May a job applicant sue a prospective employer based on a policy that had an adverse and disproportionate effect on him because of his age? The Eleventh Circuit, in an en banc opinion published October 5, 2016, Villarreal v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Pinstripe, Inc., 2016 WL 5800001, ruled that only employees may bring a disparate impact claim…
Appeal Dismissed Under Spokeo
Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, 136 S. Ct. 1540 (2016), established that an alleged violation of a statutory right, standing alone, does not necessarily confer Article III standing to bring a claim in federal court. Reaction to the decision continues to evolve. In the latest case from the Eleventh Circuit, the court dismissed an appeal for…
“Surrender” Means “Surrender” – A Debtor Who Surrenders Collateral in Bankruptcy Gives Up the Right to Oppose Foreclosure
David and Donna Failla filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in 2011. Shortly thereafter, the Faillas filed the “statement of intention” required by section 521(a)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code with respect to their house, which was subject to a mortgage held by Citibank. In the statement, the Faillas agreed to “surrender” the house instead of…
Trademark Battle SCARs Between Assault Rifle Makers
A trademark dispute between assault rifle makers turned on whether promotional activities associated with an unregistered mark having no public sales are sufficient to establish prior analogous use, and whether that mark could acquire distinctiveness through secondary meaning based at least in part on these promotional activities. FN Herstal SA v. Clyde Armory Inc., 2016…
“Not an Insured” Defense Prevails Despite Absence of Prior Reservation of Rights
In an unpublished per curiam decision, Travelers Cas. & Surety Co. v. Stewart, the Eleventh Circuit rejected an argument that an insurance company was barred by the Georgia Supreme Court’s decision in Hoover v. Maxum Indem. Co., 730 S.E.2d 413 (Ga. 2012) from raising the defense that an individual was not an insured under the relevant…
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Venue for Garnishments Not Limited
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a debt collector who sues a consumer on a debt may file the action only where the consumer signed the contract or where the consumer currently resides. The question presented in Ray v. McCullough Payne & Haan, LLC, 2016 WL 5436776 (11th Cir. Sept. 29 2016) was whether…
Employees May Join FLSA Collective Action With Rule 23 Class Action in Same Proceeding
The Eleventh Circuit has joined the D.C., Second, Third, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits in holding that employees may bring a collective action against their employer under § 216(b) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (“FLSA”) in the same proceeding in which they seek Rule 23(b) certification of state-law claims. Calderone v. Scott, 2016…
Workplace Grooming Policy Against Dreadlocks Held Non-Discriminatory Under Title VII
Does enforcing a workplace policy against dreadlocks amount to intentional racial discrimination against a black or African American job applicant? Despite the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s endorsement of that theory, the Eleventh Circuit rejected its argument yesterday in EEOC v. Catastrophe Management Solutions (CMS), 2016 WL 4916851 (11th Cir. Sept. 15, 2016). The EEOC brought…
Civil RICO Class Action Dismissal Affirmed
A civil RICO class action challenging Spirit Airlines’ “Passenger Usage Fee” landed for a second time in the Eleventh Circuit and this time the airline fared better: the court affirmed the dismissal of the amended complaint in a major opinion on RICO pleading standards authored by Judge Stanley Marcus. Ray v. Spirit Airlines, Inc., 2016…
“Demonstrated Responsibility” under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act: A Contractual Obligation Suffices
In its second major Medicare Secondary Payer (“MSP”) Act decision in a month, the Eleventh Circuit held that an insurer’s contractual obligation, without a judgment or settlement, can provide the “demonstrated responsibility” necessary to allow a claim against the insurer for double damages under the Act. MSP Recovery, LLC v. Allstate Ins. Co., 2016 WL…