Karen Kidd News
U.S. Attorney says review of Philadelphia restaurants netted positive results
PHILADELPHIA – Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania decided to find out if people with disabilities could enjoy popular and often frequented restaurants in Philadelphia as readily as patrons with no disabilities.
Fair Credit Reporting Act lawsuit against SEPTA one of rising number, attorney says
PHILADELPHIA – The recent federal class action lawsuit filed against Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority alleging violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other laws is one of many making those claims, an attorney knowledgeable of the FCRA said during a recent interview.
Self-reporting review that led to U.S. Attorney's lawsuit against Philly pub is inadequate, disability rights attorney says
PHILADELPHIA – The good news may be that 24 of 25 popular and often frequented restaurants in Philadelphia are not being sued by a U.S. Attorney but South Philadelphia Tap Room is, all of which is surprising, a disability rights attorney said during a recent interview.
Dem AG candidate says, if elected, he won't seek higher office
HARRISBURG – State attorney general-hopeful Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, doesn't have to respond to his rival's May 2 challenge to "take politics out of the AG’s office" by agreeing to not run for higher office because Shapiro already has said as much, a spokesman for his campaign said.
Pennsylvania provides steps to report and retrieve unclaimed property, attorneys say
HARRISBURG – Legal and commercial entities that must file a report with the Pennsylvania Treasury if they have reportable unclaimed property can follow certain steps, two attorneys who specialize in unclaimed property issues said in a recent interview.
Employers should maintain strong policies following $188M Wal-Mart decision
Pennsylvania employers need to be wary of their procedures in light of a U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this month not to review an appeal in a $187.6 million Wal-Mart class action case, say two attorneys who've blogged about the case.
Similar issue led to rejection of Wal-Mart's $188M appeal, attorney says
Timing likely played its part in the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to not hear an appeal in a $187.6 million Pennsylvania class action case involving Wal-Mart, an attorney representing the class says.
Many in gas and oil industry relieved high court did not overturn estoppel by deed, attorney says
Pennsylvania's oil and gas industry recently breathed a sigh of relief after the state Supreme Court unanimously reaffirmed the long-standing "estoppel by deed," or rule of after-acquired title, a Pittsburgh industry attorney who wasn't surprised by the ruling says.
FTC case against Penn. health systems merger appears to be strong, antitrust legal expert says
HARRISBURG – The Federal Trade Commission's efforts to block a proposed merger between two hospitals in Hershey and Harrisburg is a rare case of FTC intervention, but the commission appears to have a strong case, an antitrust health care law authority says.
Federal racketeering case against Metro PCS dismissed; Judge criticizes plaintiff and its attorney
PHILADELPHIA – Metro PCS now is freed, unless there's a fourth filing in the case, from a lawsuit brought by a Philadelphia wireless retailer who alleged a conspiracy by the retail giant to obstruct or delay interstate commerce by extortion to obtain its assets.
Parx Casino mum on lawsuits brought by elderly litigants, including one allegedly run over by loaded dolly
The Bensalem-area casino isn't saying much right now about an 85-year-old New Jersey woman's claims that a casino employee ran over her with a dolly of stackable chairs, causing her to fall and break her leg.
Tweets not the whole story behind publicized NLRB Chipotle ruling
PHILADELPHIA – A fired Philadelphia-area Chipotle employee who'd been forced to delete tweets from his personal Twitter account must be offered re-employment and receive back pay, thanks to a National Labor Relations Board administrative Judge's ruling.
Plaintiff in case over motorcycle death seeking new trial after jury ruled for defense
HARRISBURG – A Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas judge is being asked to order a new trial after a jury ruled for defendants in December in a lawsuit over the 2005 motorcycle death of a Lower Paxton Township woman.
Judge asked to reconsider $1M verdict in hit-and-run case against deli
PHILADELPHIA – Defense attorneys are asking the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas reconsider a January verdict that awarded $1 million to a woman injured in a 2014 traffic accident, the woman's attorney says.
AG Kane in 'truce' with lawmakers while charges are decided, law prof says
HARRISBURG - Embattled state Attorney General Kathleen Kane's announcement that she won't seek another term did much to calm the controversy surrounding her office, a Duquesne University law professor says.
Facing motion to dismiss, plaintiff withdraws class action against Barnes & Noble over chargers
ALLENTOWN – The plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against Barnes & Noble who claimed the company's Nook e-reader chargers are defective has voluntarily dismissed the case without prejudice, retaining the right to bring the case again.
Attorney: Third Circuit right to dismiss whistleblower retaliation claim against Tyco
Jeffrey Wiest, a former employee at Tyco, claimed he was retaliated against for raising concerns about company expenses, while the company claimed he was fired for sexual harassment. Tyco's arguments were successful at both the district court and appeals court.
Attorney: Companies should prepare for potential minimum wage hike
Small businesses in Pennsylvania and their customers would be among the most affected by a boost in the state's minimum wage, a Scranton attorney who represents business clients and employers says.
Nursing homes free to hire applicants with criminal histories; Pennsylvania won't appeal decision striking down law
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania will not appeal an appellate court's ruling that struck down a law prohibiting nursing homes and long-term care facilities from hiring employees with criminal histories.
Professor: Senate pause pending SC ruling on AG Kane 'makes sense'
The state Senate's decision this week to withhold action on whether to remove embattled Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office makes sense, a law professor at Duquesne University says