Appellate

  • August 17, 2026

    7th Circ. Reverses Alcoa Union Retirees' Lifetime Benefits Win

    The Seventh Circuit reversed an Indiana federal court's decision holding that certain union retirees of aluminum giant Alcoa and their beneficiaries had a vested right to health benefits for life, finding error with the lower court's judicial estoppel analysis that formed the basis for its judgment on liability.

  • August 17, 2026

    Justices Again Deny Review Of $5M Carroll Verdict

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied President Donald Trump's request to rehear his challenge to a $5 million verdict finding he sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll.

  • August 14, 2026

    Barrage Of Amici Urge Justices To Mandate 12-Person Juries

    Former judges, ex-prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, civil rights groups, Catholic bishops, university professors and others are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to find that the Constitution requires 12-person juries to decide trials for serious crimes, taking aim at Florida's practice of seating six-person juries for most criminal trials.

  • August 14, 2026

    In First, 2nd Circ. Allows DNA Warrant Without Match Sample

    The Second Circuit has ruled that a man cannot suppress a court-ordered DNA sample in his murder case even though police had not identified a viable comparison sample from the crime scene, becoming the first federal circuit court to address the question.

  • August 14, 2026

    9th Circ. Says DOJ Subpoenas Can Support Trump Agenda

    A split Ninth Circuit panel on Friday held that President Donald Trump has the authority to direct the U.S. Department of Justice to issue politically motivated subpoenas that align with his broader policy goals, reversing a lower court's ruling quashing a subpoena issued to a gender-affirming medical care provider.

  • August 14, 2026

    Attys Looking To Justices To Resolve Design Patent 'Mess'

    Following a sharply divided order where the full Federal Circuit declined to reconsider the standards for design patent infringement, attorneys tell Law360 they hope the deep disagreements among the judges spur the U.S. Supreme Court to clear up precedent one called a "total mess."

  • August 14, 2026

    NC Law Firm's 'Personal Goodwill' Not Marital Property

    North Carolina's highest court Friday sided with an intellectual property attorney in finding that the value of his law firm attributable to his firm's "personal goodwill" is not marital property and thus can't be divvied up for equal distribution to his ex-wife following their divorce.

  • August 14, 2026

    Conn. Opposes Kalshi's Bid To Keep Running Pending Appeal

    Connecticut officials on Friday asked a federal judge to deny KalshiEX's bid to keep offering sports contracts as it mounts a "long-shot appeal" of an injunction, arguing there is no basis to restrain state regulators from enforcing state wagering law given the contracts' "clear illegality." 

  • August 14, 2026

    Hemp Cos. Ask 6th Circ. To Keep Ohio Law On Pause

    Hemp manufacturers and sellers have asked the Sixth Circuit to uphold a lower court's ruling that paused the enforcement of an Ohio law that reclassified their products as marijuana.

  • August 14, 2026

    Texas Panel OKs Atmos' Win In Home Gas Leak Injury Suit

    A Texas appellate court has affirmed the dismissal of a suit alleging a family suffered injuries from gas leaks inside their home due to the negligence of Atmos Energy, saying the family failed to prove the utility knew about the dangerous condition but did nothing.

  • August 14, 2026

    Texas Justices Pass On Atty's Bid To Undo Exxon Sanctions

    The Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to take up an appeal brought by a law firm challenging a sanction order issued after a lower court found it launched a frivolous lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corp. related to the company's acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources.

  • August 14, 2026

    Mich. Panel Keeps District Judge Off Ballot Over False Filing

    A western Michigan district judge will remain off the November ballot after a state appeals court ruled that her affidavit of identity contained a false statement about unpaid campaign finance fees, requiring state election officials to reject her candidacy. 

  • August 14, 2026

    11th Circ. Weighs Fiduciary Duty In Pension Calculation Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit on Friday seemed wary of a retiree's argument that an energy company violated federal benefits law by not warning pension plan members that rising interest rates would reduce their lump sum payments, with one judge saying the company would likely "get sued" if it provided financial advice based on an ever-changing market.

  • August 14, 2026

    Mass. Appeals Court Orders New Trial Over Pro Se Approval

    The Massachusetts Appeals Court has ruled that a state trial court wrongly allowed a man to take over management of his own criminal trial and shunt his lawyer to a standby role without legally required warnings and checks.

  • August 14, 2026

    NY AG Says 2nd Circ. Ruling Doesn't Back Pricing Law Case

    The New York Attorney General's Office has pushed back after RealPage Inc. told a New York federal court that a recent Second Circuit ruling supports the company's challenge to a state law prohibiting landlords from using software to share information and set residential rental rates.

  • August 14, 2026

    7th Circ. Won't Revive Elanco Investors' Securities Fraud Suit

    The Seventh Circuit Friday affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit claiming Elanco Animal Health misled the market by forcing distributors to buy excess inventory to artificially inflate its sales figures, saying it could not draw a strong inference of fraudulent intent by Elanco executives.

  • August 14, 2026

    9th Circ. Denies Ex-Cop's Asylum Bid, But Calls For Better Test

    A Ninth Circuit panel affirmed the denial of asylum for a former El Salvador police officer targeted by the MS-13 gang, but urged the full court to revisit precedent that directed it to only consider mistreatment incurred after the man left the force.

  • August 14, 2026

    Fed. Circ. Overrules Precedent On Veteran Hiring Protections

    The Federal Circuit on Friday revived a disabled veteran's challenge to the U.S. Navy's handling of his promotion application, which the agency rejected after mistakenly finding he didn't submit certain documents, and then reviewed only after giving the job to someone else. 

  • August 14, 2026

    Feds Seek To Undo ADA Win In Fla. After DOJ Guidance Shift

    The federal government asked the Eleventh Circuit on Thursday to vacate a recent ruling upholding an injunction that found Florida's institutionalization of children with complex medical conditions violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, in light of a change in directives from the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • August 14, 2026

    5th Circ. Backs Investment Co.'s Sanction In Highland Ch. 11

    The Fifth Circuit on Friday decided to keep in place an $826,000 sanction against NexPoint Real Estate Partners, finding "clear and convincing evidence" showed it filed and litigated a bad-faith claim in the Chapter 11 case of defunct hedge fund Highland Capital Management LP.

  • August 14, 2026

    4th Circ. Altria Decision Spotlights Risks From ERISA Docs

    A recent Fourth Circuit decision in a retirement plan dispute between tobacco giant Altria and an ex-worker underscored how service provider contracts can introduce snags in litigation, with benefits attorneys warning that employers may want to review documents with the potential for disclosure in mind.

  • August 14, 2026

    Drone-Maker Gets Partial Do-Over In Chinese Gov't Ties Suit

    The D.C. Circuit Friday partially overturned a lower court win for the U.S. Department of Defense in its dispute with a drone-maker over being designated a Chinese military company, saying there is no publicly stated rationale for the decision.

  • August 14, 2026

    Cumulus Asks 2nd Circ. For Help With Nielsen Data Order

    Cumulus Media sought clarification Thursday from the Second Circuit on the timing of a district court order upheld last month barring Nielsen from conditioning access to national radio ratings data on buying Nielsen's local offerings, arguing that the ratings analytics company can't hold up obeying the injunction just because it's seeking reconsideration.

  • August 14, 2026

    6th Circ. Says Cops Forcing Man To Pee In His Yard Unlawful

    A Michigan man who was forced to urinate on his front lawn because police, who were conducting a search of his home, would not allow him to use his own bathroom had his Fourth Amendment rights violated, a Sixth Circuit panel determined on Thursday.

  • August 14, 2026

    9th Circ. Says Film Industry Pension Fight Needs 2nd Look

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday revived a set designer's suit claiming that the board of the Motion Picture Industry Pension Plans stood by while certain investment funds underperformed year over year, ruling a lower court should reassess whether the board acted imprudently under a clarified legal standard.

Expert Analysis

  • 3 Disgorgement Questions Linger After Justices' SEC Ruling

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    While the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Sripetch v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission avoided placing new limits on the SEC’s disgorgement powers, it passed over several questions, including whether the commission can seek disgorgement when returning the money to investors isn't possible, says David Slovick at Kopecky Schumacher.

  • Checking For AI Errors Is Now A Two-Way Street

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    A handful of recent federal and state cases demonstrate the importance of checking for errors generated by artificial intelligence not only in your own court submissions, but also your opponent's, as well as when catching opposing counsel's AI mistakes could result in an award for attorney fees, says Tamara Barago at Hollingsworth.

  • Opinion

    Federal Circuit Should Implement Mini En Banc Process

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    To fulfill its mission of uniformity in patent law while avoiding the challenges of en banc hearings, the Federal Circuit should institute mini en bancs — allowing regular three-judge panels to exercise en banc powers unless a majority of the court says otherwise, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • What's Next After Justices' Last-Mile Driver Arbitration Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Flowers Foods v. Brock, refusing to narrow the scope of a Federal Arbitration Act exemption for workers engaged in interstate commerce, gives previously unprotected workers access to litigation, but preserves two potentially powerful arguments for future proceedings, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • Series

    The Biz Court Digest: Shoring Up Corporate Law In Maryland

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    Launched more than 20 years ago to improve complex corporate adjudication, Maryland's Business and Technology Case Management Program has been a solid success in some areas, but there always is room for improvement, says Bill Krulak at Miles & Stockbridge.

  • How End Of SEC 'Gag Rule' Affects Free Speech Certiorari Bid

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    The Securities and Exchange Commission's recent rescission of the so-called gag rule, which forbade defendants in settlements from denying the SEC’s allegations, may sway the outcome of a petition to the Supreme Court in a case challenging the rule on First Amendment grounds, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • 2nd Circ.'s Embedded Video Ruling May Protect Publishers

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    The Second Circuit's recent decision in Richardson v. Townsquare, dismissing an infringement claim arising from an embedding of a YouTube-hosted interview, reaffirms a potent defense for publishers who regularly use social media platforms' embed functionality, says Amanda Harris at Jassy Vick.

  • Federal Officer Removal After Justices' La. Pollution Ruling

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    In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Chevron USA v. Plaquemines Parish, companies seeking to use federal officer removal to move litigation out of state court should ask three questions, focusing on government contract language, federally directed activity and related conduct, say attorneys at Hollingsworth.

  • Series

    Competing At Poker Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing poker in male-dominated rooms taught me to treat skepticism as background noise when my opponents seem to underestimate me, to apply pressure when it matters and to adapt without losing strategic discipline — skills that are all indispensable in restructuring and insolvency matters, says Alexis Gambale at Pashman Stein.

  • Revisiting TransUnion's Underused Standing Rule, 5 Years On

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    The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' recent use of the U.S. Supreme Court’s now five-year-old TransUnion v. Ramirez rule specifying that the "mere risk of future harm" isn't concrete enough to support a damages claim presents an opportunity to revisit this underutilized standing rule, say attorneys at Horvitz & Levy.

  • 5 Things Associates Must Ask About Their Firm's Merger Plan

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    The associates who navigate law firm mergers best ask the right questions early, such as inquiring about partners' plans, to assess how the merger could affect their workflow and career path, says Jackie Bokser-LeFebvre at Major Lindsey.

  • Uncertainty Looms After Justices' Withdrawal Liability Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent holding in M&K Employee Solutions v. Trustees of the IAM National Pension Fund increases the unpredictability of withdrawal liability assessments, so employers should prepare for a range of assessments and be equipped to challenge unreasonable ones, say attorneys at Winston Taylor.

  • CFTC Trading Rule Can't Police Prediction Markets Yet

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    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s recent efforts to police insider trading in prediction markets through a post-Dodd-Frank anti-fraud rule exposes doctrinal gaps around misappropriation theory, leaving platforms to fill the void with win-rate-based surveillance, says attorney Tamara de Silva.

  • Columbia Software IP Ruling Tests Royalty Damages Model

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    The Federal Circuit's recent decision in Columbia University v. Gen Digital, vacating a damages verdict involving foreign software sales, provides guidance on ambiguities surrounding the worldwide royalty damages model established by the court's decision in Brumfield v. IBG two years ago, say attorneys at Munger Tolles.

  • Turning To The Courts When PBM Reform Falls Short

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    The effectiveness of state laws intended to regulate pharmacy benefit managers remains uncertain, but litigation — utilizing tried-and-true theories like breach of contract and fair dealing — offers another mechanism through which stakeholders may seek relief from PBMs, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

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