Monthly Archives: September 2023

gray marketer’s counterclaims against Toyota survive, but it still must defend itself

One case, two opinions. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. v. Allen Interchange LLC, 2023 WL 5206884, No. 22-cv-1681 (KMM/JFD) (D. Minn. Aug. 14, 2023) This opinion deals only with Allen’s counterclaims. Allen distributes Toyota replacement parts, manufactured by authorized suppliers … Continue reading

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“major flaw”/”tendency to shear” false advertising claims fail

Shepard & Assoc., Inc. v. Lokring Tech., LLC, 2023 WL 5229803, No. 1:20-cv-02488 (N.D. Ohio Aug. 15, 2023) Lokring sells fittings for pipes and other transfer systems for fluids and gases, as well as tools used to install them. Its … Continue reading

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Zillow’s “agent” and “other” tabs were literally false where some agents ended up in “other” purgatory

REX – Real Estate Exchange, Inc. v. Zillow, Inc., 2023 WL 5334389, No. C21-0312 TSZ (W.D. Wash. Aug. 18, 2023) Zillow aggregates listings of real properties that are for sale or for rent. Before January 2021, Zillow’s websites displayed on … Continue reading

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claims about legality of insurance service are falsifable

Route App, Inc. v. Heuberger, 2023 WL 5334192, No. 2:22-cv-00291-TS-JCB (D. Utah Aug. 18, 2023) (magistrate) Route is a package tracking company that provides shipping insurance to e-commerce merchants. Heuberger was a Route customer who then launched a competitor, Navidium. … Continue reading

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state consumer protection law gives competitor plaintiff more leeway than Lanham Act, court holds

SME Steel Contractors, Inc. v. Seismic Bracing Company, LLC, — F.Supp.3d —-, 2023 WL 4463246, No. 2:17-cv-00702-RJS-DAO (D. Utah Jul. 11, 2023) The parties compete in the design of buckling-restrained braces, which are structural devices that help buildings withstand seismic … Continue reading

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AMG Capital didn’t change monetary remedies for civil contempt

Federal Trade Commission v. National Urological Group, Inc., 2023 WL 5541756 No. 21-14161, — F.4th —- (11th Cir. Aug. 29, 2023) Nearly 20 years ago, the FTC sued appellants, alleging they had misrepresented their weight-loss products to consumers. The district … Continue reading

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court certifies “C+Collagen” class even if consumers don’t know that all collagen is from animals

Gunaratna v. Dennis Gross Cosmetology LLC, No. CV 20-2311-MWF (GJSx), 2023 WL 5505052 (C.D. Cal. Apr. 4, 2023) Previously, the court denied a motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ claim that “C + Collagen” was misleading because defendant’s product had no collagen. … Continue reading

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are state rules limiting class actions in consumer protection cases procedural or substantive?

Jones v. Varsity Brands, LLC, 2023 WL 5662590, No. 2:20-cv-02892-SHL-tmp (W.D. Tenn. Aug. 31, 2023) Varsity is a “prominent host of competitive cheerleading competitions and camps,” aka a monopolist. I’m just going to focus on the consumer protection-related claims, because … Continue reading

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