In The Courtroom

Court of Appeal to Hear DIRECTV’s Attempt to Force Consumers in Cancellation Fee Class Action into Arbitration

March 6, 2014  ·  Laura Antonini

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2747" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/images_directvlogo.jpg" style="width: 211px; height: 162px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="386" height="297" />On March 19, 2014, the California Court of Appeal will hold a hearing on DIRECTV’s attempt to force its customers who were wrongly charged early cancellation penalties to bring claims individually before private arbitrators rather than proceed in court as a class action.

Hyundai-Kia Settlement Draws Objections Among Plaintiffs’ Lawyers

February 4, 2014  ·  Mark Reback

<p><strong>38 plaintiffs' firms take issue with $400 million offer over claims</strong><br /> <br /> LOS ANGELES - A proposed $400 million settlement in a class action lawsuit involving allegations that automakers Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America inflated the fuel economy of their vehicles is running into opposition from some plaintiffs' attorneys unhappy with the terms of the offer.<br /> <br />

Judge Orders Temporary Stop To Santa Susana Field Lab Cleanup

December 27, 2013  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p>A Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled in favor of environmental groups and imposed a preliminary injunction on the Department of Toxic Substances Control to stop approving building demolitions at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.<br /> <br /> The ruling, filed Dec. 11, came after four environmental groups filed a joint lawsuit in August against the DTSC and the Department of Public Health.<br /> <br />

Consumer Advocates Will Closely Scrutinize Hyundai/Kia Settlement

December 24, 2013  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<p><em><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20490" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/images_hyundailogo_3.png" style="width: 211px; height: 142px; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px; float: right;" width="273" height="184" />Santa Monica, CA </em>-- Consumer Watchdog will closely scrutinize the formal settlement, filed on December 23, between Hyundai, Kia and two law firms that would resolve dozens of lawsuits brought on behalf of 900,000 consumers whose gas mileage did not meet the miles per gallon advertised by the South Korean car companies, the California-based non-profit organization said today.<br /> <br />

KNBC TV-4 Los Angeles – Judge Sides With Consumer Watchdog and Halts DTSC Approval

December 17, 2013  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p>A Los Angeles judge has sided with Consumer Watchdog and ordered the DTSC to halt approval of Boeing's illegal demolition and disposal of radioactive waste from the Santa Susana site.</p>

Judge Stops Toxics Regulators From Approving Demolition Of Former Nuclear Lab

December 17, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A superior court judge has temporarily stopped state regulators from approving the demolition and disposal of debris from a former nuclear research lab in Ventura County out of concerns the material is radioactive.</p> <p>Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner ruled the Department of Toxic Substances Control must undertake an environmental review of plans to tear down the so-called Area Four site in Santa Susana currently owned by Boeing. A half century ago, the facility was home to nuclear research and rocket development and the site of a partial nuclear meltdown.</p>

Consumer Groups Win Preliminary Injunction Against Toxics Regulator Over Illegal Disposal of Boeing Radioactive Debris

December 16, 2013  ·  Liza Tucker

<p><em><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20441" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/images_boeingtohellinahandbasket.jpg" style="width: 212px; height: 139px; margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px; float: right;" width="350" height="230" />SANTA MONICA, CA</em> –The Sacramento Superior Court granted a motion for preliminary injunction against the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) pending final outcome of a lawsuit filed by Consumer Watchdog counsel and Strumwasser & Woocher on behalf of Consumer Watchdog and three other groups over the illegal demolition and disposal of radioactive debris from Boeing's Santa Susana nuclear reactor an

Injunction Halts Approval of Santa Susana Field Lab Cleanup

December 16, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Environmental watchdogs scored a victory last week when a Sacramento judge stopped state toxics regulators from approving Boeing’s demolition and disposal of buildings once used for nuclear research at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory near Simi Valley.<br /> <br />

Judge Rules Against State Agency Over Santa Susana Field Lab

December 16, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A Superior Court judge has granted a preliminary injunction Monday against California's Department of Toxic Substances Control, saying the state agency failed to comply with environmental laws while overseeing Boeing's demolition and disposal of buildings at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.</p>

Activists Fear DTSC CEQA Plan May Skirt Santa Susana Cleanup Pact

November 27, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Environmentalists fear that a recent announcement by the toxics department that it will consider various cleanup alternatives at the controversial Santa Susana industrial site in southern California may be a veiled attempt to unravel an agreement made between the agency and responsible parties to clean the site to strict "background" levels of radiation.</p> <p><br /> But the department this week says it still intends to impose strict cleanup standards except for portions of the site owned by Boeing, which is not a party to the agreement.</p>

Activists Say New Evidence In Santa Susana Cleanup Debunks DTSC Claim

November 27, 2013  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Environmentalists in a new legal filing this week say they have evidence showing that the toxics department has authority over the disposal of radioactive waste at the controversial Santa Susana industrial site in southern California, debunking the department's claim that it lacks such authority.</p> <p><br /> The judge in the lawsuit has already filed a tentative ruling siding with environmentalists, but has yet to finalize the ruling in order to review thousands of pages of evidence in the record.</p>

Boeing Volunteers to Stand Down in Consumer Watchdog Suit Over Illegal Demolition and Disposal of Radioactive Waste from Reactor Test Site

October 30, 2013  ·  Liza Tucker

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2712" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/timthumb.php_.jpeg" style="width: 211px; height: 147px; float: right;" width="350" height="244" /></p>