Attorney Files Securities Class Actions Against Blockbuster, Helen of Troy, Universal American Financial Corp., and Great Wolf Resorts

The law of offices of Charles J. Piven, P.A. announced on Friday that it had filed four class actions, all alleging violations of federal securities law through materially false and misleading statements having the effect of artificially inflating the market price of the companies' securities.  The action agains Blockbuster, Viacom, and its controlling shareholder was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  The action agains Helen of Troy, Ltd. was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.  The action against Universal American Financial Corp. was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.  The action against Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.  Great Wolf Resorts also faces similar class actions filed by Scott + Scott LLP and by Millberg Weiss.

Connecticut Suit Calls for State to Increase Funds to Schools

The lawsuit, filed in Hartford Superior Court on behalf of 15 schoolchildren, their families, and the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding, alleges that the state has failed to offer a "suitable and substantially equal" education in its schools, in violation of state constitutional mandates.  The suit calls for the state to increase its aid to localities by as much as $2 billion.  Two Democrats running for governor are named plaintiffs in the case; Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell is a defendant. 

Securities Class Action Brought Against GM

On November 23, 2005, the law firm of Pomerantz, Haudek, Block, Grossman & Gross filed a class action suit against General Motors in U.S. District Court in Eastern Michigan, alleging false and misleading statements regarding the company's growth and balance sheet strength during the period of April 18, 2001 until November 9, 2005.  -L.C.

EFF Files Class Action Against Sony

Despite Sony's recall of its copy-protected CDs, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit group, filed a class action lawsuit against Sony in federal district court in Los Angeles, along with two nationally recognized class action law firms, Green Welling and Lerach Coughlin.  The suit alleges that Sony's music CDs contained "rootkits" that degrade the performance of computers and make them vulnerable to viruses. Sony is facing at least six similar suits nationwide and an action by the Texas Attorney General.

Securities Class Action Brought Against Blockbuster Video, Viacom

Baron & Budd, P.C. has filed suit alleging that Blockbuster provided misinformation to investors in connection with its exchange offer of Viacom stock for 144 million shares of Blockbuster and in relation to the finances and operations of its video rental stores.  The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and assigned to Judge David Godbey. 

Blind Sue Social Security Administration for Failing to Provide Visually Accessible Notice of Benefits Termination

A proposed class action, filed yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that the Social Security Administration communicates with its visually impaired recipients in print that they cannot read.  Consequently, the plaintiffs allege, the agency terminated benefits to some recipients, although they never received notice that there was a problem.  The suit demands that the agency offer correspondence in alternative formats for the visually impaired.  Plaintiffs' counsel includes Arlene Mayerson of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, and attorneys from the National Senior Citizens Law Center, the Oregon Advocacy Center, and Heller Ehrman, LLP.

Class Action Filed Against Interlink Electronics for Securities Violations

The law firm of Brodsky & Smith, LLC  has filed a class action complaint in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California alleging Interlink, a manufacturer of media interface products, engaged in improper accounting and issued false and misleading statements to shareholders, causing shares to drop by 40%.  The proposed class consists of all purchasers of common stock between April 24, 2003 and November 1, 2005.

Class Action Filed Against UCI Medical Center Over Liver Transplant Program

Attorney Lawrence Eisenberg filed a class action suit in California Superior Court (Orange County) against the University of California Irvine Medical Center alleging fraud, misrepresentation, and conspiracy in the handling of liver transplants.  The suit claims UCI improperly rejected donated livers and failed to inform patients that most would never receive a transplant. 

Securities Class Action Filed Against Spectrum

Atlanta law firm Chitwood Harley Hanes has filed a securities class action lawsuit against Spectrum Brands, Inc. and certain of its officers and directors, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  The lawsuit alleges violations of sections 20(a) and 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 concerning purchases of common stock from January 4, 2005 until November 11, 2005.

Class Action Filed Against Barrier Therapeutics

Milberg Weiss has filed a class action lawsuit against Barrier Therapeutics, Inc. and certain of its directors and officers in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.  The lawsuits alleges that the defendants made false and misleading statements about their dermatological products.  The case seeks to certify a class of those who purchased common stock between April 29, 2004 and June 29, 2005.