Hagens Berman > Farm Raised Salmon

>Farm Raised Salmon

Date Filed: June 19, 2003
Court: Superior Court
Location: California

On June 19, 2003, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro filed a consumer-focused lawsuit against Safeway grocery stores, claiming that the food giant did not accurately label farm-raised salmon. Specifically, the suit alleged that Safeway sold farm-raised salmon fed special diet supplements that caused the fish to take on a red color, masking the typical gray appearance of other farm-raised salmon in efforts to mislead purchasers.

The defendants claimed that the suit was not a matter of state law, but rather covered under Federal statute and motioned that the case be dismissed. The trial court agreed with the defense motion, as did the court of appeals.

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro petitioned the State Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals decision. On December 13, 2006, the California State Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, which should happen in the first half of 2007.