According to a news source, a Michigan judge has lifted a gag order imposed on an attorney who posted information on his Facebook page critical of a proposed settlement of claims that a McDonald’s Corp. franchisee sold as halal certain chicken products without complying with Islamic standards; the court has also granted his request to reopen the class period thus extending the time for class members to object, intervene or opt out. Ahmed v. McDonald’s Corp., No. 11-014559 (Mich. Cir. Ct., Wayne Cty., order entered March 12, 2013). Additional information about the case and attorney Majed Moughni’s claims of unlawful prior restraint appears in issues 468, 471 and 473 of this Update. In her supplemental notice, Judge Kathleen Macdonald notes, “[a]s you probably know, there was a great deal of attention given to this proposed settlement from the news media (newspapers, television, radio and internet sources) and in social media. For…
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The Dearborn, Michigan-based attorney who was ordered to remove statements from his Facebook® page opposing a proposed class-action settlement in a case raising allegations that a McDonald’s Corp. franchisee purported to sell halal chicken when some of the products were not prepared according to Islamic law has filed a motion to vacate the order and to extend the period for filing objections or opting-out. Ahmed v. McDonald’s Corp., No. 11-014559 (Mich. Cir. Ct., Wayne Cty., motion filed February 22, 2013). Represented by advocacy group Public Citizen, Majed Moughni claims that the court’s order “was a prior restraint forbidden by the First Amendment.” Additional information about the proposed settlement and Moughni’s criticism of it appear in issues 468 and 471 of this Update. According to the brief accompanying the motion, Moughni, his wife and children have eaten at McDonald’s and are thus members of the class. The brief further contends, “Giving Moughni only…
A Michigan court has reportedly entered an order specifying what will appear on the Facebook® page of the attorney who filed a complaint seeking to set aside a settlement resolving claims that a McDonald’s Corp. franchisee purported to sell halal chicken when some of the products were not prepared according to Islamic law. Additional details about the settlement appear in Issue 468 of this Update. The court ordered Dearborn-based attorney Majed Moughi to remove any criticism of the proposed settlement from the site, which is apparently popular as a source of news in the Muslim community—drawing 20,000 views each month, prominently post the settlement agreement itself, provide the names of anyone who “liked” or supported the original post, and refrain from discussing the settlement with anyone who might be affected or the media. According to a news source, the Facebook® page has effectively become static because any new posts or…
McDonald’s Corp. and a franchisee that owns a Dearborn, Michigan, restaurant which purported to sell halal chicken products have agreed to settle complaints that some of the products sold to consumers were not prepared according to Islamic law. Ahmed v. Finley’s Mgmt. Co., No. 11-014559-CZ (Wayne Cty. Cir. Ct., Mich., hearing held January 18, 2013). While denying any liability, the defendants will post notices about the settlement in two area restaurants, at area mosques and in several other locations. The settlement amount is $700,000, including attorney’s fees and an incentive award for the plaintiff. The net proceeds will be distributed to a health clinic and to the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. According to plaintiff’s counsel, “McDonald’s from the very beginning stepped up and took this case very seriously. They made it clear they wanted to resolve this. They got ahead of the problem.” See The Washington Post, January…
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