Houston Business & Commercial Law Blog

A stockholder suit against Blue Bell Creameries is getting a second chance at trial, thanks to the Delaware Supreme Court. Originally filed in 2017, the complaint by shareholders alleged mismanagement by executives after the 2015 listeria outbreak linked to Blue Bell ice cream led to a financial crisis at the company.

A jury in the Southern District of Florida awarded security firm ADT $4 million in damages in the culmination of its deceptive trade practices lawsuit against Alder Holdings, Inc. ADT's dispute with Alder dates back to around 2012 when ADT first accused Alder of encouraging sales staff to falsely present themselves as ADT employees.

ADT accuses Alder of "bait and switch" sales tactics

British chemical company Venator Materials PLC (Venator) moved to dismiss a series of federal securities class action claims pursuant to the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA). Investors allege Venator misled investors about the impact of a fire at one of its plants in Finland. In response, Venator argues that its statements were made according to its right to free speech on matters of public concern.

By doing so, Venator explores previously unexplored territory under the TCPA.

Recently, Chinese tech company Huawei moved for summary judgment in its lawsuit against the United States. By doing so, Huawei argues there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on its claim concerning the constitutionality of section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.

Huawei - which operates its American headquarters in Plano, Texas - alleges that a military spending provision preventing government agencies from using the company's telecom equipment is unconstitutional. By moving for summary judgment, Huawei seeks to accelerate the lawsuit it filed against the U.S. government earlier this year.