|
|
|
Record Companies, RIAA Prevail In Music Downloading Trial
Legal Topics |
2009/08/03 16:20
|
The National Law Journal reports that a jury in a high-profile federal copyright infringement trial on Friday ordered a Boston University graduate student to pay $675,000 to several record companies for illegally downloading and distributing 30 of their songs.
Joel Tenenbaum appeared stoic as the jury announced that each of the 30 counts of willful infringement would cost him $22,500. The tab -- while steep -- is far less than the $4.5 million that the companies could have received had the jury imposed the maximum per-song damages allowed under law. Copyright law allows for damages of $750 to $30,000 for each copyright infringement and up to $150,000 for each willful infringement.
Tenenbaum said he was happy the verdict wasn't in the millions and "not displeased with the jury given how the trial went."
In a statement for the plaintiffs' side, the RIAA said the organization "appreciates that Mr. Tenenbaum finally acknowledged that artists and music companies deserve to be paid for their work. ...We only wish he had done so sooner rather than lie about his illegal behavior." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sahara Sued By EEOC For National Origin Harassment And Retaliation
Legal Topics |
2009/08/02 20:32
|
According to the EEOC website, the Sahara Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip violated federal law by creating a hostile work environment for an Egyptian kitchen employee through a daily barrage of derogatory comments due to his national origin and retaliating against him when he reported it, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
According to the EEOC's complaint, the Sahara's supervisors and coworkers continuously belittled and harassed Ezzat Elias, whose job was delivering food from the kitchen to the hotel buffet and maintaining the buffet, because of his Egyptian heritage. The harassment included offensive comments, slurs, and graffiti, such as being called “Bin Laden,” “Taliban,” and “f ____ Egyptian” and being told to “go back to Egypt.” Elias was also targeted with graffiti, which he was then required to wash off. Despite Elias’s repeated complaints of such harassment, the defendants failed to take effective measures to stop it. Instead, supervisors retaliated against him, which included disciplinary write-ups and suspension.If you're in the Plato, Texas area and you're in need of a labor and employment attorney, Weinberg Law Firm can be of assistance. They specialize in overtime claims, sexual harassment and other workplace-area cases. Contact the Texas-based employment law firm for a consultation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Survey: Workplace Sexual Harassment Complaints Rise
Legal Topics |
2009/08/02 20:10
|
According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli help centers are receiving more calls regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, according to a recent survey.
The survey, which was conducted by Millward Brown, examined the level of exposure and awareness of harassment incidents in the workplace.
Awareness of everything connected to the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace was low, the survey revealed. More than half of those surveyed were unaware that sexual relations between workers and their bosses are forbidden, and 28 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced some sort of sexual harassment in the workplace within the past three years.
If you're in the Dallas area and you are having problems with sexual harassment in the workplace, contact the Texas labor and employment lawyers at Weinberg Law Firm. The have all of your labor attorney needs under one roof.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When Jaundice Leads To Brain Injury
Legal Topics |
2009/08/02 18:27
|
According to ABC News, Susan Haas says that when her daughter, Lexi, was born she was a normal, healthy baby girl. So when Lexi, at 3 days old, developed jaundice -- a common liver condition that is estimated to affect six out of every 10 babies -- the doctor was not concerned, Haas said.
That was seven years ago. Today at 6:30 a.m., Lexi, 7, headed into an operating room for brain surgery. It is an extreme measure for a brain injury that Haas said could have been caught early and treated inexpensively.
"She would not be having any problems if she'd had a $1 bilirubin test," she said. Instead, Haas estimated that medical expenses and other services would cost $25 million over Lexi's life.
If your child has had the same experience, you may want to consider finding a brain injury lawyer to help you file a case. For those in the New York area, John Q. Kelly and his law firm can be of assistance. They've had many high profile cases, including O.J. Simpson and the estate of Natalee Holloway. They also specialize in medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
California Court Closures Set, Despite Grumbling
Legal Topics |
2009/07/31 16:09
|
According to The Recorder, the Judicial Council on Wednesday ordered all California courthouses closed once a month starting Sept. 16, despite ongoing complaints from labor groups, sheriffs and some judges that the closures are unnecessary and potentially dangerous.
"I hate it," said council member Richard Huffman, a justice on the 4th District Court of Appeal. But, he added, "We believe it is the only rational mechanism available to us to minimize the impact to the public."
The third-Wednesday-each-month closures will save an estimated $85.3 million and are a key part of the judicial branch's overall plan to cut spending, raise fees and siphon savings to close a $393 million deficit. The Legislature authorized the closures as part of the $26 billion budget revision signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Judicial Appointment Challenge In TN Fails
Legal Topics |
2009/07/29 18:10
|
According to Courthouse News, the 6th Circuit dismissed an appeal challenging the constitutionality of the way Tennessee appoints its Supreme Court justices.
The method drew criticism from Drew Johnson, president of the conservative Tennessee Center for Policy Research, and former Democratic gubernatorial nominee John Jay Hooker.
Johnson and Hooker claimed the appointment process deprived them of their right to vote on the Supreme Court candidates in a popular election.
Under the state's plan, the governor selects a justice from a panel of three candidates presented by a judicial selection committee. The governor's pick is then put before voters in the next election. Every eight years, voters decide whether to keep sitting justices for another term.
The magistrate judge dismissed the challenge for lack of jurisdiction, and the Cincinnati-based federal appeals court affirmed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tasered Woman Wins Trial In Suit Against Cops
Legal Topics |
2009/07/27 16:12
|
According to Courthouse News, Minnesota police illegally Tasered a woman for refusing to hang up her 911 call after officers handcuffed her husband during a traffic stop, the 8th Circuit ruled.
Sandra Brown and her husband, Richard, were driving home from dinner in downtown Minneapolis when they were pulled over by a Golden Valley squad car. One of the officers asked Richard if he knew why he'd been stopped, and Richard replied that he did not.
What happened after involved what Sandra, the passenger, thought to be excessive aggression, so she called 911.
Backup officer Rob Zarrett ordered Sandra to "Get off the phone." When she refused, he Tasered her. He claimed the action was necessary, because Sandra had disobeyed his orders to unfasten her seatbelt. He also spotted two empty cocktail glasses on the floors, in violation of the state's open-container law.
Sandra sued Zarrett and the city of Golden Valley for use of excessive force, claiming she was physically and psychologically injured by the Tasering.
"Given the circumstances surrounding the Tasering and arrest, we are not convinced that Zarrett's use of force was objectively reasonable as a matter of law," the St. Louis-based appeals court ruled.
Judge Wollman pointed out that Sandra had not been trying to flee or resist arrest when she was Tasered. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Headline Legal News for You to Reach America's Best Legal Professionals. The latest legal news and information - Law Firm, Lawyer and Legal Professional news in the Media. |
|
|
