First Annual Legal Aid Benefit at First Avenue. Friday, 12/18.  $7.  “Come party with Alicia Wiley, The Alpha Centauri, Little Man, Kill the Vultures and Ada Jane.   Fantastic concert T shirts are available (nice poster design by stroker-ace.com, btw).   Tickets are only $7 and benefit Legal Aid, Working Toward Justice for All!”

The ACLU is taking on the Tarek Ibn Zayad Academy (“TIZA”) Charter school for an alleged violation of First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution — i.e., the Establishment Clause. TIZA attempted to turn the tables and came out fighting with several counterclaims — tortious interference, business defamation. Today, the U.S. District Court, D. Minn., disposed […]

Coming on the heels of the less-than-entirely successful Czech case, reported below (state claims were dismissed without prejudice saving the case from an outright defeat (subject to appeal, of course)), it seems only fair to highlight a case in the same industry in which the same plaintiffs’ class action counsel, Rob Shelquist of Lockridge Grindal, […]

In an earlier post, this blog discussed a ruling of the U.S. District Court (D. Minn.) in which the Court was pessimistic about the plaintiff’s class action claims of computer fraud and abuse in connection with unwanted text messages on her cell phone. Plaintiff was given a chance to amend her complaint and give it […]

Last month, this blog covered the parties’ attempt to dispose of the lawsuit before trial on motions for summary judgment.  Now, motions have been denied (in part).  Next stop: 1/28/09 Settlement Conference.

Federal courts favor enforcing arbitration clauses as a general matter; they are just following the dictates of the Federal Arbitration Act. On the other hand, litigants cannot bury their “arbitration card” and play it after first trying their luck in the federal court — a “get out of court free card.” In case there was […]

Many have scratched their heads and wondered (and asked their lawyer friends) how convicted billion-dollar ponzi schemer Tom Petters’ lawyers are getting paid. Today’s Order, below, from the U.S. District Court (D. Minn.) answers the question. Petters Legal Fees Order

This recent ruling from Mag. Judge Arthur Boylan illustrates the challenges of being a class action lawyer and also is yet another example of the Court’s general disinclination to impose sanctions. Opt-in plaintiffs in this class action against Domino’s Pizza are pizza delivery drivers alleging violations of the federal and the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards […]

Minnesota has a statute that dates back to the 19th century, originally passed to protect a woman from her husband’s mortgaging and losing their home without his wife’s knowledge, that requires both the husband and the wife’s signatures on mortgage loans.  Now, during the current “mortgage meltdown,” this law has become “an out” for some […]

A rather straight-forward statutory requirement of an affidavit of expert review to be filed with a medical malpractice lawsuit has resulted in the dismissal of many putative malpractice actions and, today, another one bites the dust.  (A similar requirement provides a threshold defense for other professionals under Minnesota law, here.) In today’s decision by the […]