Legislation News
Legislation
Reform package targets perception of Pennsylvania courts as pro-plaintiff lawyer
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania lawmakers are addressing the state's reputation as a haven for personal injury lawyers by introducing legislation that would reform issues like contingency fees and outside funding for lawsuits.
Legislation
Third Circuit declares Borough of Camp Hill's regulations on lawn signs are unconstitutional
PHILADELPHIA – A federal appellate court has decreed that the Borough of Camp Hill’s regulations on lawn signs related to personal expression – and often, politics – are unconstitutional.
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Legislation
Pa. state senator Boscola appeals judge's ruling in defamation suit
PITTSBURGH – A Pennsylvania state senator facing defamation allegations from an energy company president has appealed a judge’s denial of her preliminary objections to the Commonwealth Court.
Legislation
Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation settles for $4.4 Million in double-billing and cost-shifting case
Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation (NASC) has recently reached a settlement of $4.4 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act. The settlement comes after an extensive investigation into NASC's actions related to Defense Contract Audit Agency audits and violations of the False Claims Act.
Legislation
Commonwealth Court rebuffs latest legal challenge to Act 77, affirms Pa. mail-in voting law
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting law has withstood another legal challenge, as the state’s Commonwealth Court reaffirmed the legislation in a decision handed down on Tuesday.
Legislation
Pa. House Judiciary Committee Chair introduces constitutional amendment to establish civil case venue
HARRISBURG – The Chairman of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has introduced legislation to amend Pennsylvania’s constitution to prohibit venue shopping in medical liability cases, a potential game-changer for civil litigation statewide if it were to be passed.
Legislation
Pa. House passes broad COVID-19 liability protections bill for businesses, now headed to Senate
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a broad-based liability shield for the COVID-19 pandemic for commercial businesses and health care entities statewide, in a bill that would protect them from lawsuit claims related to coronavirus exposure.
Legislation
After botching, constitutional amendment helping church sex abuse victims could have new path to law
HARRISBURG – A state constitutional amendment which would retroactively extend the timeline for victims to file civil actions against their abusers, stalled in a procedural snafu that cost the former Secretary of the Commonwealth her job, may see new life and its place on the May primary election ballot restored, as an emergency amendment.
Legislation
Williamsport agrees to end ADA litigation, pay $55K and make its City Hall compliant
WILLIAMSPORT – A group of disabled citizens and the City of Williamsport have agreed in principle to end Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 litigation over accessibility gaps in its City Hall building, through a consent decree providing compensatory damages and outlining compliance improvements.
Legislation
Pa. Supreme Court decision looks like trouble for businesses in consumer protection cases
HARRISBURG – The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has affirmed a lower court ruling which declared not only that Amerprise Financial was deceptive in its sale of insurance and financial services, but that proving intent to deceive isn’t required to win such a case filed under the state consumer protection law.
Legislation
'Beyond disappointing': Boockvar's error leads to her resignation, more delay for priest abuse victims
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar will resign her post this Friday, after Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration revealed that the Department of State failed to advertise a proposed constitutional amendment that would retroactively extend the timeline for victims to file civil actions against their abusers.
Legislation
Teacher alleges three Pa. school districts violated Criminal History Record Information Act in denying him employment
PITTSBURGH – A teacher has alleged that three Pennsylvania school districts have violated the Criminal History Record Information Act, by denying his application to work as a substitute teacher on the basis of a groundless arrest on his record from 55 years ago.
Legislation
Bad lawyer review update: Google cites Communications Decency Act in argument to take down review
PITTSBURGH – Google maintains that the Communications Decency Act bars the argument made by a Pittsburgh attorney, who is attempting to compel the search giant to take down an unfavorable professional review about him that he claims is both fraudulent and from a person who doesn’t actually exist.
Legislation
Federal judge rejects EPA's motion to dismiss Clean Water Act-related suit from Delaware River group
PHILADELPHIA – A federal judge has denied an attempt from the Environmental Protection Agency to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, over the implementation of a specific tenet of the Clean Water Act.
Legislation
AG Shapiro joins colleagues in antitrust suit against Facebook, accusing it of monopoly
WASHINGTON – Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is among 48 such officials who have filed an antitrust lawsuit against social media giant Facebook, alleging it has created a monopoly through using its large market share to eliminate its business rivals.
Legislation
Dead voters update: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania says Indiana group has not pled its case
HARRISBURG – The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania argues that an Indianapolis legal advocacy group is off-base in its assertions that the state has violated the National Voter Registration Act, in allegedly failing to maintain and update its rolls by removing deceased voters.
Legislation
Gov. Wolf vetoes bill that would have given businesses some protection from COVID-19 lawsuits
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has vetoed legislation passed by the General Assembly which extended immunity protections from liability connected to COVID-19 to a diverse array of health care entities and other businesses.
Legislation
Bernstein Litowitz and Saxena White get nod to lead FirstEnergy litigation; Berger Montague left out
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) – Lawyers representing a St. Louis union will get their wish to lead litigation against FirstEnergy over an alleged $60 million bribe to a prominent Ohio legislator.
Legislation
Decision in TCPA case will give defendants ammo to fight litigation, Pittsburgh lawyer says
PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh attorney says that a recent decision in a Louisiana federal court has resurrected the potential for defendants facing litigation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to claim that the law is unconstitutional in its entirety.
Legislation
Group says Pennsylvania violated law by not removing 21,000 dead voters from rolls
HARRISBURG – An Indianapolis legal advocacy group claims that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has violated the National Voter Registration Act, in allegedly failing to maintain and update its rolls by removing deceased voters.