| Volume 58 Number 6 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
You can sue in small claims court for as much as $10,000. But you cannot just "take less" to get into court. If you are owed $11,000, you can't sue in small claims court for only $10,000. Click here for more.
Law Firm to Taco Bell: "That's Not Beef"
Taco Bell advertises its products by using the phrases "seasoned beef" and "seasoned ground beef." According to an Alabama law firm, the claims are false because the Taco Bell meat mixture does not meet the minimum requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be labeled as "beef." An attorney for the firm had the meat mixture tested and found it contained less than 35% beef. The lawsuit is not seeking monetary damages. Instead, the firm wants Taco Bell to stop "misleading" the public. Click here for more.
The iPhone as a Credit Card
Apple wants to make it even easier for consumers to spend their money at retail outlets. This week, Apple announced NFC (near-field communication) technology will be built in to the next-generation of iPhones and iPads. NFC technology allows consumers to exchange money wirelessly from up to 4 inches away. Would you be interested in a phone that doubles as a credit card? Click here for more.
Implications of the NBC-Comcast Merger
Later this week, Comcast will officially control NBC Universal. When approved, large scale mergers generally mean less government intrusion. This deal, however, will give the government more power to micromanage media deals. For example, the deal allows the government to force the company to sell its content to outside distributors. The merger brings together one of the largest content creators with one of the largest content distributors. The government has imposed a significant list of conditions on the merger, primarily aimed at protecting the burgeoning online video industry. What did the government do to protect consumers? Click here for more.
Your Money
Which is better: cash or payments? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Debt Collector did not establish "bona fide error" defense. The Eleventh Circuit held that a debt collector could not avail itself of the 'bona fide error' defense when sued for violating federal consumer protection law. The court concluded, "In sum, ICS cited no internal controls it employs to reduce the incidence of improper debt collection. Rather, ICS's procedure is to outsource its oversight task to its creditor AAA, which must report only debts that are 'validly due and owing.'" Click here for more.