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Newly released deposition testimony by singer Robin Thicke in the ongoing lawsuit over his hit song “Blurred Lines” seems to show the singer distancing himself from the writing and recording of the controversial song. In the deposition, Thicke credits producer Pharrell Williams with having written the majority of the song before Thicke even showed up, contrary to previous public statements by Thicke about the song’s origin, reports the Los Angeles Times....

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Wenner Media, the publisher of Rolling Stone, US Weekly and Men’s Journal. According to the complaint, Wenner Media and Consumer Benefit Services have been sending text message spam to consumers, offering free vouchers for magazine subscriptions. Karen Schrock filed suit because she found that the marketing was just a bit too aggressive. Schrock specifically alleges that the actions of Wenner Media violate section 227 of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act....

A Salmonella outbreak linked to raw chicken packaged at three Foster Farm facilities has made hundreds sick across the country in recent months. CNN reports that according to the United States Department of Agriculture, as many as 278 people have fallen ill since the strains were first detected in March. Though Salmonella-related illnesses have been reported in 18 states, if you’re on the West Coast, you may want to exercise particular caution....

After a bout of alleged road rage against a 17-year-old driver, a high school teacher, who works with emotionally disturbed students, was arrested in Aloha, Oregon. Bruce Clevenger was charged with hit and run, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and two counts of fourth degree assault and harassment, The Oregonian reports. The special-needs teacher’s story is not an uncommon one. When someone cuts you off or drives at a snail’s pace, your grip tightens around the steering, your knuckles turn white, and all you see is red....

Stop, don’t swallow that bottled beverage just yet! The Sweet Leaf Tea Company is recalling 1.5 million bottles of its flavored teas after four customers complained they found glass in their drinks. No one was hurt and the recall is voluntary. Sweet Leaf spokeswoman Jane Lazgin told NBC News that the company received the first complaint in July “and believed it to be an isolated incident until hearing from three others more recently....

The holidays are not the most wonderful time of the year when it comes to toys and kid injuries. The same toys that are pleaded for on Christmas lists may not be the safest. Recent data by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that although toy recalls have dropped of late, the number has been made up by an increase in toy injuries. There were only three toy recalls in 2010, but there were an estimated 186,000 toy-related emergency room trips during 2009....

Volkswagen owners may be happy to hear that the car company that rigged its diesel emission tests has submitted a $15 billion settlement offer for review with a federal court in San Francisco. The settlement, if approved, would set aside about $10 billion dollars for owners and pay about five billion dollars in fines to state and federal agencies. According to Bloomberg News, which first reported the settlement, the car maker is also going to announce a settlement with states in another separate case soon....

True story: within minutes of the start of my first day as a waiter, another waitress received a small tip in all small change from a couple that had been sitting at the table for hours. She chased the couple out to the parking lot, threw the change at them, stormed back inside, threw her apron on the bar and walked out. I was stunned. But that has nothing on what happened at a Chicago Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant this week....

After all the fuss and talk about Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, it looks like George Zimmerman won’t pursue that strategy after all. Zimmerman’s lawyers told the court Tuesday that they’re waiving their client’s right to a pre-trial “Stand Your Ground” hearing that was scheduled for April. Barring any unforeseen changes, Zimmerman’s trial for second-degree murder will begin June 10. Many expected Zimmerman to seek a pre-trial hearing as to whether “Stand Your Ground” applied in his case....

State gun laws are unfortunately on everyone’s minds in the wake of the Connecticut elementary school shootings. Each state has its own gun laws with varying degrees of effectiveness and toughness. Some states like California are known to be notoriously tough on gun owners, while other states like Utah and Alaska have comparatively lax laws, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. In fact, the Brady Campaign issues “scorecards” to rank each state’s gun laws....

Thanks to the protective nature of a hero dog, an abusive babysitter was caught red-handed and convicted of assault and battery. Channeling its inner Lassie, the South Carolina canine alerted the child’s parents that the woman was mistreating their 7-month-old son. Here’s the incredible tale of the furry guardian angel and what’s legally in store for the abusive babysitter: Killian, a black lab and German shepherd mix (an insanely adorable mix), would uncharacteristically growl and snarl at Alexis Khan, the family’s 22-year-old babysitter....

Bobby Brown is suing Showtime Networks, BBC, and the producers of Whitney Houston’s documentary Can I Be Me? for misappropriation of publicity rights, among other causes of action, for using footage of Brown, and their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown (BKB). Bobby Brown’s suit, filed in a federal court in New York, is seeking an injunction as well as $2 million in damages. Misappropriation of publicity rights is a cause of action for using someone else’s name, picture, or likeness, without their consent for an exploitative purpose....

In what should be considered a lesson to everyone who thinks that legal relief can be had quickly, the 2008 case between Sam Lufti and Britney Spears and family just settled last week. In the lawsuit, Lufti claimed Spears’ father actually struck him. Lufti also alleged that Spears’ mother lied about him in her memoir. Details of the settlement were not released by the court, and it is unlikely either party is free to release the actual numbers....

When people are in custody they may say strange things to be released. But the defense presented at the bond hearing in a Georgia case this month really takes the cake. The accused says her drink was spiked at a Chick-fil-A and that this led to a crime spree ending in a murder charge, among others. Kristie Renee Nesby, 43, was reportedly denied bond and will be held in custody awaiting resolution of the charges arising from her dramatic and deadly day....

In a bid to uh, respect the Navy, Disney has decided to drop its application for the SEAL Team 6 trademark, laying to rest its dreams of memorializing the top secret unit via the mass production of tacky Christmas ornaments and snow globes. Even though the purveyor of cartoon mice could have potentially won in a courtroom showdown, after suffering through NCIS: Los Angeles, be thankful that this decision will likely save you from yet another Navy-centered drama....

Imagine getting fired from your job because you defended yourself during a robbery. Oddly, such things happen. Now the Utah Supreme Court has ruled that workers under serious threat can defend themselves and sue for wrongful termination if they are fired for failing to follow company safety policies. The ruling stems from a 2011 incident when a shoplifter pulled a gun on Walmart employees. Six workers were fired for fighting the armed shoplifter, a move justified by their failure to follow designated de-escalation policies, the company said....

When you buy a foreclosed property it’s hard to always know the history of the home. But if the home is an ex-meth lab it can cause serious health problems. That’s what happened to the Hankins family who bought a foreclosed home in Oregon using HomeSteps, a service by national housing organization Freddie Mac. They got a good deal on the home but shortly after moving in the family began suffering health problems....

Oil giant ExxonMobil won a small victory in a Texas federal court this week. A judge allowed its trademark dilution claims to proceed against the FXX network over the “XX” design in their logos. Both ExxonMobil and the FXX network (owned by Fox) feature stylized interlocking Xs in their logos; Exxon is claiming under Texas state law that FXX is watering down the commercial impact of its logo. The Hollywood Reporter notes that FXX already owns the standard trademark to “FXX,” claiming this bars any trademark dilution claims against the network....

Milk has become a murky issue. Who knew a simple four letter word could be so misleading. Since the arrival of Soy Milk back in the 1980s, many different non-dairy milk products have come on the market, most notably rice and almond, and now hemp, and quinoa, and everything in between. Dairy-dominant lawmakers say no, and have drafted the DAIRY PRIDE Act which “would require non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae to no longer be mislabeled with dairy terms such as milk, yogurt or cheese....

Given his heartwrenching songs, Garth Brooks knows that breaking up is hard to do. The country singer is being sued by his former business partner, who claims that she was induced to work on his behalf with the promise of great rewards. The allegations, which sound more like a country song than a lawsuit, describe Brooks as a “paranoid, angry, deceitful and vindictive man who will turn against those closest to him on a dime....