Judge Seeks Briefing Schedule on Walmart’s Interlocutory Appeal Motion in FTC Suit

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah for Northern Illinois in Chicago wants the parties in the FTC’s lawsuit against Walmart to include in their status report due Monday a proposed briefing schedule on Walmart’s motion to certify an interlocutory appeal in the 7th Circuit, said a clerk’s docket entry Thursday (docket 1:22-cv-03372). The judge’s March 27 order denied in part Walmart’s motion to dismiss the FTC’s enforcement action, and Walmart seeks to certify the order for interlocutory appeal because it "raises fundamental questions about the FTC's legal authority and the proper interpretation of key provisions of the FTC Act" (see 2304130002). The case involves telemarketing fraudsters who conned consumers into sending money using Walmart’s services. The FTC alleges Walmart knew it was processing fraudulent money transfers but failed to do enough to protect consumers.