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Court Watch
Circuit Court Reinstates Dealer's Defamation Claims Against Manufacturer
In Sleepy's LLC v. Select Comfort Wholesale Corporation, Bus. Franchise Guide '15,466 (2nd Cir. Feb. 27, 2015), the Second Circuit reinstated a dealer's slander claims against a manufacturer. After the dealer had received reports that the manufacturer's sales staff was making defamatory comments about the dealer and its products, it hired secret shoppers to investigate. The manufacturer's sales staff allegedly then made defamatory comments to the secret shoppers during their investigations. Sleepy's serves as a reminder that manufacturers must properly train their sales staff about the risk of defamation liability, including instruction on the difference between what is permissible puffing/sales talk and what is not.
In June 2005, Sleepy's and Select Comfort executed a written dealer agreement under which Sleepy's was to sell the Personal Preference line of Sleep Number beds manufactured by Select Comfort. Select Comfort would continue to sell its own Core line beds from its company-owned stores. The Personal Preference and Core lines differed in several significant respects, such as their foundations and the types of controls they used to adjust bed firmness.
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.
Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York
In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?