Starbucks Coffee Labels Draw Court's Scrutiny In Buyers' Suit

By Rachel Riley

A Washington federal judge pushed back Tuesday against Starbucks' bid to dismiss a deceptive labeling lawsuit, suggesting the coffee giant's allegedly misleading commitment to 100% ethical sourcing — paired with statements on the back of coffee bags referencing supplier certification standards — was potentially enough to dupe an ordinary consumer.

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Mallet Wins Injunction On Release Of Baking Product Secrets

By Elliot Weld

Baking product company Mallet & Co. was granted a permanent injunction Tuesday to stop a rival from accessing or disclosing its trade secrets after a federal judge ordered the rival to pay $11.4 million in legal bills for sharing copied goods in publicly accessible court documents.

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Trader Joe's TM Fraud Claims Lack Detail, Smucker Says

By Adam Lidgett

Smucker has urged an Ohio federal court not to throw out its trademark registrations for crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that it accused Trader Joe's of infringing, hitting back at the grocery store chain's claims that the snack brand defrauded the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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Celsius Sued Over Claims That Energy Drink Burns Fat

By Jonathan Capriel

The makers of Celsius energy drink falsely imply that their beverage "burns body fat" while hiding in "tiny, hidden text" on the cans' reverse side qualifiers, and largely concealed the fact that their marketing claims stem from a company-funded study, according to a federal lawsuit that accuses the company of "healthwashing."

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5-Hour Energy Sellers Ask 9th Circ. To Revive Antitrust Fight

By Dorothy Atkins

Family-owned wholesalers urged the Ninth Circuit to revive antitrust claims Tuesday alleging 5-Hour Energy violated price discrimination law by providing Costco with disproportionate promotional support, arguing the court wrongly applied an "extremely narrow view of antitrust injury."

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Amazon Says 'Net Impression' Can't Support Seafood Suit

By Mike Curley

Amazon.com is asking a Washington federal judge to throw out a suit alleging that it misleads consumers about the sustainability of seafood products sold on the platform, saying the plaintiffs cannot base their suit on a "net impression" of claims Amazon never made.

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IHOP Franchisee Settles Ex-Employee's Disability Bias Suit

By Patrick Hoff

The former training and development director for an IHOP franchisee has wrapped up his lawsuit alleging he was fired for missing work after his manager promised to tell human resources he'd entered an alcohol treatment program, according to a filing Tuesday in Georgia federal court.

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7th Circ. Revives Bakery's Suit Over Business License Denial

By Celeste Bott

A bakery owner who was refused a business license after hosting an event featuring "infused" treats can revive her constitutional lawsuit against officials of a Chicago suburb, the Seventh Circuit ruled Monday, finding that a lower court wrongly concluded the suit was barred because she had previously challenged the denial in state court.

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Republic National Gets OK For Liquidation Plan

By Rick Archer

A Texas bankruptcy judge Tuesday approved alcohol distributor Republic National Distributing's Chapter 11 liquidation plan, overruling arguments from the U.S. Trustee's Office that the plan contained nonconsensual third-party releases.

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DOJ Directive Gives Contractors A Fraud Risk Road Map

For government contractors, the 10 factors described in the U.S. Department of Justice's recent corporate fraud enforcement directive function as a de facto scoring rubric for internal audits that mirrors what prosecutors will prioritize, say attorneys at Spencer Fane.

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At 4th Circ., DOJ Admits But Downplays Goldstein Trial Errors

By Jeff Overley

The U.S. Department of Justice late Tuesday acknowledged that it confused key statutory terms related to jury instructions at famed appellate advocate Tom Goldstein's criminal trial, while also insisting "the government's mistake here was understandable" and shouldn't upend a jury's guilty verdict.

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Brief

Fenwick & West To Match $235K Salary Scale For Associates

By Tracey Read

Fenwick & West LLP is reportedly the latest firm that will raise associate pay in the new year.

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Ex-Fla. Bar Prez Accused Of Botching $350M Estate Claim

By Carolina Bolado

The widow of a Miami real estate investor is suing a former president of the Florida Bar for malpractice, claiming his botched representation left her without a claim to her late husband's $350 million estate.

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Analysis

3 Federal Circuit Clashes To Watch In November

By Ryan Davis

A high-stakes case that will determine whether the U.S. government should face patent infringement claims over Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines and Labcorp's appeal of a nine-figure patent verdict against it are among the arguments the Federal Circuit will hear in November.

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4th Circ. Says W.Va. Daniel's Law Is Unconstitutional

By Rose Krebs

The Fourth Circuit on Tuesday affirmed a district court determination striking down as unconstitutional West Virginia's law restricting the publication of the home addresses and phone numbers of law enforcement and judicial officials, saying the district court applied "well-established" First Amendment principles.

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