Welcome to Class Dismissed

Morrison Foerster’s Class Dismissed blog provides insights and reports on the latest news, developments, and trends that affect consumer-facing companies. Subscribe to receive the latest updates by attorneys from our nationally recognized Consumer Class Action and Product Liability practices.

January 16, 2018 - FDA, Drug & Medical Device, Product Liability
3D Printing Meets Medical Devices: FDA Weighs In On Additive Manufacturing
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance on Technical Considerations for Additive Manufactured Medical Devices. The guidance represents FDA’s efforts to provide regulatory direction about additive manufacturing (AM)—the broad field of 3D printing—of medical devices. Specifically, AM makes objects by
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January 10, 2018 - Internet of Things, Product Liability, Consumer Products, Government Actions, CPSC
Connected Devices Bring New Product Liability Challenges
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
“My Google Home Mini was inadvertently spying on me 24/7 due to a hardware flaw,” wrote a tech blogger who purchased Google Inc.’s latest internet of things (IoT) device. Following the incident, a pact of consumer advocacy groups insisted the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
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January 09, 2018 - Class Certification, Class Action
California Class Actions: 2018 Update
In our California Class Actions 2018 Update, we have outlined several key cases and trends that define the current class actions landscape. From “litigation tourism” to new definitions for unfair and fraudulent, we provide a rundown on the most-watched and influential recent cases. Please
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January 03, 2018 - FDA, Consumer Products, Retail
Makeup Shake Up: Potential New Federal Cosmetics Regulations
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
“Make fine lines and wrinkles disappear!” “Reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles!” At first read, these claims sound one in the same. But for decades, a slight difference in phrasing of cosmetics claims—created as a function of current cosmetics regulations—has been responsible
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December 26, 2017 - Product Liability, Aviation & Drones
Old Republic – Personal Jurisdiction Trending Defendant Friendly
In a recent decision regarding the scope of personal jurisdiction, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals extended the recent trend of limiting the reach of personal jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants. Old Republic Insurance Co. v. Continental Motors , Case No. 16-1408, (10th Cir. Dec.
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December 26, 2017 - Appellate & Supreme Court, Product Liability, Consumer Products, Class Action, Retail
California Appellate Court Upholds Denial of Class Certification on Ascertainability Grounds
On December 4, 2017, a panel of the California Court of Appeal unanimously affirmed a trial court’s denial of class certification for alleged violations of California’s unfair competition, consumer protection, and false advertising laws. In so doing, the court upheld the lower court’s conclusions
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December 18, 2017 - Internet of Things, Product Liability, Consumer Products
Is Your Company Ready For Artificial Intelligence?
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
“The rise of powerful AI will be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity. We do not know which.” –Stephen Hawking Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous technology will shape the future, affect how people live and do business, and
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December 11, 2017 - Product Liability, Consumer Products, CPSC
CPSC Issues Final Rule Expanding Phthalate Ban
By: Erin M. Bosman and Julie Y. Park
Nearly ten years after the first three phthalates were banned from children’s toys by Congress, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a final rule on October 27 prohibiting five more. The rule bans the manufacture for sale, offer for sale, distribution in commerce,
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December 04, 2017 - False Advertising, Consumer Products, Retail
Ninth Circuit Finds Lower Court Erred in Flushing “Flushable” Wipes False Advertising Claims
On October 20, 2017, a unanimous Ninth Circuit panel in Davidson v. Kimberly-Clark Corp. , 873 F.3d 1103 (9th Cir. 2017), resolved a circuit-wide split on injunctive standing requirements in the misbranding context. The panel addressed whether a plaintiff allegedly deceived by false advertising
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November 29, 2017 - Environmental Law, Product Liability, Consumer Products, Retail
Expiring Soon: Temporary BPA Warning Regs Under Prop. 65
With the holidays and end of the year quickly approaching, here is what food and beverage manufacturers and sellers need to know before the temporary Proposition 65 safe harbor warning for Bisphenol A (BPA) exposures expires on December 30, 2017. Read our Law360 article.
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