- Posted July 18, 2013
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Federal judge rejects $140K in legal fees in meatpacking case
PLAINWELL, Mich. (AP) -- A judge has rejected $140,000 in fees for attorneys who settled a lawsuit for seven Michigan meatpacking workers for a bit more than $1,000.
Federal Judge Paul Maloney calls the request "exorbitant." He says dozens of plaintiffs who still are part of the lawsuit haven't recovered anything yet.
The lawsuit accuses JBS Plainwell in Allegan County of failing to pay workers when putting on or taking off protective wear. Seven people took settlements ranging from $110 to $215.
Matt Turner of the Sommers Schwartz firm and other lawyers asked the judge to order the meatpacker to pay $140,000 in fees. But fees won't be addressed until the case ends.
Turner defended the request, saying the seven plaintiffs benefited from legal work done so far for the entire class of workers.
Published: Thu, Jul 18, 2013
headlines Oakland County
- Do it all: Attorney turns volunteer work into an art form
- Nessel sues pharmacy benefit managers for role in opioid crisis
- Man charged with embezzling over $350,000 from Gross Pointe Woods wine shop
- Judge rules MDOC gender dysphoria discrimination suit can continue as plaintiff receives requested accommodation
- Detroit murder conviction is overturned 22 years later because of police misconduct
headlines National
- Unbeknownst to corporate lawyer, scammers used her name to file thousands of trademark applications
- Judge accuses high-profile law firms of possible effort to ‘gum up the works’
- Lawyer accused of ‘egregious acts of dishonesty,’ gambling with client cash gets disbarred
- Ex-BigLaw partner hit with prison time, $4.2M restitution order in tax case
- Artificial intelligence in the legal field ‘will lead to an exciting evolution in the ecosystem,’ Airia CEO says
- Florida lawyer says she used trust account funds to avoid becoming homeless