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California class action alleges fluoride content of mouth rinses could harm children
Concerns about fluoride’s effects on young children have led to recent class-action filings in federal courts in California and Illinois alleging that some toothpastes and fluoride rinses are being marketed in a way that poses dangers to young children.
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Huntington Beach officials sue Newsom, Bonta, challenge California's 'Sanctuary State Law'
Huntington Beach has filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta that challenges the legality of a 2017 California law limiting interactions between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents.
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ExxonMobil critics condemn energy company's filing of defamation lawsuit in plastics dispute
ExxonMobil critics have condemned the energy giant’s filing of a defamation lawsuit against California’s attorney general and several environmental groups, calling the litigation a diversion from real issues and an attempt at intimidation.
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Huntington Beach asks courts to end California 'Sanctuary State' law, let cops deal with criminal illegal immigrants
The lawsuit asserts California's so-called "Sanctuary State" law has not only harmed California residents and their communities, but has placed the city in the position of having to choose between obeying state or federal laws. The lawsuit asserts the state law violates the U.S. Constitution's federal supremacy clause
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Former physician, medical center agree to pay $15 million in Medicare false claims case
A former Van Nuys doctor, his wife, a medical center and a laboratory have agreed to pay $15 million to settle allegations of filing false Medicare and Medi-Cal claims linked to kickbacks and illegal patient referrals.
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Former Baldwin Park city attorney pleads guilty to taking bribes in return for favorable cannabis permitting
A former Baldwin Park city attorney has pleaded guilty to taking bribes in an apparent web of Southern California payoffs to local government officials who helped marijuana businesses obtain cannabis permits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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Los Angeles County sues Castaic landfill owner over alleged health issues from air pollution
One of Los Angeles County’s largest landfills will no longer accept shipments of solid waste in the new year in the wake of increased county scrutiny of air pollution from the site in Castaic and a lawsuit over the facility’s impacts on neighbors’ health.
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Federal prosecutors accuse Pasadena doctor, Orange County judge of insurance fraud
A Pasadena doctor who allegedly took part in a multimillion-dollar workers' compensation insurance scheme with a co-conspirator who is now an Orange County judge has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. They have not yet revealed the identity of the judge included in the investigation.
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Defense attorneys: Studies linking benzoyl peroxide acne creams to cancer 'warrant skepticism'
Defense attorneys continue to raise questions about the science behind the filing of multiple federal lawsuits in California accusing pharmaceutical and health care companies of marketing or selling acne medications that can degrade into the carcinogen benzene.
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Southern California utility, U.S. Attorney's Office agree to settle lawsuit stemming from 2020 Bobcat Fire
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Southern California Edison (SCE) have agreed to resolve a federal lawsuit over property damage and firefighting costs related to the 2020 Bobcat Fire, according to court documents filed this month.
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Retirement plan contributions can be excluded from Chapt 13 income: Appeals panel
A federal appeals court in San Francisco has ruled that contributions to a qualified retirement plan through an employer can be excluded from "disposable income" reported by people seeking to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy
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Pfizer facing new lawsuits in California over injectable form of birth control
Several plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against Pfizer Inc. and other pharmaceutical companies in California, alleging that an injectable form of birth control causes or contributes to a higher risk of developing brain tumors.
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Pasadena man's lawsuit accuses Paramount+ of illegally sharing customers' viewing information
A Pasadena man has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Paramount+ that accuses the video-streaming company of disclosing customers’ viewing data to third parties such as Facebook and TikTok in violation of a 36-year-old federal law.
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Appeals court rejects Huntington Beach's challenge of state law requiring housing development plans
The city of Huntington Beach has vowed to continue its litigation challenging a state law requiring local governments to set zoning targets for new housing, despite a federal appeals court ruling rejecting the city’s arguments.
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Santa Barbara jury awards jet owner $19 million in insurance dispute involving Michael Avenatti
A jury in Santa Barbara has awarded $19 million to plaintiffs who entered into a 2016 agreement to purchase a jet aircraft with now-incarcerated attorney Michael Avenatti, finding that the aircraft’s insurer failed to fulfill conditions of the insurance policy.
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Judge OKs $2.3M deal to end Black Lives Matter class action vs Santa Monica
The lawsuit had accused Santa Monica police of excessive force in attempting to end riots that raged May 31-June 1, 2020, amid protests over the death of George Floyd. The city did not actively contest the lawsuit, but quickly settled
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UCLA neuroscientist's lawsuit: Profiteering academic publishers have 'held back science'
A UCLA neuroscientist has filed a federal class-action lawsuit against six major academic publishers, alleging that they are engaged in an illegal scheme that hinders scientific advancement and forces scholars to work for free.
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Disbarred California attorney given 5-year probation sentence in cryptocurrency scheme
A federal judge in Nevada has sentenced a disbarred California attorney to five years of probation and restitution amounting to nearly $14 million over the former lawyer’s involvement in a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.
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SCOTUS ends Uber's challenge to the lingering effects of AB5, won't hear appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition to overturn an appeals court's decision that California lawmakers didn't violate the constitutional rights of Uber, Postmates and similar companies by targeting them with AB5, a labor law that would have exposed the companies to massive liability over the employment classification of drivers
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Science behind California stem cell clinic therapies comes under legal scrutiny
A recent appeals court decision opens the door for the federal Food and Drug Administration to regulate a procedure offered at several California stem cell clinics that critics say is unproven and potentially harmful.