US Edition
Supreme Court Unanimously Rebukes Lower Court's Handling of Whole Foods Baby Food Case
The Supreme Court reversed a lower ruling, allowing Texas parents to sue over alleged heavy-metal poisoning from baby food, impacting jurisdiction standards nationwide.
- In a unanimous opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a lower court, allowing Texas parents Sarah and Grant Palmquist to sue Hain Celestial Group over tainted baby food.
- Sarah and Grant Palmquist sued Hain in Texas state court after their child's heavy-metal poisoning diagnosis, then Hain removed the case to federal court citing diversity jurisdiction and the $75,000 threshold.
- Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the Palmquists exercised their right to choose a state forum by joining a nondiverse defendant and promptly moved to remand, while Justice Clarence Thomas added federal courts likely cannot dismiss nondiverse parties based on merits and urged revisiting the improper-joinder doctrine.
- The ruling raises immediate exposure for national companies, as Whole Foods was based in Texas, giving the Palmquists standing to keep the lawsuit in state court.
- A report found baby foods, including Hain's, contained elevated toxic metals, which underpins the allegations, and the Supreme Court's decision could affect multi-state lawsuits.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Supreme Court Rules 9–0 Parents May Sue in State Court Over Allegedly Tainted Baby Food
The U.S. Supreme ruled unanimously on Feb. 24 that parents who claimed baby food gave their son autism should be able to pursue their lawsuit in state court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the 9–0 opinion in Hain Celestial Group Inc. v. Palmquist. Sotomayor said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled correctly when it removed, or transferred, the case from a federal district court to a Texas state court at the request of the parent…
Supreme Court unanimously rebukes lower court's handling of Whole Foods baby food case
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled 9-0 on Tuesday that a lawsuit against Whole Foods and baby food manufacturer Hain Celestial Group should proceed in Texas state court.
Supreme Court Says Texas Couple Gets State Court Do-Over In Baby Food Trial
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed that Sarah and Grant Palmquist should get a do-over in their case against the maker of allegedly spoiled baby food in Texas state court, resolving a thorny procedural question in the couple's favor.
Supreme Court Unanimously Rules Hain Celestial / Whole Foods Baby Food Heavy Metals Suit Must Return to Texas State Court
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that a Texas federal court’s judgment in a baby food heavy metals suit against Hain Celestial Group and Whole Foods must be vacated and the case remanded to state court, finding the erroneous dismissal of non-diverse defendant Whole Foods tainted federal jurisdiction from the start. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the court that when an appellate court determines a non-diverse party (here Whole …
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