Updates

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Public Justice Launches Iqbal Project to Help Preserve Access to the Courts

Public Justice has launched a new initiative — the Iqbal Project — to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Ashcroft v. Iqbal from being misused to preclude access to justice in cases throughout the country. In Iqbal, the U.S. Supreme Court held in…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Federal Appeals Court Clears Way for Nationwide Class Action Lawsuit against DirecTV for Alleged ‘Bait-and-Switch’ Scheme

In a major victory for consumers throughout the nation, the Ninth Circuit U.S Court of Appeals held today that DirecTV’s contractual ban on customers bringing class actions against it violates a “fundamental policy” of California. The Court also ruled that, because DirecTV is headquartered in California…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Public Justice Sues Company for Religious Discrimination

An Indianapolis man who practices the Sikh faith was denied a job because of his religious practices — a violation of federal civil rights laws — according to a federal lawsuit filed today by Public Justice and its co-counsel Kim Jeselskis. The complaint alleges that Air…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Prisoner’s Lawsuit Against Guards for Beating at Infamous Jena Prison

A federal district court was wrong to throw out a lawsuit by a Louisiana man who was severely beaten by guards at the notorious, now-defunct Jena Correctional Facility and the victim is entitled to his day in court, a federal appeals court ruled.The suit, Dillon…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Public Justice Challenges California Decision Immunizing Companies for Charging Sales Tax on Tax-Exempt Items

At Public Justice’s urging, the California Supreme Court has granted review of an appeals court ruling that the state Constitution bars consumers from suing companies for charging sales taxes on tax-exempt items.The plaintiffs in Loeffler v. Target allege that Target violated tax law when it…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Hotels.com, Expedia Implement Settlement and Launch New Website Features to Assist Disabled Travelers

Hotels.com and Expedia, two of the world’s leading online travel companies, have launched new website features that will allow disabled travelers to search for and reserve hotel rooms that have accessible accommodations.A traveler who needs accommodations such as wheelchair-accessible pathways, a roll-in shower, Braille signage,…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

EPA Releases Proposal to Veto Permit for Huge Mountaintop Removal Mine

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a detailed proposal to veto the permit for the mammoth Spruce Mine that Public Justice has been challenging for twelve years.Since 1998 Public Justice has been fighting to block the Spruce Mine in West Virginia, one of the…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Arbitrators, Civil Rights Groups Tell U.S. Supreme Court: Don’t Erode Access to Courts

Even prominent arbitrators agree: Arbitrators shouldn’t decide whether the arbitration process itself is fair. Instead, they say, courts must step in to prevent abuses.That’s the upshot of a brief filed by 23 prominent professional arbitrators and arbitration scholars in Rent-A-Center v. Jackson. Public Justice and…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

U.S. Supreme Court Allows Immunity for Public Health Service Officials Involved in Detainee’s Medical Neglect and Death

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) officials are immune from suit for violating the Constitution and causing Francisco Castaneda’s death.Castaneda was the 35-year-old native of El Salvador whose penis was amputated after state and federal immigration officials in California repeatedly…

May 1, 2012 In Updates

Supreme Court Lets Companies Limit Court Scrutiny of Mandatory Arbitration

In a case that originated in Nevada, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that companies can force their employees and customers into mandatory arbitration using form agreements with a “delegation clause” that delegates decisions on the validity of the arbitration agreement itself to the arbitrator.Written by…