U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Division
Recent News About U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Division
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Plaintiff counsel drops negligent infliction of emotional distress counts, from Flying Fairy toy lawsuit
PITTSBURGH – Plaintiff counsel has authorized the dismissal of two counts of negligent infliction of emotional distress from a Blairsville couple’s lawsuit, one which claimed a Flying Fairy toy was defectively designed and when launched, collided with one of the plaintiff’s eyes and caused extensive ocular injuries. -
Judge disallows amicus brief from LGBTQ group, in suit over first-graders taught transgender issues
PITTSBURGH – A federal judge has denied the submission of an amicus brief from an LGBTQ nonprofit group, in a lawsuit from a group of parents which alleged their civil rights were violated when Mount Lebanon School District provided classroom instruction to their first-grade children on the topics of gender dysphoria and transgender transitioning. -
Investigative journalist settles 'Gag Rule' suit with Allegheny County
PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh investigative journalist who contended that “Gag Rule” policies enacted by the Allegheny County Bureau of Corrections violated the First Amendment rights of County Jail employees and contractors, and prevented her from developing sources to offer comment for stories detailing events which have taken place inside the jail, has come to a settlement with the County. -
Runner who claimed he was sprayed by copper pesticide during jog in Mount Lebanon settles case
PITTSBURGH – A local man who alleged he suffered permanent facial and oral injuries after being exposed to a copper-based pesticide being used to spray trees while he was out on a run in Mount Lebanon nearly two years ago, has settled his claims. -
Monessen residents' class action nuisance lawsuit versus landfill sees settlement
PITTSBURGH – A class action, nuisance-based lawsuit from a group of Westmoreland County residents against a Belle Vernon landfill, which charged the facility produces noxious odors and has negatively impacted their quality of life, was recently settled. -
Brookville is denied dismissal of suit over former cop who allegedly sexted and assaulted plaintiff
PITTSBURGH – The Borough of Brookville has been denied dismissal of litigation from a Clarion County woman, who alleged that a now-former member of the Brookville Police Department sent her salacious messages through social media and when his advances were rebuffed, stalked and sexually assaulted her. -
Lack of jurisdiction seals dismissal of Pa. couple's lawsuit over defective solar grid
PITTSBURGH – For jurisdictional reasons, a federal judge has ordered the dismissal of a Western Pennsylvania couple’s litigation against a trio of Texas-based defendants, concerning property damages they alleged they incurred due to a defective do-it-yourself, off-grid solar kit. -
Black former DHS employee settles discrimination and retaliation claims
PITTSBURGH – A Black former employee of Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services who claimed that it retaliated against and fired her from her role within the department, in response to her reporting alleged discrimination tactics against her, has settled her claims. -
Three defendants in $2M DEP suit over remediation costs found in default in federal court
PITTSBURGH – Three defendants have been found in default in litigation from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, which is looking to recoup more than $2 million in costs from a remediation and removal process it undertook and completed to remove hazardous substances from a Rochester warehouse property. -
Widow of man who died from COVID-19 tries to keep suit alive against Allegheny County corrections officials
PITTSBURGH – The widow of a man incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail and who passed away from COVID-19 two years ago, a plaintiff who contended that institutional failures on the part of the jail and its officials directly contributed to his death, is now trying to refute an attempt to dismiss her case. -
Man who vocally criticized Trump settles unlawful arrest claims with Millcreek Township police
PITTSBURGH – A Western Pennsylvania man witnessed yelling about former President Donald Trump while listening to his car radio and stopped at an intersection in September 2022 and who claimed that Millcreek Township police officers then appeared at his residence and unlawfully arrested him for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness, has voluntarily dismissed his own claims. -
Attorney who said former firm owes him compensation reaches tentative settlement agreement
PITTSBURGH – An attorney who resigned from a local law firm at the end of 2021 and brought action on claims that the firm unfairly denied him compensation, has tentatively settled those same claims. -
Lawsuit says Pine-Richland transgender student policy strips parental rights
PITTSBURGH – A Western Pennsylvania parent has launched legal action against their local school district, arguing that one of its policies designed to protect the privacy of transgender students, instead prevents parents from learning and making decisions about the gender status of their own children. -
Fayette County denies charges of disability discrimination from one of its assessors
PITTSBURGH – Fayette County has denied allegations that it discriminated against one of its employees, based on her disabilities and/or perceived disabilities, in the form of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. -
Acting Labor Secretary Su tries to keep company from selling health care facilities, ahead of trial on violations
PITTSBURGH – The damages phase of an employee compensation case pitting acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su against more than a dozen health care operating companies, defendants which she is attempting to prevent from selling some of their care facilities, is slated for trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania next Monday. -
Judge will allow some child statements in suit over first-graders taught transgender issues
PITTSBURGH – A federal judge has clarified the admissibility of child statements made to parents suing the Mount Lebanon School District, in a lawsuit which alleged their civil rights were violated when the district provided classroom instruction to their first-grade children on the topics of gender dysphoria and transgender transitioning. -
Allegheny County officials deny liability for death of inmate from COVID-19 in 2021
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County and the warden of its jail have denied responsibility for the COVID-19-related death of a man who had been incarcerated there two years ago. -
Postal employee who received chemical burns from drain cleaner being shipped holds to claims
PITTSBURGH – A United States Postal Service employee contends she has pled sufficient claims against Walmart, in litigation which alleged the plaintiff suffered third-degree chemical burns when a drain cleaner product being sent through the mail leaked through its thin packaging and made contact with her body. -
Fatal ATV accident in West Virginia leads to wrongful death lawsuit and settlement
PITTSBURGH – A fatal ATV accident in West Virginia which led to a survival and wrongful death lawsuit being brought against the companies who provided the decedent and her boyfriend with the vehicles and rental equipment, has been settled. -
Allegheny County fights suit claiming it prevents journalists from finding sources in its jail
PITTSBURGH – Allegheny County has denied that its internal “Gag Rule” policies violate the First Amendment rights of its county jail employees and prevent the plaintiff, an investigative journalist, from developing sources to offer comment for stories detailing events which have taken place inside the jail.