Proskauer on Advertising Law
Proskauer on Advertising Law

Tag Archives: Class Action

En Banc Ninth Circuit Reinstates and Clarifies Standard for Nationwide Class Action Settlement

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Carl Mazurek on Posted in Class Actions, Commonality Requirement, Deceptive Trade Practices
Last month, the Ninth Circuit sitting en banc affirmed, by an 8–3 vote, a nationwide class settlement of a multidistrict litigation against automakers Kia and Hyundai over alleged misrepresentations regarding certain vehicles’ fuel efficiency. In re Hyundai and Kia Fuel Economy Litigation, 15-56014 (9th Cir. 2019). The en banc decision overturned the controversial decision last … Continue Reading

Supreme Court Limits Removal of Class-Action Counterclaims

By Carl Mazurek and Lawrence Weinstein on Posted in Class Actions
On May 28, the Supreme Court decided Home Depot U.S.A. v. Jackson, 17-1471 (2019), ruling 5–4 that third-party counterclaim defendants may not remove class actions from state to federal court. The decision, besides keeping in state court certain class actions that otherwise could be removed to federal court, is noteworthy for the highly unusual composition … Continue Reading

Suit Over Use of American Heart Association Certification Mark Maintains a Pulse

By Alexander Kaplan and Carl Mazurek on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Is it deceptive to label food products with the mark of the American Heart Association (“AHA”) without disclosing that the AHA was paid for use of its certification mark? This was the question raised by a putative class action lawsuit in the Northern District of New York, which largely survived dismissal on March 25, 2019. … Continue Reading

Justin Timberlake Waves Bai Bai Bai to Partially Dismissed “No Artificial Flavors” Beverage Mislabeling Suit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Monique Curry on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
Last month, a judge in the Southern District of California partially dismissed a putative class action against beverage company Bai Brands, LLC (“Bai”) and related defendants. Branca v. Bai Brands, LLC, No. 18-00757 (S.D. Cal. 2019). Plaintiff Kevin Branca filed this lawsuit against Bai, its parent company Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (“DPSG”), the CEOs of … Continue Reading

Ninth Circuit Denies Review of Class Certification in Beer Labeling Brouhaha

By Lawrence Weinstein, Carl Mazurek and Ariella Muller on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
In a 2-1 decision memorialized in a one-page order, a Ninth Circuit panel recently denied Kona Brewing’s request for leave to appeal a grant of class certification to a consumer class claiming that the company’s branding deceptively communicated the false message that Kona beer is brewed in Hawaii. Broomfield v. Craft Brew Alliance, No. 18-80145 … Continue Reading

Ninth Circuit Sends Brain-Booster Claim Case Back to District Court

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Eric Wertheim on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices
After Ninth Circuit review, it remains to be seen whether a nutritional supplement maker can claim that ginkgo biloba leaf extract and vinpocetine supplements improve “alertness,” “mental clarity, and memory” in the face of contradictory scientific studies. In Korolshteyn v. Costco Wholesale, No. 17-56435 (2019), the Ninth Circuit reversed a district court order granting summary judgment in favor … Continue Reading

Snack Bar Class Action Powers On After USDA Action and FDA Inaction

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Russell Kostelak on Posted in Class Actions, Regulatory
Unlike a fine wine, a snack bar does not get better with age. Neither, apparently, does litigation. Last month, Judge William H. Pauley III in the Southern District of New York lifted a years-long stay in a lawsuit against KIND LLC concerning the allegedly false marketing of KIND snack products as “all-natural” and “non-GMO.” In … Continue Reading

If Class Action Litigants Could Turn Back Time (The Text Would Have Said So)

By Lawrence Weinstein, Carl Mazurek and Kelly Landers Hawthorne on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices
Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed a Ninth Circuit decision, resolving a circuit split in ruling that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(f)’s 14-day deadline for a losing party to file a petition for permission to appeal an order granting or denying class certification is not subject to equitable tolling. Nutraceutical Corp. v. Lambert, … Continue Reading

Kimberly-Clark Unable to Flush Wet Wipes Case

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Aliza Hassine on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
On December 10, 2018, the Supreme Court denied certiorari in Kimberly-Clark Corp, v. Davidson, No. 18-304 (2018), in which Kimberly-Clark sought to overturn a controversial Ninth Circuit decision allowing a plaintiff in a false advertising case to seek injunctive relief on behalf of an alleged consumer class notwithstanding that plaintiff’s complaint acknowledged she was aware … Continue Reading

Failure to Disclose Claims Washed Away in Facial Scrub Case

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Marc Palmer on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
On December 17, 2018, Judge Andrew J. Guilford in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted defendant Unilever’s motion for summary judgment, dismissing all claims in a putative class action concerning St. Ives Apricot Scrub. Browning v. Unilever United States, Inc., 2018 WL 6615064 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 17, 2018). Plaintiffs alleged … Continue Reading

No Use Crying Over Spilled (Almond) Milk: Ninth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Almond Milk Labeling Suit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Anisha Shenai-Khatkhate on Posted in Class Actions, FDCA, Labeling Claims, Primary Jurisdiction/Preemption, Typicality Requirement
On December 20, 2018, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal without leave to amend of a putative class action complaint against Blue Diamond Growers, which alleged that the term “almond milk” on Blue Diamond’s beverages was misleading. Painter v. Blue Diamond Growers, — Fed.Appx. —, 2018 WL 6720560 (9th Cir. Dec. 20, 2018). The named … Continue Reading

Cheez-Its Class Action Revived in “Whole” by Second Circuit

By Lawrence Weinstein and Jeff Warshafsky on Posted in Class Actions, Deceptive Trade Practices, Labeling Claims
We recently blogged about the Second Circuit’s December 3, 2018 decision in Jessani v. Monini, where, applying the reasonable consumer standard, the Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed the dismissal with prejudice of a complaint alleging that the label of an extra virgin olive oil product advertised as “truffle flavored” falsely implied that the product contained … Continue Reading

Supreme Court Briefing Begins Over Equitable Tolling of Rule 23(f) Deadline

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Russell Kostelak on Posted in Class Actions
Our readers may recall that last year, the Supreme Court ruled that a plaintiff in a putative class action cannot subvert the discretionary nature of Rule 23(f) interlocutory review by voluntarily dismissing his case after denial of class certification to obtain an appeal from the denial of class certification as a matter of right.  We … Continue Reading

No Meat on the Bones: Proposed Vegetarian Class Action against Buffalo Wild Wings Failed to Plead Actual Injury

By Lawrence Weinstein and Tiffany Woo on Posted in Class Actions
Recently, a federal district court judge in the Southern District of New York dismissed claims asserted under New York General Business Law § 349 on behalf of a putative class of vegetarian customers of Buffalo Wild Wings. The court’s decision found that although the plaintiff had standing to bring her claims, her allegations did not … Continue Reading

No More Baby Talk: Class Certification Denied in Gerber False Advertising Suit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Evelyn Pang on Posted in Class Actions, Labeling Claims
The Northern District of California recently denied class certification to a plaintiff who alleged that Gerber Products misbranded nutritional claims about baby food products in violation of state and federal labeling laws.  Bruton v. Gerber Products Co. et al.  The plaintiff had previously moved to certify a damages and an injunctive relief class in 2014.  However, … Continue Reading

Class Certification Denied in Juice Dispute

By Lawrence Weinstein and Daniel Werb on Posted in Class Actions, Labeling Claims, Regulatory
Recently, a New Jersey federal district court judge refused to certify a class of consumers claiming an orange juice product was mislabeled as “pasteurized.”  In re: Tropicana Orange Juice Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation. According to plaintiffs, Tropicana’s “Pure Premium” orange juice contained added natural flavoring in violation of FDA pasteurization standards.  The court denied the … Continue Reading

New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Last Call for TCCWNA Happy Hour

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Daniel Werb on Posted in Class Actions, Regulatory
In recent years, creative plaintiff-side class action attorneys in New Jersey have attempted to seek relief under the Truth in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act (“TCCWNA”), which allows for $100 in statutory damages per violation to “aggrieved consumers” when terms in certain contracts or other writings violate a “clearly established legal right of a … Continue Reading

Truffle Kerfuffle: Truffle Lawsuit Not on the Menu for Plaintiffs

By Alexander Kaplan on Posted in Labeling Claims
Truffles are renowned as one of the rarest delicacies in the world.  Perhaps not quite as rare, but still fairly uncommon, is the dismissal with prejudice of a false advertising class action without the plaintiffs being afforded even a single opportunity to amend their complaint. We are pleased to report today on a victory that … Continue Reading

Game Over: Supreme Court Denies Plaintiff’s Class Certification Appeal after Voluntary Dismissal in Xbox 360 Lawsuit

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jeff Warshafsky and Russell Kostelak on Posted in Class Actions
Recently, the Supreme Court in Microsoft Corp. v. Baker, 137 S. Ct. 1702 (2017), held that the plaintiff in a putative class action involving Xbox 360 game consoles could not appeal from the District Court’s denial of class certification after plaintiff voluntarily dismissed his claims with prejudice.  While 28 U.S.C. § 1291 allows appeals from final … Continue Reading

Made-in-the-U.S.A. Complaint Does Not Make the Cut

By Lawrence Weinstein and Daniel Werb on Posted in Class Actions, Labeling Claims
In a case decided in December that flew beneath our radar, a judge in the Southern District of California dismissed without prejudice a proposed class action alleging that Citizens for Humanity falsely labeled its jeans as being made in the USA. Hass v. Citizens of Humanity, LLC, 2016 WL 7097870 (S.D. Cal. Dec. 6, 2016). … Continue Reading

California Court Issues Surprising Decision in Discount Advertising Case

By Lawrence Weinstein, Daniel Werb and Tiffany Woo on Posted in Class Actions
On December 15, 2016, the California Court of Appeals in Los Angeles came to a surprising summary judgment decision in Sajid Veera et al. v. Banana Republic, LLC.  The court held that plaintiffs who claimed they were misled by 40% off signs raised a triable issue of whether they suffered an injury-in-fact even though they … Continue Reading

Standing to Assert Injunctive Relief is Not in the Tea Leaves, Court Says

By Lawrence Weinstein and Tiffany Woo on Posted in Class Actions, Labeling Claims
In Lanovaz v. Twinings North America, Inc., Judge Whyte of the Northern District of California recently decided that the plaintiff lacked standing to pursue injunctive relief, and granted summary judgment for defendant Twinings.  The class action alleged that Twinings tea products were misbranded under California law as “natural source[s] of antioxidants.”… Continue Reading

De-certifiably Natural – Ninth Circuit Finds “All Natural” Label May be Misleading While Upholding Class Decertification

By Lawrence Weinstein, Jennifer Yang and Evelyn Pang on Posted in Class Actions, Labeling Claims, Regulatory
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed in part and affirmed in part a Northern District of California ruling (discussed previously, here) concerning the “All Natural Fruit” labeling on Dole’s packaged fruit products. Brazil v. Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, No. 14-17480, 2016 WL 5539863 (9th Cir. Sept. 30, 2016). The appeals court reversed the lower court’s … Continue Reading

Don’t Pick Me Off: Are Pre-Certification Claims Mooted By Deposited Full Settlement Offers?

By Lawrence Weinstein, Daniel Werb and Tiffany Woo on Posted in Class Actions
On January 20, 2016, the Supreme Court held in Campbell-Ewald v. Gomez, 136 S. Ct. 663, 672, 193 L. Ed. 2d 571 (2016) that an unaccepted pre-certification settlement offer of complete relief in a putative class action, made to an individual plaintiff, does not moot that plaintiff’s claims.  As discussed in our previous coverage of … Continue Reading
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