/raid1/www/Hosts/bankrupt/CAR_Public/140410.mbx
C L A S S A C T I O N R E P O R T E R
Thursday, April 10, 2014, Vol. 16, No. 71
Headlines
1725 NORTHSIDE: Fails to Pay Strip Club Dancers, Ga. Suit Says
A & L INDUSTRIAL: Fails to Pay for Travel Time, Workers Claim
ABBOTT LABORATORIES: May 22 Settlement Fairness Hearing Set
AMAZON.COM INC: Still Faces Copyright Infringement Suit in N.Y.
AMAZON.COM INC: Continues to Face Several Labor Litigations
AMERICAN OUTDOOR: Recalls Dehydrated Fettuccini Alfredo Product
AMR CORP: APA Seeks Dismissal of TWA Pilots' Class Action
ASIANA AIRLINES: April 11 Hearing in Suit Over July 2013 Crash
BANK OF AMERICA: Wisconsin Court Denies Bid to Dismiss Class Suit
BRIGGS & STRATTON: Canadian Lawnmower Suit Settlement Now Final
BRIGGS & STRATTON: Class Certification Granted in Retirees' Suit
BLYTH INC: Court Grants Motion to Dismiss Securities Class Action
CALIFORNIA: Accused of Illegal Revenue Generating Scheme
CALIFORNIA: Suit vs. Dept. of Corrections and Rehab Dismissed
CANADA: Civil Liberties Association Mulls BCCLA Class Action
CASH STORE: Settles Investor Class Actions in Canada
CELLCOM ISRAEL: Class Action Dismissed With Prejudice
CITI MORTGAGE: Judge Tosses Mortgage-Mishandling Class Action
COASTAL INDUSTRIAL: Sued for Violating Fair Labor Standards Act
COMPUTER SCIENCES: Securities Suit Settlement Wins Final Approval
EBAY INC: PayPal Sued for Electronic Fund Transfer Act "Breach"
EBAY INC: TCPA "Violations" Raised v. PayPal, Bill Me Later
EBAY INC: Appeals Court Overturns Ruling in Suit Against StubHub
ECONOMY INSULATION: Accused by Workers of Violating FLSA in Texas
EMPIRE SCAFFOLD: Faces "Hamilton" Class Suit Over FLSA Violations
EMPIRE SCAFFOLD: Faces "Armstrong" Suit Over FLSA Violations
FACEBOOK INC: Motion to Dismiss Securities Lawsuit Denied
GARY C MOHR: Bid for More Interrogatories in "Snead" Suit Denied
GENERAL MOTORS: Sutts Strosberg Files Ignition Class Action
GENERAL MOTORS: Ignition Switch Case May Lead to Criminal Charges
GENERAL MOTORS: Families of Ignition Switch Victims Seek Charges
HEALTHPORT INC: Ark. S.C. Affirms Ruling in "Holbrook" Suit
HEWLETT PACKARD: Settles Suit Over 2010 Palm Takeover for $57MM
JTH HOLDING: Faces Lawsuit Over Electronic Refund Check
JTH HOLDING: Suit Over Customer Tax Refunds Denied Certification
MALAYSIAN AIRLINES: U.S. Suits Unlikely Over Flight 370 Mishap
MATCH.COM: Melissa Midwest Dropped From Class Action
NEVADA HEALTH: Faces Class Action Over Insurance Plans
PCL INDUSTRIAL: "Abrego" Suit Seeks to Recover Travel Time Pay
PHILIP MORRIS: Plaintiff Obtains $5MM Verdict in Tobacco Suit
PORT ARTHUR: Faces "Hamilton" Suit Over FLSA Violations
PUBLICIS GROUPE: Gender Bias Suit Denied Class Action Status
QBE INSURANCE: Maurice Blackburn Mulls Class Action
RMF NOOTER: Employees Sue in Texas Over Unpaid Travel Time
S & B ENGINEERS: "Abrego" Suit Alleges FlSA Violations
S & B ENGINEERS: "Hamilton" Suit Seeks to Recover Travel Time Pay
S & B ENGINEERS: "Armstrong" Suit Alleges FLSA Violations
SANTA FE GOLD: Class Action Over Dismissed Without Prejudice
SCH CORP: Approval of Deal With CFI Class Action Claimants Upheld
STUDY GROUP: Fails to Pay Overtime Compensation, ESL Teachers Say
TECON SERVICES: Faces Suit Alleging FLSA Violations in Texas
TENNSMITH INC: Metalworker Files Products Liability Claim
TETRA TECH: BPR Sued for Conspiracy, Price Fixing in Canada
TETRA TECH: Securities Lawsuit in California Now Dismissed
TRACER INDUSTRIES: "Hamilton" Suit Alleges FLSA Violations
TRACER INDUSTRIES: "Armstrong" Suit Seeks to Recover Wages
TURNER INDUSTRIES: "Hamilton" Suit Seeks Payment of Travel Time
TURNER INDUSTRIES: "Armstrong" Suit Alleges FLSA Violations
WALGREEN CO: Removed "Demison" Suit to S.D. Calif.
WATTS WATER: Settles Class Action Over Toilet Connectors
WHOLE FOODS: Blumenthal Nordrehaug & Bhowmik Files Class Action
* Number of Medical Data Breach Victims Doubles in Los Angeles
*********
1725 NORTHSIDE: Fails to Pay Strip Club Dancers, Ga. Suit Says
--------------------------------------------------------------
Brittany M. Thompson, Jennifer R. Hight, Katherine M. Bellows,
and Danielle L. McElroy, individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated who consent to their inclusion in a collective
action v. 1715 Northside Drive, Inc. d/b/a Club Babes, a
corporation; and C.B. Jones and Karen Kirk, individuals, Case No.
1:14-cv-00390-RWS (N.D. Ga., February 10, 2014) arises from an
alleged ongoing wrongful scheme by the Defendants to turn back
the clock by denying their employees any wage at all.
The Defendants' scheme is so far removed from the modern era that
it involves requiring its employees to work without any wage at
all, the Plaintiffs contend.
1715 Northside Drive, Inc. is a Georgia corporation. C.B. Jones
is the Company's chief executive officer. Karen Kirk is the
Company's chief financial officer and secretary. The Defendants
own and operate a successful and long-lived strip club. The
business of the Defendants is to provide nude dancers and other
entertainment to customers of the club.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
W. Anthony Collins, Jr., Esq.
SMITH COLLINS, LLC
8565 Dunwoody Place
Building 15, Suite B
Atlanta, GA 30350
Telephone: (770) 378-1408
E-mail: wicollin@hotmail.com
The Defendants are represented by:
Eric R. Magnus, Esq.
Erin Jennifer Krinsky, Esq.
JACKSON LEWIS, LLP-ATLANTA
1155 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 1000
Atlanta, GA 30309-3600
Telephone: (404) 525-8200
Facsimile: (404) 525-1173
E-mail: magnuse@jacksonlewis.com
erin.krinsky@jacksonlewis.com
- and -
Dean R. Fuchs, Esq.
Susan Kastan Murphey, Esq.
SCHULTEN WARD & TURNER
260 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 2700
Atlanta, GA 30303
Telephone: (404) 688-6800
E-mail: drf@swtlaw.com
skm@swtlaw.com
- and -
Herbert P. Schlanger, Esq.
OFFICE OF HERBERT P. SCHLANGER
230 Peachtree Street, N.W., Suite 1890
Atlanta, GA 30303
Telephone: (404) 808-6659
Facsimile: (404) 745-0523
E-mail: herb@schlanger.com
A & L INDUSTRIAL: Fails to Pay for Travel Time, Workers Claim
-------------------------------------------------------------
Jerrett Ray Armstrong, et al. v. A & L Industrial Services, Inc.,
Case No. 1:14-cv-00063-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv00288 in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Jerrett Ray Armstrong, Mario Vicente Acevedo,
Zach Marwan Achkar, Rolland Craig Allen, Patricia Andrade, Freddy
A. Araica, Elizabeth Ann Arguello, Ricky Arnaud, Jesse Askew,
Unnikrishna Pillai Balakrishnapilla, Cory Lynn Baldwin, Carroll
Henry Ballard, Daniel T. Ball, K.E. Barker, Weldon Barker, Bruce
Barnard, Lafayet Barrera-Gonzalez, Larry Basco, Richard Wayne
Bell, Anthony Joseph Berg II, Christopher Bergeaux, Kimberly
Bergeaux, Rosalio Lugo Blanco, Brandon M. Bolton, James L.
Brantley, Randy Glenn Britnell, Kenneth Budwine, Jr., Eric
Butler, Aliber Marroquin Cantu, Juan L. Cantu-Garcia, Julio Cesar
Cantu, Sergio Marroquin Cantu, Cleon Carraway, Juan Jose
Carrillo, Mario Serrano Carrillo, Michael P. Carrier, Oscar
Torres Castillo, Rafael Ceja, Jr., James Kenneth Chaney, Sr.,
Carl Alan Clark, Vicki A. Clark, Eddie Alberto Colon, Jose
Antonio Compean, Jr., Manuel Cordero III, Carlos Cordova, Martin
Coronado Acuna, James Franklin Costlow, Michael Crim, David Cruz,
Doel Pastor Cruz-Rivera, Jason Clyde Darrell, Brian Allan Davis,
Michael Earl Davis, David Garcia Delacruz, Sergio Antonio Delfin,
Omar A. Delgadillo, Louis Joseph Deshotel, Shawna Donzaile Dodd,
Lawrence Dufrain, Kevin Wayne Duhon, Dennis Joseph Duplantis,
Gene Ross East, Christopher Elizondo, Ben D. Ellis, Mauricio
Castro Estrada, Jorge Falcon, Troy Favorite, Joseph Fazio,
Gregory Donnell Fleming, Raul Flores-Regino, Sheila Anderson
Folse, Michael Alvin Freeman, Eliseo Garcia, Erick Garcia, Jesus
Alonzo Garcia, Jose Gilberto Garcia, Juan Pablo Garcia, Guadalupe
Benjamin Garza, Zaragoza Tijerina Garza, Olin Gilbert, Ramiro
Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Jacob Goudeau, Jordan Alexander Grant,
John Kerri Gray, April Johnson-Green, Chris Grote, Adan Guerrero,
Manuel Jose Gutierrez, Maximiano Sanchez Gutierrez, Charles L.
Hagebusch III, Milton Hardin, Darin Kevin Hargrove, Travis
Trinord Harris, Jeremy Dermon Hawkins, Mildred Marie Hayes, Ruben
D. Hernandez, Daniel Glen Hester, Joseph Randall Holcomb, Colby
Alan Howell, John Daniel Howell II, Andy Hudson, Rocky Dean
Hudson, David William Huff, Willie Daniel Hunter II, Clarence
Melvin Ingle III, Keith Ingle, Randy Ingle, Trenton Tyler Ingle,
Christopher Lee Jackson, Dustin David James, Julius Joseph Janca,
Jr., Francisco Jarquin, Agustin Miguel Jimenez, Martin David
Johnson, Dale Winford Jones, Jarvis Dequan Jones, Jeremiah Casey
Jones, Magda G. Kelly, Randy Dewayne Kelsoe, Gerald J. Kinchen,
Tammy Renee Knight, Robert Keither Lamar, Justin Ryan Lambright,
Lewis Carl Lambert, Glenn Garette Landry, David Louis Langley,
Robert J. Lawler, Jr., Javetta Leather, Mayolo Benitez Leon,
David A. Loera, David Acosta Loera, Jesus Magallon, Leslie D.
Mancil, Michael Aaron Mann, Roland Arnold Mann, Jr., Variath D.
Marottikudy, Erick Rios Marroquin, Anthony Daniel Mayo, Peter L.
Mccarthy, Ronald Mcfarlin, Walter Joseph Mcfarland, Chase Michael
Mcmains, Larry Wayne Meeks, Rebecca Fortenberry Meeks, Javier H.
Mendez Gonzalez, Robert James Mendoza, David William Meyers,
Devan Mitchem, Kristopher Montalvo, Justin Scott Moussette,
Tyrone Nash, Ramon Humberto Natal, Lynn Todd Neuman, Jack G.
Oppert, Jr., Anibal Ruben Ortiz, Daniel Ozuna, Nelson O. Pacheco-
Ramos, Varghese Vembi Pappukunju, Joey Lynn Parks, Kent Parks,
Douglas E. Peach, Rolando Perez, Jace Picou, Jorge Armando Pinon,
Edgar Omar Portillo, Dulcey Ann Prine, Jesus Puente, Jr., Jesus
G. Puente, Sr., Natividad Quintanilla, Richard Morgan Radford,
Violeta Sentiol Ramirez, Lee R. Ramos, Thomas Rayborn, James I.
Rayer, Jr., Hugo Mariano Raymundo, Arthur Lee Richards, Marco
Antonio Rivera, Oscar Armando Rivera, Leroy Robinson, Jr., Jose
Gavito Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., James C.
Rogers, Marvin Romero, Eulalio Pasillas Salas, Jose Reynaldo
Salinas, Julio C. Salinas-Garza, Juan A. Sanchez-Rodriguez,
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Martinez, Alejandro Sandoval Garcia,
Zachary Schaver, Sam Boudreaux Scott, Ethelwoldo Segarra, Usiel
Sernon, Jerry Leon Shane, Claude Douglas Shute, Ronald Ray Sims,
Fermah Smith, Carlos Alberto Solis, Edward Allen Sonnier, Milton
Spears, Kenneth Spencer, Jr., Donanthony Spitaleri, Jonathan Neil
Stanton, Cherrie Steptoe, Ralphel T. Steptoe, Ricky Lee Stokes,
Vernie Sutton, Jeffrey C. Swarner, Waylon Michael Symmank,
Cassandra Marie Tait, James V. Taylor, Mark Tolbert, Daniel
Eschevarria Torres, Joel Echevarria Torres, Kevin Townley, Miguel
A. Trejo, Lupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Douglas Edward Tubbs,
Jeffery Arnold Tullar, Cynthia Renee Turner, Wesley Turner, Mario
Cruz Urbano, Alvaro Valencia, Luis Angel Vargas, Reji Kileekkal
Varughese, James Vaughn, Kunhikrishnan K. Veetil, Antonio Gerardo
Velazquez, Hector Hernandez Velazquez, Hector Jimenez Vera, Jason
Wayne Verrett, Elson Dennis Vidrine, Jesus Villarreal, Juan C.
Villatoro, Pablo Villeda-Cabriales, Walter Douglas Wackenreuter,
James Earl Wade, Anthony L. Ward, Spencer Mcgarrett Washington,
William Warren Wesberry, Jr., Rose Mary Whitehead, Malcolm Ryan
Wilburn, Carl Wilkerson, Sr., Bo Williams, Kevin Lane Williams,
II, Leia Culpepper Williams, John Lee Winkelmann, Davy Howard
Wolfe, II, Jody Woodruff, Heidi C. Wymer, Bradley Farris
Yarborough, Adrian Young, David Harrison Young, Ruben Zamora,
Dalton Joseph Antoine, Julio Cesar Castillo-Honorato, Carlos L.
Gomez, Jeremy Ryan Gulley, Charles A. Lacy, Jr., Alexis Yuri
Lobo, Jerry Dale Massey, Erwin Haroldo Morales, Gerardo Vazquez
Ortega, Guadalupe Ortega, Jose Luis Quezada Mora, Alejos
Rodrigeuz-Tamez, Kevin Thomas, John Garcia, Jr., Pedro Pena
Perez, Monica Owens Sherman, Robin Keith Boul, Joshua Caleb
Miller, Oscar F. Reyes, Jose Javier Sanches, Homero Monreal,
Varkey Kolackal Johnson, Richard Wiltz, Jr., Varghese Paily
Kulianickal, and Sadashivanachary Janardhananachary.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
William Jackson Wisdom, Esq.
MARTIN DISIERE JEFFERSON & WISDOM
808 Travis, Suite 1800
Houston, TX 77002
Telephone: (713) 632-1700
Facsimile: (713) 222-0101
E-mail: wisdom@mdjwlaw.com
ABBOTT LABORATORIES: May 22 Settlement Fairness Hearing Set
-----------------------------------------------------------
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NOTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION
IN RE ABBOTT-DEPAKOTE
SHAREHOLDER DERIVATIVE LITIGATION
CASE NO:1:11-CV-08114
Hon. Virginia M. Kendall
SUMMARY NOTICE OF PENDENCY OF SHAREHOLDER DERIVATIVE
ACTION INVOLVING ABBOTT LABORATORIES, PROPOSED SETTLEMENT,
AND SETTLEMENT HEARING
TO: ALL CURRENT HOLDERS OF ABBOTT LABORATORIES COMMON STOCK
THIS SUMMARY NOTICE RELATES TO A PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AND
DISMISSAL OF THE ABOVE-CAPTIONED LITIGATION PENDING IN THE UNITED
STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the parties have reached a
settlement to resolve the issues raised in the Consolidated
Derivative Actions (as that term is defined in the Stipulation
and Agreement of Settlement.)
Please be further advised that pursuant to an Order of the
United States District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois, a hearing will be held before the Honorable Virginia M.
Kendall on May 22, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at Courtroom 2319 of the
United States District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois, 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604, to
determine: (i) whether the proposed Settlement should be approved
by the Court as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (ii) whether the
Consolidated Derivative Actions should be dismissed with
prejudice; (iii) whether the Court should award attorneys' fees
and reimbursement of expenses for Lead Plaintiff's Counsel, and
in what amount; and (iv) to hear such other matters as may
properly come before the Court.
IF YOU ARE A CURRENT ABBOT SHAREHOLDER, YOU MAY HAVE CERTAIN
RIGHTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT, AND YOUR
RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT ACTION.
This is a summary notice only. If you have not seen publication
of the full-length Notice of Proposed Settlement of Consolidated
Derivative Actions, Final Settlement Hearing, and Right to Appear
(the "Notice"), you may view this Notice: (i) on the Abbott
Laboratories website (www.abbott.com); or (ii) in a Form 8-K
filed by Abbott with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
March 28, 2014.
If you wish to obtain additional information about the claims
asserted in the Consolidated Derivative Actions and the terms of
the proposed Settlement, please contact Lead Plaintiff's Counsel:
Robert M. Roseman, Esquire
Spector Roseman Kodroff & Willis, P.C.
1818 Market Street, Suite 2500
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone: (215) 496-0300
E-mail: rroseman@srkw-law.com
Any objections to the proposed settlement or Lead Plaintiff's
Counsel's application for attorney's fees and reimbursement of
expenses must be filled with the Court and delivered to Lead
Plaintiff's Counsel and counsel for Abbott and the Individual
Defendants such that they are received no later than May 8, 2014,
in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Notice and at
the addresses set forth in the Notice.
If you are a current Abbott shareholder and you do not take steps
to appear or to object to the proposed Settlement as set forth in
the Notice, you will be bound by the Order and Final Judgment of
the Court, you will be forever barred from: (i) objecting to the
fairness, adequacy, or reasonableness of the proposed Settlement;
(ii) objecting to the fairness or reasonableness of Lead
Plaintiff's Counsel's request for an award of attorneys' fees and
reimbursement of expenses, and you will be bound by the
Settlement and release of claims.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL, WRITE, OR OTHERWISE DIRECT QUESTIONS TO
EITHER THE COURT OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING THIS SUMMARY
NOTICE.
By Order of the Court
United States District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois
AMAZON.COM INC: Still Faces Copyright Infringement Suit in N.Y.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Amazon.Com, Inc. continues to face a suit filed in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York,
alleging copyright infringement, according to the company's Jan.
31, 2013, Form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2013.
In July 2012, Norman Blagman filed a purported class-action
complaint against Amazon.com, Inc. for copyright infringement in
the United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York. The complaint alleges, among other things, that
Amazon.com, Inc. sells digital music in the company's Amazon MP3
Store obtained from defendant Orchard Enterprises and other
unnamed "digital music aggregators" without obtaining mechanical
licenses for the compositions embodied in that music. The
complaint seeks certification as a class action, statutory
damages, attorneys' fees, and interest. The company disputes the
allegations of wrongdoing and intend to defend ourselves
vigorously in this matter.
AMAZON.COM INC: Continues to Face Several Labor Litigations
-----------------------------------------------------------
Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates continue to face several
lawsuits alleging labor law violations, according to the
company's Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the quarter ended Dec. 31,
2013.
Beginning in August 2013, a number of complaints were filed
alleging, among other things, that Amazon.com, Inc. and several
of its subsidiaries failed to compensate hourly workers for time
spent waiting in security lines and otherwise violated federal
and state wage and hour statutes and common law. In August 2013,
Busk v. Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc. and Amazon.com, Inc.
was filed in the United States District Court for the District of
Nevada, and Vance v. Amazon.com, Inc., Zappos.com Inc., another
affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc., and Kelly Services, Inc. was filed
in the United States District Court for the Western District of
Kentucky. In September 2013, Allison v. Amazon.com, Inc. and
Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc. was filed in the United States
District Court for the Western District of Washington, and
Johnson v. Amazon.com, Inc. and an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc.
was filed in the United States District Court for the Western
District of Kentucky. In October 2013, Davis v. Amazon.com,
Inc., an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc., and Integrity Staffing
Solutions, Inc. was filed in the United States District Court for
the Middle District of Tennessee. The plaintiffs variously
purport to represent a nationwide class of certain current and
former employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act and/or state-
law-based subclasses for certain current and former employees in
states including Arizona, California, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Kentucky, and Nevada, and one complaint asserts
nationwide breach of contract and unjust enrichment claims. The
complaints seek an unspecified amount of damages, interest,
injunctive relief, and attorneys' fees.
AMERICAN OUTDOOR: Recalls Dehydrated Fettuccini Alfredo Product
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Virginian-Pilot reports that a Colorado company is recalling
a dehydrated Fettuccini Alfredo product because of undeclared
allergens due to mislabeling.
The 7.5 ounce foil pouches of Backpackers Pantry Fettuccini
Alfredo with Chicken were produced by American Outdoor Products
on July 2 and have the product code 07/02/2020, according to a
news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They also
have the product number P-4933 inside the USDA inspection mark.
The product was made with milk and wheat, but the known allergens
were not declared on the label.
The product was sold online and to stores nationwide.
A retailer in Vermont noticed the problem and called the company
on April 1. The company investigated and found that a wrong
label was mistakenly put into a labeling machine.
The label that was used was supposed to be for the company's
"Jamaican Jerk style rice with chicken."
When available, a list of stores that received the product will
be posted on the USDA website, www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
Consumers who believe they are having a health reaction to the
product should seek medical attention.
Consumers with questions about the recall can call 303-800-1404
or e-mail elaine@backpackerspantry.com
The USDA's "Ask Karen" virtual representative is available 24
hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov.
The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-
888-674-6854) is available from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint
Monitoring System is always available at:
www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem
AMR CORP: APA Seeks Dismissal of TWA Pilots' Class Action
---------------------------------------------------------
Maria Chutchian, writing for Law360, reports that the Allied
Pilots Association on March 31 asked the judge who oversaw
AMR Corp.'s bankruptcy to throw out a putative class action
accusing the newly reorganized airline of pushing former Trans
World Airlines Inc. pilots out of positions of seniority.
The lawsuit, brought by three former TWA pilots who now work for
the new American Airlines Inc., was transferred from New York
federal court to bankruptcy court in March. The suit accuses the
airline and APA of implementing a seniority list agreed to when
American Airlines took over TWA in 2001 that knocked the former
TWA pilots down several ranks.
APA argues in court documents that the claims must be dismissed
because the airline is operating in conjunction with the
provisions regarding pilot seniority that were negotiated in a
collective bargaining agreement and that the named plaintiffs
cannot prove that they have suffered any harm from the alleged
activity.
"Put briefly, [the] plaintiffs' hybrid claim and their entire
complaint must fail because they have not plausibly alleged and
cannot plausibly establish that American is breaching or has
breached the new CBA," APA said in the court filing.
At least one of the named plaintiffs, John Krakowski, has
previously sued the airline and APA over issues surrounding
American's acquisition of TWA.
The 2001 seniority list that the plaintiffs refer to stripped
former TWA pilots of much of their seniority, the plaintiffs
contend. As part of its bankruptcy, AMR negotiated a new
collective bargaining agreement with APA in December 2012.
Under the new agreement, members of the class should be ranked
according to their date of hire, but the airline and union are
instead implementing a seniority list that mirrors the one from
2001, they argue. The suit asks for a court order instructing
APA and American to amend the list so former TWA pilots are not
"stapled" to the bottom.
"Due to American and APA's agreement, [the] named plaintiffs and
the members of the proposed class have received places on the new
system seniority list far below those which they are entitled to
under the calculation method specified in the new CBA," the
plaintiffs said in an amended complaint.
American's merger with US Airways Group Inc. went into effect in
December after AMR's two-year bankruptcy and a threat from the
U.S. Department of Justice to derail the tie-up out of antitrust
concerns. The DOJ later dropped the suit.
The airlines said at the time of the merger that it will take 18
to 24 months to fully integrate operations. The merged carrier
is expected to bring in more than $1 billion in annual net
synergies by 2015, they said.
Through the merger, AMR shareholders received 72 percent of the
new entity's equity and US Airways' shareholders received 28
percent. Existing AMR shareholders received 3.5 percent
ownership stake in the new company. The merger garnered the
support of AMR's creditors, senior secured lenders and labor
unions.
APA is represented by Edgar N. James, Steven K. Hoffman and Darin
M. Dalma of James & Hoffman PC and by Filiberto Agusti --
fagusti@steptoe.com -- and Joshua R. Taylor --
jrtaylor@steptoe.com -- of Steptoe & Johnson LLP.
The named plaintiffs are represented by Allen P. Press and
Bradley P. Schneider of Green Jacobson PC.
The case is John Krakowski et al. v. American Airlines Inc. et
al., case number 1:14-ap-1920, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for
the Southern District of New York.
ASIANA AIRLINES: April 11 Hearing in Suit Over July 2013 Crash
--------------------------------------------------------------
Amanda Bronstad, writing for The National Law Journal, reports
that Asiana Airlines and The Boeing Co. have offered to settle 27
lawsuits over Flight 214, which crashed on July 6 while landing
at San Francisco International Airport, killing three people and
injuring about 180. In court documents filed on April 1, both
companies proposed to halt discovery "to allow time for all
parties to engage in a determined effort to settle these cases."
A hearing is scheduled for April 11 in Oakland.
"Plaintiffs welcome Defendants' suggestion to immediately address
settlement," Frank Pitre -- fpitre@cpmlegal.com -- of Cotchett
Pitre & McCarthy in Burlingame, Calif., wrote in a filing for the
plaintiffs on April 1, "however, a blanket stay of all
proceedings is neither necessary nor appropriate."
In the Asiana litigation, the suits claim the airline's flight
crew was negligent and that Boeing was responsible for a
defective warning system and automatic throttle. Both companies
have denied the allegations. And both companies argued that
halting discovery would allow the National Transportation Safety
Board to complete its investigation this year.
But plaintiffs lawyers have balked at the plan, citing documents
made public by the safety board on March 31 in which Boeing and
Asiana blamed each other for the crash. Asiana admitted its
pilots failed to maintain a safe airspeed, but also cited
problems with the aircraft's warning light-system.
"Under such finger-pointing circumstances, plaintiffs are clearly
entitled to initiate liability discovery," Mr. Pitre wrote. He
did not return a call for comment.
Neither Asiana's lead counsel, Frank Silane --
fsilane@condonlaw.com -- a partner in the Los Angeles office of
New York's Condon & Forsyth, nor Boeing's attorney, Kaycie Wall
-- KWall@perkinscoie.com -- a partner in the Palo Alto office of
Seattle's Perkins Coie, responded to requests for comment.
BANK OF AMERICA: Wisconsin Court Denies Bid to Dismiss Class Suit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
District Judge Barbara B. Crabb denied a motion to dismiss the
case captioned JON GERMAIN and AMBER RHY, on behalf of themselves
and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. BANK OF
AMERICA, N.A., Defendant, NO. 13-CV-676-BBC, (W.D. Wis.).
In this proposed class action suit for statutory and punitive
damages under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. Section
1681 et seq., plaintiffs Jon Germain and Amber Rhy allege that
defendant Bank of America, N.A. obtained their credit reports and
those of the proposed class members without a lawful purpose.
The defendant filed a motion to dismiss the complaint for failure
to state a claim under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). Defendant
contended that it was authorized to obtain plaintiffs' credit
reports under Section 1681b(a)(3)(F) because it held the mortgage
on plaintiffs' residential properties. In the alternative, it
argued that plaintiffs have failed to allege enough facts to
establish that it acted willfully, which is a prerequisite to a
claim for statutory damages.
"Because I conclude that plaintiffs' allegations are sufficient
to state a claim and that questions of fact exist that cannot be
resolved by the pleadings, defendant's motion will be denied,"
Judge Crabb wrote in his April 2, 2014 Opinion and Order, a copy
which is available at http://is.gd/gwKydEfrom Leagle.com.
Jon Germain, Plaintiff, represented by:
Eric Leighton Crandall, Esq.
Crandall Law Offices, SC
420 W Main Street, Suite 206
Boise, ID 83702
Telephpone: (208) 343-1211
- and -
Thomas John Lyons, Jr., Esq.
Consumer Justice Center, P.A.
367 Commerce Court
Vadnais Heights, MN 55127
Telephone: 612-200-1495
Toll Free: 800-556-6752
Facsimile: 651-704-0907
- and -
Thomas John Lyons, Sr., Esq.
Lyons Law Firm PA
367 Commerce Ct.
Vadnais Heights, Mn 55127
Telephone: 651-770-9707
Toll Free: 800-477-6910
Elizabeth Gerlach, Plaintiff, represented by Eric Leighton
Crandall, Crandall Law Offices, SC, Thomas John Lyons, Jr.,
Consumer Justice Center, P.A. & Thomas John Lyons, Sr., Lyons Law
Firm PA.
Amber Rhy, Plaintiff, represented by Eric Leighton Crandall,
Crandall Law Offices, SC, Thomas John Lyons, Jr., Consumer
Justice Center, P.A. & Thomas John Lyons, Sr., Lyons Law Firm PA.
Jennifer Prissel, Plaintiff, represented by Eric Leighton
Crandall, Crandall Law Offices, SC, Thomas John Lyons, Jr.,
Consumer Justice Center, P.A. & Thomas John Lyons, Sr., Lyons Law
Firm PA.
Todd Prissel, Plaintiff, represented by Eric Leighton Crandall,
Crandall Law Offices, SC, Thomas John Lyons, Jr., Consumer
Justice Center, P.A. & Thomas John Lyons, Sr., Lyons Law Firm PA.
Bank of America, N.A., Defendant, represented by David S. Reidy
-- dreidy@reedsmith.com -- Reed Smith LLP, Marc Albert Lackner --
mlackner@reedsmith.com -- Reed Smith LLP, Rachel Anne Graham --
rachel.graham@quarles.com -- Quarles & Brady LLP & Valerie L.
Bailey-Rihn -- val.bailey@quarles.com -- Quarles & Brady LLP.
BRIGGS & STRATTON: Canadian Lawnmower Suit Settlement Now Final
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Canadian Lawnmower Class Action National Settlement Agreement
is now final after the Ontario and Quebec courts issued orders
approving the Settlement, according to Briggs & Stratton Corp.'s
Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for the quarter ended Dec. 29, 2013.
On March 19, 2010, plaintiffs filed a complaint in the Ontario
Superior Court of Justice in Canada (Robert Foster et al. v.
Sears Canada, Inc. et al., Court File No. 766-2010) against the
Company and other engine and lawnmower manufacturers alleging
that the horsepower labels on the products they purchased were
inaccurate and that the Company conspired with other engine and
lawnmower manufacturers to conceal the true horsepower of these
engines. On May 3, 2010, other plaintiffs filed a complaint in
the Montreal Superior Court in Canada (Eric Liverman, et al. v.
Deere & Company, et al., Court File No. 500-06-000507-109). Both
proceedings are based on various theories of Canadian law and
seek unspecified damages.
On June 27, 2013, the Company entered into a Canadian Lawnmower
Class Action National Settlement Agreement ("Settlement") that,
if given final court approval, would resolve all horsepower
claims brought by all persons in Canada who purchased lawn mowers
in Canada during the class period (defined as January 1, 1994
through December 31, 2012), except certain specified persons.
Other parties to the Settlement are Electrolux Canada Corp.,
Electrolux Home Products Inc., John Deere Limited, Deere &
Company, Husqvarna Canada Corp., Husqvarna Consumer Outdoor
Products N.A., Inc., Kohler Canada Co. Kohler Co., The Toro
Company (Canada), Inc. and The Toro Company (collectively with
the Company referred to as the "Settling Defendants").
As part of the Settlement, the Company denies any and all
liability and seeks resolution to avoid further protracted and
expensive litigation, and the Settling Defendants as a group
agree to pay an aggregate amount of CDN$4.2 million. The monetary
contribution of each of the Settling Defendants is confidential.
As a result of the Settlement, the Company recorded a total
charge of US$1.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year
2013. The amount has been included as a Litigation Settlement
expense on the Statement of Operations for the fiscal year ended
June 30, 2013.
On September 23, 2013, the Ontario Court issued an order
approving the Settlement. Subsequently, on September 25, 2013,
the Quebec Court issued its own order approving the Settlement.
The 30-day period for appealing each case expired without any
appeals being filed. Accordingly, the Settlement is now final,
all payments required by the Settlement were made subsequent to
the end of the Company's first fiscal quarter, and the
involvement of the Settling Defendants in the proceedings has
been terminated.
BRIGGS & STRATTON: Class Certification Granted in Retirees' Suit
----------------------------------------------------------------
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
granted a motion for class certification filed by a putative
class of retirees against Briggs & Stratton Corp. and discovery
is underway, according to the company's Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-Q
filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the
quarter ended Dec. 29, 2013.
On May 14, 2010, the Company notified retirees and certain
retirement eligible employees of various changes to the Company-
sponsored retiree medical plans. The purpose of the amendments
was to better align the plans offered to both hourly and salaried
retirees. On August 16, 2010, a putative class of retirees who
retired prior to August 1, 2006 and the United Steel Workers
filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Wisconsin (Merrill, Weber, Carpenter, et al; United
Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied
Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO/CLC
v. Briggs & Stratton Corporation; Group Insurance Plan of Briggs
& Stratton Corporation; and Does 1 through 20, Docket No. 10-C-
0700), contesting the Company's right to make these changes. In
addition to a request for class certification, the complaint
seeks an injunction preventing the alleged unilateral termination
or reduction in insurance coverage to the class of retirees, a
permanent injunction preventing defendants from ever making
changes to the retirees' insurance coverage, restitution with
interest (if applicable) and attorneys' fees and costs. The
Company moved to dismiss the complaint and believes the changes
are within its rights. On April 21, 2011, the district court
issued an order granting the Company's motion to dismiss the
complaint. The plaintiffs filed a motion with the court to
reconsider its order on May 17, 2011, and on August 24, 2011 the
court granted the motion and vacated the dismissal of the case.
The Company then filed a motion with the court to appeal its
decision directly to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh
Circuit, but the court denied this motion on February 29, 2012.
On October 9, 2012 the court granted the parties' unopposed
motion for class certification. Discovery is underway in the
case.
BLYTH INC: Court Grants Motion to Dismiss Securities Class Action
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Blyth, Inc., a direct to consumer company and leading designer
and marketer of candles and accessories for the home, as well as
health and wellness products sold through the direct selling and
direct marketing channels, on April 2 disclosed that the United
States District Court for the District of Connecticut granted the
defendants' motion to dismiss the federal securities class action
lawsuit that had been pending against Blyth and others.
The class action was initially filed in November 2012 against
Blyth, certain of our officers, ViSalus and one of its founders
on behalf of a purported class of investors who purchased Blyth
common stock between March and November 2012. The District Court
dismissed the complaint on March 31, 2014, entering judgment for
the defendants. The plaintiffs have the ability to appeal the
Court's decision.
CALIFORNIA: Accused of Illegal Revenue Generating Scheme
--------------------------------------------------------
Patrick A. Missud, individually and on behalf of those similarly
situated v. State of California, City and County of San
Francisco, San Francisco Police Department, Greg Suhr, San
Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority, Tom Nolan,
Autoreturn, John Wicker, San Francisco Trial Courts, Cynthia Lee,
Xerox Solutions, LDC Collections, David Cummins, and Does 1-2000,
Case No. 3:14-mc-80039-WHA (N.D. Cal., February 10, 2014) alleges
that the Defendants engaged in an "illegal City-sponsored revenue
generating scheme."
The Plaintiff represented himself:
Patrick A. Missud, Esq.
91 San Juan Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94112
Telephone: (415) 845-5540
E-mail: missudpat@yahoo.com
CALIFORNIA: Suit vs. Dept. of Corrections and Rehab Dismissed
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shannon White and Charlie Million, state prisoners incarcerated
at Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP), filed a pro se civil
rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, alleging
violations of their constitutional rights by staff at SVSP. The
Plaintiffs have consented to the jurisdiction of United States
Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore over this action.
In an April 2, 2014 order, a copy which is available at
http://is.gd/3t00xTfrom Leagle.com, Magistrate Judge Westmore
dismissed without leave to amend, Mr. White's class action claims
for: (1) a violation of First Amendment rights based upon the
denial of Plaintiffs' rights to appeal and petition the
government for redress of grievances; (2) a violation of
Fourteenth Amendment Due Process rights based on the denial of
Plaintiffs' rights to petition the government for redress of
grievances; and (3) negligence based on "hiring violent and
mentally unstable persons."
Magistrate Judge Westmore dismissed Mr. Million's claims without
prejudice saying Mr. Million received notice that he must file an
in forma pauperis (IFP) application by January 13, 2014, but he
has not done so. Therefore, the claims brought in this case by
Mr. Million are dismissed without prejudice to filing in another
case. If Mr. Million files another complaint, he must file a
completed IFP application with it.
The case is SHANNON WHITE and CHARLIE MILLION, Plaintiffs, v.
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION, et al.,
Defendants, CASE NO. C 13-4969 KAW (PR), (N.D. Cal.).
Shannon White, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, Pro Se.
Charlie Lee Million, on behalf of themselves and all others
similarly situated, Plaintiff, Pro Se.
CANADA: Civil Liberties Association Mulls BCCLA Class Action
------------------------------------------------------------
Travis Lupick, writing for Straight.com, reports that the B.C.
Civil Liberties Association has proposed a potentially massive
class-action lawsuit against the government of Canada.
Potential plaintiffs include Canadian citizens "who have used a
wireless device -- laptops, cellphones, smartphones, tablets and
similar devices -- in Canada since 2001."
According to an April 1 media release, BCCLA lawyers will argue
that two aspects of operations conducted by Communications
Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) violate the Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms. The first of those actions concerns CSEC
monitoring the contents of Canadians' telephone conversations,
text messages, and emails that pertain to communications with
people outside of the country. The second relates to a directive
that allows CSEC to collect and analyze Canadians' metadata,
which includes information such as a person's location when they
make a telephone call or access the Internet.
"The BCCLA takes the position that the law permitting these
activities is unconstitutional," the release states.
The release notes that whether the lawsuit will go ahead depends
on the success of a previous lawsuit filed by the BCCLA in
October 2013. "If the BCCLA's original lawsuit is successful in
striking down the laws that allow CSEC to collect Canadians'
private communications and metadata, the class action may provide
a vehicle for Canadians to get a direct remedy for
unconstitutional intrusions on their privacy and free expression
rights."
According to a statement of claim filed on April 1 in Federal
Court, BCCLA president Lindsay Lyster will act as the plaintiff
in the case.
"Lyster has reasonable grounds to believe that her private
communications and/or metadata have been intercepted or gathered
by Communications Security Establishment Canada ("CSEC"), without
prior judicial warrant, pursuant to Authorization and/or
Directives since 2001," the statement reads.
It's alleged that CSEC has violated the rights of Canadians as
provided in sections 8, 2(b), and 1 of the charter.
Section 8 states that "Everyone has the right to be secure
against unreasonable search or seizure." Section 2(b) concerns
"freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression". Section 1
defines how the charter protects the rights described therein
subject to reasonable limits.
CASH STORE: Settles Investor Class Actions in Canada
----------------------------------------------------
The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. on March 31 disclosed that
it has entered into an agreement in principle to settle the
previously disclosed proposed class action proceedings against
the Company and certain of its former directors and officers
relating to alleged disclosure violations commenced by investors
in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and New York. The agreement in
principle covers all claims related to investments in the
Company's common shares and senior secured notes acquired or
disposed of during the expanded period of November 24, 2010
through February 14, 2014, other than certain rights and claims
of senior secured note holders under the note indenture dated
January 31, 2012.
The proposed settlement provides for a payment in the amount of
approximately C$9.45 million (all-inclusive) by the Company's
insurers.
The proposed settlement is subject to the fulfillment of
customary conditions including, among other things, the parties
entering into a definitive settlement agreement, court approvals,
approval of parties other than the Company, and the fulfillment
of conditions relating to the number of opt-outs from the
proposed settlement. There is no assurance that these conditions
will be fulfilled.
The proposed settlement includes no admission of liability by the
Company or any of the settling defendants, and the Company
continues to deny any such liability or damages.
CELLCOM ISRAEL: Class Action Dismissed With Prejudice
-----------------------------------------------------
Cellcom Israel Ltd. on April 2 disclosed that further to the
Company's report dated November 2011 regarding a purported class
action filed against the Company alleging that the Company raised
tariffs for business customers unlawfully and in violation of its
agreements with them, the purported class action was dismissed
with prejudice.
The total amount claimed from the Company, had the lawsuit been
certified as a class action, was estimated by the plaintiffs to
be at least hundreds of millions of NIS.
About Cellcom Israel
Cellcom Israel Ltd., established in 1994, is the largest Israeli
cellular provider; Cellcom Israel provides its approximately
3.092 million subscribers (as at December 31, 2013) with a broad
range of value added services including cellular and landline
telephony, roaming services for tourists in Israel and for its
subscribers abroad and additional services in the areas of music,
video, mobile office etc., based on Cellcom Israel's
technologically advanced infrastructure.
CITI MORTGAGE: Judge Tosses Mortgage-Mishandling Class Action
-------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Overley, writing for Law360, reports that a Pennsylvania
federal judge on March 31 tossed class action allegations against
Citi Mortgage Inc. in a suit brought against it and two other
companies accused of bungling foreclosure proceedings against
homeowners amid the housing market's collapse, saying the
plaintiffs' trimmed complaint didn't sufficiently allege the
class claims.
In June 2012, U.S. District Judge Mark R. Hornak struck down
several claims in the proposed class action against Citi, loan
servicer Seterus Inc. and debt-collection law firm Phelan
Hallinan and Schmieg LLP, but said Citi must face allegations it
breached Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer
Protection Law. One month later, Citi said it was clear that the
sole remaining claim against it could not proceed as a class
action because it's based on unique allegations concerning each
of the plaintiffs' particular interactions with Citi.
Judge Hornak sided with Citi on March 31, saying the plaintiffs
didn't request any final injunctive or corresponding declaratory
relief respecting the class as a whole.
"[T]his court agrees that the allegations in plaintiffs' amended
complaint make clear that plaintiffs' purported class cannot be
certified under Rule 23(b)(2)," Judge Hornak wrote in the 40-page
opinion. "The named plaintiffs' amended complaint does not
request injunctive or corresponding declaratory relief of any
kind. Thus, plaintiffs cannot seek to certify their purported
class under Rule 23(b)(2)."
The March 31 ruling throws out the class allegations lobbed at
Citi in the ongoing litigation over the allegedly mishandled
foreclosure proceedings but rejects similar bids by the other
defendants in the lawsuit stemming from a $70,000 loan used to
purchase a home in Bethel Park, Pa., a city in the Pittsburgh
area's southern hills.
Borrowers Alexandra Trunzo and Anthony Hlista took out the loan
in 2007 and defaulted in 2010. They conversed with Citi about a
new arrangement that would let them keep their home and within
days submitted payment, only to receive a foreclosure notice
declaring "all reasonable efforts afforded you to cure this
default have failed."
Soon after, servicing rights were turned over to Seterus from
Citi, and questions about the foreclosure process were directed
to Phelan Hallinan. According to court documents, the borrowers
were subsequently deluged with "multiple conflicting
reinstatement letters" and a "hodgepodge of conflicting numbers"
about how to return their loan to good standing.
In June 2012, Judge Hornak let stand the claim against Citi for
alleged violations of Pennsylvania consumer protection law, as
well as allegations against Seterus and Phelan of violations of
the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Pennsylvania Loan
Interest and Protection Act.
Among the counts thrown out in 2012 were breach-of-contract
claims against Citi and Seterus. Because the loan originated
with a broker called West Penn Financial, neither Citi nor
Seterus qualified as a lender, and as mere loan servicers they
cannot be subject to such contract claims, the judge said.
On March 31, Judge Hornak granted Citi's motion to strike class
allegations against it in the ongoing dispute but denied without
prejudice Phelan's motion to dismiss class action allegations and
Seterus' motion to deny class certification.
The judge further held that it is "plain from the face" of the
plaintiffs' amended complaint that the purported class against
Citi fails under typicality and predominance requirements.
Michael P. Malakoff of Michael P. Malakoff PC, counsel to the
plaintiffs, said his clients remain optimistic.
"With respect to the lender, Citi, the court held that the viable
claims stated by our named homeowner clients can proceed on an
individual basis," Malakoff told Law360 on March 31. "Our client
homeowners remain optimistic that the alleged overcharging wrongs
will be remedied."
Plaintiffs are represented by Michael P. Malakoff of Michael P.
Malakoff PC.
Citi is represented by Thomas R. Johnson of K&L Gates LLP and
Debra Bogo-Ernst -- dernst@mayerbrown.com -- and Lucia Nale --
lnale@mayerbrown.com -- of Mayer Brown LLP.
The case is Alexandra R. Trunzo et al. v. Citi Mortgage et al.,
case number 2:11-cv-01124, in the United States District Court
for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
COASTAL INDUSTRIAL: Sued for Violating Fair Labor Standards Act
---------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Coastal Industrial Services,
Inc., Case No. 1:14-cv-00054-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014)
alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
William Henry Richey, Esq.
GRIFFIN & MATTHEWS
400 Neches at Crockett
Santa Fe Depot
Beaumont, TX 77701
Telephone: (409) 832-6006
Facsimile: (409) 832-1000
E-mail: billrichey@griffinandmatthews.com
COMPUTER SCIENCES: Securities Suit Settlement Wins Final Approval
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A $97.5 million settlement in In re Computer Sciences Corporation
Securities Litigation (No. 1:11-cv-610-TSE-IDD) was finally
approved, according to the company's Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-Q
filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the
quarter ended Dec. 27, 2013.
Between June 3, 2011, and July 21, 2011, four putative class
action complaints were filed in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Virginia, entitled City of Roseville
Employee's Retirement System v. Computer Sciences Corporation, et
al. (No. 1:11-cv-00610-TSE-IDD), Murphy v. Computer Sciences
Corporation, et al. (No. 1:11-cv-00636-TSE-IDD), Kramer v.
Computer Sciences Corporation, et al. (No. 1:11-cv-00751-TSE-IDD)
and Goldman v. Computer Sciences Corporation, et al. (No. 1:11-
cv-777-TSE-IDD). On August 29, 2011, the four actions were
consolidated as In re Computer Sciences Corporation Securities
Litigation (No. 1:11-cv-610-TSE-IDD) and Ontario Teachers'
Pension Plan Board was appointed lead plaintiff. A consolidated
class action complaint was filed by plaintiff on September 26,
2011, and names as defendants CSC, Michael W. Laphen, Michael J.
Mancuso and Donald G. DeBuck. A corrected complaint was filed on
October 19, 2011. The complaint alleges violations of the federal
securities laws in connection with alleged misrepresentations and
omissions regarding the business and operations of the Company.
Specifically, the allegations arise from the Company's disclosure
of the Company's investigation into certain accounting
irregularities in the Nordic region and its disclosure regarding
the status of the Company's agreement with the NHS. Among other
things, the plaintiff sought unspecified monetary damages. The
plaintiff filed a motion for class certification with the court
on September 22, 2011, and the defendants filed a motion to
dismiss on October 18, 2011. A hearing was held on November 4,
2011. On August 29, 2012, the court issued a Memorandum Opinion
and Order granting in part and denying in part the motion to
dismiss. The court granted the motion to dismiss with respect to
the plaintiff's claims in connection with alleged
misrepresentations and omissions concerning the Company's
operations in the Nordic Region. The court granted in part and
denied in part the motion to dismiss with respect to the
plaintiff's claims in connection with alleged misrepresentations
and omissions concerning the Company's internal controls and the
Company's contract with the NHS. The court also granted the
plaintiff leave to amend its complaint by September 12, 2012, and
maintained the stay of discovery until the sufficiency of the
amended complaint had been decided. The court further denied
plaintiff's motion for class certification without prejudice. On
September 12, 2012, the plaintiff filed a notice advising the
Court that it had determined not to amend its complaint and
renewed its motion for class certification.
On September 21, 2012, the court issued an Order setting the
hearing on the motion for class certification for October 12,
2012, directing the parties to complete discovery by January 11,
2013 and scheduling the final pretrial conference for January 17,
2013. On October 9, 2012, the defendants filed their answer to
the plaintiff's complaint. On October 12, 2012, the hearing on
the motion for class certification was rescheduled to November 1,
2012. On October 31, 2012, the parties filed a joint motion with
the court requesting that the hearing on the motion for class
certification be rescheduled to a later date. On November 1,
2012, the court issued an order setting the hearing for class
certification for November 15, 2012. On November 30, 2012, the
court granted plaintiff's motion for class certification. On
December 14, 2012, defendants filed with the Fourth Circuit a
petition for permission to appeal the class certification order
pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(f). Plaintiff's
response to the petition was filed on February 20, 2013. On March
5, 2013, the Fourth Circuit denied the petition for permission to
appeal the class certification order. On December 14, 2012, the
court issued an order extending the expert discovery deadline to
February 25, 2013. On December 20, 2012, the court issued an
order extending the fact discovery deadline to February 11, 2013
and the expert discovery deadline to March 25, 2013. On January
13, 2013, the court issued an order extending the expert
discovery deadline to April 1, 2013. Motions for summary judgment
were filed on March 18, 2013.
On May 15, 2013, the Company entered into a stipulation and
agreement of settlement with the lead plaintiff to settle all
claims in the lawsuit for $97.5 million, which was accrued for as
of March 29, 2013 and included in accrued expenses and other
current liabilities on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet.
As of March 29, 2013, the Company has also recorded a receivable
of $45 million, which represents the amount recoverable under the
Company's corporate insurance policies, and is included in
receivables on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet. The
agreement was subject to approval by the court. On May 24, 2013,
the Court entered a Preliminary Approval Order Providing for
Notice and Hearing in Connection with Proposed Class Action
Settlement. On September 19, 2013, a Settlement Hearing was held
before the Court. On September 20, 2013, the Court entered a
Final Order and Judgment, which, among other things, approved the
Settlement in all respects.
EBAY INC: PayPal Sued for Electronic Fund Transfer Act "Breach"
---------------------------------------------------------------
Two lawsuits against PayPal, Inc. were filed in the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of California containing
allegations related to violations of aspects of the Electronic
Fund Transfer Act, according to ebay Inc.'s Jan. 31, 2013, Form
10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for
the year ended Dec. 31, 2013.
Although there have been no definitive interpretations to date,
PayPal has taken actions as though its service is subject to the
Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E of the U.S. Federal
Reserve Board. Under such regulations, among other things, PayPal
is required to provide advance disclosure of changes to its
service, to follow specified error resolution procedures and to
reimburse consumers for losses from certain transactions not
authorized by the consumer. PayPal seeks to pass most of these
losses on to the relevant merchants, but PayPal incurs losses if
the merchant does not have sufficient funds in its PayPal
account. Additionally, even technical violations of these laws
can result in penalties of up to $1,000 for each non-compliant
transaction or up to $500,000 per violation in any class action,
and the company could also be liable for plaintiffs' attorneys'
fees. In the second quarter of 2010, two putative class-action
lawsuits (Devinda Fernando and Vadim Tsigel v. PayPal, Inc. and
Moises Zepeda v. PayPal, Inc.) were filed in the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of California. These lawsuits
contain allegations related to violations of aspects of the
Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E and violations of a
previous settlement agreement related to Regulation E, and/or
allege that PayPal improperly held users' funds or otherwise
improperly limited users' accounts. These lawsuits seek damages
as well as changes to PayPal's practices, among other remedies. A
determination that there have been violations of the Electronic
Fund Transfer Act, Regulation E or violations of other laws
relating to PayPal's practices could expose PayPal to significant
liability. A lawsuit that has been filed by a consumer
association in Germany also addresses PayPal's practices to hold
users' funds and aims at more transparency in the terms and
conditions towards consumers as to when a user can expect PayPal
to impose account limitations. Any changes to PayPal's practices
resulting from these lawsuits could require PayPal to incur
significant costs and to expend substantial resources, which
could delay other planned product launches or improvements and
further harm the company's business.
EBAY INC: TCPA "Violations" Raised v. PayPal, Bill Me Later
-----------------------------------------------------------
Lawsuits were filed against PayPal, Inc. and Bill Me Later,
containing allegations of violations of the Telephone Consumer
Protection Act, according to ebay Inc.'s Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-K
filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the
year ended Dec. 31, 2013.
Even technical violations of certain privacy-related laws can
result in significant penalties, including statutory damages. The
Federal Communications Commission amended its regulations
effective July 2012 under the TCPA, and has promulgated
additional amendments, effective October 2013, which could
increase the company's exposure to liability for certain types of
telephonic communication with customers, including but not
limited to text messages to mobile phones. Under the TCPA,
plaintiffs may seek actual monetary loss or statutory damages of
$500 per violation, whichever is greater, and courts may treble
the damage award for willful or knowing violations. Two putative
class-action lawsuits have been filed containing allegations that
the company's businesses violated the TCPA.
Roberts v. PayPal (filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of California in February 2012) contains
allegations that commercial advertisements for PayPal products
and services were sent via text message to mobile phones without
prior consent. In May 2013, the Court granted PayPal's motion for
summary judgment challenging the viability of plaintiff's
individual claim on grounds that plaintiff consented to receive
the text message and entered judgment in favor of PayPal.
Plaintiff has filed an appeal of this judgment.
Murray v. Bill Me Later (filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois in June 2012) contains allegations
that Bill Me Later made calls featuring artificial or prerecorded
voices without prior consent. These lawsuits, and other private
lawsuits not currently alleged as class actions, seek damages
(including statutory damages) and injunctive relief, among other
remedies. Given the enormous number of communications the company
sends to the company's users, a determination that there have
been violations of laws relating to PayPal's or Bill Me Later's
practices (or those of any of the company's other companies)
under the TCPA or other communications-based statutes could
expose the company to significant damage awards that could,
individually or in the aggregate, materially harm the company's
business.
EBAY INC: Appeals Court Overturns Ruling in Suit Against StubHub
----------------------------------------------------------------
The North Carolina Court of Appeals overturned a lower court's
decision that granted plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment in
a suit against Stubhub over the resale of concert tickets,
according to ebay Inc.'s Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-K filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended Dec.
31, 2013.
Regulatory agencies or courts may claim or hold that the company
is responsible for ensuring that the company's users comply with
these laws and regulations or that the company or the company's
users are either subject to licensure or prohibited from
reselling event tickets in their jurisdictions.
In October 2007, two plaintiffs filed a purported class action
lawsuit in North Carolina Superior Court alleging that StubHub
sold (and facilitated and participated in the sale) of concert
tickets to plaintiffs with the knowledge that the tickets were
resold in violation of North Carolina's maximum ticket resale
price law (which has been subsequently amended). In February
2011, the trial court granted plaintiffs' motion for summary
judgment, concluding that immunity under the Communications
Decency Act did not apply. The trial court further held that
StubHub violated the North Carolina unfair and deceptive trade
practices statute as it pertained to the two named plaintiffs,
and certified its decision for immediate appeal to the North
Carolina Court of Appeals. In February 2012, the North Carolina
Court of Appeals overturned the lower court's decision, and the
Court of Appeals' decision is now final.
Similar actions are expected in other states. Laws and
regulations governing the resale of event tickets outside the
U.S. (for example, in Europe) may be more restrictive, and carry
harsher penalties and fines, than corresponding U.S. laws and
regulations. In 2012, France passed a law prohibiting the
habitual resale of event tickets without permission from the
event organizer. In 2013, Belgium passed a similar law
prohibiting habitual sale and subjecting occasional resale to a
price cap. Restrictions on ticket resale are also under
consideration by the Dutch Parliament and various state
governments in Australia. In addition, the unauthorized resale of
football (soccer) tickets is illegal in the U.K., where a StubHub
site was launched in 2011. While the company secured a number of
commercial partnerships in the UK in order to enable the
company's customers to buy and sell football (soccer) tickets, if
the company is unable to maintain these partnerships or develop
new partnerships on acceptable terms, the company's tickets
business would suffer.
ECONOMY INSULATION: Accused by Workers of Violating FLSA in Texas
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Economy Insulation Co., Inc.,
Case No. 1:14-cv-00056-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Darren Lee Brown, Esq.
Mark Christopher Sparks, Esq.
PROVOST UMPHREY LAW FIRM LLP - BEAUMONT
490 Park St.
P.O. Box 4905
Beaumont, TX 77704-4905
Telephone: (409) 838-8841
Facsimile: (409) 813-8641
E-mail: dbrown@provostumphrey.com
msparks@provostumphrey.com
EMPIRE SCAFFOLD: Faces "Hamilton" Class Suit Over FLSA Violations
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Empire Scaffold, LLC, Case No.
1:14-cv-00052-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Patricia Jeanne Hill, Esq.
Yash Bharat Dave, Esq.
SMITH GAMBRELL & RUSSELL, LLP - JACKSONVILLE
50 North Laura Street, Suite 2600
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Telephone: (904) 598-6140
Facsimile: (904) 598-6240
E-mail: pjhill@sgrlaw.com
ydave@sgrlaw.com
EMPIRE SCAFFOLD: Faces "Armstrong" Suit Over FLSA Violations
------------------------------------------------------------
Jerrett Ray Armstrong, et al. v. Empire Scaffold, LLC, Case No.
1:14-cv-00064-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv228 in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014, the
lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Jerrett Ray Armstrong, Mario Vicente Acevedo,
Zach Marwan Achkar, Rolland Craig Allen, Patricia Andrade, Freddy
A. Araica, Elizabeth Ann Arguello, Ricky Arnaud, Jesse Askew,
Unnikrishna Pillai Balakrishnapilla, Cory Lynn Baldwin, Carroll
Henry Ballard, Daniel T. Ball, K.E. Barker, Weldon Barker, Bruce
Barnard, Lafayet Barrera-Gonzalez, Larry Basco, Richard Wayne
Bell, Anthony Joseph Berg II, Christopher Bergeaux, Kimberly
Bergeaux, Rosalio Lugo Blanco, Brandon M. Bolton, James L.
Brantley, Randy Glenn Britnell, Kenneth Budwine, Jr., Eric
Butler, Aliber Marroquin Cantu, Juan L. Cantu-Garcia, Julio Cesar
Cantu, Sergio Marroquin Cantu, Cleon Carraway, Juan Jose
Carrillo, Mario Serrano Carrillo, Michael P. Carrier, Oscar
Torres Castillo, Rafael Ceja, Jr., James Kenneth Chaney, Sr.,
Carl Alan Clark, Vicki A. Clark, Eddie Alberto Colon, Jose
Antonio Compean, Jr., Manuel Cordero III, Carlos Cordova, Martin
Coronado Acuna, James Franklin Costlow, Michael Crim, David Cruz,
Doel Pastor Cruz-Rivera, Jason Clyde Darrell, Brian Allan Davis,
Michael Earl Davis, David Garcia Delacruz, Sergio Antonio Delfin,
Omar A. Delgadillo, Louis Joseph Deshotel, Shawna Donzaile Dodd,
Lawrence Dufrain, Kevin Wayne Duhon, Dennis Joseph Duplantis,
Gene Ross East, Christopher Elizondo, Ben D. Ellis, Mauricio
Castro Estrada, Jorge Falcon, Troy Favorite, Joseph Fazio,
Gregory Donnell Fleming, Raul Flores-Regino, Sheila Anderson
Folse, Michael Alvin Freeman, Eliseo Garcia, Erick Garcia, Jesus
Alonzo Garcia, Jose Gilberto Garcia, Juan Pablo Garcia, Guadalupe
Benjamin Garza, Zaragoza Tijerina Garza, Olin Gilbert, Ramiro
Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Jacob Goudeau, Jordan Alexander Grant,
John Kerri Gray, April Johnson-Green, Chris Grote, Adan Guerrero,
Manuel Jose Gutierrez, Maximiano Sanchez Gutierrez, Charles L.
Hagebusch III, Milton Hardin, Darin Kevin Hargrove, Travis
Trinord Harris, Jeremy Dermon Hawkins, Mildred Marie Hayes, Ruben
D. Hernandez, Daniel Glen Hester, Joseph Randall Holcomb, Colby
Alan Howell, John Daniel Howell II, Andy Hudson, Rocky Dean
Hudson, David William Huff, Willie Daniel Hunter II, Clarence
Melvin Ingle III, Keith Ingle, Randy Ingle, Trenton Tyler Ingle,
Christopher Lee Jackson, Dustin David James, Julius Joseph Janca,
Jr., Francisco Jarquin, Agustin Miguel Jimenez, Martin David
Johnson, Dale Winford Jones, Jarvis Dequan Jones, Jeremiah Casey
Jones, Magda G. Kelly, Randy Dewayne Kelsoe, Gerald J. Kinchen,
Tammy Renee Knight, Robert Keither Lamar, Justin Ryan Lambright,
Lewis Carl Lambert, Glenn Garette Landry, David Louis Langley,
Robert J. Lawler, Jr., Javetta Leather, Mayolo Benitez Leon,
David A. Loera, David Acosta Loera, Jesus Magallon, Leslie D.
Mancil, Michael Aaron Mann, Roland Arnold Mann, Jr., Variath D.
Marottikudy, Erick Rios Marroquin, Anthony Daniel Mayo, Peter L.
Mccarthy, Ronald Mcfarlin, Walter Joseph Mcfarland, Chase Michael
Mcmains, Larry Wayne Meeks, Rebecca Fortenberry Meeks, Javier H.
Mendez Gonzalez, Robert James Mendoza, David William Meyers,
Devan Mitchem, Kristopher Montalvo, Justin Scott Moussette,
Tyrone Nash, Ramon Humberto Natal, Lynn Todd Neuman, Jack G.
Oppert, Jr., Anibal Ruben Ortiz, Daniel Ozuna, Nelson O. Pacheco-
Ramos, Varghese Vembi Pappukunju, Joey Lynn Parks, Kent Parks,
Douglas E. Peach, Rolando Perez, Jace Picou, Jorge Armando Pinon,
Edgar Omar Portillo, Dulcey Ann Prine, Jesus Puente, Jr., Jesus
G. Puente, Sr., Natividad Quintanilla, Richard Morgan Radford,
Violeta Sentiol Ramirez, Lee R. Ramos, Thomas Rayborn, James I.
Rayer, Jr., Hugo Mariano Raymundo, Arthur Lee Richards, Marco
Antonio Rivera, Oscar Armando Rivera, Leroy Robinson, Jr., Jose
Gavito Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., James C.
Rogers, Marvin Romero, Eulalio Pasillas Salas, Jose Reynaldo
Salinas, Julio C. Salinas-Garza, Juan A. Sanchez-Rodriguez,
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Martinez, Alejandro Sandoval Garcia,
Zachary Schaver, Sam Boudreaux Scott, Ethelwoldo Segarra, Usiel
Sernon, Jerry Leon Shane, Claude Douglas Shute, Ronald Ray Sims,
Fermah Smith, Carlos Alberto Solis, Edward Allen Sonnier, Milton
Spears, Kenneth Spencer, Jr., Donanthony Spitaleri, Jonathan Neil
Stanton, Cherrie Steptoe, Ralphel T. Steptoe, Ricky Lee Stokes,
Vernie Sutton, Jeffrey C. Swarner, Waylon Michael Symmank,
Cassandra Marie Tait, James V. Taylor, Mark Tolbert, Daniel
Eschevarria Torres, Joel Echevarria Torres, Kevin Townley, Miguel
A. Trejo, Lupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Douglas Edward Tubbs,
Jeffery Arnold Tullar, Cynthia Renee Turner, Wesley Turner, Mario
Cruz Urbano, Alvaro Valencia, Luis Angel Vargas, Reji Kileekkal
Varughese, James Vaughn, Kunhikrishnan K. Veetil, Antonio Gerardo
Velazquez, Hector Hernandez Velazquez, Hector Jimenez Vera, Jason
Wayne Verrett, Elson Dennis Vidrine, Jesus Villarreal, Juan C.
Villatoro, Pablo Villeda-Cabriales, Walter Douglas Wackenreuter,
James Earl Wade, Anthony L. Ward, Spencer Mcgarrett Washington,
William Warren Wesberry, Jr., Rose Mary Whitehead, Malcolm Ryan
Wilburn, Carl Wilkerson, Sr., Bo Williams, Kevin Lane Williams,
II, Leia Culpepper Williams, John Lee Winkelmann, Davy Howard
Wolfe, II, Jody Woodruff, Heidi C. Wymer, Bradley Farris
Yarborough, Adrian Young, David Harrison Young, Ruben Zamora,
Dalton Joseph Antoine, Julio Cesar Castillo-Honorato, Carlos L.
Gomez, Jeremy Ryan Gulley, Charles A. Lacy, Jr., Alexis Yuri
Lobo, Jerry Dale Massey, Erwin Haroldo Morales, Gerardo Vazquez
Ortega, Guadalupe Ortega, Jose Luis Quezada Mora, Alejos
Rodrigeuz-Tamez, Kevin Thomas, John Garcia, Jr., Pedro Pena
Perez, Monica Owens Sherman, Robin Keith Boul, Joshua Caleb
Miller, Oscar F. Reyes, Jose Javier Sanches, Homero Monreal,
Varkey Kolackal Johnson, Richard Wiltz, Jr., Varghese Paily
Kulianickal, and Sadashivanachary Janardhananachary.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Patricia Jeanne Hill, Esq.
Yash Bharat Dave, Esq.
SMITH GAMBRELL & RUSSELL, LLP - JACKSONVILLE
50 North Laura Street, Suite 2600
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Telephone: (904) 598-6140
Facsimile: (904) 598-6240
E-mail: pjhill@sgrlaw.com
ydave@sgrlaw.com
FACEBOOK INC: Motion to Dismiss Securities Lawsuit Denied
---------------------------------------------------------
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York denied a motion by Facebook, Inc. to dismiss a consolidated
securities class action filed against it, according to the
company's Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended Dec. 31,
2013.
Beginning on May 22, 2012, multiple putative class actions,
derivative actions, and individual actions were filed in state
and federal courts in the United States and in other
jurisdictions against the company, the company's directors,
and/or certain of its officers alleging violation of securities
laws or breach of fiduciary duties in connection with its initial
public offering (IPO) and seeking unspecified damages. The
company believes these lawsuits are without merit, and the
company intends to continue to vigorously defend them. On
October 4, 2012, on the company's motion, the vast majority of
the cases in the United States, along with multiple cases filed
against The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. and The Nasdaq Stock Market
LLC (collectively referred to herein as NASDAQ) alleging
technical and other trading-related errors by NASDAQ in
connection with the company's IPO, were ordered centralized for
coordinated or consolidated pre-trial proceedings in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of New York. On
February 13, 2013, the court granted the company's motion to
dismiss four derivative actions against the company's directors
and certain of the company's officers with leave to amend. On
October 8, 2013, the court heard argument on the company's motion
to dismiss the consolidated securities class action, as well as
its motion to dismiss, and the plaintiffs' motion to remand to
state court, certain other derivative actions. On December 18,
2013, the court denied the company's motion to dismiss the
consolidated securities class action. On December 23, 2013, the
court granted the company's motion to dismiss, and denied the
plaintiffs' motion to remand to state court, certain other
derivative actions.
GARY C MOHR: Bid for More Interrogatories in "Snead" Suit Denied
----------------------------------------------------------------
Several motions are pending before the Court in the case
captioned
Robert A. Snead, Plaintiff, v. Gary C. Mohr, Defendant, CIVIL
ACTION NO. 2:12-CV-00739, (S.D. Ohio).
In an order dated March 11, 2014, a copy of which is available at
http://is.gd/oViTPdfrom Leagle.com, Magistrate Judge Mark R.
Abel:
* denied Plaintiff's January 23, 2014 Request for an Additional
Number of Interrogatories saying the Plaintiff has not
provided
sufficient information for the Court to determine whether
further interrogatories are necessary or whether they would
impose an undue burden on defendants.
* granted Plaintiff's January 23, 2014 Motion for an Extension
of
time with which to Conduct Discovery & Request for
Clarification because the Plaintiff should be permitted to
inspect those documents he seeks prior to requesting which
documents should be copied.
* denied Plaintiff's February 11, 2014 Motion to Compel
Discovery
saying the discovery requests seek information concerning
plaintiff's attempts at bringing a class action on behalf of a
class of prisoners. However, the Plaintiff is not permitted to
represent a class of prisoners, and his discovery requests
concerning such claims are not relevant to whether defendants
violated his Eighth Amendment rights.
* denied Plaintiff's February 11, 2014 Motion to File a
Supplemental Complaint because the deadline for completing
discovery has passed. The deadline for filing dispositive
motions was March 17, 2014. Permitting plaintiff to add three
new parties will greatly impact adjudication of this case.
* denied Plaintiff's February 13, 2014 Motion for Default
Judgment saying the Plaintiff was directed to communicate with
counsel for defendants to ensure that he had the proper means
for doing so, and, if he did, defendants were directed provide
plaintiff with an opportunity to viewing these items.
GENERAL MOTORS: Sutts Strosberg Files Ignition Class Action
-----------------------------------------------------------
Chris Thompson, writing for The Windsor Star, reports a class-
action lawsuit was filed by Windsor law firm Sutts, Strosberg LLP
Against General Motors over ignition switch problem.
Stacey Green is afraid to drive her 2007 Saturn Ion any more
thanks to an ignition switch problem that could randomly shut her
car down at any time.
"None of us have any sense of security any more," said Ms. Green,
one of 13 local plaintiffs who have come forward to take part in
a class-action lawsuit launched by Windsor law firm Sutts,
Strosberg LLP.
"Every time you start the car, you don't know what might happen."
The lawsuit was filed in Windsor Superior Court on March 31 and
lawyer Harvey Strosberg gathered local news media along with a
number of plaintiffs at his Goyeau Street offices. The lawsuit
relates to the ignition system in General Motors vehicles
manufactured in the last decade. A massive recall involving 1.6
million small cars, including 235,855 vehicles in Canada, was
announced last month as a result of the issue. The defect has
been linked to 23 crashes that have resulted in 12 deaths in
North America.
Transport Canada is investigating a possible link between the
problem and a fatal accident in Quebec in June 2013.
Mr. Strosberg said the exact amount of the lawsuit will depend on
the value of each vehicle and each case based on its merits.
Initial estimates are set at $500 million in general and special
damages and $150 million in punitive-aggregated damages. None of
those brought forward March 31 have had any issues with their
vehicle.
"GM owes the class members an amount of money per vehicle," said
Mr. Strosberg. "The value of the cars are depreciated because
they are stigmatized."
Mr. Strosberg said GM has known about the problem since April
2006, but has tried to sweep it under the rug until last month,
when a massive recall was announced.
"Since April 2006, until March 2014, they have been keeping a
terrible secret," said Mr. Strosberg.
GENERAL MOTORS: Ignition Switch Case May Lead to Criminal Charges
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters reports that General Motors should make restitution to
victims' families and face criminal action if merited for the way
it handled defective ignition switches that caused fatal auto
accidents, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said on April 6.
Sen. McCaskill, as chairwoman of the Senate subcommittee on
consumer protection and product safety, led a blistering round of
questioning of GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra last week.
In an appearance on ABC's "This Week" show, Sen. McCaskill said
GM now faced "a real moment of truth" as it pursues an internal
investigation of the ignition switches and the automaker's
response to the problem.
At least 13 people were killed in accidents caused by switches
that shut down cars. In 2006, GM changed the faulty part but did
not change its identifying part number, which Sen. McCaskill said
showed an intent to deceive.
Asked on April 6 if someone should go to jail in the matter, she
cited a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that said the government cannot
restrict political donations by corporations.
"You know we had the Citizens United case where our Supreme Court
said corporations are people . . . but if in fact they are
people, there needs to be some criminal accountability depending
on what the facts of the investigation show," Sen. McCaskill, a
Democrat, said. "I know the Justice Department is taking a hard
look at this."
Another member of the subcommittee, Republican Senator
Kelly Ayotte, said GM's actions amounted to criminal deception.
Sen. McCaskill also joined those calling for GM to establish a
victims' compensation fund.
"Now it's time for them to come clean, be transparent and most of
all make all victims whole no matter when this deadly ignition
caused heartbreak in their families," she said.
GENERAL MOTORS: Families of Ignition Switch Victims Seek Charges
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Associated Press reports that the families of those who died
in General Motors cars with defective ignition switches want
prosecutors to go after GM insiders responsible for letting the
problems fester for more than a decade -- and perhaps for
covering them up.
"The only way the public is going to be protected from this
negligence by companies is if there will ultimately be prison
sentences," said Leo Ruddy of Scranton, Pa., whose 21-year-old
daughter Kelly was killed in 2010 when her Chevrolet Cobalt
veered inexplicably off the highway and crashed.
Family members attended hearings in Washington last week that
stoked those sentiments. Lawmakers confronted GM CEO Mary Barra
with what they said was evidence that, in 2006, a company
employee intentionally tried to conceal the switch problem. And
the head of the nation's auto safety watchdog said GM withheld
critical information that connected the failing switch to air
bags that didn't deploy in a crash.
"I don't see this as anything but criminal," said Sen. Kelly
Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, a former state prosecutor.
However, even if an employee or employees did conceal
information, it's uncertain whether they would be charged with a
crime. Legal experts say it's easier to prove wrongdoing by a
corporation than by individuals. The internal documents that can
be used to build a case against the company might be inadmissible
as evidence against individuals. And it can be hard to prove
that individuals knowingly made false statements.
The Justice Department didn't bring charges against any
individuals last month when it closed a yearslong investigation
of Toyota.
GM has acknowledged that in 2004 and 2005, engineers submitted
proposals to fix the switches in Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other
small cars, but the fixes were never implemented. GM says upper
management only became aware of the problem last year. A recall
of the small cars, now up to 2.6 million vehicles, began in
February.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has accused one GM employee of a
cover-up. Ray DeGiorgio, the lead switch engineer on the Cobalt,
said in a deposition last year for a lawsuit against GM that he
never approved a change to the ignition switch. But Sen.
McCaskill produced a document from GM's switch supplier that
showed Mr. DeGiorgio signed off on a replacement, but with the
same part number. Failing to change a part number makes the part
harder to track.
Appearing Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Sen. McCaskill said,
"There is no reason to keep the same part number unless you're
trying to hide the fact that you've got a defective switch out
there that in fact ended up killing a number of people on our
highways."
Paul Rothstein, a Georgetown University law professor, wouldn't
speak specifically about Mr. DeGiorgio, but said someone "caught
in a lie" could be more vulnerable to individual prosecution.
Ms. Barra called the failure to change the part number
"unacceptable." She said the company has not yet fired any
employees in connection with the recall. But she said if
inappropriate decisions were made, GM will take action, including
firing those involved.
Ms. Barra said at the hearing that Mr. DeGiorgio still works at
GM. The company declined to make him available for an interview.
"If you can go to jail for insider trading and things like that,
which is just making money, if you do something that caused a
loss of life . . . (the penalty) should be more than just a few
dollars," said Ken Rimer, whose stepdaughter died in a 2006
accident after a faulty switch prevented air bags from deploying.
But Matt Axelrod, a former federal prosecutor now in private
practice in Washington, said prosecutors face a higher burden to
prove criminal wrongdoing. "The forum before a congressional
committee is different than the forum before a jury," he said.
The Justice Department hasn't confirmed that it's investigating
General Motors, but a person familiar with the case said the
probe is underway. The person didn't want to be identified
because the investigation is private.
Two weeks ago, the Justice Department socked Toyota with a $1.2
billion penalty over its recall of millions of vehicles for
unintended acceleration. But no individuals were charged, even
though prosecutors discovered that some managers sought to
conceal problems with gas pedals in certain cars.
Proving individual guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is much harder
than prosecuting a company based on the collective knowledge of
all its employees. "To charge an individual, you have to show
that one individual acted illegally by himself," Mr. Axelrod
said.
For now, many of the families are simply seeking more information
about the fatal crashes.
Originally, Mr. Ruddy thought the power steering motor failed on
his daughter's 2005 Cobalt, causing her to crash while returning
home from visiting friends in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., late at night.
The Cobalt was recalled in 2010 to replace faulty power steering
motors. But now he thinks the ignition switch could have shut
off the engine, knocking out power steering and brakes and
causing her to lose control of the car.
GM took the car's event data recorder, and only recently returned
it after the family contacted a Pennsylvania senator for help.
The contents are now being analyzed, and the family will be
looking to see the position of the ignition switch, Mr. Ruddy
said.
Mr. Ruddy says the family is considering a lawsuit against GM but
has yet to file one. A family friend who is an attorney is
advising them on their next steps.
Mr. Rimer and his wife have already filed a lawsuit against GM.
He's worried that GM might be legally protected from lawsuits
arising from decisions it made before its 2009 bankruptcy.
"No money will ever bring my wife's daughter back," he said. But
"unless there's a consequence for them doing something wrong,
what's going to stop them from doing something wrong again?"
HEALTHPORT INC: Ark. S.C. Affirms Ruling in "Holbrook" Suit
-----------------------------------------------------------
In THERESA HOLBROOK, individually and on behalf of a class of all
other ARKANSANS SIMILARLY SITUATED, APPELLANT, v. HEALTHPORT,
INC.; HEALTHPORT TECHNOLOGIES, LLC f/k/a SMART DOCUMENT
SOLUTIONS, LLC; HEALTHPORT INCORPORATED f/k/a COMPANION
TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; and RICHARD WEISS, in his OFFICIAL
CAPACITY AS Director, ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION, APPELLEES, NO. CV-13-828. 2014 Ark. 146,
Appellant Theresa Holbrook, individually and on behalf of a class
of all other Arkansans similarly situated, appealed from the Pope
County Circuit Court's July 17, 2013 amended order granting
defendants' and third-party defendant's motion for partial
summary judgement and denying plaintiff's motion for partial
summary judgment in favor of appellees Healthport, Inc.;
Healthport Technologies, LLC f/k/a Smart Document Solutions, LLC;
Healthport Incorporated f/k/a Companion Technologies Corporation
(collectively Healthport); and Richard Weiss, in his official
capacity as director of the Arkansas Department of Finance and
Administration (DF & A).
On appeal, Ms. Holbrook contended that (1) the gross-receipts tax
does not apply to a patient's attempt to obtain a patient's own
medical information and (2) the Arkansas Access to Medical
Records Act exempts a patient's attempt to obtain a patient's
medical information from any otherwise applicable tax or charge.
In an opinion delivered April 3, 2014, a copy of which is
available at http://is.gd/DMw6Frfrom Leagle.com, Associate
Justice Cliff Hoofman of the The Supreme Court of Arkansas
affirmed the Circuit Court ruling.
"Taxation is the rule, and exemption is the exception; therefore,
any doubts should be resolved to deny the exemption," Justice
Hoofman pointed out. "Holbrook failed to demonstrate that her
request for copies of medical records was exempted from taxation
under the Gross Receipts Act, when Ark. Code Ann. [Section] 16-
46-106 does not specifically provide for an exemption or even
generally address the issue of any form of taxation. Therefore,
we affirm the circuit court on this point on appeal, as Ark. Code
Ann. [Section] 16-46-106 does not exempt Holbrook's request from
the Gross Receipts Act."
Streett Law Firm, P.A. by: James A. Streett --
James@StreettLaw.com -- and Alex G. Streett --
Alex@StreettLaw.com ; and Price, Waicukauski & Riley by: Joseph
N. Williams -- jwilliams@price-law.com -- for appellants.
Rose Law Firm by: Kathryn Bennett Perkins --
kperkins@roselawfirm.com -- Byron J. Walker --
bwalker@roselawfirm.com -- and Betsy Turner-Fry --
btfry@roselawfirm.com ; and Joel DiPippa, Revenue Legal Counsel,
for appellees.
HEWLETT PACKARD: Settles Suit Over 2010 Palm Takeover for $57MM
---------------------------------------------------------------
Vlad Savov, writing for The Verge, reports that it may have been
overshadowed by pricier acquisition deals in subsequent years,
but HP's 2010 takeover of Palm remains a milestone event. It was
a seemingly perfect combination of a highly competitive mobile
operating system with a deep-pocketed hardware juggernaut. HP
promised it would fund the future development of webOS and
support it with a broad ecosystem of devices. Only a year later,
however, the company reversed course and abandoned its touted
plans, to the chagrin of hard-hit shareholders.
A class action lawsuit filed in the wake of that decision in 2011
has now been settled by HP at the cost of $57 million. The
plaintiffs are primarily pension funds and other institutional
investors, whose anger stems from the dissonance between what HP
was saying publicly and planning privately. Citing employees
from within HP, the lawsuit alleges that the company didn't have
plans to build webOS PCs or printers until at least the beginning
of 2013, which would have contradicted its bold claims about
flooding the market with webOS hardware.
With this mediated settlement out of the way, HP can perhaps
finally draw a line under its woeful webOS experience,
particularly after selling off the last remnants of its Palm
acquisition to Qualcomm earlier this year.
JTH HOLDING: Faces Lawsuit Over Electronic Refund Check
-------------------------------------------------------
JTH Holding, Inc. faces a consolidated complaint alleging that
its electronic refund check (ERC) represents a form of refund
anticipation loan (RAL) and therefore violates state-specific RAL
and other consumer statutes, according to the company's Amendment
No. 1 to Form 10-Q/A filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission on Jan. 31, 2014.
The Company was sued in November 2011 in federal courts in
Arkansas, California, Florida and Illinois, and additional
lawsuits were filed in federal courts in January 2012 in Maryland
and North Carolina, in February 2012 in Wisconsin, and in May
2012 in New York and in Minnesota. All of the cases were
consolidated before a single judge in federal court in the
Northern District of Illinois, and in June 2012, the plaintiffs
filed a new complaint in the consolidated action. The
consolidated complaint alleges that an electronic refund check
(ERC) represents a form of refund anticipation loan (RAL) because
the taxpayer is "loaned" the tax preparation fee, and that an ERC
is therefore subject to federal truth-in-lending disclosure and
state law requirements regulating RALs. The plaintiffs therefore
allege violations of state-specific RAL and other consumer
statutes. The lawsuit purports to be a class action, and the
plaintiffs allege potential damages in excess of $5 million. The
Company is aware that virtually identical lawsuits have been
filed against several of its competitors. The Company believes at
this time a loss related to this matter is not probable;
consequently the Company has not recorded a loss contingency
related to this matter. The Company believes it has meritorious
defenses to the claims in this case, and intends to defend the
case vigorously, but there can be no assurances as to the outcome
or the impact on the Company's consolidated financial position,
results of operations and cash flows. The consolidated case is at
a very early stage.
JTH HOLDING: Suit Over Customer Tax Refunds Denied Certification
----------------------------------------------------------------
The United States District Court for the District of South
Carolina issued a ruling denying certification of the case Martin
v. JTH Tax, Inc. as a class action, according to Amendment No. 1
to JTH Holding, Inc.'s Form 10-Q/A filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission on Jan. 31, 2014.
In November 2010, several former customers of one of the
Company's South Carolina franchisees initiated a purported class
action against the Company, its Chief Executive Officer and
another of the Company's employees in the United States District
Court for the District of South Carolina, in a case styled Martin
v. JTH Tax, Inc. In this case, the plaintiffs allege that the
employees of the Company's franchisees fraudulently increased
customer tax refunds, and that this behavior was pursuant to a
plan or scheme in which the Company and its employees were
involved. In this case, the plaintiffs seek damages in excess of
$5 million, certification of class action status, treble damages
under a claim pursuant to The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organizations Act of 1970, punitive damages, and other damages.
This case is in the early stages of the proceeding, but in
February 2013, the court issued a ruling denying certification of
the case as a class action.
MALAYSIAN AIRLINES: U.S. Suits Unlikely Over Flight 370 Mishap
--------------------------------------------------------------
Amanda Bronstad, writing for The National Law Journal, reports
that the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 is
unlikely to lead to lawsuits in the United States because, unlike
the Asiana Airlines crash last year, there's no potential case
against the American manufacturer, The Boeing Co., according to
lawyers with aviation litigation expertise.
That's primarily because, so far, the aircraft hasn't been
recovered.
"You could come up with a pretty good theory about why it
happened and why the airplane is defective, but without the
airplane you won't be able to prove your theory," said Justin
Green, a partner at New York's Kreindler & Kreindler.
Asiana and Boeing have offered to settle 27 lawsuits over Flight
214, which crashed on July 6 while landing at San Francisco
International Airport, killing three people and injuring about
180. In court documents filed on April 1, both companies
proposed to halt discovery "to allow time for all parties to
engage in a determined effort to settle these cases."
A hearing is scheduled for April 11 in Oakland.
"Plaintiffs welcome Defendants' suggestion to immediately address
settlement," Frank Pitre -- fpitre@cpmlegal.com -- of Cotchett
Pitre & McCarthy in Burlingame, Calif., wrote in a filing for the
plaintiffs on April 1, "however, a blanket stay of all
proceedings is neither necessary nor appropriate."
As in the Asiana case, most of the passengers on the Malaysian
Airlines flight were citizens of Asian nations and, as such,
prohibited under an international treaty from suing either
airline in U.S. courts, which offer significantly higher damages
awards than do overseas jurisdictions.
There are some exceptions in the treaty, called the 1999 Montreal
Convention, and, of course, U.S. citizens on board the planes may
sue in U.S. courts. But most of the family members of the
passengers, who are presumed dead, would sue in foreign courts
and, unless the airline is found to have been negligent, would be
limited to an amount of damages set by the treaty -- about
$175,000 per passenger.
"These cases are going to be resolved under the Montreal
Convention against Malaysia, with or without an airplane," said
Robert Clifford, a partner at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago.
"They will be largely resolved in other countries, whether it's
China or Malaysia."
That's despite the fact the flight, like Asiana's, involved a 777
aircraft manufactured by Boeing, headquartered in Chicago.
The Asiana crash prompted lawsuits against Boeing, but lawyers
have hesitated to file suit over the Malaysian Airlines tragedy.
A massive search led by Australian authorities has failed to turn
up debris from the aircraft, which is believed to have crashed
into the Indian Ocean on March 8 after veering off course from
its destination of Beijing.
"The problem is causation," Mr. Green said. "You don't have to
prove the airplane is defective, but that it caused the accident.
And you can't prove causation unless you find the wreckage."
Still, a Chicago law firm claiming to represent a family member
of a Malaysian Airlines passenger filed a petition for discovery
on March 25 under an Illinois Supreme Court rule that allows a
plaintiff to obtain certain records for the purpose of
identifying potential defendants. Three days later, Cook County
Circuit Court Judge Kathy Flanagan threw out the petition and
threatened to impose sanctions against the firm, Ribbeck Law.
Judge Flanagan tossed similar petitions the firm filed on behalf
of passengers of the Asiana flight and those on board a turboprop
plane that last year plunged into a Laos river, killing 49
people.
"Despite these orders, the same law firm has proceeded, yet
again, with the filing of the instant petition, knowing full well
there is no basis to do so," she wrote.
Monica Kelly -- monicakelly@ribbecklaw.com -- of Ribbeck Law did
not respond to a request for comment.
In the Asiana litigation, the suits claim the airline's flight
crew was negligent and that Boeing was responsible for a
defective warning system and automatic throttle. Both companies
have denied the allegations. And both companies argued that
halting discovery would allow the National Transportation Safety
Board to complete its investigation this year.
But plaintiffs lawyers have balked at the plan, citing documents
made public by the safety board on March 31 in which Boeing and
Asiana blamed each other for the crash. Asiana admitted its
pilots failed to maintain a safe airspeed, but also cited
problems with the aircraft's warning light-system.
"Under such finger-pointing circumstances, plaintiffs are clearly
entitled to initiate liability discovery," Mr. Pitre wrote. He
did not return a call for comment.
Neither Asiana's lead counsel, Frank Silane --
fsilane@condonlaw.com -- a partner in the Los Angeles office of
New York's Condon & Forsyth, nor Boeing's attorney, Kaycie Wall
-- KWall@perkinscoie.com -- a partner in the Palo Alto office of
Seattle's Perkins Coie, responded to requests for comment.
MATCH.COM: Melissa Midwest Dropped From Class Action
----------------------------------------------------
Daniel Beekman, writing for New York Daily News, reports that a
former porn star known as Melissa Midwest is being dropped from a
multibillion-dollar class action lawsuit against Match.com after
asking out of the bombshell case, court papers show.
The 31-year-old from Omaha is the second hottie to be removed
from the Match.com lawsuit this year, according to the papers.
When the lawsuit accusing the dating website and its affiliates
of posting tens of thousands of phony profiles with unsanctioned
photos of attractive people was filed in November, part-time
Florida model Yuliana Avalos was the face of the legal action.
"Not a day goes by when someone doesn't tell me that they saw my
pictures posted on Match.com or another (website)," Ms. Avalos
said at the time.
But Mr. Spencer left the Florida beauty off the lawsuit when he
amended the complaint in January, replacing her with Melissa
Midwest, also known as Melissa Harrington. He decided to drop
Ms. Avalos after receiving tips that she herself was a crook.
Davin Rosenblatt, a New Jersey comedian who reports on
cybercrime, told Spencer he had proof that Ms. Avalos and her
boyfriend sold photos to scammers.
Despite removing Ms. Avalos from the case, Spencer is standing by
her story. He still believes the Florida woman is authentic and
he may restore her to the lawsuit in the future, he told the
Daily News in an interview on March 31.
The lawyer said he took Ms. Avalos off the case largely to
protect her from angry scam victims who were hounding her with
angry emails and phone calls.
Yuliana Avalos was initially the lead plaintiff in a case against
Match.com for unapproved use of her likeness in the site's online
profiles.
Mr. Spencer removed Ms. Avalos from the lawsuit because she
"requested that she be withdrawn," the lawyer said in a court
document filed on March 27.
Now Melissa Midwest has now "demanded that she be withdrawn as a
plaintiff" because she never agreed to be part of the lawsuit,
according to the document.
Mr. Spencer plans to forge ahead with yet another modified
version of the lawsuit, which also contends the dating sites uses
pictures of celebrities including Lindsay Lohan and Al Pacino
with false names. The slimmed-down new complaint will would seek
damages on behalf of MelTech Inc., a company operated by Shane
Harrington, the former porn star's ex-husband.
Shane Harrington owns the trade names "Melissa Midwest" and
"Melissa Harrington," and the rights to her photos as the result
of a divorce settlement, according to court papers. His ex-wife
now goes by the name Melissa Smidt.
Mr. Spencer was scheduled to discuss his proposed new complaint
in court on March 31. He said the name on the court docket
matters less than the alleged misconduct.
"Whether it's a celebrity or an ordinary individual is not the
issue," Mr. Spencer said. "The issue is Match.com knowingly
approving and publishing fake profiles that include photographs
of non-members."
NEVADA HEALTH: Faces Class Action Over Insurance Plans
------------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Robison, writing for Las Vegas Review-Journal, reports
that a Las Vegas man who had trouble getting coverage through the
state exchange's Nevada Health Link website is a co-plaintiff in
the first class action lawsuit filed over the troubled insurance
marketplace.
Local personal-injury law firm Callister &Associates filed the
lawsuit on behalf of Larry Basich, who went uncovered even after
paying premiums as far back as November, and a local woman named
Lea Swartley, who also has gone without coverage despite paying
for a plan and was due to give birth on April 1.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court of Nevada on April 1
against the state of Nevada, Xerox and the Silver State Health
Insurance Exchange, which runs Nevada Health Link.
Matthew Callister said about 40 people have called him to say
they've paid for coverage and have no insurance. He said he
didn't know how big the class could get, but he noted that Nevada
Health Link had a pends list of more than 10,500 people without
coverage as of last week.
Mr. Callister added that the lawsuit is not an indictment of the
Affordable Care Act, which authorized insurance exchanges, or of
the state exchange's insurance plans.
"This has nothing to do with the ACA. This is 100 percent about
Xerox, who won the bid from the state of Nevada to create this
exchange. And they've failed. They absolutely failed,"
Mr. Callister said.
CJ Bawden, a spokesman for the state exchange, said the state
does not comment on pending lawsuits.
Mr. Callister said the lawsuit alleges gross negligence and
failure to do due diligence to determine whether Xerox could
handle the job of building the exchange.
State officials told the Review-Journal in February that the
hiring of Xerox was a standard procurement process that most
state and national governments use.
That process started with a request for proposals to build the
site. Four companies responded: Xerox, Deloitte Consulting,
Choice Administrators and KPMG. The four bids were reviewed by a
panel of state managers who have a background in either health or
information technology.
Xerox won the job because it scored highest on criteria such as
financial stability; demonstrated competence; experience and
performance on comparable contracts; expertise and availability
of key personnel; and cost. Nevada law requires any contract go
to the highest-scoring company.
Xerox edged out Deloitte by four points, Gov. Brian Sandoval told
the Review-Journal on March 13, but state law did not allow
officials to choose the contractor with the second-highest score.
The state has since granted Deloitte a $1.5 million contract to
look at fixes to Nevada Health Link.
"I just want to get people covered who paid for coverage,"
Mr. Callister said. "State law said that's what's supposed to
happen."
Mr. Basich's case made national headlines after the retired local
engineer ran up more than $400,000 in medical expenses for a Jan.
3 triple bypass. The state exchange sent his premium payments to
the wrong insurer, and neither the insurer he chose nor the
insurer that had his money could find him in their system.
Health Plan of Nevada has since stepped up to say it will cover
him, though officials with the insurer told the exchange board on
March 27 that they reserved the right to pursue legal action
against Xerox for the mix-up.
Like Mr. Basich, Ms. Swartley has been paying for coverage since
November, Mr. Callister said. Her son was injured in a bicycle
accident the day after her check to the exchange cleared her
account, yet no insurer is paying her bills.
Ms. Swartley was due to give birth on April, Mr. Callister said.
"She's having a baby, and she has no coverage, even though she
was told she would have coverage and has been paying her
premiums," Mr. Callister said. "She's scared to death, and she
does not have coverage."
PCL INDUSTRIAL: "Abrego" Suit Seeks to Recover Travel Time Pay
--------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher P. Abrego, et al. v. PCL Industrial Construction
Company, Case No. 1:14-cv-00041-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10,
2014) alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:13-cv-00414-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Christopher P. Abrego; Juan Arturo Acosta,
Adriana Z. Garcia; Federico Aguilar; Ivan Aguilar; Jesus Aguilar-
Heredia; Bernando Aguirre; Victor Aguirre; Jose Alanis; Araujo
Ramos Albertico; Fernandez Alberto; Andres Alcantar; Jorge A.
Alcantar; Rogionerto Guzman Alcantar; Fernando Alegria; Ronert
Anda Alonzo; Jose Gustavo Alvarado; Abiel Alvarez; Melendez
Ambrocio; Anthony Lavergne; Antonio Reyes; Luis Alberto Araica;
Jose M. Aranda Davila; Sergio Edgardo Araujo; Moises Arce; Edwin
Ricard Arevalo; Arturo Fraga, Jr. Arturo Vara Fraga; Sam Asta,
Jr.; Francisco T. Barragan; Ancelma Barrera-Escobar; Julio C.
Bautista; Zeferino Bazaldua Alcala; Miguel A. Bell; Shawn Bell;
Roy Thomas Bowden; Anthony Loyd Bowman; Michael Dwaine Briscoe,
Jr.; Clinton Brown; Enrique Morales Bustamante; Jose L. Canamar-
Segura; Jose Eddie Cantu; Marco A. Cantu; Jorge A. Cantu-Salinas;
Kevin J. Carbajal; Humberto Vega Cardenas; Cody Earl Carpenter;
Rommel Rene Castaneda; Ramon Castellanos-Valdez; Jessie James
Castillo; Crispin Gonzalez Castro; Jose Luis Cazares; Manuel
Cerda-Campos; Rene Chaires; John Ricardo Charlemagne; Charles
Arthur Newman, Jr.; David Wayne Chatman, Jr.; Craig Stephen Jaco;
Jason Andrew Daigle; Daniel Hernandez; Nicasio Maldonado Davalos;
Nathan Price Davis; Julio Cesar Delagarza; Derek Christopher
Zenon; Chad Michael Dixon; Doris Groupierre; Edward Romero
Burgos; Eric Anthony Rodela; Rolando Estrada; Eusebio Vasquez
Padron; Dana M. Farr; Osvaldo Felix; Anthony Flores; Damian Lopez
Francisco; Javier Fonseca Francisco; Fabian Garcia; Guadalupe
Garcia; Jose Joel Garcia; Maria Alejandra Garcia; Jose J. Garcia-
Leal; Benny Keith Garza; Francisco Cavazos Garza; Oscar Ramon
Garza; Rosalia Ruiz Garza; Adam Glen Gentry; Earl Jerome Gilbert,
Sr.; Fernando Giraldo; Hector Gonzalez, Jr.; Emmanuel Garcia
Gonzalez; Scarlett Gonzalez; Silbano Chavez Gonzalex; Ignacio
Gonzalez-Garica; Efrain Gracia; Homero Gracia; Reynaldo Gracia-
Cantu; Jesus Gerardo Gracia-Deleon; Theodore Jerome Graham;
Gregory Lee Carrington; Dennis F. Griggs, Jr.; Guadalupe Ramiro
Guerra; Juan Roel Guerra; John Aungel Guillory; Anselmo A. De La
Guzman; Maricela Guzman; Demarcus Ladale Hadnot; Nicolo J.
Hannan, Jr.; Daniel Glenn Harrington; Elton Dewayne Harris; Harry
Cruz-Ramos; Jennifer Darlene Hartman; Jose R. Hernandez; Lucio
Rosales Hernandez; Julian Octavio Herrera; William Sylvester
Hildreth; Andres Hinojosa; Baldemar Hinojosa; Shinette Hollis
Holman; Alan Howell; Allen Dean Howell; John Daniel Howell;
Matthew Jefferson Huckabee; Dony Ignacio; Ismael Valdez, Jr.;
Gerren Danard Jackson; Hazel Mae Jenkins; Jesus Diaz Jimenez;
Joaquin Ramirez Soloana; Joe Andrew Flores; Herbert Johnson, Jr.;
Barbara Ann Johnson; Jonathon Dee Ashy; Brian Keith Jones; Jose
Adrian Bonilla Barrera; Jose Carlos Sanchez; Sidney Joubert, Jr.;
Jefferey Joubert; Federico Raul Juarez; John Emnauel Jupiter;
Jeffery Lane Kaspar; Kevin Larue Haney; Lisa Grant Kimball; Muthu
Krishnan Lalan; Luis Hernandez Lejia; Leonardo D. Rodriguez;
Leroy Jimmy Dickens; Patrick Im Letulle; Nathell Lewis; Ray J.
Lewis; Scledrick Tobias Lewis; Dennis Earl Leyendecker; John
Thomas Leyendecker; Ernest Martinez Leyva; Oscar Eduardo Linares;
Jorge Lira Bernal; Lorenzo Alvarez Fernandez; Horace Lucas, III;
Lucindo Saldivar; Jesus Heredia Macedo; Shawn Kelly Manasco;
Magdaleno Urzua Manruque; Manuel Rios; Don Louis Marks, Jr.;
Martin C. Perez, Jr.; Jesus Adrian Martinez; Marco Antonio
Martinez; Raul Vigo Martinez; Jose J. Martinez-Leal; Roger Thomas
Mayes; Alfredo Medina; Daniel Medina; Victor Medina; Aaron James
Menard; Omar Gervacio Mendoza; Ernesto Mendoza-Sanchez; Martin
Mercado; Michael Lee Garcia; Travis Ryan Miles; Gudberto Miranda,
Jr.; Freddy Mireles; Jose De Rosario Mireles; Victor M. Monroy;
Celso Montanez; Jorge Luis Montanez; Demond Mcneil Montreal;
Maria Dejesus Mora; Enrique Morua; Jeremy Shane Morvant; Jose
Guadalupe Munguia; Jose Juan Munguia-Flores; Sergio Isaac Munoz;
Christopher Ray Musick; Constantino Navarette; Martha D. Moreno
Negrete; Bonita Faya Nelson; Juan Manuel Obregon; Elijio Ochoa;
Christian I. Ocon; Pedro Olalde; Juan Carols Olivares; Reyes Be
Ordones; Benito Mendoz Ordonez; Roberto Mejia Ortega; Benjamin
Ortz-Rivera; Oscar O. Reyes; Luciana Osuna; Alexander Ovieda;
Gergory James Ozen; Fernando Pacheco; Charles Ray Palermo, Jr.;
Jose Luis Paniagua; Carlos O. Perez; Jose Perez; Roberto Perez-
Torres; Juan Antunez Pineda; Rakesha Rochelle Pitre; Lorenzo
Pitts; Ricardo Antonio Polanco-Feliz; Gerardo Gloria Pulgarin;
Jose D. Ramirez; Elizabeth Ramirez-Salinas; Juan Ramos Martinez;
Rodela Raymond; Jose Luis Reyes; Rodolfo Reyes; Margarito
Rodriguez Rios; Ignacio Garza Robles; Tereso Rodriguez Reyna;
Edward Rodriguez; Genaro Rodriguez; Jaime Daniel Rodriguez; Juan
Francisco Rodriguez; Rodrigo Castro Rodriguez; Janie Lupita
Rojas; Roberto C. Romero Ferro; Ronnie Joseph Arline, Jr.;
Enrique Rubio; Marco Artemio Rubio; Egidio Rueda; Daniel Ruiz;
Rubin Salas; Martha Salazar; Pablo Juarez Sanchez; Saul Sandoval;
Pedro Casas Sepulveda; Sergio P. Batista; Michael Walter Sharpe,
Jr.; Saul Javier Silva, Jr.; Henry Silva; Simon T. Mendoza; Aaron
Chester Smith; Jason Wayne Smith; John Thomas Smith; Ronald
Leverett Smith; Minardo Vega Sosa; Ronnie Lee Stanley III, Jimmie
Stewart; Joshua Stewart; Viviano Jaime Tamayo; Sheryl Falls
Taylor; Rodrigo Tercero; Thomas Gene Chapman; Dillon Alexander
Thomas; Harry Paul Thomas; Willie Shermin Thomas; Larry Tobias;
Rusty Lee Trahan; Luis E. Valdez; Juan Huerte Valencia; Ray
Anthony Vasquez; Maria Noelia Velz; Daniel Velazquez; Oswaldo
Velma; Victor Hugo Fernandez; Janet Delafuente Villanueva; Luis
Arturo Villanueva; Robert Al. Villanueva; Ronald Washington, Jr.;
Wayne Everette Cummings; Stephen Wayne Welch; Kevin J. Williams;
Brandon Lee Wilson; Robert Herrin Wood; Joseph W. Yancey; Mario
Zamora; Reyna Zamora; Emigdio Zuniga, Morris Bell-Zamora, Morris;
Rafael Lopez; Inocencio Salinas; Vincente D. Gracia-Zalazar;
Orlandao Gracia; Jesus Eduardo Cantu; Vicente Gracia; Juan Cano-
Castilleja; Chuck Mulvaney; Roosevelt Wrice Jr.; Sandra Oseguera;
Benito Reyes Estrada; Luis Martin Galvan; Leo Dandre Garrett;
Rodolfo Briones Hernandez; Mariano Sanchez Hernandez; Geraldine
Brooks; Abraham Gracia; Rene Maldonado Rios; Martin Jose Salinas;
Rubio Perez Gracia; Steve Allen Garlaska; Francisco Garza III;
Gabriel Benavides Gonzalez; Gary Lee Lamar; Jose Mauro Rubio;
Jose Antonio Hernandez; Oscar Richard Gomez; Jacinta Marian
Francois; Jose R. Garcia Ulloa; Rafael Arce; Jesus Omar Cuellar;
James Earl Clinard; Richard Allen Guillory; Johnny Ray Walters;
Eloy Soto-Campos; Isaias Torres Aguilar; Moises Vidal Arias;
Moises Arias Garcia; Armando Yanez; Juan Carlos Jove; Luis
Alberto Jove; Daniel Gonzalez; Larry Zavala; Victor Aguilar; Juan
Arturo Acosta; Jorge Alberto Salinas; Demetrius Joseph Braud;
Terrance Javell Williams; James Edward Mitchell; Ricky Lee
Anderson; Jerry White; and, Irving Omar Cuellar.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Daniel Anthony Verrett, Esq.
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART-AUSTIN
301 Congress Avenue, Suite 1150
Austin, TX 78701
Telephone: (512) 344-4700
Facsimile: (512) 344-4701
E-mail: daniel.verrett@ogletreedeakins.com
- and -
Fritz Barham Lewis, Jr., Esq.
OGLETREE DEAKINS NASH SMOAK & STEWART-HOUSTON
500 Dallas Street, Suite 3000
Houston, TX 77002-4709
Telephone: (713) 655-0855
Facsimile: (713) 655-0020
E-mail: barham.lewis@odnss.com
PHILIP MORRIS: Plaintiff Obtains $5MM Verdict in Tobacco Suit
-------------------------------------------------------------
Avera & Smith, LLP, on March 31 announced the award of a $5
million verdict in a wrongful death class action suit against
Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds.
The plaintiff, Gloria Bowden, retained the law firm of Avera &
Smith on behalf of her deceased husband, William Bowden, Jr.
Mrs. Bowden claimed that her late husband's death was caused by
lung cancer due to an addiction to cigarettes containing
nicotine. The case arose out of a class action lawsuit originally
filed in 1994, known as the Engle class action.
"This was a very difficult case to try. It was nearly impossible
to reconstruct the sequence of events due to the number of years
since Mr. Bowden's death," said Attorney Rod Smith, partner with
the firm. "We believe the jury handed down a fair verdict and we
are very pleased."
"This is about more than just this one case. This is about the
tobacco industry paying back a generation of people for what they
did and what they hid," continued Mr. Smith.
Avera & Smith -- http://www.avera.com-- specializes in personal
injury law, amongst other disciplines, and has been a leader in
the Gainesville market for more than 40 years. The firm plans to
endure this achievement by striving to continue its success and
accomplishments.
PORT ARTHUR: Faces "Hamilton" Suit Over FLSA Violations
-------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Port Arthur Logistics, LLC, Case
No. 1:14-cv-00077-RC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Fritz Barham Lewis, Jr., Esq.
OGLETREE DEAKINS NASH SMOAK & STEWART-HOUSTON
500 Dallas Street, Suite 3000
Houston, TX 77002-4709
Telephone: (713) 655-0855
Facsimile: (713) 655-0020
E-mail: barham.lewis@odnss.com
PUBLICIS GROUPE: Gender Bias Suit Denied Class Action Status
------------------------------------------------------------
Diana Bradley, writing for PRWeek, reports that plaintiffs in the
gender discrimination lawsuit against MSLGroup and parent
Publicis Groupe were denied class action status "without
prejudice" by a US district court judge on March 31.
However, by denying plaintiffs class action status, Judge Andrew
Carter left open the possibility that they could proceed through
individual lawsuits.
Carter released the order to deny the class action "after
extensive discovery." The reasoning behind the decision will be
revealed in a forthcoming order. The court will hold a status
conference on the action on May 5.
MSLGroup said it will continue to "vigorously" defend against the
claims.
"The fact is, women, as a group, were treated the same as men in
the implementation of MSLGroup policies and practices," said the
firm in a statement on April 1. "MSLGroup is committed to the
fair, equal, and respectful treatment of all of its employees."
"We have received the court order. We will await the forthcoming
opinion to which it refers before making any comment," said
Sanford Heisler LLP, the attorneys representing the plaintiffs.
Monique da Silva Moore, a former healthcare director at MSL,
filed the $100 million class action suit in February 2011. It
alleged MSL and Publicis paid female professionals less, did not
promote women at the same rate as male counterparts, and
conducted discriminatory demotions, terminations, and
reassignments for female staffers during the agency's 2009
reorganization.
In April 2011, MaryEllen O'Donohue, Laurie Mayers, Heather
Pierce, and Katherine Wilkins were added as plaintiffs to the
suit.
In July, plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed a motion seeking class
certification under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that would
have opened participation in the suit to hundreds more women.
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race,
color, religion, sex, and national origin. Plaintiffs in the
gender discrimination lawsuit against MSLGroup and parent
Publicis Groupe were denied class action status "without
prejudice" by a US district court judge on March 31.
However, by denying plaintiffs class action status, Judge Andrew
Carter left open the possibility that they could proceed through
individual lawsuits.
Judge Carter released the order to deny the class action "after
extensive discovery." The reasoning behind the decision will be
revealed in a forthcoming order. The court will hold a status
conference on the action on May 5.
QBE INSURANCE: Maurice Blackburn Mulls Class Action
---------------------------------------------------
Bianca Hartge-Hazelman, writing for The Sydney Morning Herald,
reports that Maurice Blackburn Lawyers are considering a class
action against QBE Insurance Group, just as the insurance
company's executives prepare to face investors at the annual
general meeting.
News of the potential class action comes a little over two months
after it was brought to light that law firm Slater & Gordon also
explored a class action against QBE Insurance over its recent
savage profit downgrade, but backed away after finding no
evidence of the company breaching disclosure obligations.
Late last year, QBE warned it would post its first annual loss in
12 years for the year to December 31 due to provisions and write-
downs in its troubled US business.
The severity of the downgrade -- an expected $US250 million loss
instead of a profit of more than $US1 billion -- claimed the
scalp of chairwoman and long-time director Belinda Hutchinson,
who will stand down in March.
QBE's AGM was being held in Sydney on April 2.
On the agenda will be the company's performance, but also the
remuneration report and the election of directors. Shareholders
will be asked to vote on a long-term incentive (LTI) grant
proposed for group chief executive officer John Neal, who has
been at the company since 2003, under a new incentive plan for
2014.
RMF NOOTER: Employees Sue in Texas Over Unpaid Travel Time
----------------------------------------------------------
Jerrett Ray Armstrong, et al. v. RMF Nooter Inc., Case No. 1:14-
cv-00066-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges violations of
the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv228 in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014, the
lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Jerrett Ray Armstrong, Mario Vicente Acevedo,
Zach Marwan Achkar, Rolland Craig Allen, Patricia Andrade, Freddy
A. Araica, Elizabeth Ann Arguello, Ricky Arnaud, Jesse Askew,
Unnikrishna Pillai Balakrishnapilla, Cory Lynn Baldwin, Carroll
Henry Ballard, Daniel T. Ball, K.E. Barker, Weldon Barker, Bruce
Barnard, Lafayet Barrera-Gonzalez, Larry Basco, Richard Wayne
Bell, Anthony Joseph Berg II, Christopher Bergeaux, Kimberly
Bergeaux, Rosalio Lugo Blanco, Brandon M. Bolton, James L.
Brantley, Randy Glenn Britnell, Kenneth Budwine, Jr., Eric
Butler, Aliber Marroquin Cantu, Juan L. Cantu-Garcia, Julio Cesar
Cantu, Sergio Marroquin Cantu, Cleon Carraway, Juan Jose
Carrillo, Mario Serrano Carrillo, Michael P. Carrier, Oscar
Torres Castillo, Rafael Ceja, Jr., James Kenneth Chaney, Sr.,
Carl Alan Clark, Vicki A. Clark, Eddie Alberto Colon, Jose
Antonio Compean, Jr., Manuel Cordero III, Carlos Cordova, Martin
Coronado Acuna, James Franklin Costlow, Michael Crim, David Cruz,
Doel Pastor Cruz-Rivera, Jason Clyde Darrell, Brian Allan Davis,
Michael Earl Davis, David Garcia Delacruz, Sergio Antonio Delfin,
Omar A. Delgadillo, Louis Joseph Deshotel, Shawna Donzaile Dodd,
Lawrence Dufrain, Kevin Wayne Duhon, Dennis Joseph Duplantis,
Gene Ross East, Christopher Elizondo, Ben D. Ellis, Mauricio
Castro Estrada, Jorge Falcon, Troy Favorite, Joseph Fazio,
Gregory Donnell Fleming, Raul Flores-Regino, Sheila Anderson
Folse, Michael Alvin Freeman, Eliseo Garcia, Erick Garcia, Jesus
Alonzo Garcia, Jose Gilberto Garcia, Juan Pablo Garcia, Guadalupe
Benjamin Garza, Zaragoza Tijerina Garza, Olin Gilbert, Ramiro
Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Jacob Goudeau, Jordan Alexander Grant,
John Kerri Gray, April Johnson-Green, Chris Grote, Adan Guerrero,
Manuel Jose Gutierrez, Maximiano Sanchez Gutierrez, Charles L.
Hagebusch III, Milton Hardin, Darin Kevin Hargrove, Travis
Trinord Harris, Jeremy Dermon Hawkins, Mildred Marie Hayes, Ruben
D. Hernandez, Daniel Glen Hester, Joseph Randall Holcomb, Colby
Alan Howell, John Daniel Howell II, Andy Hudson, Rocky Dean
Hudson, David William Huff, Willie Daniel Hunter II, Clarence
Melvin Ingle III, Keith Ingle, Randy Ingle, Trenton Tyler Ingle,
Christopher Lee Jackson, Dustin David James, Julius Joseph Janca,
Jr., Francisco Jarquin, Agustin Miguel Jimenez, Martin David
Johnson, Dale Winford Jones, Jarvis Dequan Jones, Jeremiah Casey
Jones, Magda G. Kelly, Randy Dewayne Kelsoe, Gerald J. Kinchen,
Tammy Renee Knight, Robert Keither Lamar, Justin Ryan Lambright,
Lewis Carl Lambert, Glenn Garette Landry, David Louis Langley,
Robert J. Lawler, Jr., Javetta Leather, Mayolo Benitez Leon,
David A. Loera, David Acosta Loera, Jesus Magallon, Leslie D.
Mancil, Michael Aaron Mann, Roland Arnold Mann, Jr., Variath D.
Marottikudy, Erick Rios Marroquin, Anthony Daniel Mayo, Peter L.
Mccarthy, Ronald Mcfarlin, Walter Joseph Mcfarland, Chase Michael
Mcmains, Larry Wayne Meeks, Rebecca Fortenberry Meeks, Javier H.
Mendez Gonzalez, Robert James Mendoza, David William Meyers,
Devan Mitchem, Kristopher Montalvo, Justin Scott Moussette,
Tyrone Nash, Ramon Humberto Natal, Lynn Todd Neuman, Jack G.
Oppert, Jr., Anibal Ruben Ortiz, Daniel Ozuna, Nelson O. Pacheco-
Ramos, Varghese Vembi Pappukunju, Joey Lynn Parks, Kent Parks,
Douglas E. Peach, Rolando Perez, Jace Picou, Jorge Armando Pinon,
Edgar Omar Portillo, Dulcey Ann Prine, Jesus Puente, Jr., Jesus
G. Puente, Sr., Natividad Quintanilla, Richard Morgan Radford,
Violeta Sentiol Ramirez, Lee R. Ramos, Thomas Rayborn, James I.
Rayer, Jr., Hugo Mariano Raymundo, Arthur Lee Richards, Marco
Antonio Rivera, Oscar Armando Rivera, Leroy Robinson, Jr., Jose
Gavito Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., James C.
Rogers, Marvin Romero, Eulalio Pasillas Salas, Jose Reynaldo
Salinas, Julio C. Salinas-Garza, Juan A. Sanchez-Rodriguez,
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Martinez, Alejandro Sandoval Garcia,
Zachary Schaver, Sam Boudreaux Scott, Ethelwoldo Segarra, Usiel
Sernon, Jerry Leon Shane, Claude Douglas Shute, Ronald Ray Sims,
Fermah Smith, Carlos Alberto Solis, Edward Allen Sonnier, Milton
Spears, Kenneth Spencer, Jr., Donanthony Spitaleri, Jonathan Neil
Stanton, Cherrie Steptoe, Ralphel T. Steptoe, Ricky Lee Stokes,
Vernie Sutton, Jeffrey C. Swarner, Waylon Michael Symmank,
Cassandra Marie Tait, James V. Taylor, Mark Tolbert, Daniel
Eschevarria Torres, Joel Echevarria Torres, Kevin Townley, Miguel
A. Trejo, Lupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Douglas Edward Tubbs,
Jeffery Arnold Tullar, Cynthia Renee Turner, Wesley Turner, Mario
Cruz Urbano, Alvaro Valencia, Luis Angel Vargas, Reji Kileekkal
Varughese, James Vaughn, Kunhikrishnan K. Veetil, Antonio Gerardo
Velazquez, Hector Hernandez Velazquez, Hector Jimenez Vera, Jason
Wayne Verrett, Elson Dennis Vidrine, Jesus Villarreal, Juan C.
Villatoro, Pablo Villeda-Cabriales, Walter Douglas Wackenreuter,
James Earl Wade, Anthony L. Ward, Spencer Mcgarrett Washington,
William Warren Wesberry, Jr., Rose Mary Whitehead, Malcolm Ryan
Wilburn, Carl Wilkerson, Sr., Bo Williams, Kevin Lane Williams,
II, Leia Culpepper Williams, John Lee Winkelmann, Davy Howard
Wolfe, II, Jody Woodruff, Heidi C. Wymer, Bradley Farris
Yarborough, Adrian Young, David Harrison Young, Ruben Zamora,
Dalton Joseph Antoine, Julio Cesar Castillo-Honorato, Carlos L.
Gomez, Jeremy Ryan Gulley, Charles A. Lacy, Jr., Alexis Yuri
Lobo, Jerry Dale Massey, Erwin Haroldo Morales, Gerardo Vazquez
Ortega, Guadalupe Ortega, Jose Luis Quezada Mora, Alejos
Rodrigeuz-Tamez, Kevin Thomas, John Garcia, Jr., Pedro Pena
Perez, Monica Owens Sherman, Robin Keith Boul, Joshua Caleb
Miller, Oscar F. Reyes, Jose Javier Sanches, Homero Monreal,
Varkey Kolackal Johnson, Richard Wiltz, Jr., Varghese Paily
Kulianickal, and Sadashivanachary Janardhananachary.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Brian Peter Pezza, Esq.
LEWIS RICE & FINGERSH LC
600 Washington Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63101
Telephone: (314) 444-7656
Facsimile: (314) 612-7656
E-mail: bpezza@lewisrice.com
- and -
Stephen W. Schueler, Esq.
WINSTEAD PC - HOUSTON
1100 JPMorgan Chase Tower
600 Travis Street
Houston, TX 77002
Telephone: (713) 650-8400
Facsimile: (713) 650-2400
E-mail: sschueler@winstead.com
- and -
Thomas Edward Reddin, Esq.
WINSTEAD PC - DALLAS
500 Winstead Building
2728 N. Harwood Street
Dallas, TX 75201
Telephone: (214) 745-5650
Facsimile: (214) 745-5390
E-mail: treddin@winstead.com
- and -
Vincent D. Reese, Esq.
LEWIS RICE & FINGERSH - ST. LOUIS
600 Washington Ave., Suite 2500
St Louis, MO 63101
Telephone: (314) 444-7858
Facsimile: (314) 612-7858
E-mail: vreese@lewisrice.com
S & B ENGINEERS: "Abrego" Suit Alleges FlSA Violations
------------------------------------------------------
Christopher P. Abrego, et al. v. S & B Engineers and
Constructors, Ltd., Case No. 1:14-cv-00038-MAC (E.D. Tex.,
February 10, 2014) alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards
Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:13cv414 in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014, the
lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Christopher P. Abrego; Juan Arturo Acosta,
Adriana Z. Garcia; Federico Aguilar; Ivan Aguilar; Jesus Aguilar-
Heredia; Bernando Aguirre; Victor Aguirre; Jose Alanis; Araujo
Ramos Albertico; Fernandez Alberto; Andres Alcantar; Jorge A.
Alcantar; Rogionerto Guzman Alcantar; Fernando Alegria; Ronert
Anda Alonzo; Jose Gustavo Alvarado; Abiel Alvarez; Melendez
Ambrocio; Anthony Lavergne; Antonio Reyes; Luis Alberto Araica;
Jose M. Aranda Davila; Sergio Edgardo Araujo; Moises Arce; Edwin
Ricard Arevalo; Arturo Fraga, Jr. Arturo Vara Fraga; Sam Asta,
Jr.; Francisco T. Barragan; Ancelma Barrera-Escobar; Julio C.
Bautista; Zeferino Bazaldua Alcala; Miguel A. Bell; Shawn Bell;
Roy Thomas Bowden; Anthony Loyd Bowman; Michael Dwaine Briscoe,
Jr.; Clinton Brown; Enrique Morales Bustamante; Jose L. Canamar-
Segura; Jose Eddie Cantu; Marco A. Cantu; Jorge A. Cantu-Salinas;
Kevin J. Carbajal; Humberto Vega Cardenas; Cody Earl Carpenter;
Rommel Rene Castaneda; Ramon Castellanos-Valdez; Jessie James
Castillo; Crispin Gonzalez Castro; Jose Luis Cazares; Manuel
Cerda-Campos; Rene Chaires; John Ricardo Charlemagne; Charles
Arthur Newman, Jr.; David Wayne Chatman, Jr.; Craig Stephen Jaco;
Jason Andrew Daigle; Daniel Hernandez; Nicasio Maldonado Davalos;
Nathan Price Davis; Julio Cesar Delagarza; Derek Christopher
Zenon; Chad Michael Dixon; Doris Groupierre; Edward Romero
Burgos; Eric Anthony Rodela; Rolando Estrada; Eusebio Vasquez
Padron; Dana M. Farr; Osvaldo Felix; Anthony Flores; Damian Lopez
Francisco; Javier Fonseca Francisco; Fabian Garcia; Guadalupe
Garcia; Jose Joel Garcia; Maria Alejandra Garcia; Jose J. Garcia-
Leal; Benny Keith Garza; Francisco Cavazos Garza; Oscar Ramon
Garza; Rosalia Ruiz Garza; Adam Glen Gentry; Earl Jerome Gilbert,
Sr.; Fernando Giraldo; Hector Gonzalez, Jr.; Emmanuel Garcia
Gonzalez; Scarlett Gonzalez; Silbano Chavez Gonzalex; Ignacio
Gonzalez-Garica; Efrain Gracia; Homero Gracia; Reynaldo Gracia-
Cantu; Jesus Gerardo Gracia-Deleon; Theodore Jerome Graham;
Gregory Lee Carrington; Dennis F. Griggs, Jr.; Guadalupe Ramiro
Guerra; Juan Roel Guerra; John Aungel Guillory; Anselmo A. De La
Guzman; Maricela Guzman; Demarcus Ladale Hadnot; Nicolo J.
Hannan, Jr.; Daniel Glenn Harrington; Elton Dewayne Harris; Harry
Cruz-Ramos; Jennifer Darlene Hartman; Jose R. Hernandez; Lucio
Rosales Hernandez; Julian Octavio Herrera; William Sylvester
Hildreth; Andres Hinojosa; Baldemar Hinojosa; Shinette Hollis
Holman; Alan Howell; Allen Dean Howell; John Daniel Howell;
Matthew Jefferson Huckabee; Dony Ignacio; Ismael Valdez, Jr.;
Gerren Danard Jackson; Hazel Mae Jenkins; Jesus Diaz Jimenez;
Joaquin Ramirez Soloana; Joe Andrew Flores; Herbert Johnson, Jr.;
Barbara Ann Johnson; Jonathon Dee Ashy; Brian Keith Jones; Jose
Adrian Bonilla Barrera; Jose Carlos Sanchez; Sidney Joubert, Jr.;
Jefferey Joubert; Federico Raul Juarez; John Emnauel Jupiter;
Jeffery Lane Kaspar; Kevin Larue Haney; Lisa Grant Kimball; Muthu
Krishnan Lalan; Luis Hernandez Lejia; Leonardo D. Rodriguez;
Leroy Jimmy Dickens; Patrick Im Letulle; Nathell Lewis; Ray J.
Lewis; Scledrick Tobias Lewis; Dennis Earl Leyendecker; John
Thomas Leyendecker; Ernest Martinez Leyva; Oscar Eduardo Linares;
Jorge Lira Bernal; Lorenzo Alvarez Fernandez; Horace Lucas, III;
Lucindo Saldivar; Jesus Heredia Macedo; Shawn Kelly Manasco;
Magdaleno Urzua Manruque; Manuel Rios; Don Louis Marks, Jr.;
Martin C. Perez, Jr.; Jesus Adrian Martinez; Marco Antonio
Martinez; Raul Vigo Martinez; Jose J. Martinez-Leal; Roger Thomas
Mayes; Alfredo Medina; Daniel Medina; Victor Medina; Aaron James
Menard; Omar Gervacio Mendoza; Ernesto Mendoza-Sanchez; Martin
Mercado; Michael Lee Garcia; Travis Ryan Miles; Gudberto Miranda,
Jr.; Freddy Mireles; Jose De Rosario Mireles; Victor M. Monroy;
Celso Montanez; Jorge Luis Montanez; Demond Mcneil Montreal;
Maria Dejesus Mora; Enrique Morua; Jeremy Shane Morvant; Jose
Guadalupe Munguia; Jose Juan Munguia-Flores; Sergio Isaac Munoz;
Christopher Ray Musick; Constantino Navarette; Martha D. Moreno
Negrete; Bonita Faya Nelson; Juan Manuel Obregon; Elijio Ochoa;
Christian I. Ocon; Pedro Olalde; Juan Carols Olivares; Reyes Be
Ordones; Benito Mendoz Ordonez; Roberto Mejia Ortega; Benjamin
Ortz-Rivera; Oscar O. Reyes; Luciana Osuna; Alexander Ovieda;
Gergory James Ozen; Fernando Pacheco; Charles Ray Palermo, Jr.;
Jose Luis Paniagua; Carlos O. Perez; Jose Perez; Roberto Perez-
Torres; Juan Antunez Pineda; Rakesha Rochelle Pitre; Lorenzo
Pitts; Ricardo Antonio Polanco-Feliz; Gerardo Gloria Pulgarin;
Jose D. Ramirez; Elizabeth Ramirez-Salinas; Juan Ramos Martinez;
Rodela Raymond; Jose Luis Reyes; Rodolfo Reyes; Margarito
Rodriguez Rios; Ignacio Garza Robles; Tereso Rodriguez Reyna;
Edward Rodriguez; Genaro Rodriguez; Jaime Daniel Rodriguez; Juan
Francisco Rodriguez; Rodrigo Castro Rodriguez; Janie Lupita
Rojas; Roberto C. Romero Ferro; Ronnie Joseph Arline, Jr.;
Enrique Rubio; Marco Artemio Rubio; Egidio Rueda; Daniel Ruiz;
Rubin Salas; Martha Salazar; Pablo Juarez Sanchez; Saul Sandoval;
Pedro Casas Sepulveda; Sergio P. Batista; Michael Walter Sharpe,
Jr.; Saul Javier Silva, Jr.; Henry Silva; Simon T. Mendoza; Aaron
Chester Smith; Jason Wayne Smith; John Thomas Smith; Ronald
Leverett Smith; Minardo Vega Sosa; Ronnie Lee Stanley III, Jimmie
Stewart; Joshua Stewart; Viviano Jaime Tamayo; Sheryl Falls
Taylor; Rodrigo Tercero; Thomas Gene Chapman; Dillon Alexander
Thomas; Harry Paul Thomas; Willie Shermin Thomas; Larry Tobias;
Rusty Lee Trahan; Luis E. Valdez; Juan Huerte Valencia; Ray
Anthony Vasquez; Maria Noelia Velz; Daniel Velazquez; Oswaldo
Velma; Victor Hugo Fernandez; Janet Delafuente Villanueva; Luis
Arturo Villanueva; Robert Al. Villanueva; Ronald Washington, Jr.;
Wayne Everette Cummings; Stephen Wayne Welch; Kevin J. Williams;
Brandon Lee Wilson; Robert Herrin Wood; Joseph W. Yancey; Mario
Zamora; Reyna Zamora; Emigdio Zuniga, Morris Bell-Zamora, Morris;
Rafael Lopez; Inocencio Salinas; Vincente D. Gracia-Zalazar;
Orlandao Gracia; Jesus Eduardo Cantu; Vicente Gracia; Juan Cano-
Castilleja; Chuck Mulvaney; Roosevelt Wrice Jr.; Sandra Oseguera;
Benito Reyes Estrada; Luis Martin Galvan; Leo Dandre Garrett;
Rodolfo Briones Hernandez; Mariano Sanchez Hernandez; Geraldine
Brooks; Abraham Gracia; Rene Maldonado Rios; Martin Jose Salinas;
Rubio Perez Gracia; Steve Allen Garlaska; Francisco Garza III;
Gabriel Benavides Gonzalez; Gary Lee Lamar; Jose Mauro Rubio;
Jose Antonio Hernandez; Oscar Richard Gomez; Jacinta Marian
Francois; Jose R. Garcia Ulloa; Rafael Arce; Jesus Omar Cuellar;
James Earl Clinard; Richard Allen Guillory; Johnny Ray Walters;
Eloy Soto-Campos; Isaias Torres Aguilar; Moises Vidal Arias;
Moises Arias Garcia; Armando Yanez; Juan Carlos Jove; Luis
Alberto Jove; Daniel Gonzalez; Larry Zavala; Victor Aguilar; Juan
Arturo Acosta; Jorge Alberto Salinas; Demetrius Joseph Braud;
Terrance Javell Williams; James Edward Mitchell; Ricky Lee
Anderson; Jerry White; and, Irving Omar Cuellar.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Linda Ottinger Headley, Esq.
Danielle Kujawa Herring, Esq.
Elizabeth L. Bolt, Esq.
LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C. - HOUSTON
1301 McKinney St., Suite 1900
Houston, TX 77010
Telephone: (713) 951-9400
E-mail: lheadley@littler.com
dherring@littler.com
ebolt@littler.com
S & B ENGINEERS: "Hamilton" Suit Seeks to Recover Travel Time Pay
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. S&B Engineers and Constructors,
Ltd., Case No. 1:14-cv-00050-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014)
alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Linda Ottinger Headley, Esq.
Danielle Kujawa Herring, Esq.
Elizabeth L. Bolt, Esq.
LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C. - HOUSTON
1301 McKinney St., Suite 1900
Houston, TX 77010
Telephone: (713) 951-9400
Facsimile: (713) 513-5964
E-mail: lheadley@littler.com
dherring@littler.com
ebolt@littler.com
S & B ENGINEERS: "Armstrong" Suit Alleges FLSA Violations
---------------------------------------------------------
Jerrett Ray Armstrong, et al. v. S & B Engineers and
Constructors, Ltd., Case No. 1:14-cv-00062-MAC (E.D. Tex.,
February 10, 2014) alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards
Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv00228 in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Jerrett Ray Armstrong, Mario Vicente Acevedo,
Zach Marwan Achkar, Rolland Craig Allen, Patricia Andrade, Freddy
A. Araica, Elizabeth Ann Arguello, Ricky Arnaud, Jesse Askew,
Unnikrishna Pillai Balakrishnapilla, Cory Lynn Baldwin, Carroll
Henry Ballard, Daniel T. Ball, K.E. Barker, Weldon Barker, Bruce
Barnard, Lafayet Barrera-Gonzalez, Larry Basco, Richard Wayne
Bell, Anthony Joseph Berg II, Christopher Bergeaux, Kimberly
Bergeaux, Rosalio Lugo Blanco, Brandon M. Bolton, James L.
Brantley, Randy Glenn Britnell, Kenneth Budwine, Jr., Eric
Butler, Aliber Marroquin Cantu, Juan L. Cantu-Garcia, Julio Cesar
Cantu, Sergio Marroquin Cantu, Cleon Carraway, Juan Jose
Carrillo, Mario Serrano Carrillo, Michael P. Carrier, Oscar
Torres Castillo, Rafael Ceja, Jr., James Kenneth Chaney, Sr.,
Carl Alan Clark, Vicki A. Clark, Eddie Alberto Colon, Jose
Antonio Compean, Jr., Manuel Cordero III, Carlos Cordova, Martin
Coronado Acuna, James Franklin Costlow, Michael Crim, David Cruz,
Doel Pastor Cruz-Rivera, Jason Clyde Darrell, Brian Allan Davis,
Michael Earl Davis, David Garcia Delacruz, Sergio Antonio Delfin,
Omar A. Delgadillo, Louis Joseph Deshotel, Shawna Donzaile Dodd,
Lawrence Dufrain, Kevin Wayne Duhon, Dennis Joseph Duplantis,
Gene Ross East, Christopher Elizondo, Ben D. Ellis, Mauricio
Castro Estrada, Jorge Falcon, Troy Favorite, Joseph Fazio,
Gregory Donnell Fleming, Raul Flores-Regino, Sheila Anderson
Folse, Michael Alvin Freeman, Eliseo Garcia, Erick Garcia, Jesus
Alonzo Garcia, Jose Gilberto Garcia, Juan Pablo Garcia, Guadalupe
Benjamin Garza, Zaragoza Tijerina Garza, Olin Gilbert, Ramiro
Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Jacob Goudeau, Jordan Alexander Grant,
John Kerri Gray, April Johnson-Green, Chris Grote, Adan Guerrero,
Manuel Jose Gutierrez, Maximiano Sanchez Gutierrez, Charles L.
Hagebusch III, Milton Hardin, Darin Kevin Hargrove, Travis
Trinord Harris, Jeremy Dermon Hawkins, Mildred Marie Hayes, Ruben
D. Hernandez, Daniel Glen Hester, Joseph Randall Holcomb, Colby
Alan Howell, John Daniel Howell II, Andy Hudson, Rocky Dean
Hudson, David William Huff, Willie Daniel Hunter II, Clarence
Melvin Ingle III, Keith Ingle, Randy Ingle, Trenton Tyler Ingle,
Christopher Lee Jackson, Dustin David James, Julius Joseph Janca,
Jr., Francisco Jarquin, Agustin Miguel Jimenez, Martin David
Johnson, Dale Winford Jones, Jarvis Dequan Jones, Jeremiah Casey
Jones, Magda G. Kelly, Randy Dewayne Kelsoe, Gerald J. Kinchen,
Tammy Renee Knight, Robert Keither Lamar, Justin Ryan Lambright,
Lewis Carl Lambert, Glenn Garette Landry, David Louis Langley,
Robert J. Lawler, Jr., Javetta Leather, Mayolo Benitez Leon,
David A. Loera, David Acosta Loera, Jesus Magallon, Leslie D.
Mancil, Michael Aaron Mann, Roland Arnold Mann, Jr., Variath D.
Marottikudy, Erick Rios Marroquin, Anthony Daniel Mayo, Peter L.
Mccarthy, Ronald Mcfarlin, Walter Joseph Mcfarland, Chase Michael
Mcmains, Larry Wayne Meeks, Rebecca Fortenberry Meeks, Javier H.
Mendez Gonzalez, Robert James Mendoza, David William Meyers,
Devan Mitchem, Kristopher Montalvo, Justin Scott Moussette,
Tyrone Nash, Ramon Humberto Natal, Lynn Todd Neuman, Jack G.
Oppert, Jr., Anibal Ruben Ortiz, Daniel Ozuna, Nelson O. Pacheco-
Ramos, Varghese Vembi Pappukunju, Joey Lynn Parks, Kent Parks,
Douglas E. Peach, Rolando Perez, Jace Picou, Jorge Armando Pinon,
Edgar Omar Portillo, Dulcey Ann Prine, Jesus Puente, Jr., Jesus
G. Puente, Sr., Natividad Quintanilla, Richard Morgan Radford,
Violeta Sentiol Ramirez, Lee R. Ramos, Thomas Rayborn, James I.
Rayer, Jr., Hugo Mariano Raymundo, Arthur Lee Richards, Marco
Antonio Rivera, Oscar Armando Rivera, Leroy Robinson, Jr., Jose
Gavito Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., James C.
Rogers, Marvin Romero, Eulalio Pasillas Salas, Jose Reynaldo
Salinas, Julio C. Salinas-Garza, Juan A. Sanchez-Rodriguez,
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Martinez, Alejandro Sandoval Garcia,
Zachary Schaver, Sam Boudreaux Scott, Ethelwoldo Segarra, Usiel
Sernon, Jerry Leon Shane, Claude Douglas Shute, Ronald Ray Sims,
Fermah Smith, Carlos Alberto Solis, Edward Allen Sonnier, Milton
Spears, Kenneth Spencer, Jr., Donanthony Spitaleri, Jonathan Neil
Stanton, Cherrie Steptoe, Ralphel T. Steptoe, Ricky Lee Stokes,
Vernie Sutton, Jeffrey C. Swarner, Waylon Michael Symmank,
Cassandra Marie Tait, James V. Taylor, Mark Tolbert, Daniel
Eschevarria Torres, Joel Echevarria Torres, Kevin Townley, Miguel
A. Trejo, Lupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Douglas Edward Tubbs,
Jeffery Arnold Tullar, Cynthia Renee Turner, Wesley Turner, Mario
Cruz Urbano, Alvaro Valencia, Luis Angel Vargas, Reji Kileekkal
Varughese, James Vaughn, Kunhikrishnan K. Veetil, Antonio Gerardo
Velazquez, Hector Hernandez Velazquez, Hector Jimenez Vera, Jason
Wayne Verrett, Elson Dennis Vidrine, Jesus Villarreal, Juan C.
Villatoro, Pablo Villeda-Cabriales, Walter Douglas Wackenreuter,
James Earl Wade, Anthony L. Ward, Spencer Mcgarrett Washington,
William Warren Wesberry, Jr., Rose Mary Whitehead, Malcolm Ryan
Wilburn, Carl Wilkerson, Sr., Bo Williams, Kevin Lane Williams,
II, Leia Culpepper Williams, John Lee Winkelmann, Davy Howard
Wolfe, II, Jody Woodruff, Heidi C. Wymer, Bradley Farris
Yarborough, Adrian Young, David Harrison Young, Ruben Zamora,
Dalton Joseph Antoine, Julio Cesar Castillo-Honorato, Carlos L.
Gomez, Jeremy Ryan Gulley, Charles A. Lacy, Jr., Alexis Yuri
Lobo, Jerry Dale Massey, Erwin Haroldo Morales, Gerardo Vazquez
Ortega, Guadalupe Ortega, Jose Luis Quezada Mora, Alejos
Rodrigeuz-Tamez, Kevin Thomas, John Garcia, Jr., Pedro Pena
Perez, Monica Owens Sherman, Robin Keith Boul, Joshua Caleb
Miller, Oscar F. Reyes, Jose Javier Sanches, Homero Monreal,
Varkey Kolackal Johnson, Richard Wiltz, Jr., Varghese Paily
Kulianickal, and Sadashivanachary Janardhananachary.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Linda Ottinger Headley, Esq.
Danielle Kujawa Herring, Esq.
Elizabeth L. Bolt, Esq.
LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C. - HOUSTON
1301 McKinney St., Suite 1900
Houston, TX 77010
Telephone: (713) 951-9400
E-mail: lheadley@littler.com
dherring@littler.com
ebolt@littler.com
SANTA FE GOLD: Class Action Over Dismissed Without Prejudice
------------------------------------------------------------
Santa Fe Gold Corporation on March 31 disclosed that the
purported class action filed by Tony Cavanaugh, on behalf of
himself and all others similarly situated, in the Second Judicial
District Court of the State of New Mexico, County of Bernalillo,
against the Company, the five current members of its Board of
Directors, and Tyhee Gold Corp. and Tyhee Merger Sub, Inc. has
been dismissed without prejudice.
Santa Fe also announced that Tyhee has failed to promptly pay to
Santa Fe a "break fee" of $300,000, which Tyhee is obligated,
pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, to pay as promptly
as reasonably practical to Santa Fe, because Santa Fe terminated
the merger agreement as a result of Tyhee's failure to consummate
a "qualified financing" of $20 million. In return, Tyhee has
provided Santa Fe with purported notice claiming a default under
its bridge loan agreement. Tyhee has only advanced approximately
$1.75 million of principal and accrued interest under the $3.0
million facility. Given the terms of the bridge loan and merger
agreements, Santa Fe believes that Tyhee's default notice is
wrongful. As such, Santa Fe has provided Tyhee notice of its
intention to vigorously pursue enforcement of all its legal
claims against Tyhee.
About Santa Fe Gold
Santa Fe Gold -- http://www.santafegoldcorp.com-- is a U.S.-
based mining and exploration enterprise focused on acquiring and
developing gold, silver, copper and industrial mineral
properties. Santa Fe controls: (i) the Summit mine and Lordsburg
mill in southwestern New Mexico; (ii) a substantial land position
near the Lordsburg mill, comprising the core of the Lordsburg
Mining District; (iii) the Mogollon gold-silver project, within
trucking distance of the Lordsburg mill; (iv) the Ortiz gold
property in north-central New Mexico; (v) the Black Canyon mica
deposit near Phoenix, Arizona; and (vi) a deposit of micaceous
iron oxide (MIO) in Western Arizona. Santa Fe Gold intends to
build a portfolio of high-quality, diversified mineral assets
with an emphasis on precious metals.
SCH CORP: Approval of Deal With CFI Class Action Claimants Upheld
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In an April 2, 2014 Memorandum, a copy of which is available at
http://is.gd/ohXozRfrom Leagle.com, District Judge Sue Robinson
ruled that the bankruptcy court in In re: SCH CORP., et al.,
Debtors, BANK. NO.09-10198(BLS) did not err in approving the
settlement in the case captioned CFI Class Action Claimants,
Chapter 11. Appellants, v. Carl Singley, Responsible Officer
Appellee, CIV. NO. 12-1576-SLR, (D. Del.).
Judge Robinson dismissed the appeal filed in that case and
affirmed the order of the bankruptcy court.
CFI Class Action Claimants, Appellant, represented by Christopher
D. Loizides -- loizides@loizides.co -- Loizides & Associates,
Howard I. Langer & Irv Ackelsberg.
Carl Singley, Appellee, represented by Anthony Michael Saccullo
-- ams@saccullolegal.com -- A M Saccullo Legal, LLC, Daniel Kevin
Astin -- dastin@ciardilaw.com -- Ciardi Ciardi & Astin, John
Daniel McLaughlin, Jr. -- jmclaughlin@ciardilaw.com -- Ciardi
Ciardi & Astin, Joseph J. McMahon, Jr. -- jmcmahon@ciardilaw.com
-- Ciardi Ciardi & Astin & Thomas Henry Kovach --
kovach@saccullolegal.com -- A M Saccullo Legal, LLC.
STUDY GROUP: Fails to Pay Overtime Compensation, ESL Teachers Say
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Justina Kindreich, Holly Sutton, and Elizabeth Williams, on
behalf of themselves individually and on behalf of a class (or
classes) of similarly situated individuals v. Study Group USA,
Inc., a New York corporation, Case No. 3:14-cv-00308-CAB-KSC
(S.D. Cal., February 10, 2014) alleges that the Plaintiffs and
proposed class members were required, suffered, or permitted to
work straight-time and overtime hours without compensation, and
Study Group has willfully failed to pay them the required
straight-time and overtime compensation for all hours worked.
The Plaintiffs are employed as non-exempt ESL teachers for Study
Group.
Study Group is a corporation that provides ESL instruction
throughout the United States and the world, with its principal
place of business located in New York.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
Bernard F. King III, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF BERNARD F. KING III
4747 Executive Drive, Suite 700
San Diego, CA 92121
Telephone: (858) 737-3046
E-mail: bking@bernardkinglaw.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Teresa N. Burlison, Esq.
BAKER & MCKENZIE LLP
660 Hansen Way
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Telephone: (650) 856-2400
Facsimile: (856) 856-9299
E-mail: Teresa.Burlison@bakermckenzie.com
TECON SERVICES: Faces Suit Alleging FLSA Violations in Texas
------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Tecon Services, Inc., Case No.
1:14-cv-00075-RC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Bertrand Carl Moser, Esq.
2415 Robinhood
Houston, TX 77005
Telephone: (713) 807-7455
Facsimile: (713) 807-0051
E-mail: bcmoser@sbcglobal.net
TENNSMITH INC: Metalworker Files Products Liability Claim
---------------------------------------------------------
Jon Campisi, writing for The Pennsylvania Record, reports that a
Bucks County man who says he sustained serious and irreversible
injuries when his fingers were amputated by a metal shearer while
at work has filed a products liability complaint against the
makers of the device.
Albert Mueller, a resident of Levittown, Pa., is suing Tennessee-
based Tennsmith Inc. over injuries he says he sustained back on
April 28, 2012, while at work at Sherwood Steel Inc.
The plaintiff's job in the metal fabrication department requires
him to use a Tennsmith metal shearer, the lawsuit states.
It was during one of those times that Mr. Mueller had his right
index, right middle and right ring finger on his hand amputated
by the defendant's product. The injuries occurred on the
plaintiff's right hand, which is his dominant hand, the complaint
states.
Mr. Mueller required surgery, physical therapy and other medical
care and attention due to his injuries. He says he experienced
great physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, chronic pain
and agony as a result of the workplace incident.
Mr. Mueller also maintains he will continue to incur lost wages
as a result of the accident due to his inability to work using
his hands. The lawsuit contains counts of negligent product
liability, strict liability, and warranty. The defendant stands
accused of manufacturing and selling a product in a defective
condition.
The metal shearers in question were "unreasonably dangerous to
its users," the complaint says, specifically because it has no
guard or safety devices to protect workers from possible
amputation.
"The lack of a guard, safety devices and/or warnings on the
Defendant's mechanical shears was the direct and proximate result
of the negligence, carelessness and recklessness of the Defendant
. . . .," the complaint reads.
The plaintiff says he has been left permanently partially
disabled due to the workplace incident. Mr. Mueller seeks more
than $150,000 in damages plus attorney's fees, interest, costs
and delay damages.
The lawsuit was filed on March 26 by attorney Clifford D.
Bidlingmaier of the Bucks County firm Kardos, Rickles, Hand &
Bidlingmaier.
The federal case number is 2:14-cv-01785-JHS.
TETRA TECH: BPR Sued for Conspiracy, Price Fixing in Canada
-----------------------------------------------------------
BPR, Inc. faces a lawsuit filed by individuals and entities that
have paid real estate or municipal taxes to the city of Montreal,
according to Tetra Tech, Inc.'s Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-Q filing
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the quarter
ended Dec. 29, 2013.
On April 19, 2013, a class action proceeding was filed in
Montreal in which BPR, Inc., BPR's former president, and other
Quebec-based engineering firms and individuals are named as
defendants. The plaintiff class includes all individuals and
entities that have paid real estate or municipal taxes to the
city of Montreal. The allegations include participation in
collusion to share contracts awarded by the City of Montreal,
conspiracy to reduce competition and fix prices, payment of
bribes to officials, making illegal political contributions, and
bid rigging.
TETRA TECH: Securities Lawsuit in California Now Dismissed
----------------------------------------------------------
The United States District Court for the Central District of
California granted a motion to dismiss a securities case against
Tetra Tech, Inc. without prejudice, according to the company's
Jan. 31, 2013, Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for the quarter ended Dec. 29, 2013.
On June 28, 2013, a purported class action lawsuit was filed
against Tetra Tech and two of the company's officers in United
States District Court for the Central District of California.
The action was purportedly brought on behalf of purchasers of the
company's publicly traded securities between May 3, 2012 and June
18, 2013. The complaint alleges generally that the company and
those officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and related rules because the
company allegedly failed to take unspecified, "necessary" charges
to the company's accounts receivables and earnings during the
class period. In addition, the complaint alleges that the
financial guidance the company offered during the class period
was intentionally or recklessly false and misleading. The
complaint alleges unspecified damages based on the decline in the
market price of the company's shares following the issuance of
revised guidance on June 18, 2013. On October 30, 2013,
plaintiff filed an amended complaint for the same purported class
period making essentially the same allegations. On November 29,
2013, the company filed a motion to dismiss the amended
complaint, and on January 17, 2014, the Court granted the
company's motion and dismissed the case without prejudice.
TRACER INDUSTRIES: "Hamilton" Suit Alleges FLSA Violations
----------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Tracer Industries Management Co.,
Inc., Case No. 1:14-cv-00048-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014)
alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12-cv-00388-RC in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Fritz Barham Lewis, Jr., Esq.
OGLETREE DEAKINS NASH SMOAK & STEWART-HOUSTON
500 Dallas Street, Suite 3000
Houston, TX 77002-4709
Telephone: (713) 655-0855
Facsimile: (713) 655-0020
E-mail: barham.lewis@odnss.com
- and -
Grant D. Petersen, Esq.
Kathleen Liever, Esq.
OGLETREE DEAKINS NASH SMOAK & STEWART, PC-TAMPA
100 N Tampa Street, Suite 3600
Tampa, FL 33602
Telephone: (813) 289-1247
Facsimile: (813) 289-6530
E-mail: grant.petersen@odnss.com
kathleen.liever@odnss.com
TRACER INDUSTRIES: "Armstrong" Suit Seeks to Recover Wages
----------------------------------------------------------
Jerrett Ray Armstrong, et al. v. Tracer Industries Management
Co., Inc., Case No. 1:14-cv-00060-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10,
2014) alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv228 in the U.S. District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014, the
lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Jerrett Ray Armstrong, Mario Vicente Acevedo,
Zach Marwan Achkar, Rolland Craig Allen, Patricia Andrade, Freddy
A. Araica, Elizabeth Ann Arguello, Ricky Arnaud, Jesse Askew,
Unnikrishna Pillai Balakrishnapilla, Cory Lynn Baldwin, Carroll
Henry Ballard, Daniel T. Ball, K.E. Barker, Weldon Barker, Bruce
Barnard, Lafayet Barrera-Gonzalez, Larry Basco, Richard Wayne
Bell, Anthony Joseph Berg II, Christopher Bergeaux, Kimberly
Bergeaux, Rosalio Lugo Blanco, Brandon M. Bolton, James L.
Brantley, Randy Glenn Britnell, Kenneth Budwine, Jr., Eric
Butler, Aliber Marroquin Cantu, Juan L. Cantu-Garcia, Julio Cesar
Cantu, Sergio Marroquin Cantu, Cleon Carraway, Juan Jose
Carrillo, Mario Serrano Carrillo, Michael P. Carrier, Oscar
Torres Castillo, Rafael Ceja, Jr., James Kenneth Chaney, Sr.,
Carl Alan Clark, Vicki A. Clark, Eddie Alberto Colon, Jose
Antonio Compean, Jr., Manuel Cordero III, Carlos Cordova, Martin
Coronado Acuna, James Franklin Costlow, Michael Crim, David Cruz,
Doel Pastor Cruz-Rivera, Jason Clyde Darrell, Brian Allan Davis,
Michael Earl Davis, David Garcia Delacruz, Sergio Antonio Delfin,
Omar A. Delgadillo, Louis Joseph Deshotel, Shawna Donzaile Dodd,
Lawrence Dufrain, Kevin Wayne Duhon, Dennis Joseph Duplantis,
Gene Ross East, Christopher Elizondo, Ben D. Ellis, Mauricio
Castro Estrada, Jorge Falcon, Troy Favorite, Joseph Fazio,
Gregory Donnell Fleming, Raul Flores-Regino, Sheila Anderson
Folse, Michael Alvin Freeman, Eliseo Garcia, Erick Garcia, Jesus
Alonzo Garcia, Jose Gilberto Garcia, Juan Pablo Garcia, Guadalupe
Benjamin Garza, Zaragoza Tijerina Garza, Olin Gilbert, Ramiro
Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Jacob Goudeau, Jordan Alexander Grant,
John Kerri Gray, April Johnson-Green, Chris Grote, Adan Guerrero,
Manuel Jose Gutierrez, Maximiano Sanchez Gutierrez, Charles L.
Hagebusch III, Milton Hardin, Darin Kevin Hargrove, Travis
Trinord Harris, Jeremy Dermon Hawkins, Mildred Marie Hayes, Ruben
D. Hernandez, Daniel Glen Hester, Joseph Randall Holcomb, Colby
Alan Howell, John Daniel Howell II, Andy Hudson, Rocky Dean
Hudson, David William Huff, Willie Daniel Hunter II, Clarence
Melvin Ingle III, Keith Ingle, Randy Ingle, Trenton Tyler Ingle,
Christopher Lee Jackson, Dustin David James, Julius Joseph Janca,
Jr., Francisco Jarquin, Agustin Miguel Jimenez, Martin David
Johnson, Dale Winford Jones, Jarvis Dequan Jones, Jeremiah Casey
Jones, Magda G. Kelly, Randy Dewayne Kelsoe, Gerald J. Kinchen,
Tammy Renee Knight, Robert Keither Lamar, Justin Ryan Lambright,
Lewis Carl Lambert, Glenn Garette Landry, David Louis Langley,
Robert J. Lawler, Jr., Javetta Leather, Mayolo Benitez Leon,
David A. Loera, David Acosta Loera, Jesus Magallon, Leslie D.
Mancil, Michael Aaron Mann, Roland Arnold Mann, Jr., Variath D.
Marottikudy, Erick Rios Marroquin, Anthony Daniel Mayo, Peter L.
Mccarthy, Ronald Mcfarlin, Walter Joseph Mcfarland, Chase Michael
Mcmains, Larry Wayne Meeks, Rebecca Fortenberry Meeks, Javier H.
Mendez Gonzalez, Robert James Mendoza, David William Meyers,
Devan Mitchem, Kristopher Montalvo, Justin Scott Moussette,
Tyrone Nash, Ramon Humberto Natal, Lynn Todd Neuman, Jack G.
Oppert, Jr., Anibal Ruben Ortiz, Daniel Ozuna, Nelson O. Pacheco-
Ramos, Varghese Vembi Pappukunju, Joey Lynn Parks, Kent Parks,
Douglas E. Peach, Rolando Perez, Jace Picou, Jorge Armando Pinon,
Edgar Omar Portillo, Dulcey Ann Prine, Jesus Puente, Jr., Jesus
G. Puente, Sr., Natividad Quintanilla, Richard Morgan Radford,
Violeta Sentiol Ramirez, Lee R. Ramos, Thomas Rayborn, James I.
Rayer, Jr., Hugo Mariano Raymundo, Arthur Lee Richards, Marco
Antonio Rivera, Oscar Armando Rivera, Leroy Robinson, Jr., Jose
Gavito Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., James C.
Rogers, Marvin Romero, Eulalio Pasillas Salas, Jose Reynaldo
Salinas, Julio C. Salinas-Garza, Juan A. Sanchez-Rodriguez,
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Martinez, Alejandro Sandoval Garcia,
Zachary Schaver, Sam Boudreaux Scott, Ethelwoldo Segarra, Usiel
Sernon, Jerry Leon Shane, Claude Douglas Shute, Ronald Ray Sims,
Fermah Smith, Carlos Alberto Solis, Edward Allen Sonnier, Milton
Spears, Kenneth Spencer, Jr., Donanthony Spitaleri, Jonathan Neil
Stanton, Cherrie Steptoe, Ralphel T. Steptoe, Ricky Lee Stokes,
Vernie Sutton, Jeffrey C. Swarner, Waylon Michael Symmank,
Cassandra Marie Tait, James V. Taylor, Mark Tolbert, Daniel
Eschevarria Torres, Joel Echevarria Torres, Kevin Townley, Miguel
A. Trejo, Lupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Douglas Edward Tubbs,
Jeffery Arnold Tullar, Cynthia Renee Turner, Wesley Turner, Mario
Cruz Urbano, Alvaro Valencia, Luis Angel Vargas, Reji Kileekkal
Varughese, James Vaughn, Kunhikrishnan K. Veetil, Antonio Gerardo
Velazquez, Hector Hernandez Velazquez, Hector Jimenez Vera, Jason
Wayne Verrett, Elson Dennis Vidrine, Jesus Villarreal, Juan C.
Villatoro, Pablo Villeda-Cabriales, Walter Douglas Wackenreuter,
James Earl Wade, Anthony L. Ward, Spencer Mcgarrett Washington,
William Warren Wesberry, Jr., Rose Mary Whitehead, Malcolm Ryan
Wilburn, Carl Wilkerson, Sr., Bo Williams, Kevin Lane Williams,
II, Leia Culpepper Williams, John Lee Winkelmann, Davy Howard
Wolfe, II, Jody Woodruff, Heidi C. Wymer, Bradley Farris
Yarborough, Adrian Young, David Harrison Young, Ruben Zamora,
Dalton Joseph Antoine, Julio Cesar Castillo-Honorato, Carlos L.
Gomez, Jeremy Ryan Gulley, Charles A. Lacy, Jr., Alexis Yuri
Lobo, Jerry Dale Massey, Erwin Haroldo Morales, Gerardo Vazquez
Ortega, Guadalupe Ortega, Jose Luis Quezada Mora, Alejos
Rodrigeuz-Tamez, Kevin Thomas, John Garcia, Jr., Pedro Pena
Perez, Monica Owens Sherman, Robin Keith Boul, Joshua Caleb
Miller, Oscar F. Reyes, Jose Javier Sanches, Homero Monreal,
Varkey Kolackal Johnson, Richard Wiltz, Jr., Varghese Paily
Kulianickal, and Sadashivanachary Janardhananachary.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Fritz Barham Lewis, Jr., Esq.
OGLETREE DEAKINS NASH SMOAK & STEWART-HOUSTON
500 Dallas Street, Suite 3000
Houston, TX 77002-4709
Telephone: (713) 655-0855
Facsimile: (713) 655-0020
E-mail: barham.lewis@odnss.com
- and -
Grant D. Petersen, Esq.
Kathleen Liever, Esq.
OGLETREE DEAKINS NASH SMOAK & STEWART, PC-TAMPA
100 N Tampa Street, Suite 3600
Tampa, FL 33602
Telephone: (813) 289-1247
Facsimile: (813) 289-6530
E-mail: grant.petersen@odnss.com
kathleen.liever@odnss.com
TURNER INDUSTRIES: "Hamilton" Suit Seeks Payment of Travel Time
---------------------------------------------------------------
Shawn Allen Hamilton, et al. v. Turner Industries Group LLC, Case
No. 1:14-cv-00049-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv00388 in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Shawn Allen Hamilton, Jonathan A. Aceves, Mark
Anthony Aguilar, Ronnie Joseph Allen Jr., Victoriano Alonso
Jaramillo, Eugenio Alejandre Alvarez, Jose M. Alvarez-Torres,
Jose Luis Alvarez, Julio Medrano Amaro, Ernest A. Anderson III,
Nancy Andrio, Adan Olalde Angel, Louis Alberto Aquilar, Macedonio
Armendariz Jr., Laurencio Banda Avila, David Jackson Ayers Sr.,
Neal W. Barrett, Claude Vashon Bateaste, Fred R. Becerra, Elisa
Josefina Benavides, Eloy Benavides-Villarreal, Oziel V.
Benavides, Bincy Bennachen, Gerard Kevin Horde Bihm, Shawn
Boutte, James Louis Bowen, Kenya Marie Bradley, Victor Manuel
Briseno, Victor Manuel Briseno Jr., Clifton Paul Broughton,
Shanissa Latrell Syo Brown, Dale Ross Bruno, Greg James Bruno,
Abraham Buenrostro, Bear Gilory Burton, Dana Keith Butcher, Leroy
Butler Jr., Angela Champagne Cain, Juan Elias Calles, Jose
Calzoncinth, Narsiso Camargo Jr., George Robert Campbell, Abiel
Cantu, Hector Nereo Cantu Jr., Jesus G. Carabajal Jr., Jose E.
Cardona, Baldomero C. Castillo, Gildardo Castellanos, Jose
Mendoza Castellanos, Timoteo Paez Castaneda, Edgar Alberto
Cavazos, Sergio Guada Cavazos, Francisco J. Cepeda, Edgar Oswaldo
Cervantes, Ivan Benancio Cervantes Sanchez, Jaim Cervantes Bejar,
Joseph Paulose Chakkungal, Kendeus Paul Channell, Gustavo Davis
Chavarria, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jesus Chavez-Figueroa, Jose
Dejesus Chavez Herrera, Pablo Chavez, Brice Delaine Christian,
Mario Cisneros, Jeron Dewarn Clayton, Shermain Ruth Collins, Jose
Colon-Caraballo, Julia Azeneth Contreras, Gerson Geovany Cornejo,
Adan Coronado, Juan Delourdes Covarrubia, Nelson A. Cruz, Pedro
Cruz, Rufino Martinez Cruz, Mariana Davila, Rene Nieto Davila,
Servando Davila, Shirley M. Davis, Wesley Wendell Davis, Adriana
M. Delacruz, Cleal Patrick Derry Jr., Kevin Allan Dicken, Dario
Duarte, Genaro Duque Castillo, Julio Sesar Duran, Terra Devon
Duriso, Jarvis Lee Eaglin, Melvin Javier Elvir, Pedro Lazcano
Espinoza, Roberto Figueroa Jr., Adan Guzman Flores, Antonio
Flores Jr., Herminio Flores, Israel Flores, Marcelo Vazquez
Flores, Rafael Vazquez Flores, Dennis Ruben Forte, James Randy
Fowler Jr., Rondell Francis, Fernando Medina Galvan, Benjamin
Garcia-Becerra, Benjamin Gutierrez Garcia, Eduardo Becerra
Garcia, Ivan Garcia, Julio Garcia Martinez, Rogelio Garcia Jr.,
Rolando Garcia, Terry Garrett, Carlos Puente Garza, Felix Garza,
Fernando Garza-Lozano, Joaquin Gonzalez Garza, Julian Garza Jr.,
Frank Charles Gilbert, Arthur Ray Gillespie, Robert Lee
Gillespie, Oscar Fernando Godinez, Evan Everett Golden, Angel
Guadalupe Gomez, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, Kevin Zuresh Gonzalez,
Marco A. Gonzalez, Marco Antonio Gonzalez, Rodrigo Garcia
Gonzalez, Ruben Gonzalez, Kotie Ray Gradnigo, Sandra Margarita
Grijalva, Garrett Clay Gros, Benigno Guadian Cardoza, Leonardo
Guadian Jr., Rudy Guerra, Khristopher Ron Keit Guillory, Jose
Ignacio Gutierrez, Juan M. Gutierrez Ramos, Mario Alfonso
Gutierrez, Mario Omar Gutierrez, Miguel A. Gutierrez Martinez,
Joel Eliv Guzman, Dennis Martin Hammett Jr., Dorothy Marie
Hanson, Trelonda Patrice Hartley, Orrin Bernard Hayes, Huey Paul
Hebert, Julio Cesar Hermosillo, Hector S. Hernandez, Jose Angel
Hernandez, Juan Carlos Hernandez, Juan G. Hernandez, Juan Jose
Hernandez Jr., Juan Manuel Hernandez, Miguel Angel Hernandez,
Roque F. Hernandez-Barraza, Jorge Luis Hinojosa, Roderick Jovonne
Howard, Shannon Lucas Howard, Barnie C. Howell Jr., Gregory Wayne
Hudson, Benito Huerta, Zachary Scott Hulet, Cecilia Hilario
Hyden, Victor Izaguirre Camargo, Gil S. Jackson, Gualberto
Jaimes, Iju James James, Christopher Andrew Jordan, Herman Joyas-
Robinson, Randy Lebouf, Dewayne Keith Lecompte Sr., Armando
Estrada Llanos, Ricardo Lopez, Alexandro Lozano, Rodrigo Luna
Jr., Cristian Valencia Magana, Gerardo Manzo Alvarez, Benjamin
Herrera Marron, Cesar Morales Marroquin, Alex Pineda Martinez,
Alfredo Martinez, Humberto Avalos Martinez, Jose Angel Martinez
Barajas, Jorge Gonzalez Martinez, Maria Marina Martinez, Maynor
Martinez Velazquez, Sabas Lira Martinez, Raymond Massey, Terrence
Lamont Mayes, Michael Charles Mcgallion, Elvin Dewayne Mcneely,
Melesio Galvan Medina, Salvador Barajas Medina, David Minix,
Mario Cesar Minjares, Roberto Minjares Jr., Stpehen Horace
Minton, Keidrick Rodon Mitchell, Jorge Luis Molina Jr., Alfredo
Moncada, Arnulfo Garcia Mondragon, Jesus Rangel Monjaraz, Jeremy
Paul Monk, Necia Mccartney Monk, Antonio Apolinar Morales Jr.,
Aldo Moreno Garcia, Amado Guerra Moreno, Johnnie Glover
Mukherjee, Bayardo Jose Munguia, Tomas Reyna Narvaez Jr., Cruz
Hernandez Navarro, Isaias I Navarro, Gerardo Morales Negrete,
Adrian Nevarez, Javier Sandoc Nunez-Sandoval, Jose Guadalupe
Nunez, Roberto Carlos Obregon, Aurelio Ayala Oceguera, Juan Pablo
Oceguera, Gaitan Octavio, Eric Damian Ortega, Juan Gregorio
Ortega, Jeremy Anthony Ortiz, Juan Ortiz, Esperanza L. Padron
Hueta, Julio Palma, Francisco Javier Paz, Jose J. Pedroza, Angel
Perez Jr., Luis Antonio Perez, Jacob Alex Perritt, Robert Glenn
Perritt, Khanh Huy Pham, Khuong Minh Pham, James Edward Phillips
II, Andre Price, Jesus Silva Pulido, Jose Jesus Pulido, Roberto
Pulido-Chavez, Carlos Omar Quintanilla, Jaime Omar Quintanilla,
Jesus Guadalupe Quintanilla, Jose Rogelio Quintanilla, Miguel A.
Quintanilla, Angel Flores Ramirez, Eduardo Ramirez Garcia, Martin
Hernan Ramirez, Javier Rangel, Mario Maldonado Rangel, Harold
Edward Rankin, Jose Alberto Reyes, Reymundo Mendoza Reyes,
Rodolfo Rosas Reyes, Raul G. Reynoso, Arthur Lee Richardson II,
Alberto Rios-Cantu, Federico Valladares Rios, Raudel Quintanilla
Rios, Juan C. Rivera, Miguel Angel Rivera-Santos, Jesus
Rodriguez, Jose Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rodriguez, Edgar Omar
Roque-Figueroa, Pablo Sablon, Jose Ramon Salazar, Juan Enrique
Salazar Jr., Julio C. Salazar, Eberardo Salinas, Arturo Vasquez
Sanchez, Hilario Sanchez, Isai Sanchez-Casas, Fernando J.
Saucillo, Tomas Estrada Sauceda, Akeem Jarrard Scott, Gustavo E.
Sepulveda-Chapa, Abelardo V. Silva, Raul Limon Silva, Ricardo
Silva, Joshua Caylin Simmons, Anthony Layne Smart, Sedrick Demond
Stallworth, Philip Elias Steffey, Alfred Lee Stewart Jr.,
Kantrelle Deon Stewart, Patrick Wade Stout, Antonio Bernard Teal,
Sherry Darlene Terry, Andrew Thomas, Charles Wayne Thomas,
Eduardo Trigo, Itelio Salvador Turcios, Ellis Patrick Tyler,
Jesus M. Urbano-Blanco, Nychriston Raysharon Ursin, James Allen
Varner, Scott Vega, Sergio Quintanilla Vega, Juan M Villanueva,
Deanna Merrill Washington, Warren Jackson West, Aaron Lamont
Williams, Stevie Deon Worlds, Juan Francisco Zamarron, Daniel Lee
Harvey, Michael David Stuntz, Tucker Shane Steele, Andres
Figueroa Jr., Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Shawanda Thibodeaux
Smith, Pedro A. Mercedes, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu,
Roy Lee Daniels Jr., Jorge E. Salinas, Issac Joseph Louis Jr.,
Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Melvin Lamar White, Rodolfo Bear,
Cynthia Lynn Dyson, Pedro A. Mercedes, Luis Garcia-Andrade, James
Milton Thomas, Daviun Ramond Julien, Alonzo Knatt Jr., Howard
Eugene Leblanc Jr., Jose Alfredo Zamora-Cardenas, Jose Rolando
Muniz, Shawanda Thibodeaux Smith, Roberto Saucedo, Olga Lidia
Valladares, Martin Ramirez-Castaneda, Martha Elva Trujillo,
Gerardo Lopez, Efrain Aguilar Cisneros, Rodney Louis Williams,
Roberto Valencia Figueroa, Miguel Asiel Gonzalez Jr., Jose Mario
Martinez Jr., Martin Adrusbel Vela, Latricia Evangline Garner,
Marterya Queshan Young-Aguilar, Fernandez Rodriguez, Ernesto Diaz
Rodriguez, Emilson Rodriguez Rodriguez, William Ros Ado,
Francisco Valentin-Avino, Roy Dean Clark, Jacob Mcgrew, Robert M.
Rutland, Francisco J. Colon Villodas, Julio Luis Colon Villodas,
Lucio Anton Lara-Escarpita, Paul Allen Simons, Latricia Evangline
Garner, Jose Edgar Cantu, Jorge E. Salinas, Tucker Shane Steele,
Manboad Shivram, Howard Eugene Leblanc Jr., Alvin Shinette,
Salvador Alvarez Jr., Susanna Kate Cochran, Quincy Devon
Thompson, Juan Vazquez Lara, Jorge Alfonso Gaona, Juan C.
Maldonado-Santos, Rafael Garcia-Rangel, Gerardo Lopez, Juan Jose
Garcia Rangel, Pamela Yvonne Fontenot, Joey Lee Cantu, Luis E.
Zelaya, Bernardo Leal Jr., Martin Becerra Hernandez, Ralph
Aleman, Oswaldo Figueroa Torres, Ismael Arce Jr., Josue Saenz,
Juan Humberto Muniz-Alejo, Jose Guadalupe Saenz Jr., Roberto
Valencia Figueroa, Cristobal Torres, Jesus Herrera, Faustine
Margaret Manaway, Andres Figueroa Jr., Francisco J. Colon
Villodas, Nicholas James Figueroa, Juan Sandoval, Sandra Faye
Doyle Stelley, Doris M. Martin, Narsiso Camargo, Jr., Pedro A.
Mercedes, Miguel Martinez Rivera, Jeffery Michael Hays, Adolfo
Pascual Antonetti, Ashford A. Ballantyne, Christopher Bouley,
Juan J. Camacho, Alfonso Guerrero Chapa, Terry Ray Cherry,
Williams Joseph Clark, Charles J. Comeaux, Tina M. Comeaux, Jaime
Diaz, Victor Hugo Garza, Dickie Gee, Damian Ledoux, Nicole
Carolynn Mcdaniel, Jorge Medina, Olga Thaisha Melendez, Jerry
Lanell Miller, Hirosi Gomez Nakao, Charles Newton, Baudelio
Nunez, Tony G. Polanco, Hector Rios, Jesse Rojas, Cinthia Acosta
Torres, Robert M. Turner, Jr., Aniceto Lopez Valdez, Juan Velez,
Marcos Verdin, James Edward Yarber, Donald R. Young, Juan Zamora,
Hector Olivarez, and Daniel Eduardo Chapa.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Donald Francis Lighty, Esq.
STEVENS BALDO FREEMAN & LIGHTY, L.L.P.
550 Fannin, Suite 700
Beaumont, TX 77701
Telephone: (409) 835-5200
Facsimile: (409) 838-5638
E-mail: lighty@sbf-law.com
TURNER INDUSTRIES: "Armstrong" Suit Alleges FLSA Violations
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jerrett Ray Armstrong, et al. v. Turner Industries Group, LLC,
Case No. 1:14-cv-00061-MAC (E.D. Tex., February 10, 2014) alleges
violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The case is one of the numerous lawsuits filed under the FLSA and
consolidated under Case No. 1:12cv00228 in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On February 10, 2014,
the lawsuit was severed from the Consolidated Case, filed by the
Plaintiffs against a particular employer, and reassigned to the
docket of Judge Marica Crone, still in the Eastern District of
Texas.
According to the complaint, during various time periods, the
Plaintiffs performed work at the Motiva Port Arthur, Texas SBU2
Crude Expansion Project. The Plaintiffs disclosed that they were
required by the Defendants to report for work at a certain
location whereupon the Plaintiffs were to get on a bus and be
transported to the Motiva facility, and would be taken back by
bus to the original point of departure. The Plaintiffs allege
that the time they were forced to be on the buses is compensable
under the FLSA and not excluded by the Portal-to-Portal Act.
The Plaintiffs are Jerrett Ray Armstrong, Mario Vicente Acevedo,
Zach Marwan Achkar, Rolland Craig Allen, Patricia Andrade, Freddy
A. Araica, Elizabeth Ann Arguello, Ricky Arnaud, Jesse Askew,
Unnikrishna Pillai Balakrishnapilla, Cory Lynn Baldwin, Carroll
Henry Ballard, Daniel T. Ball, K.E. Barker, Weldon Barker, Bruce
Barnard, Lafayet Barrera-Gonzalez, Larry Basco, Richard Wayne
Bell, Anthony Joseph Berg II, Christopher Bergeaux, Kimberly
Bergeaux, Rosalio Lugo Blanco, Brandon M. Bolton, James L.
Brantley, Randy Glenn Britnell, Kenneth Budwine, Jr., Eric
Butler, Aliber Marroquin Cantu, Juan L. Cantu-Garcia, Julio Cesar
Cantu, Sergio Marroquin Cantu, Cleon Carraway, Juan Jose
Carrillo, Mario Serrano Carrillo, Michael P. Carrier, Oscar
Torres Castillo, Rafael Ceja, Jr., James Kenneth Chaney, Sr.,
Carl Alan Clark, Vicki A. Clark, Eddie Alberto Colon, Jose
Antonio Compean, Jr., Manuel Cordero III, Carlos Cordova, Martin
Coronado Acuna, James Franklin Costlow, Michael Crim, David Cruz,
Doel Pastor Cruz-Rivera, Jason Clyde Darrell, Brian Allan Davis,
Michael Earl Davis, David Garcia Delacruz, Sergio Antonio Delfin,
Omar A. Delgadillo, Louis Joseph Deshotel, Shawna Donzaile Dodd,
Lawrence Dufrain, Kevin Wayne Duhon, Dennis Joseph Duplantis,
Gene Ross East, Christopher Elizondo, Ben D. Ellis, Mauricio
Castro Estrada, Jorge Falcon, Troy Favorite, Joseph Fazio,
Gregory Donnell Fleming, Raul Flores-Regino, Sheila Anderson
Folse, Michael Alvin Freeman, Eliseo Garcia, Erick Garcia, Jesus
Alonzo Garcia, Jose Gilberto Garcia, Juan Pablo Garcia, Guadalupe
Benjamin Garza, Zaragoza Tijerina Garza, Olin Gilbert, Ramiro
Gonzalez, Jr., Leonard Jacob Goudeau, Jordan Alexander Grant,
John Kerri Gray, April Johnson-Green, Chris Grote, Adan Guerrero,
Manuel Jose Gutierrez, Maximiano Sanchez Gutierrez, Charles L.
Hagebusch III, Milton Hardin, Darin Kevin Hargrove, Travis
Trinord Harris, Jeremy Dermon Hawkins, Mildred Marie Hayes, Ruben
D. Hernandez, Daniel Glen Hester, Joseph Randall Holcomb, Colby
Alan Howell, John Daniel Howell II, Andy Hudson, Rocky Dean
Hudson, David William Huff, Willie Daniel Hunter II, Clarence
Melvin Ingle III, Keith Ingle, Randy Ingle, Trenton Tyler Ingle,
Christopher Lee Jackson, Dustin David James, Julius Joseph Janca,
Jr., Francisco Jarquin, Agustin Miguel Jimenez, Martin David
Johnson, Dale Winford Jones, Jarvis Dequan Jones, Jeremiah Casey
Jones, Magda G. Kelly, Randy Dewayne Kelsoe, Gerald J. Kinchen,
Tammy Renee Knight, Robert Keither Lamar, Justin Ryan Lambright,
Lewis Carl Lambert, Glenn Garette Landry, David Louis Langley,
Robert J. Lawler, Jr., Javetta Leather, Mayolo Benitez Leon,
David A. Loera, David Acosta Loera, Jesus Magallon, Leslie D.
Mancil, Michael Aaron Mann, Roland Arnold Mann, Jr., Variath D.
Marottikudy, Erick Rios Marroquin, Anthony Daniel Mayo, Peter L.
Mccarthy, Ronald Mcfarlin, Walter Joseph Mcfarland, Chase Michael
Mcmains, Larry Wayne Meeks, Rebecca Fortenberry Meeks, Javier H.
Mendez Gonzalez, Robert James Mendoza, David William Meyers,
Devan Mitchem, Kristopher Montalvo, Justin Scott Moussette,
Tyrone Nash, Ramon Humberto Natal, Lynn Todd Neuman, Jack G.
Oppert, Jr., Anibal Ruben Ortiz, Daniel Ozuna, Nelson O. Pacheco-
Ramos, Varghese Vembi Pappukunju, Joey Lynn Parks, Kent Parks,
Douglas E. Peach, Rolando Perez, Jace Picou, Jorge Armando Pinon,
Edgar Omar Portillo, Dulcey Ann Prine, Jesus Puente, Jr., Jesus
G. Puente, Sr., Natividad Quintanilla, Richard Morgan Radford,
Violeta Sentiol Ramirez, Lee R. Ramos, Thomas Rayborn, James I.
Rayer, Jr., Hugo Mariano Raymundo, Arthur Lee Richards, Marco
Antonio Rivera, Oscar Armando Rivera, Leroy Robinson, Jr., Jose
Gavito Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Pedro Rodriguez, Jr., James C.
Rogers, Marvin Romero, Eulalio Pasillas Salas, Jose Reynaldo
Salinas, Julio C. Salinas-Garza, Juan A. Sanchez-Rodriguez,
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Martinez, Alejandro Sandoval Garcia,
Zachary Schaver, Sam Boudreaux Scott, Ethelwoldo Segarra, Usiel
Sernon, Jerry Leon Shane, Claude Douglas Shute, Ronald Ray Sims,
Fermah Smith, Carlos Alberto Solis, Edward Allen Sonnier, Milton
Spears, Kenneth Spencer, Jr., Donanthony Spitaleri, Jonathan Neil
Stanton, Cherrie Steptoe, Ralphel T. Steptoe, Ricky Lee Stokes,
Vernie Sutton, Jeffrey C. Swarner, Waylon Michael Symmank,
Cassandra Marie Tait, James V. Taylor, Mark Tolbert, Daniel
Eschevarria Torres, Joel Echevarria Torres, Kevin Townley, Miguel
A. Trejo, Lupe Trevino, Susan Trevino, Douglas Edward Tubbs,
Jeffery Arnold Tullar, Cynthia Renee Turner, Wesley Turner, Mario
Cruz Urbano, Alvaro Valencia, Luis Angel Vargas, Reji Kileekkal
Varughese, James Vaughn, Kunhikrishnan K. Veetil, Antonio Gerardo
Velazquez, Hector Hernandez Velazquez, Hector Jimenez Vera, Jason
Wayne Verrett, Elson Dennis Vidrine, Jesus Villarreal, Juan C.
Villatoro, Pablo Villeda-Cabriales, Walter Douglas Wackenreuter,
James Earl Wade, Anthony L. Ward, Spencer Mcgarrett Washington,
William Warren Wesberry, Jr., Rose Mary Whitehead, Malcolm Ryan
Wilburn, Carl Wilkerson, Sr., Bo Williams, Kevin Lane Williams,
II, Leia Culpepper Williams, John Lee Winkelmann, Davy Howard
Wolfe, II, Jody Woodruff, Heidi C. Wymer, Bradley Farris
Yarborough, Adrian Young, David Harrison Young, Ruben Zamora,
Dalton Joseph Antoine, Julio Cesar Castillo-Honorato, Carlos L.
Gomez, Jeremy Ryan Gulley, Charles A. Lacy, Jr., Alexis Yuri
Lobo, Jerry Dale Massey, Erwin Haroldo Morales, Gerardo Vazquez
Ortega, Guadalupe Ortega, Jose Luis Quezada Mora, Alejos
Rodrigeuz-Tamez, Kevin Thomas, John Garcia, Jr., Pedro Pena
Perez, Monica Owens Sherman, Robin Keith Boul, Joshua Caleb
Miller, Oscar F. Reyes, Jose Javier Sanches, Homero Monreal,
Varkey Kolackal Johnson, Richard Wiltz, Jr., Varghese Paily
Kulianickal, and Sadashivanachary Janardhananachary.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
John Werner, Esq.
REAUD, MORGAN & QUINN, L.L.P.
801 Laurel Street
P. O. Box 26005
Beaumont, TX 77720-6005
Telephone: (409) 838-1000
Facsimile: (409) 833-8236
E-mail: jwerner@rmqlawfirm.com
- and -
Mark William Frasher, Esq.
FRASHER FIRM
345 N. 10th Street
Beaumont, TX 77702
Telephone: (409) 833-5900
Facsimile: (888) 342-6684
E-mail: mfrasher@frasherfirm.com
The Defendant is represented by:
Donald Francis Lighty, Esq.
STEVENS BALDO FREEMAN & LIGHTY, L.L.P.
550 Fannin, Suite 700
Beaumont, TX 77701
Telephone: (409) 835-5200
Facsimile: (409) 838-5638
E-mail: lighty@sbf-law.com
WALGREEN CO: Removed "Demison" Suit to S.D. Calif.
--------------------------------------------------
Walgreen Co. Inc. removed the class action lawsuit styled
Demison, et al. v. Walgreen Co. Inc., et al., Case No. 37-2013-
00082691-CU-BT-CTL, from the Superior Court of California, County
of San Diego, Central Division, to the U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of California (San Diego). The District
Court Clerk assigned Case No. 3:14-cv-00306-BTM-BGS to the
proceeding.
The product liability lawsuit arises out of Walgreen's
advertising, marketing and labeling of its Walgreens-brand
products Walgreens Brand Ear Pain Relief and Well at Walgreens
Homeopathic Ear Ache Drops. The Plaintiffs allege that Walgreen
misrepresented the uses, benefits, effectiveness and other
characteristics of both products.
The Plaintiffs are represented by:
Ronald Marron, Esq.
Beatrice Skye Resendes, Esq.
LAW OFFICES OF RONALD A. MARRON APLC
651 Arroyo Drive
San Diego, CA 92103
Telephone: (619) 696-9006
Facsimile: (619) 564-6665
E-mail: ron@consumersadvocates.com
skye@consumersadvocates.com
The Defendants are represented by:
Daniel J. Herling, Esq.
MINTZ LEVIN COHN FERRIS GLOVSKY AND POPEO PC
44 Montgomery St., 36th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
Telephone: (415) 432-6000
Facsimile: (415) 432-6001
E-mail: djherling@mintz.com
- and -
Bridget A. Moorhead, Esq.
MINTZ LEVIN COHN FERRIS GLOVSKY AND POPEO PC
3580 Carmel Mountain Road, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92130
Telephone: (858) 314-1585
Facsimile: (858) 314-1501
E-mail: bamoorhead@mintz.com
- and -
Daniel Scott Silverman, Esq.
VENABLE LLP
2049 Century Park East, Suite 2100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Telephone: (310) 229-0373
Facsimile: (310) 229-9901
E-mail: dsilverman@venable.com
WATTS WATER: Settles Class Action Over Toilet Connectors
--------------------------------------------------------
Watts Regulator Co. and Plaintiffs' law firms, Saltz, Mongeluzzi,
Barrett & Bendesky, P.C.; Gustafson Gluek, PLLC; Hagens, Berman,
Sobol, Shapiro, LLP; Fine, Kaplan, and Black, LLP; and Berman
DeValerio on April 1 issued a statement about the lawsuit
Trabakoolas v. Watts Water Technologies, Inc., No. 3:12-CV-01172.
Watts Regulator Co. and Plaintiffs announced a Settlement to
resolve a nationwide class action lawsuit related to flexible
hoses that connect a toilet to a home's water supply. Plaintiffs
alleged that the nut connecting these "toilet connectors" to the
home's water supply could fail due to defects in its design,
causing leaks and property damage. "This class action settlement
provides value and peace of mind to members of the Class," said
Simon Paris, lead counsel for the Class. The Class includes
those that owned or leased a residence or other structure in the
United States containing a toilet connector with coupling nuts
made with acetal plastic that were designed, manufactured, and/or
distributed by Watts between 1999 and July 2009.
"This agreement is important for our customers, as well as for
the company," said Dean Freeman, Watts' CEO. "It allows us to
help those customers who have actually experienced a leak, as
well as customers whose connectors have worked perfectly, and it
allows Watts to put more of its energy, time, and resources into
continuing to make the best plumbing products."
Freeman continued: "This was a difficult decision, because we
believe that there is no defect in Watts' toilet connectors.
However, in the end, we concluded that prolonged litigation was
not in the best interests of the company or its customers. Watts
made a business decision, rather than a litigation decision."
Paris further explained that if the Settlement is approved by the
judge presiding over the matter in the Northern District of
California, a fund will be established that will be distributed
to eligible Watts' customers in the Class. Customers who have
experienced water damage from leaks will be able to make a claim
to be reimbursed (from the fund) for up to 25% of their
documented property damage. Customers whose connectors have not
leaked may replace these Watts toilet connectors and file a claim
to be reimbursed $4 for up to five Watts toilet connectors they
replace. "We see this as a win for the Class who now can obtain
monetary relief for property damage caused by Watts' toilet
connectors or prevent potential damage by replacing those toilet
connectors while being reimbursed through this Settlement," Paris
stated.
The total Settlement amount of $23 million will pay class members
for replacement of toilet connectors and reimbursement of water
damage repairs, as detailed in the Settlement Agreement, and will
cover notice, Settlement administration expenses, and attorneys'
fees and expenses as ordered by the Court. The Settlement is
subject to court approval, which will be the subject of a hearing
currently scheduled on July 16, 2014. Also, class members have
until June 29, 2012 either to exclude themselves from the
litigation or object to the Settlement.
For more information or to obtain a Claim Form, visit the
Settlement website, www.ToiletConnector.com or call 1-877-819-
9632.
WHOLE FOODS: Blumenthal Nordrehaug & Bhowmik Files Class Action
---------------------------------------------------------------
On March 21, 2014, the San Diego employment law lawyers at
Blumenthal Nordrehaug & Bhowmik filed a class action lawsuit
against Whole Foods Market California, Inc. alleging the natural
foods chain violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by allegedly
conducting background checks and obtaining credit reports on
potential employees without valid authorization to do so.
Hathaway, et al. vs. Whole Foods Market California, Inc., Case
No. 3:14-cv-00663-DMS-NLS is currently pending in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of California.
The Class Action Complaint alleges that Whole Foods unlawfully
inserted liability release provisions into forms purporting to
grant Whole Foods the authority to obtain and use consumer report
information for employment purposes. The Complaint further
states that this practice is prohibited by the Fair Credit
Reporting Act because the authorization forms signed by job
applicants must not include any additional information on them,
including, in this case, the clause that releases from any and
all liability, Whole Foods and other potential third parties who
may become involved in the background screening process.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act 15 U.S.C. Section 1681, et seq.
provides individuals with a number of rights. Specifically,
pertaining to employment-related background checks, the FCRA
provides that a prospective employee must give valid consent to
the background check. The FCRA requires a signed authorization
and disclosure from the applicant, sometimes referred to as a
"consent" form. The authorization and disclosure form must be
executed and signed by the applicant prior to an employer
requesting or conducting a background check. According to the
Complaint, the FCRA requires that no extraneous information can
be attached or included on the consent form itself. The
authorization and disclosure must stand alone according to the
FCRA.
The San Diego labor law attorneys at Blumenthal, Nordrehaug &
Bhowmik represent current and former employees in class action
employment law lawsuits, including complaints for missed meal
periods, unpaid wages, wrongful termination, and violations of
the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
* Number of Medical Data Breach Victims Doubles in Los Angeles
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Associated Press reports that the number of patients
identified in a medical data breach after a computer theft from a
Southern California office has more than doubled.
The Los Angeles Times reported on April 3 that more than 170,000
new patients have been identified whose Social Security numbers
and other personal information was compromised in a February
theft from the Torrance office of Sutherland Healthcare
Solutions.
That brings the number of patients affected to more than 338,000.
Los Angeles County officials say computer equipment containing
the records was stolen last month. The company provides billing
services to the county Department of Health Services.
The computers contained names, Social Security numbers, billing
data and possibly birthdates, addresses and diagnoses of patients
at county medical facilities.
The district attorney's office and Torrance police are
investigating the break-in.
*********
S U B S C R I P T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N
Class Action Reporter is a daily newsletter, co-published by
Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., Fairless Hills,
Pennsylvania, USA, and Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C., USA.
Ma. Cristina Canson, Noemi Irene A. Adala, Joy A. Agravante,
Valerie Udtuhan, Julie Anne L. Toledo, Christopher G.
Patalinghug, and Peter A. Chapman, Editors.
Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. ISSN 1525-2272.
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Information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to
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