Government

Chester, PA Cell Block Strip Search Settlement

The City of Chester, Pennsylvania is paying individuals who were illegally strip searched when they were admitted to the city’s cell block. The complaint alleges that these illegal searches were done on individuals who were charged only with summary offenses (like disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, traffic infractions, or civil commitments) or misdemeanors that did not  Read more

Palo Alto Utility Users Tax Settlement

The City of Palo Alto is settling a class action about a Utility Users Tax (UUT) it collected from telephone users in the city. The complaint alleged that the tax was unlawful on certain tax-exempt telephone services.  Read more

Mooresville, North Carolina Development Fees

The Town of Mooresville, North Carolina is laying down $8 million to settle two class actions alleging it charged unlawful water and sewer availability fees or system development fees. The town charged the fees for providing new or larger connections to its water or wastewater systems.  Read more

McKinsey Helped Purdue Increase OxyContin Sales Alabama Class Action

This complaint is brought by a county and city in Alabama against McKinsey & Company, Inc. and two related McKinsey companies on the subject of opioids, citing “significantly increased costs, as well as a dramatic increase of social problems, including … drug abuse and the commission of criminal acts to obtain opioids.” The complaint says  Read more

Horry County, South Carolina Hospitality Tax Settlement

The City of Myrtle Beach brought a class action against Horry County, both in South Carolina, alleging that the county did not have the right to impose hospitality fees on its municipalities without their consent. This settlement resolves that class action. The hospitality fees include the county’s 1.5% uniform service charge on accommodations, prepared food  Read more

Carolina Beach Water Facility Fee Settlement

The Town of Carolina Beach has agreed to settle a class action alleging that certain facility fees it collected violated North Carolina law. The plaintiffs argued that the town should not have collected mandatory “facility fees” from parties who wanted a new or upsized connection to the water or wastewater systems.  Read more

Indian Day School Attendees Canadian Settlement

This Canada-wide settlement resolves a class action brought against the Government of Canada about harms suffered by students at federal Indian day schools. Students reported suffering verbal, physical, psychological, and sexual abuse by teachers, officials, other students, and third parties. The abuse ranges from mocking and humiliation to severe physical or sexual abuse.  Read more

Town of Apex Impact and Transportation Fee Settlement

The Town of Apex, North Carolina is settling two class actions alleging that it improperly charged fees to go for future projects and development. The complaints alleged that the town charged builders of new structures impact fees (water and sewer capacity fees, capital reimbursement fees, and system development fees) and transportation fees.  Read more

Belmont, North Carolina Impact Fees Water Settlement

Belmont, North Carolina is settling a class action against the city alleging it unlawfully charged water and sewer “impact fees” or “system development fees.” The complaint alleged it charged these fees in addition to regular fees as a condition of building a structure in the city, in order to put aside money for future development  Read more

Hannibal, Missouri Water Quality Settlement

The City of Hannibal and the Hannibal Board of Public Works have agreed to a settlement in a class action brought against them and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The two defendants have committed to a minimum of $5 million to improve water quality in the city, with a focus on reducing or replacing  Read more