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December 13, 2024
Justices To Decide If Industry Can Test Calif. Auto Waiver
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted fossil fuel industry groups' request to review a decision backing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Act waiver that allows California to set its own greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles and run a zero-emission vehicles program, but the justices won't consider the legality of the waiver itself.
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December 13, 2024
Trump Rips DA's 'Dark Dream' To Legally Treat Him As Dead
Donald Trump's attorneys Friday slammed a proposal by the Manhattan district attorney to preserve the president-elect's hush money conviction by treating him like a defendant who dies after a verdict, pushing the judge to dismiss the case altogether.
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December 13, 2024
After 36 Years, Texas Chief Justice Reflects On 'End Of An Era'
Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht is unsure what his life will look like in a month, but he knows that hanging up his robe after 36 years on the Texas Supreme Court isn't goodbye.
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December 13, 2024
11th Circ. Won't Revive Cop's Bias Case Over COVID Policies
The Eleventh Circuit backed a win for Birmingham, Alabama, in a lawsuit claiming it assigned a police officer to the city jail as punishment for requesting an exemption from pandemic face mask policies because of his anxiety, finding he hadn't shown the city was motivated by bias.
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December 13, 2024
Lawmakers Press Tech Giants As TikTok D-Day Looms
A pair of lawmakers on Friday leaned on TikTok to ensure it meets a Jan. 19 deadline to sell its operations or face a U.S. ban, while also pressing tech giants Apple and Google to be prepared to deplatform the video-sharing app if it refuses to sell.
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December 13, 2024
5 Rulings That Brought The EFAA Into Sharper Focus In 2024
Nearly two years after its enactment, courts' interpretations of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act are taking shape, though plenty of questions remain. Here's a look back at five rulings this year that helped clarify how judges see the 2022 law.
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December 12, 2024
Full 9th Circ. To Rehear Late BNSF Worker's Retaliation Claims
The full Ninth Circuit on Thursday agreed to reconsider retaliation allegations against BNSF Railway Co. brought by the estate of a former BNSF conductor claiming the railroad terminated him, in part, because he conducted a safety test.
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December 12, 2024
T-Mobile Says Split On TM Use Must Be Resolved By Justices
T-Mobile is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit panel's revival of a prepaid cellphone company's trademark infringement suit, telling the justices in a new petition this week that trademarks should have to be in continuous use for their holders to be able to protect them.
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December 12, 2024
Coke Zero Sweetener Co. Asks Justices To Hear Patent Feud
The company that developed the artificial sweetener used in Coke Zero wants to keep patents that were filed at the patent office after the drinks went on sale, telling the U.S. Supreme Court that Federal Circuit judges who thought otherwise were prioritizing their "own decisions over Congress's judgment."
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December 12, 2024
Sierra Club-EPA Row Has 6th Circ. Debating Smog Data
A Sixth Circuit judge questioned Thursday whether a Sierra Club challenge over Detroit's air quality was "a debate over the science" as opposed to the law, as the group fights federal regulators' determination that air pollution in the area is under control.
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December 12, 2024
11th Circ. Won't Rehear Guatemala Power Plant Fight
The Eleventh Circuit will not reconsider its decision refusing to vacate an arbitral award issued following an ill-fated Guatemalan power plant construction project, rejecting arguments that the tribunal improperly turned a blind eye to alleged corruption underlying the project.
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December 12, 2024
Wash. Judge Weighs Stay Of Gas Reg Suit Amid New Cases
A Seattle federal judge hinted on Thursday she might pause a building industry coalition's lawsuit challenging Washington regulations discouraging the use of natural gas appliances in new construction, pointing to fresh litigation in state court that could force regulators to revise the rules in the wake of an initiative voters passed in November.
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December 12, 2024
DC Circ. Leans Toward BofA In Pandemic Market Loss Bout
The D.C. Circuit is set to decide whether Bank of America had a duty to try harder to stop one of its clients from dumping his investments when the market tanked at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but at arguments Thursday morning, the panel did not seem to think so.
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December 12, 2024
Feds Weigh In On High Court North Dakota Voting Dispute
Two local North Dakota Republican Party officials lack standing to claim racial gerrymandering in a dispute over the state's newly created voting subdistricts, the federal government told the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing there's undisputed evidence to conclude that federal law requires the state to establish the boundaries.
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December 12, 2024
Ryan Park Withdraws Nomination For 4th Circ. Bench
Ryan Young Park, solicitor general of North Carolina, has dropped his bid for a seat on the Fourth Circuit after it was clear he would not be getting a vote on the Senate floor.
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December 12, 2024
6th Circ. Appears Divided On Telecom Breach Reporting Rule
A Sixth Circuit panel seemed split over the Federal Communications Commission's tightened telecommunications data breach rules, with one judge defending the commission as taking necessary steps to safeguard consumers from a "true" danger and another claiming that the rule seemed to run afoul of lawmakers' wishes.
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December 12, 2024
Newman Gets Amicus Support At DC Circ. In Suspension Row
Two amici threw their support behind U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman at the D.C. Circuit on Thursday, with one free-market think tank criticizing what it said was the secrecy surrounding the disciplinary proceedings against Judge Newman over her refusal to participate in an investigation into her fitness to serve as a Federal Circuit judge.
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December 12, 2024
Wash. Justices OK Tax Break For Pharmacy Benefits Manager
A Washington pharmacy benefits manager is exempt from a state business tax on its services for Medicaid patients because its corporate sibling paid premium taxes in connection with the same services, the state's high court affirmed Thursday.
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December 12, 2024
2nd Circ. Won't Rethink Dual Citizen's FBAR Penalties
The Second Circuit will not review its September decision finding that a dual U.S.-French citizen is liable for tax penalties for failing to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts, the court said Thursday.
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December 12, 2024
High Court Launches Lottery Program For Public Seats
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Thursday that it will begin testing an online lottery system for members of the public who want to reserve courtroom seats for oral arguments ahead of time.
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December 12, 2024
Hartford Needn't Defend Contractor In Workplace Injury Suit
A Hartford unit has no duty to defend an electrical contractor against an employee's workplace injury suit, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Thursday, saying the underlying negligence- and intent-based claims don't fall within the scope of a workers' compensation and employers' liability policy.
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December 12, 2024
Fla. Justices Call For 50 More Judgeships
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday certified a need for 48 new trial judges in the state and two appellate judges in the Sixth District Court of Appeal after a statewide judicial workload assessment found judges straining to keep up with increasingly complex litigation.
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December 12, 2024
2nd Circ. Upends Arbitration Order In Bakery Drivers' Suit
The Second Circuit voided its prior ruling that a bakery's delivery drivers must arbitrate claims alleging they were misclassified as independent contractors, saying Thursday the question of whether they are exempt from arbitration is up in the air after the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on the suit.
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December 12, 2024
Energy Co. Gets Redo Of $150M Power Plant Explosion Trial
A California appeals court has ordered a new trial and vacated a $150 million verdict against Diamond Generating Corp. in a suit by the family of a worker killed in a power plant explosion, saying the jury should have been instructed to determine whether DGC retained enough control over the plant's operations to be held liable.
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December 12, 2024
JUDGES Act Passes House But Biden Veto Looms
The House voted 236-173 on Thursday to pass a bill to add more judgeships, which tees it up for a likely veto by the president, as many Democrats have soured on the measure after Donald Trump's victory at the polls.
Expert Analysis
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Planning Law Firm Content Calendars: What, When, Where
During the slower month of August, law firms should begin working on their 2025 content calendars, planning out a content creation and distribution framework that aligns with the firm’s objectives and maintains audience engagement throughout the year, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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3 Presidential Privilege Questions After Trump Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Trump v. U.S., carving out a new evidentiary privilege for presidents, leaves unanswered several key questions concerning whether this new privilege is waivable or subject to various exceptions, says Jeremy Bates at Frankfurt Kurnit.
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Notable Q2 Updates In Insurance Class Actions
Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss the muted nature of the property and casualty insurance class action space in the second quarter of the year, with no large waves made in labor depreciation and total-loss vehicle class actions, but a new offensive theory emerging for insurance companies.
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What To Know About Major Fla. Civil Procedure Rule Changes
The Florida Supreme Court recently amended the state's Rules of Civil Procedure, touching on pretrial procedure, discovery, motion and trial practice, and while the amendments are intended to streamline cases, the breadth of the changes may initially present some litigation growing pains, say Brian Briz, Benjamin Tyler and Yarenis Cruz at Holland & Knight.
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Prior Art Takeaways From Fed. Circ. Public Disclosure Ruling
While the Federal Circuit’s recent ruling in Sanho v. Kaijet clarified that a private sale is not a public disclosure under patent law, there remains significant room for advocacy, as the opinion lacked meaningful guidance on how to satisfy the public disclosure exception to prior art, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.
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Series
Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.
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Perspectives
2 High Court Rulings Boost Protections Against Gov't Reprisal
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions in Gonzalez v. Trevino and Chiaverini v. City of Napoleon significantly strengthen legal protections against retaliatory arrests and malicious prosecution, and establish clear precedents that promote accountability in law enforcement, say Corey Stoughton and Amanda Miner at Selendy Gay.
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Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing
Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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3 High Court Rulings May Shape Health Org. Litigation Tactics
Three separate decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court's most recent term — Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy — will likely strengthen healthcare organizations' ability to affirmatively sue executive agencies to challenge regulations governing operations and enforcement actions, say attorneys at McDermott.
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Opinion
The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address
A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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Opinion
It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union
As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.
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How Calif. Justices' Prop 22 Ruling Affects The Gig Industry
The California Supreme Court's recent upholding of Proposition 22 clarifies that Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other companies in the gig industry can legally classify their drivers as independent contractors, but it falls short of concluding some important regulatory battles in the state, says Mark Spring at CDF Labor.
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What 7th Circ. Samsung Decision Means For Mass Arbitration
The Seventh Circuit's recent decision in Wallrich v. Samsung highlights the dilemma faced by mass arbitration filers in the face of nonpayment of arbitration fees by the defending party — but also suggests that there are risks for defendants in pursuing such a strategy, says Daniel Campbell at McDermott.
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Takeaways From Virginia's $2B Trade Secrets Verdict Reversal
The Virginia Court of Appeals' recent reversal of the $2 billion damages award in Pegasystems v. Appian underscores the claimant's burden to show damages causation and highlights how an evidentiary ruling could lead to reversible error, say John Lanham and Kamran Jamil at Morrison Foerster.
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How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act
In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.