Attorney General’s Family Dollar rat infestation lawsuit to proceed

West Memphis facility’s condition made national headlines in 2021

From the Office of rkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin

arkansasag.gov

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement after a Pulaski County Circuit judge yesterday denied a motion to dismiss Griffin’s lawsuit against Family Dollar for violating the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA): “I applaud the court’s decision to permit this case to proceed. Family Dollar knew about the prevalent rodent infestation in its West Memphis distribution center and failed to warn Arkansas consumers that the goods they were purchasing had been exposed to thousands of rodents. I will continue to vigorously pursue this matter to hold Family Dollar accountable for these unconscionable acts.”

Between 2020 and 2022, Family Dollar’s West Memphis distribution center had a massive rodent problem. Between March 2021 and January 2022, 3,400 rodents were removed after state and federal inspectors intervened.

The Office of the Attorney General sued Family Dollar for multiple violations of the ADTPA as well as negligence, strict liability, and unjust enrichment.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas accepted a guilty plea from Family Dollar in a federal criminal case related to rat infestation. Part of the plea agreement was a fine and forfeiture of more than $41 million.

To read the ruling, visit the Attorney General’s web sitr, arkansasag.gov.

About Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin

Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state’s 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas’s Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.

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“ Family Dollar knew about the prevalent rodent infestation in its West

Memphis distribution center and failed to warn Arkansas consumers.”

— Arkansas Attorney General

Tim Griffin