Consumer Law

A tale of 2 appeals courts on constitutionality of 158-year-old home distilling ban

A U.S. appeals courts has called a 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling a “necessary and proper” way of collecting taxes on home-brewed spirits, shortly after another appeals court concluded differently.

Apr 23, 2026 11:05 AM CDT

158-year-old home distilling ban is unconstitutional, federal appeals court rules

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that a 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling was unconstitutional because it allowed Congress to unfairly use its taxing authority.

Apr 13, 2026 1:27 PM CDT

John Deere agrees to pay farmers $99M for allegedly monopolizing repair

John Deere agreed Monday to pay $99 million to settle a class action suit brought against it by farmers seeking the ability to repair their own equipment.

Apr 10, 2026 7:30 AM CDT

Law firm targets businesses for allegedly misleading ‘sale’ prices

Small business owner Deborah Dombrowski’s Lighthouse Trails Publishing is among dozens of online retailers around the country that have been sued by the Institute for Truth in Marketing, an 11-year-old Washington, D.C., nonprofit that bills itself as protecting consumers against deceptive advertising.

Mar 30, 2026 2:46 PM CDT

DOJ settles antitrust lawsuit with Live Nation and Ticketmaster; 25 states vow to continue fight

The U.S. Department of Justice has agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and Ticketmaster for $280 million. However, the show might not be over yet.

Mar 10, 2026 12:27 PM CDT

Amazon sues review-selling websites, alleging fake online reviews

Amazon is suing the operator of two review-selling websites with accusations of running a pipeline of fake online reviews, according to Law.com.

Feb 27, 2026 10:03 AM CST

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in first social media addiction trial

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., refuted allegations that Instagram manipulates users younger than age 13 during a daylong testimony in the first trial connecting teenage mental health problems and social media.

Feb 19, 2026 11:44 AM CST

‘Boneless wings’ suit against Buffalo Wild Wings doesn’t fly in federal court

Restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings can continue to serve “boneless wings,” even though the sauced chicken nuggets are not deboned chicken wings as a class action lawsuit purports they should be, according to a federal judge.

Feb 18, 2026 10:55 AM CST

Processed foods caused diabetes, severe personal injuries, woman claims in $1B suit

Cheetos, Oreos, Doritos, Rice Crispies, Mac & Cheese. These are among the foods cited in a lawsuit filed by a Florida woman seeking $1 billion in damages as a result of health conditions that she said she suffered as a result of eating “ultra-processed foods,” Legal Newsline reports.

Feb 5, 2026 10:46 AM CST

FTC issues antitrust warning to law firms over diversity certification program

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced Friday that the FTC has sent warning letters to 42 law firms over their participation in Diversity Lab's Mansfield Certification program.

Feb 2, 2026 10:37 AM CST

McDonald’s grilled over contents of McRib sandwich in class action lawsuit

Fast food giant McDonald’s is accused in a class action lawsuit of misleading customers that its popular McRib sandwich is made from real rib meat.

Jan 7, 2026 1:53 PM CST

Online shoppers find deals on the Temu app, but states say the trade-off is personal data

Who doesn’t look for a bargain? But states are asking, “at what cost?” Temu, an online retail platform offering low-cost goods, has based its business model on consumers’ interest in hunting down and grabbing bargains. But critics say the Temu app is malware that steals personal data and gives the Chinese government access to it.

Jan 1, 2026 12:30 AM CST

FTC supports end to ABA council’s ‘monopoly’ as law school accreditor

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission endorsed ending the “monopoly” of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar as the country’s sole law school accreditor, citing “overly burdensome law school accreditation requirements” that raise prices and stifle attempts to offer “a differentiated, more affordable product.”

Dec 4, 2025 11:27 AM CST

Companies use ‘deceitful tactics’ to market harmful ultra-processed products with ‘addictive nature,’ city’s suit alleges

A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the city of San Francisco alleges that several major food companies used “deceitful tactics it inherited from the Big Tobacco industry” to market harmful ultra-processed foods and to "aggressively sell those products to children.”

Dec 4, 2025 11:20 AM CST

Chemerinsky: SCOTUS considers limits on president’s power to fire federal officials

The Supreme Court will hear two cases—Trump v. Slaughter on Dec. 8 and Trump v. Cook on Jan. 21—that are likely to substantially change the law as to when the president can fire those in the executive branch of government. President Donald Trump has claimed that it is a “unitary executive,” and that as the head of it, he can fire anyone within it.

Dec 1, 2025 10:53 AM CST