Posted inSettlements Sports

The End of Penn State

A band conductor in a uniform with a tall hat faces a crowd in a stadium. The stadium's facade reads "The Pennsylvania State," with years listed below. The audience is filled with people wearing various colors.
We Are…

Without question, the Jerry Sandusky child abuse case has completely turned Penn State University on its head. With the recent discovery that head football coach Joe Paterno had tried to sweep the entire molestation issue under the rug, the prestigious and now-infamous institution is now dealing with a deluge of lawsuits that will plague them for years to come.  From the courtroom to the football field, and all the places between, early estimations show that the settlements could reach the $100 million mark as more victims come forward.

2 minutes
Posted inSettlements

Illinois Law Firm Agrees to Reimburse Scammed Customers

A brick wall with graffiti reading "UNTIL DEBT TEAR US APART" in bold, black letters. A partial view of a parked car is visible at the bottom of the image.
Debt

Legal Helpers Debt Resolution, an Illinois company claiming to lower its customers’ debt interest rates, agreed to reimburse customers who paid for the company’s services in advance and yet did not receive any debt consolidation.  The company will have to pay a reported $2.1 million in a settlement with the state.  By law, debt consolidation companies are not allowed to charge an up-front fee.  Instead, a firm can only make money once they’ve actually reduced a customer’s interest rate or otherwise negotiated a reduced debt load.  Usually, this means making a contract for a certain percentage of whatever the deduction turns out to be.  This a necessary protection, as otherwise consumers can be duped into paying for a service that provides no actual benefit.  Only truly determined scum would then be able to take advantage of struggling families.  So how did Legal Helpers Debt Resolution get around this?

3 minutes
Posted inSettlements

Google Goes On Safari

Google settled with Apple over charges that the former collected Apple users' information in breach of their privacy settings.
2 minutes
Posted inSettlements

Happy Day for Former Sitcom Cast

The actors from the 1970s sitcom 'Happy Days' have settled a lawsuit with CBS and Paramount. The production companies were accused of intentionally withholding royalty payments on 'Happy Days' merchandise included in the actors' contracts.
2 minutes
Posted inSettlements

Apple Turnover: iPad Settlement Goes for $60 Million in China

A blank tablet rests on a closed book, accompanied by a cup of coffee. A large green monstera leaf lies on a white surface.
iPad

Apple has agreed to pay a $60 million to a Chinese company to settle a lawsuit over the iPad trademark. Proview Technology will receive a small fraction of their original asking price of $400 million, which might help them recover from the fringe of insolvency.  Certainly not a bad pay day.  Although the technological terror that is Apple Inc. has plenty of money to throw around, I hope somebody lost their job for over-looking the fact that they trademarked the word “iPad” in every country except the largest one in the world.  More details and analysis after the jump.

3 minutes