Two New Orleans women are suing a major American telecommunications business alleging violation of their privacy and consumer rights in a 2015 matter relating to ongoing divorce and child custody proceedings.
Marie Williams and Maria Brigandi sued AT&T Corp. doing business in Dallas, Texas, in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana on Aug. 18, alleging infringement of Federal Communications Commission law in March 2015.
According to the lawsuit, Williams filed for divorce from Peter R. Brigandi on Dec. 2, 2014. The suit states that
on March 19, the plaintiffs received a letter via a P.O. box from The AT&T National Court Order Compliance Office which stated that they had received a subpoena request from attorney Peter Brigandi in Gretna for all of Marie Williams and Maria Brigandi’s phone activity, including a copy of their billing statement, call logs, data, text, voice and SMS messages and calls received and/or sent on Aug. 1, 2013; and that they had complied, mailing all material to Brigandi on March 16.
According to the suit, the defendants allegedly released records to Peter Brigandi without Marie’s consent. The plaintiff avers that AT&T never contacted her for permission; that she spoke to more than 15 representatives without adequate resolution, and mailed a complaint to AT&T in July with no response.
Williams contends that the defendant subsequently lied about its actions to the FCC. Additionally, she claims that her ex-husband had her followed by a “violent” detective and “continues to follow and stalk” and harass her. Williams avers violation of an existing restraining order against her former spouse, originally executed because he allegedly tried to strangle her to death. Additionally, the suit states, Brigandi fashioned inauthentic subpoenas to coerce AT&T and other parties.
The plaintiff charges AT&T with violating their own privacy policy and federal communications law. Requesting statutory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees, expenses, and court costs, the plaintiffs are self-represented by Williams.
U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana Case 2:15-cv-03543-LMA-DEK