Case Filings Alert™ reports daily on new cases filed in courts around the country, alerting you to significant new cases at the beginning of the litigation process, long before the case is settled or a decision handed down. A wide range of topics are covered, including product liability, intellectual property, antitrust, among others. A number of these cases, particularly the product liability litigation, will develop into mass torts as new cases raising similar issues are filed. Mass torts are covered in our report MDLCases.com, which deals with major multidistrict litigation (MDL) cases. Editor: Robert S. Want (rwant@LegalEditor.com).
October 20, 2026 – Administrative Procedures Act
States Sue Administration Over Mortgage Interest Escrow Rule
Ten states have sued the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), challenging federal rules that override state laws requiring national banks to pay interest on mortgage escrow accounts.
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Oregon, names the OCC and Comptroller Jonathan Gould as defendants. Oregon, New York, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Vermont brought the action alleging a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. The states challenge a decision by the OCC that invalidates an Oregon law requiring mortgage lenders to pay interest on the funds borrowers put into escrow for taxes and insurance. The result of this decision, the states argue, is to “take money from homeowners and put it into the pockets of the banks that lend the mortgage.”
The OCC issued two new rules in May, according to the complaint. The first rule says federal law preempts state laws requiring banks to pay interest on money held in escrow accounts, while the second rule gives banks discretion to decide whether to pay interest or charge fees on those accounts. These new rules, the complaint says, ignore federal court rulings that uphold state interest-on-escrow laws and bypass the safeguards enacted by Congress to “prevent this kind of bureaucratic overreach.”
October 19, 2026 – Intellectual Property
Amazon Sued By Universal Electronics for Allegedly Infringing Smart-Device Patents
Universal Electronics Inc. has sued Amazon and two subsidiaries, alleging that numerous Echo, Fire TV, Alexa and Prime Video products infringe five patents covering home-entertainment and automation technology.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, names Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Web Services Inc. and Amazon.com Services LLC as defendants. Plaintiff Universal Electronics says it holds more than 500 U.S. patents involving television, home-entertainment and home-control technology. The five patents at issue concern user monitoring, universal-remote setup, appliance control, smart-home coordination, and media-stream transfers.
The accused products include Echo speakers and displays, Fire TV streaming devices and remotes, the Alexa app, and the Prime Video mobile app. Universal Electronics alleges that Amazon directly infringed the patents and induced customers to infringe them through ordinary product use. The complaint notes that Prime Video allows customers to “watch hundreds of TV shows and movies” on supported devices and cast programming to other screens.
October 16, 2026 – Securities
Investors Sue Selena Gomez. Alleging Fraud Over Mental-Health Start-Up
Two investment groups have sued celebrity Selena Gomez and her Wondermind co-founders, alleging they used false representations to secure nearly $1.2 million for a mental health company that failed to deliver promised products and partnerships.
Filed in federal court in Delaware, the investors claim that Gomez was presented as Wondermind’s active head of marketing. However, according to the complaint, Gomez failed to perform under her contract, the partnerships did not exist, and the planned Wondermind app was never built. The plaintiffs also accuse company leaders of concealing operational problems, missed payroll, and deteriorating finances for more than three years.
In their lawsuit, investors say they were told that Gomez, one of the biggest celebrities on social media with more than 500 million followers, would be actively involved in building the company as head of marketing. They argue that Gomez and other company leaders failed to deliver on their promises, including creating a mobile app. “Gomez purported to sign a contract obligating her to perform and then ignored it,” plaintiffs contend. “There was no legitimate enterprise in the works, much less a lucrative one,
October 15, 2026 – Cybersecurity
Amgen Faces Lawsuit Over July Data Breach
Biotech company Amgen Inc. has been hit with a proposed nationwide class action alleging inadequate cybersecurity allowed hackers to steal sensitive personal and health information from tens of thousands of patients and customers.
In a complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court, plaintiff alleges that unauthorized actors entered Amgen’s computer systems in July 2026 and obtained names, addresses, financial information, medical diagnoses, prescription records, and other data. Amgen reported the breach to the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 31.
According to the complaint, Amgen failed to use reasonable safeguards despite describing itself as “committed to the lawful stewardship” of personal information. The complaint says stolen data was published on the dark web and that plaintiff experienced attempted fraudulent account openings, increased spam calls, and emotional distress. Plaintiff seeks damages, restitution and credit-protection services, along with an order requiring stronger security measures, employee training, independent audits and limits on data retention.
October 14, 2026 – Product Liability
SaunaBox User Sues After Steam Unit Allegedly Explodes
Plaintiff has filed a lawsuit against SaunaBox LLC, claiming that a portable home sauna’s water tank exploded without warning and subjected her to severe burns.
The company markets the product as a portable personal steam sauna that provides “the full rejuvenating experience of a traditional sauna” in a compact, easy-to-use package, according to the complaint filed in New Jersey federal court. Plaintiff says the unit had not been misused or modified before the water tank exploded and sprayed hot water onto her body.
The complaint asserts that the sauna was defectively designed, inadequately tested, and sold without sufficient instructions or warnings. Plaintiff contends that feasible alternative designs could have prevented or substantially reduced the risk without impairing the product’s intended function. She alleges severe burns, pain and suffering, and continuing medical needs.
October 13, 2026 – Antitrust
Ski Resorts Vail, Alterra and Others Challenged Over Alleged Price-Fixing
Plaintiff skiers have filed a proposed class action accusing Vail Resorts, Alterra Mountain Co. and other major ski businesses of conspiring to inflate prices for destination ski packages nationwide.
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Colorado, also names Boyne Resorts, Powdr Corp., consulting firm RRC Associates and the National Ski Areas Association. It alleges violations of the Sherman and Clayton antitrust acts dating to at least January 2020. According to the lawsuit, Vail and Alterra led a consolidation strategy that left the resort defendants owning or controlling access to all but two of the nation’s 32 destination ski resorts. The companies allegedly hold at least 81% of the market.
The resorts, the complaint says, exchanged confidential pricing, revenue, cost and capacity information through RRC and the trade association. Plaintiffs argue that this exchange allowed competitors to avoid meaningful competition and charge “artificially high” prices for season passes, lift tickets, rentals and lessons.
October 12, 2026 – Privacy
Walmart Accused of Illegally Collecting Customers’ Voiceprints
Two Illinois consumers have filed a proposed class action accusing Walmart Inc. of illegally collecting, storing, and sharing customers’ voiceprints without obtaining their written consent.
Walmart’s artificial intelligence system records customer-service calls and analyzes callers’ pitch, cadence, tone, and frequency to create unique voice templates, according to the complaint filed in Chicago federal court. Plaintiffs claim that Walmart tells callers only that “[t]his call and your voice may be recorded for business purposes, including fraud prevention.” They contend that the disclosure does not explain other uses of the biometric information or identify third parties receiving it.
The lawsuit argues that Walmart violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by failing to disclose in writing the specific purpose and duration of its voiceprint collection, obtain written releases or secure consent before sharing the information. Walmart’s privacy policy acknowledges collecting voiceprints when consumers contact customer service. Plaintiffs seek statutory damages ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for each alleged violation.
October 9, 2026 – Constitution
Texas A&M Professors Sue Over Restrictions on Race, Gender Instruction
Four Texas A&M University System professors and the American Association of University Professors have sued the system’s Board of Regents, alleging that a classroom-content policy violates their constitutional rights.
The lawsuit challenges Texas A&M System Policy 08.01, which restricts teaching “gender and race ideology” and topics involving sexual orientation and gender identity. The suit contends that the policy favors certain viewpoints while suppressing opposing perspectives. Filed in Houston federal court, the complaint says the policy completely bars prohibited material from core courses and requires university approval before professors may address it in certain upper-division and graduate courses. Violations can result in “disciplinary action up to and including termination,” according to the complaint.
Plaintiffs say enforcement has led to canceled courses and the removal of materials including Plato’s “Symposium” and the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight.” One professor allegedly could discuss criticism of gender equality but not the Fourteenth Amendment’s expansion of LGBTQ+ rights, plaintiffs claim, arguing that the policy is an unconstitutional prior restraint that is both viewpoint-discriminatory and impermissibly vague.
October 8, 2026 – Intellectual Property
Bon Appetit Sues Real Appetit Over Bakery Branding
Bon Appetit Danish Inc. has sued a Texas bakery company and its managers, alleging that they infringed plaintiff’s trademarks and copied its product packaging.
Bon Appetit says in its lawsuit filed in federal court in Austin, Texas, that it has used its name on baked goods for more than 35 years and owns incontestable federal registrations for BON APPETIT and BUON APPETITO. Its products, the suit says, are sold at more than 60,000 retail locations nationwide, including over 7,000 in Texas.
Real Appetit, formed in December 2024, sells bakery products under a mark that is “confusingly similar” to plaintiff’s, Bon Appetit says. The suit claims that defendant also copied packaging features, including its “overall appearance, packaging materials, color scheme, layout, product photography, label placement, and brand positioning.”Bottom of Form
October 7, 2026 – Labor & Employment
New Jersey Sues Amazon, Alleging Poor Pay and Conditions for Drivers
New Jersey’s attorney general has sued Amazon, accusing the company of using its dominance over delivery contractors to suppress wages, weaken competition, and subject thousands of drivers to harsh working conditions.
Filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, the lawsuit alleges that Amazon exercises unlawful buyer power, known as monopsony power, through its Delivery Service Partner program. The contractors, the suit argues, depend almost entirely on Amazon for packages, routes, technology, and revenue, leaving them unable to resist company demands.
The complaint says Amazon controls drivers through the contractors while paying them substantially less than UPS, FedEx and U.S. Postal Service drivers. According to the complaint, workers have described conditions as “atrocities,” including urinating in bottles to meet delivery quotas and enduring constant surveillance. New Jersey also accuses Amazon of discouraging union activity by threatening or terminating delivery contractors and their workers.
October 6, 2026 – Securities
Nvidia Investor Sues Directors Over Alleged AI Copyright Violations
An Nvidia shareholder has filed a derivative lawsuit accusing CEO Jensen Huang and other company leaders of exposing the company to “massive liability” by using copyrighted and biometric material without permission to develop artificial intelligence products.
Plaintiff filed the complaint in Chicago federal court on Nvidia shareholders’ behalf, alleging directors and officers adopted an “ask forgiveness not approval” strategy involving pirated books, YouTube videos, and commercial voiceprints. The lawsuit claims that Nvidia trained language models using datasets containing nearly 197,000 pirated books and developed video models from millions of YouTube videos obtained by circumventing technological protections.
The suit also asserts that Nvidia violated Illinois biometric privacy law by extracting speakers’ voiceprints without notice or consent. Plaintiff says the company leaders knew of the alleged violations but issued misleading statements about Nvidia’s commitment to “trustworthy AI models” that comply with privacy and intellectual property laws. Nvidia now faces three class actions involving books, videos and voice recordings, the complaint says.
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