Judge OKs FTC, Calif. Lawsuit Against Frontier

The FTC and California's claims against Frontier alleging it misrepresented its speeds to DSL customers may continue, wrote U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Judge Gary Klausner in an order partially denying the telco’s motion to dismiss claims brought by the FTC and six states, posted Monday (case 2:21-cv-04155) (see 2108310064). Frontier's “blunt framing of their jurisdictional argument ignores the reality” that personal jurisdiction is “assessed ‘with respect to each claim,’” Klausner wrote. The court dismissed claims by Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin for lack of personal jurisdiction. "Judicial economy, as well as the interest of comity, favors trying these claims in courts that are familiar with the applicable law in the states where the alleged injuries occurred," Klausner wrote. “We have received the court’s decision and are reviewing it,” emailed a spokesperson for Wisconsin's attorney general Monday. Michigan's Department of Attorney General is "reviewing the order and considering our options," emailed a spokesperson. North Carolina's DOJ is reviewing the order, per a spokesperson. AGs in Arizona and Indiana didn’t comment, and nor did the carrier.