Mass Tort Litigation Blog

Junk Food: The Next Mass Tort?

The allegation that sugar is "toxic" and the recent article in the NYTimes "The Extraodinary Science of Junk Food" indicates that fast food litigation may indeed be the next tobacco.  I am interested, do we have readers who are litigating or defending cases?  I found a 2008 article in Findlaw on the subject for those interested: Obesity, the Next Tobacco?

UPDATED:  There is an article on one of the centers of food litigation: The Northern District of California in the Recorder (h/t Tort Prof Blog).

ADL

SCOTUS Ruling in Amgen

The Supreme Court just issued its ruling in Amgen v. Connecticut Retirement Plans & Trust Funds.  You can find the slip opinion here.

The Court held that a finding of materiality is not necessary at the class certification stage for a Securities Class Action.  Ultimately, of course, plaintiff will have to prove that the representation was material, but the Court said that proof can wait until after class certification.  This holding is consistent with the Court's holding in Erica P. John Fund v. Halliburton last year.  In that case, the Court unanimously held that plaintiff need not prove loss causation.  You can find the opinion in that case here.

The Court held in Amgen that since materiality is an issue that is common to the whole class (to think of it in Wal-Mart v. Dukes's language, if plaintiff cannot carry her burden a finding that the representation was not material will decide all the claims "in one stroke"). 

The majority was written by Justice Ginsburg.  Justice Thomas, Scalia and Kennedy dissented and Justice Alito filed a concurring opinion.

ADL