After years of their concerns falling on deaf ears, three Napa wineries have joined forces to sue Napa County in federal court to address longstanding violations of constitutional rights. The participating wineries are Summit Lake Vineyard, Smith-Madrone Winery, and Hoopes Vineyard. Continue reading
Category Archives: Legal
May infringements package: key decisions
This excerpt describes a regular enforcement action by the European Commission.
Location: Brussels, Belgium (headquarters of the European Commission)
Date: May 23, 2024
Source: PR Newswire Policy (likely a press release)
Action: The European Commission is taking legal action against member states of the EU.
The reason for the legal action is that some member states are not following EU laws as they should be. The goal is to make sure EU laws are applied correctly so both citizens and businesses benefit.
EU law covers many areas, so the specific infringements (areas where the law isn’t being followed) aren’t mentioned in this excerpt. Continue reading
Consumer champion Justin Gutmann Announces £3 billion plus ‘Loyalty Penalty’ Class Action claim against UK’s largest mobile network operators
Consumer rights champion Justin Gutmann and the law firm Charles Lyndon have today announced that class action proceedings have been launched against Vodafone, EE, Three, and O2 (the “Loyalty Penalty Claim”). The Loyalty Penalty Claim alleges the companies have been abusing their dominant positions in the UK mobile industry by charging a ‘loyalty penalty,’ in which long standing customers were overcharged for handsets beyond the end of their contractual term. Continue reading
Donald Trump’s civil trial, is it a zero-sum game?
Oct. 2, 2023 /Legal/ — Donald Trump could stand to lose a number of things in the civil trial that is currently underway in Manhattan. The lawsuit, which was filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleges that Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, engaged in fraudulent business practices, including inflating the value of assets and misleading investors and lenders. Continue reading
Use Square and Cloud Google to ease the pain of legal battles
Sept. 2, 2023 /Legal/ — Here is how we use Square and Cloud Google to ease the pain of legal battles:
You can use Square to accept payments for legal services. This can make it easier for clients to pay for your services, and it can also help you to track your income and expenses.
You can use Cloud Google to store and manage your legal documents. This can help you to keep your documents organized and secure. Continue reading
Statement in response to the US Supreme Court’s Decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College
The Supreme Court’s decision impedes colleges and universities from selecting their own student bodies and fully addressing systemic racial inequalities that persist. The ruling threatens to return this nation to a time when education and opportunity are reserved for a privileged class. It endangers 60 years of multiracial movements to challenge our nation to live up to the ideals enshrined in our founding documents. The decision erects new barriers to building a society in which everyone has the opportunity to improve their lives, communities, health, and education. Continue reading
Prince Harry’s arguments against Mirror Group
June 6, 2023 /Legal/ — Prince Harry is suing the Mirror Group publisher, claiming journalists at its titles – which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People – were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities. Prince Harry’s main arguments in his 55-page witness statement are that: Continue reading
The business implications of the EU AI Act
May 230, 2023 /Business/ — The EU AI Act is a proposed piece of legislation that would regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the European Union. The Act would create a framework for the development and use of AI that is aligned with the EU’s values, such as respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The Act would classify AI systems into three risk categories: unacceptable risk, high risk, and low risk. Unacceptable risk AI systems would be banned, while high-risk AI systems would be subject to strict requirements. Low-risk AI systems would be largely unregulated. Continue reading
The European Union (EU) has fined Facebook parent Meta €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion)
May 22, 2023 /Business/ — The European Union (EU) has fined Facebook parent Meta $1.3 billion for transferring user data to the United States without adequate safeguards in place. The fine is the largest ever imposed by the EU for data protection violations.
The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires companies to obtain consent from individuals before transferring their data outside of the EU. Meta argued that it had obtained consent from users, but the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) found that this consent was not valid. Continue reading
Who funds Mpelembe.net?
15 May 2023 /Business/ — Google has not disclosed the amount of money it has invested in Mpelembe.net. However, in 2019, Google announced that it would be investing $1 billion in sustainability initiatives over the next five years. It is possible that some of this money has been used to support Mpelembe.net. Continue reading