News from May 2023
Judicial Watch settles National Voter Registration Act suit with Pa. and five of its counties
HARRISBURG – Litigation from election integrity group Judicial Watch against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and five of its counties has been settled, resulting in nearly 180,000 inactive voters being removed from voter rolls statewide.
Woman says she sustained knee and spinal injuries after falling on desk in Macy's
PHILADELPHIA – A local woman alleges Macy’s negligently allowed an incompletely-finished and/or structured desk on the showroom floor, which gave way when she leaned on it and caused her to suffer both knee and spinal injuries.
Man who claims he was overserved with alcohol at pool party and paralyzed settles case with hosts
PITTSBURGH – A man who suffered a severe spinal cord injury at a house party where alcohol was consumed and argued that his paralysis was the result of the party hosts’ negligence in allowing him to be overserved with alcohol, has settled his case.
Woman injured by falling light bulb during concert serves subpoena for employment records
PITTSBURGH – Counsel for a Westmoreland County woman who was injured at a music concert when a long, fluorescent light bulb fell from the ceiling of the concert venue and landed on top of her head, is seeking her complete employment records in furtherance of her case.
State fair injury suit remanded to York County Court of Common Pleas
HARRISBURG – A Maryland woman who alleged that the organizing companies of the York State Fair were negligent in failing to prevent her injuries when a passing thunderstorm caused her to be hit by a metal object when she was attending the fair, has seen her case remanded to a Pennsylvania state court.
Reed Smith announces Mark Fidanza wins Philadelphia VIP's MVP award for heavy caseload, mentoring
Reed Smith attorney Mark Fidanza on May 4 received the prestigious MVP award from Philadelphia VIP, in recognition of his pro bono representation of the organization’s clients in landlord/tenant and negligence cases over the past two years.
'California Knows Best:' SCOTUS says California can use Prop 12 to regulate pork producers across the country
Dissenting justices warned California should now expect other states to respond in kind, following California's "blueprint" to use state laws and market power to bypass Congress and bend the rest of the country to the will of voters in just one or a handful of states
Luzerne County rejects allegations it deprived citizens of the right to vote
SCRANTON – When it comes to litigation from two voters who alleged they were denied an opportunity to cast their votes in last November’s General Election on multiple occasions because the county had inexplicably run out of ballots, Luzerne County has countered that the plaintiffs have failed to plead their claims.
Colorado man says his Pa. property was demolished without him knowing
SCRANTON – A Colorado man contends that a piece of mixed-use property he owns in Pittston was illegally demolished without the responsible authorities serving him notice.
Teacher who objected to Philadelphia's pronoun policy fired for cause, school district says
PHILADELPHIA – The School District of Philadelphia argues it was correct to fire a former middle school teacher, not because he objected to a gender identity-centered student policy, but because he allegedly failed to comply with District policies and procedures.
Allegheny County couple stand by injury claims against Monroeville Kohl's store
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County couple maintain that the wife-plaintiff fell inside a Kohl’s department store in Monroeville, allegedly due to the company’s negligence.
Case of microwaved stuffed animal settled for $1,000
LANCASTER – A Canadian manufacturer has obtained judicial authorization of a $1,000 settlement, for injuries sustained by a Lancaster child after she was injured by a microwaved stuffed animal.
Fox Rothschild LLP hosts Fox Focus: Labor Management Relations on May 11, 2023
Union organizing is front page news – with petitions filed at major retailers and a self-proclaimed “most pro-union” administration in history, employers in all sectors are facing increased organizing and enforcement efforts.
After $1M loss, real estate group sues Pittsburgh's Zoning Board and one of its members
PITTSBURGH – A real estate development group contends it has sustained seven-figure losses as a result of Pittsburgh’s Zoning Board of Adjustment and one of its members failing to schedule a rehearing of an application it says was negatively affected by that same member’s alleged conflict of interest.
Third Circuit denies sentencing appeal from Corsica official convicted of $345K wire fraud
PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has denied an appeal from a secretary convicted of wire fraud one year ago, and who had been sentenced to nearly two years in prison and three subsequent years of supervised release.
LexisNexis: Salesman's performance led to his termination, not his age
PHILADELPHIA – A global data and analytics company has denied that age was a factor in the termination of one of its salespeople from his position, instead pointing to the plaintiff allegedly not meeting the company’s performance standards.
Judge stays litigation from man injured by mill mixer, while venue question resolves
PITTSBURGH – A state court judge has handed down a stay in litigation from a Western Pennsylvania man who claimed he was maimed by a mill mixer while on the job, while the question of a proper venue for the case is resolved.
Judge upholds redactions of police report, before ex-Sharon Hill cops involved in 8-year-old's death are sentenced
MEDIA – Just days before three former Borough of Sharon Hill police officers were sentenced to house arrest and probation for their involvement in a shooting which killed an 8-year-old girl in August 2021, a Delaware County judge upheld the denial of releasing the full and unredacted version of the Borough’s report on its community policing procedures to a local citizen advocate.
Cozen O'Connor announces Thomas Wilkinson to Receive the 2023 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Third Circuit
Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce that Thomas Wilkinson, a member of the firm’s Legal Profession Services practice, has been selected to receive the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Third Circuit.
Judge OKs class action settlement with City of Philadelphia over proper sidewalk access
PHILADELPHIA – A federal judge has authorized a settlement between a group of plaintiffs and the City of Philadelphia, over the plaintiffs’ claims the City failed to maintain its sidewalks to provide proper access to disabled citizens in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.