Court rules for investors in Volkswagen diesel suit
Litigation Reports
A court in Germany has ruled that Volkswagen's parent company must pay 47 million euros ($54 million) in damages to investors for not making a timely disclosure of its scandal over cars rigged to cheat on diesel emissions tests.
The dpa news agency reported that the Stuttgart court announced the verdict Wednesday against Porsche SE, which holds 52 percent of the voting rights in Volkswagen.
The company said it would appeal and called the claims "without merit."
News of the scandal broke in September 2015 but the plaintiffs argued that Volkswagen's top management knew about the troubles earlier. Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn exercised his legal right not to testify.
The case comes in addition to investor suits against Porsche SE and Volkswagen before a court in Braunschweig, Germany. Porsche said it was "convinced that the rulings will not be sustained in a second-instance ruling."
Porsche said higher courts had ruled that the Stuttgart court should have decided the case by its full chamber, not by a single judge. It cited what it said were existing rulings by other courts that proceedings should be stayed while a so-called model case is pending before the Braunschweig court to prevent conflicting decisions on the same issues. Porsche said that the actions "are without merit and the claims raised do not exist."
German securities law requires companies to disclose information that could significantly affect the stock price so that investors can decide whether or not to sell their holdings.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation on Sept. 18, 2015, saying Volkswagen had installed software that turned emissions controls on during testing and off during every day driving. Volkswagen has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the United States and incurred more than 28 billion euros ($32 billion) in fines and penalties. Winterkorn and several other Volkswagen executives serving at the time face criminal charges in the U.S. but cannot be extradited; two Volkswagen executives were sent to prison.
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USCIS to Continue Implementing New Policy Memorandum on Notices to Appear
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is continuing to implement the June 28, 2018, Policy Memorandum (PM), Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens (PDF, 140 KB).
USCIS may issue NTAs as described below based on denials of I-914/I-914A, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status; I-918/I-918A, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status; I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant (Violence Against Women Act self-petitions and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status petitions); I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petitions when the beneficiary is present in the US; I-929, Petition for Qualifying Family Member of a U-1 Nonimmigrant; and I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (with the underlying form types listed above).
If applicants, beneficiaries, or self-petitioners who are denied are no longer in a period of authorized stay and do not depart the United States, USCIS may issue an NTA. USCIS will continue to send denial letters for these applications and petitions to ensure adequate notice regarding period of authorized stay, checking travel compliance, or validating departure from the United States.