<B>BREAKING NEWS:</B> Supreme Court's Wyeth Ruling Deals a Blow to Pre-emption Defense
The Supreme Court's decisive ruling on March 4 against Wyeth in a landmark pharmaceutical product liability case may also close off a major front in a hard-fought battle by businesses and the Bush administration to insulate national corporations from state tort litigation.
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<B>BREAKING NEWS:</B> Supreme Court's Wyeth Ruling Deals a Blow to Pre-emption Defense
The Supreme Court's decisive ruling on March 4 against Wyeth in a landmark pharmaceutical product liability case may also close off a major front in a hard-fought battle by businesses and the Bush administration to insulate national corporations from state tort litigation.
Features
The Follow-the-Fortunes Doctrine
This article explores the boundaries of the follow-the-fortunes doctrine. Does it have any limits? Does a cedent have carte blanche to impose its claims decisions and allocations of claims settlements upon a reinsurer without question? Do the answers to the questions depend upon whether the dispute is before a court or an arbitration panel?
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State of California v. Continental Insurance Company
In a blow for insurers and contrary to the weight of authority in multiple other juridictions, the California Court of Appeals for the Fourth District recently reversed the trial court on its so-called "no stacking rule" and affirmed the trial court in its "all sums" liability allocation.
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Bit Parts
False Endorsement/No Preemption<br>Song Copyright/Implied License<br>Video-Game Statutes/Unconstitutionality
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<b>Counsel Concerns:</b> Severability Used In Malpractice Suit Over California Talent Agency Act
In January 2008, the California Supreme Court decided that the doctrine of severability of contracts could be applied to the state's Talent Agencies Act (TAA). Under the supreme court's ruling, a personal manager's activities as an unlicensed talent agent may be severed from the manager's legal activities, the latter still being commissionable from the artist by the manager.
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Applying Res Judicata Principles to Zoning Applications
In two recent cases, the Second Department has dealt with a recurring problem in zoning law: What constraint does precedent place on the decision-making authority of a zoning board of appeals? More particularly, what obligations does a zoning board of appeals (ZBA) have when a landowner applies for a variance or special permit that is substantially similar to a variance or permit the ZBA has previously denied?
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Matrimonial Valuation Dates
Ask any experienced matrimonial lawyer in New York State what valuation date should be used in valuing marital property, and the answer will inevitably be the same: "active" assets and "passive" assets. A look at <i>Mahoney-Buntzman</i> and its impact on valuation.
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