Recovers son
A New York law emancipates all slaves but Truth’s former master, Dumont, had already sold Peter, Isabella’s five-year old child, into slavery in Alabama. Truth sues in court, with the help of the Wageners, and recovers her son. She becomes the first black woman, after several months of litigation, to win such a case against a white man.
Sues Georgia legislature
On three occasions, the white leaders of the Georgia legislature prevent Bond from taking his seat. The legislature claims it has the right to determine the qualifications of its members. Bond files suit, saying:
If they bar me again, I’ll sue them again.
Racial discrimination lawsuit
The Justice Department sues the Trump Management Corporation for alleged racial discrimination in 39 of its buildings across New York. The Government says Trump Management has refused to rent or negotiate rentals and required different rental terms and conditions, because of race or color, as well as misrepresenting to blacks that apartments were not available. Donald Trump denies the charges:
They are absolutely ridiculous. We have never discriminated, and we never would. There have been a number of local actions against us, and we have won them all…We proved in court that we did not discriminate.
NYC tenant intimidation suit
The city of New York sues Trump over alleged intimidation and harassment of tenants at his 15-story building at 100 Central Park South, which overlooks Central Park. Trump bought the building in 1981 with the intention of tearing it and the adjacent Barbizon Plaza (which he also owns) and replacing them with another of his mega-luxury towers. The suit says Trump and his agents have tried to force out the 60 or more tenants by threats of imminent demolition, spurious litigation, drastic decreases in essential services, persistent delays in repairing defective conditions, and instructing employees to obtain information about the private lives and sex habits of the tenants.
The defendants have harassed daily the occupants of said units…wrongful acts and omissions continue to date.
Trump claims he is the victim of wily, wealthy millionaire-tenants who are trying to extract exorbitant buyout money or other financial concessions from him.
Trump is not going to be harassed.
Files suit against Ivana
Trump files a $25 million lawsuit against Ivana, for $25 million, saying she broke a gag clause in their divorce agreement by failing to keep quiet about his affairs. The suit accuses his ex-wife of:
Willful, deliberate and surreptitious disclosure [of his personal, professional and financial dealings].
Sues Lennon aide
Ono files a lawsuit in New York against Seaman, Lennon’s former assistant. Ono claims Seaman stole priceless personal items – including unreleased recordings, love letters, paintings, and hundreds of photographs – belonging to Lennon. The suit alleges Seaman devised an elaborate plan called Project Walrus – after the Beatles song I Am The Walrus – to steal Lennon’s belongings. The lawsuit was prompted by Seaman accusing Capitol Records of copyright infringement by using a picture of Lennon with his son Sean in a compact disc box set. He claims he shot the photograph himself. The company is suing Seaman separately.
Sues Napster
Metallica files a lawsuit against Napster in Central District of California, alleging Napster encourages piracy by allowing its users to download trade copyrighted songs. The suit, which also names the University of Southern California, Indiana University, and Yale University, accuses Napster of violating copyright infringement law and the Racketeering Influenced & Corrput Act (RICO). Drummer Ulrich says:
We take our craft — whether it be the music, the lyrics, or the photos and artwork — very seriously, as do most artists. It is therefore sickening to know that our art is being traded like a commodity rather than the art that it is. From a business standpoint, this is about piracy — a.k.a taking something that doesn’t belong to you; and that is morally and legally wrong. The trading of such information — whether it’s music, videos, photos, or whatever — is, in effect, trafficking in stolen goods.
Sues Howard University
Dolezal sues Howard University, alleging that the university denied her a teaching assistant job, further employment, and a scholarship because she is white. The lawsuit also claims that Professor Smith, chair of the Art Department, specifically kept Dolezal from serving as a teaching assistant one semester and removed some of her artwork from a student exhibition, instead favoring the work of African-American students. Suit:
[Howard University is] permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult.
Sues Cosby for sexual assault, defamation
Constand sues Cosby for an unspecified amount of money on allegations of sexual assault and of defamation stemming from statements that Cosby and his agents made about her to news outlets. Constand says she was director of operations for the Temple women’s basketball program when she met Cosby, one of the school’s most famous alumni and a trustee. She alleges she was visiting Cosby’s Main Line mansion in early 2004 when he gave her pills that he said were “herbal medication” to help her cope with stress. After consuming the pills, she said, she felt hazy but remembered Cosby touching her breasts and genitals.
In legal filings, Cosby denies assaulting Constand. He says the two were acquaintances who sometimes dined alone together or with friends.
Lead paint lawsuit
Gray and his siblings file a lead-poisoning lawsuit against the property owner of the house they lived in on North Carey Street from 1992-1997. Gray lived in the front room with his mother. Court records show that in May of 1990, when the family was living in a home on Fulton Avenue in West Baltimore, Gray’s blood contained more than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood — double the level at which the Center for Disease Control urges additional testing. Three months later, his blood had nearly 30 micrograms. In June 1991, when Gray was 22 months old, his blood carried 37 micrograms. It is believed that anything higher than five micrograms can cripple a child’s cognitive development. From Gray’s deposition:
There was a big hole when you go up the steps. There was a couple of walls that wasn’t painted all the way, peeled. . . . And like the windows, paint was peeling off the windows.
The suit results in an undisclosed settlement in 2010.
Threatens daughter, famly
Houser’s wife, Kellie Maddox, files a protective order against him saying Houser had threatened her and her daughter, over the daughter’s impending marriage. The order which was at least temporarily granted, says that Kellie had:
become so worried about the defendant’s volatile mental state that she … removed all guns and/or weapons from their marital residence. [Houser] exhibited extreme erratic behavior [and] made ominous as well as disturbing statements
The papers also say Houser has:
a history of mental health issues, i.e., manic depression and/or bi-polar disorder.
Houser’s daughter joined the filing, saying that Houser had traveled from Phenix City, Ala., to where she lived in Carroll County, Ga., and:
perpetrated various acts of family violence.
The order is lifted May 8.
Sues Arrington
Calacanis sues Arrington, claiming that he contributed to creating TechCrunch 50, which he says was rebranded as TechCrunch Disrupt, but that he was never paid for the sale of the brand to AOL.
Sued for unfinished work
Karpeles is sued by a customer who claims he had paid 15,000 euros ($20,700) for a website to be developed that was never built. The Tokyo District Court rules in May 2013 that Karpeles has to return the money.
Files defamation suit
Arrington files the suit (full text here) against Allen, his former girlfriend, after she accused him of raping and trying to kill her. It said she sought to:
[…] smear the plaintiff’s name on the Internet, to destroy his reputation, and to deter third persons from associating with him.
It alleges that Allen, who lives in San Francisco, was motivated by frustration over their ‘intermittent romantic involvement.’ The amount of damages sought isn’t specified but the figure is over $75,000.
Sulkowicz participates in Federal suit against Columbia
Sulkowicz is one of 23 students who are part of a federal Title IX complaint filed against Columbia in April for mishandling sexual-assault cases. The allegations in the 100-page complaint include that the University treats survivors and alleged perpetrators unequally, perpetrators are allowed to remain on campus, students are discouraged from reporting sexual assault, LGBTQ students face discrimination in counseling, advising, adjudication, and Greek life, students do not receive accommodations based on mental health disabilities, and sanctions for perpetrators are too lenient.
Lucky 13 lawsuit
Lucky 13 owner Robert Kloetzly files a lawsuit against Swift for allegedly copying his brand and using it for her own products. He says she intentionally took advantage of his demographic, the young rock and roll crowd. He wants Swift’s website shut down and either payment for damages or the profits she has made.
Sues Walmart
Morgan sues Walmart over the crash in New Jersey that left him and several others critically injured and killed James McNair. The complaint was filed in the US District Court in New Jersey this week. A Walmart truck traveling 20 miles over the speed limit with a driver operating at almost over his sleep time limit rear-ended the limo bus. The complaint states:
The defendants’ negligence was a substantial contributing factor in causing plaintiffs’ injuries.
Class-action lawsuit filed
Levi & Korsinsky law firm launches class-action lawsuit on WWE over securities fraud stemming from the company’s latest NBC Universal television deal. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period defendants violated securities laws by failing to disclose the Company’s true ability to command a premium fee in upcoming negotiations to renew its television license agreement.
Pursues royalties over video game likeness
Punk’s attorneys send 22 page letter to WWE legal over Punk’s likeness and name being used in the upcoming release, WWE 2K15.
Lead plaintiff filing ends
Eligibility to file as lead plaintiffs in WWE class action lawsuit ends. The suit filed against the company over security violations stems from promises made to shareholders before the company’s television renewal deal with NBC Universal. Attorney Robbins Arroyo comments.
Statements made downplayed the fact that advertisers pay less to reach WWE viewers than traditional sports or other shows on the USA Network and the negative impact on the television license negotiations resulting from the Company’s launch of its WWE Network.