360

The New Jersey Assembly’s Health and Senior Services Committee on Thursday signed off on legislation that would make the state’s False Claims Act retroactive under certain circumstances — a direct response to an appellate ruling finding the statute applies only prospectively.

Full story. 

 

Notice to the Bar: Proposed Termination of Multicounty Litigation (MCL) Designation of the NuvaRing Litigation

By Order of March 10, 2009, the Supreme Court designated all New Jersey state-court litigation involving the use of the contraceptive NuvaRingas a mass tort (now multicounty litigation (MCL)) and assigned it to Bergen County for centralized management by Superior Court Judge Jonathan N. Harris. The litigation currently is assigned to the Superior Court Judge Brian R. Martinotti by the Court’s order of July 14, 2009. Judge Martinotti has reported to the Administrative Director of the Courts that all active litigation has been concluded and that the MCL designation of the NuvaRingLitigation therefore should be terminated.

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The Trial Lawyer Lobby Discovers a Frivolous Lawsuit

Bryan Quigley | U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform

The plaintiffs’ lawyers’ latest lawsuit golden egg … apparently isn’t so golden for its national lobbying organization.

Full story.

 

NJ Bills Would Regulate Selling and Renting Recalled Cars

Mary Pat Gallagher | New Jersey Law Journal

A pair of bills that would place restrictions on the sale and rental of recalled vehicles was approved by the New Jersey Assembly on Jan. 29. The measures would prohibit car rental companies from renting, leasing or selling vehicles subject to a safety recall without repairing them first and also prohibit used car dealers from selling recalled vehicles without notifying buyers.

Full story. 

 

‘Vast Majority’ of Neurosurgeons Practice Defensive Medicine

Medical Xpress

More than three-fourths US neurosurgeons practice some form of defensive medicine—performing additional tests and procedures out of fear of malpractice lawsuits, reports a special article in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Full story. 

 

Warning: The Article You’re About to Read Might Make You Laugh

Shirley S. Wang | Wall Street Journal

If you think you are going to find a foot-tall strawberry when you pop open the yogurt container in your hand, Dannon wants to disabuse you of the thought.

Full story. 

 

A Silver Lining in Washington: Shining a light on corruption is the way for Republicans to move tort reform.

Kimberley A. Strassel | Wall Street Journal

New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was last week arrested and accused by the feds of an elaborate kickback scheme. House Republicans this week reintroduced an important tort-reform bill. Sitting at the crooked nexus of these two events are Washington Democrats.

Full story.

 

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