Product Liability Law

Judge says spiciness ‘is often the point,’ in (too) hot salsa lawsuit

A federal judge has ruled against a German tourist who sued a New York City taqueria complaining the restaurant sold him salsa that was dangerously spicy.

Mar 16, 2026 9:02 AM CDT

Should AI companies be held liable for deepfakes? Plaintiffs in new suits say yes

Amid the increasing spread of deepfakes, plaintiffs in recent litigation are shifting their focus to artificial intelligence companies.

Feb 4, 2026 11:09 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

Intellectual property and pop culture collide over the Labubu, this summer’s hottest collectible

The Labubus are so popular that the elflike plush dolls produced by Chinese toy company Pop Mart have inspired a surge in knockoffs. While the intellectual property issues involving the Labubus aren’t exactly novel, the increasing acceptance of “dupes” is a new trend.

Aug 4, 2025 9:16 AM CDT

Emergency docket orders should ‘inform’ courts in similar cases, SCOTUS says

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed President Donald Trump to remove, for now, three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, pointing to its prior emergency docket order allowing the firing of board members of two other independent agencies.

Jul 25, 2025 9:26 AM CDT

2nd Circuit decision upholding New York’s gun liability law is ‘massive victory,’ state AG says

A federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to a New York gun nuisance law that imposes liability for injuries stemming from misconduct in the sale or marketing of firearms.

Jul 11, 2025 9:28 AM CDT

SCOTUS will consider liability of internet company for known music piracy by its users

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether an internet service provider can be liable for materially contributing to copyright infringement if it failed to terminate internet access for customers known to be pirating music.

Jul 1, 2025 11:06 AM CDT

SCOTUS rejects Mexico’s suit against US gun-makers, sees problems with aiding-and-abetting theory

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that Mexico cannot sue U.S. gun companies for aiding the flow of guns to drug cartels because its factual allegations fell short.

Jun 5, 2025 1:12 PM CDT

2024 produced record number of ‘thermonuclear verdicts,’ report finds; what is impact of younger jurors?

A record number of eight- and nine-figure jury verdicts are evidence of an “indisputable trend,” according to the CEO of a communications and research company that compiled the figures.

May 22, 2025 12:11 PM CDT

After SCOTUS arguments on sweet vape flavors, some lawyers hope opinion brings more FDA clarity

FDA v. Wages and White Lion Investments, which was argued before the high court in December, focused on whether the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals erred when it set aside FDA denial orders banning the flavored vapes as arbitrary and capricious.

Feb 18, 2025 8:59 AM CST

Opioid suits can’t be based on nuisance law in Ohio, top state court rules in $650M win for pharmacies

A decision by the Ohio Supreme Court on the state’s product-liability law is good news for three national pharmaceutical chains ordered to pay more than $650 million for contributing to the opioid epidemic.

Dec 12, 2024 3:23 PM CST

Her teenage son killed himself after talking to a chatbot; now she’s suing

The mother of a 14-year-old boy says Character.AI—the startup behind the personalized chatbot—is responsible for his suicide. In a lawsuit, she alleges that Character.AI recklessly developed its chatbots without proper guardrails or precautions, instead hooking vulnerable children with an addictive product that blurred the lines between reality and fiction.

Oct 25, 2024 10:00 AM CDT

Lawyer who sued Big Lots over coffee labeling has ‘dubious modus operandi,’ federal judge says

A lawyer who alleged that retail chain company Big Lots used labeling that inflated the number of servings in cans of its Fresh Finds coffee had made a similar claim in a prior tossed lawsuit that was “indistinguishable” from the new case “but for a new plaintiff and heading,” according to a federal judge in Florida.

Jul 9, 2024 9:28 AM CDT

Lawyers suing Johnson & Johnson in baby powder suits seek privileged attorney-client communications

Co-lead counsel in a lawsuit filed last month against Johnson & Johnson are asking a judge to allow access to communications among some top in-house lawyers in a bid to show that the company abused the bankruptcy process in litigation over talcum powder alleged to cause cancer.

Jun 24, 2024 10:52 AM CDT

Top artificial intelligence insurance tips for lawyers

To better advise artificial intelligence decisions, lawyers should know the benefits, shortcomings and best practices of incorporating insurance into AI risk management.

May 10, 2024 1:52 PM CDT