Uber defeats bid to dismiss racketeering lawsuit against California lawyers, doctors

In a partial loss for Uber, Garnett ordered the company to pay attorney fees to three of the defendants, including the Emrani firm and a California surgeon, even though they still have RICO claims pending against them. The judge found that Uber dropped some of its initial claims to avoid defending them against the plaintiffs' arguments that it was violating a California law against using litigation to stifle debate.

The case is at least one of 20 such actions Uber and other major companies have filed invoking civil RICO provisions against plaintiffs' lawyers in U.S. federal courts over the last two years. Damages are tripled under RICO if the plaintiff wins. Uber has similar lawsuits pending against other law firms in Miami, New York and Philadelphia.

Uber so far has a mixed track record in the litigation. A federal judge hearing the Philadelphia case ruled in May that a personal injury lawyer and his firm must face claims by Uber and FedEx Corp alleging they directed clients to medical providers in a scheme to exaggerate injuries and create false medical records. Philadelphia-based personal injury lawyer Marc Simon and his firm have denied wrongdoing.