Category Archives: Consumer Law
Forever 21 Sued For Copying Design Of $500 Coat
The maker of a nearly $500 coat has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against California-based Forever 21 over the sale of an alleged copycat coat. The lawsuit comes after Forever 21 announced it is closing 200 stores, laying off more than 350 people, and filing for bankruptcy for the second time. The company originally… Read More »
How Much Does It Cost To Settle A Strike 3 Holdings Lawsuit?
Have you received notice from your ISP that you’re being sued by a company called Strike Three Holdings? If so, you may be rightfully concerned about what you should do next. Strike 3 Holdings is the company representing the interests of a number of online pornographic websites. At some point, you likely used a… Read More »
AI Firm Cohere Sued By Publishers For Copyright Infringement
A group of news publishers has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI firm Cohere. The federal lawsuit, which was filed on February 13 in New York, accuses Cohere of improperly using at least 4,000 copyrighted works to train its AI LLM or large language model. The lawsuit further accuses Cohere of displaying… Read More »
Disney Wins Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Targeting Moana
Disney recently won a copyright infringement lawsuit targeting the hit movie Moana after a federal jury dismissed a copyright lawsuit claiming the studio borrowed ideas for the movie. The case was brought by writer and animator Buck Woodall. He alleged that Disney took inspiration from his project, Bucky the Surfer Boy, according to an… Read More »
Ohio Employer To Pay $56k In Back Wages After Miscalculating Overtime For 234 Employees
The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the recovery of $56,000 in back wages and liquidated damages for a class of 234 employees who were denied their rightful overtime wages. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found Liberty Hill Equity Partners LLC, a Cincinnati-based operator of Precision Vehicle… Read More »
Cedar Point Amusement Park To Pay $50,000 To Settle Age Discrimination Lawsuit
Ohio’s Cedar Point Amusement Park recently settled an age discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The lawsuit alleged that the amusement park would provide housing at significantly below-market rates for seasonal employees coming from out of town. However, during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Cedar Point implemented a policy… Read More »
Ohio Nursing Home Pays $150,000 To Settle Age, Sex, And Retaliation Lawsuit
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently settled an employment discrimination lawsuit against Laurels of Athens, a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Athens, Ohio. The nursing home will be required to pay $150,000 in damages to the former employee and furnish other relief as outlined in the consent decree. According to the lawsuit, the… Read More »
Goshen Police Badge Cited For Infringing Copyright
Goshen Township and its police chief are both facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over the design of the police department’s badge. The designer of the badge says he designed no fewer than 8 drafts for the department in 2015 at the request of the police chief at the time. The design was intended to… Read More »
What Is RESPA And How Does It Protect Consumers?
RESPA — the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 — is a federal law that protects consumers from predatory lending practices in residential real estate transactions. It is enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). RESPA protects mortgage borrowers from unscrupulous lending actions. It requires lenders to disclose financial information so consumers… Read More »
CFPB Orders Portfolio Recovery Associates To Pay $24 Million For Illegal Debt Recovery Practices
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed suit against Portfolio Recovery Associates, one of the largest debt collectors in the nation, for repeated violations, and for violating a 2015 CFPB order, and for engaging in other violations of the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act). The proposed order would levy a $24 million fine… Read More »