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July 11, 2024
Patent Cases To Watch In The Second Half Of 2024
A U.S. Supreme Court case over the reach of the judicially created double patenting doctrine and a dispute over which patents branded drugmakers can list in a federal database are among the cases attorneys will have their eyes on for the rest of the year.
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July 11, 2024
Wash. Justices Agree To Review State's Pot Co. Wage Suit
The Washington Supreme Court has agreed to review whether the state labor agency jumped the gun by suing a cannabis company to collect back pay for employees before the agency knew how much money the workers were owed.
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July 10, 2024
Roundup Cancer Case Revived By Oregon Appellate Panel
An Oregon appellate panel on Wednesday revived a lawsuit claiming Bayer AG subsidiary Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup caused an Oregon man's cancer, saying the judge who oversaw the trial that cleared the company wrongly excluded testimony from an expert for the plaintiff.
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July 10, 2024
Texas Panel Tosses Electrocution Suit Against Oil Well Owner
A Texas state appeals court found that an oil field station owner wasn't responsible for a contractor's electrocution at the station, ruling Tuesday that the owner didn't owe any duty to the contractor under any negligence theory because it didn't direct the contractor's work.
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July 10, 2024
3rd Circ. Says Pretrial Detention Bars Bid For Removal Relief
A split Third Circuit on Wednesday refused to revive a Honduran man's bid for deportation relief, saying the over 1,000 days he spent in detention before being sentenced for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter barred him from showing good moral character.
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July 10, 2024
Nassar Sex Abuse Law Not Retroactive, Mich. Justices Say
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that a legislative change to extend civil suit deadlines for certain victims of sexual assault as minors does not apply retroactively, finding that claims from a man who said he was assaulted by a priest in the 1990s were untimely.
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July 10, 2024
Houston Attys Escape Defamation Suit Over Sex Assault Case
A Texas appeals court said a group of Houston attorneys could escape a defamation suit brought by a man accused of sexual assault by one of their clients, writing that he did "not even raise a scintilla of evidence" that the attorneys knew statements they made to the media about their client's case were false.
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July 10, 2024
Energy Cos., States Seek Review Of Calif. Emissions Decision
Industry groups and a coalition of states led by Ohio are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a D.C. Circuit ruling upholding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approval of a waiver letting California set greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles and run a zero-emission vehicles program.
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July 10, 2024
Florida Court Overturns $2M Med Mal Arbitration Award
A Florida appeals court on Wednesday effectively vacated an arbitration award of more than $2 million in a suit accusing a hospital of causing a stroke patient's death due to alleged malpractice, saying proposed expert testimony regarding the patient's life expectancy should've been admitted.
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July 10, 2024
Judge Newman Faces More Hurdles In Bid To End Suspension
With the dismissal of Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's lawsuit against her colleagues over her suspension, experts say she faces significant challenges in securing a different outcome on appeal or persuading the court's other judges to let her hear cases again.
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July 10, 2024
Attys Bolt In Groups 'All The Time,' Colo. Judge Says
A Colorado judge hearing the appeal of an attorney who lost a jury trial in which she was accused of trying to lure colleagues away from a well-known regional personal injury firm noted Wednesday that lawyers commonly leave their firms in groups.
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July 10, 2024
GOP Bombards Agencies With Demands After Chevron's End
Republican leaders of major congressional committees Wednesday demanded details from dozens of agencies on policies suddenly shrouded in uncertainty after U.S. Supreme Court conservatives overturned the so-called Chevron doctrine, which for 40 years gave regulators flexibility in rulemaking and advantages in related litigation.
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July 10, 2024
FCC To Fine Telecom Involved In Universal Service Challenge
The Federal Communications Commission is moving forward with a $100,000 fine against an Ohio-based telecommunications company over late paperwork with the Universal Service Administration.
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July 10, 2024
4th Circ. Says Parole Entry Did Not Interrupt Residency Status
The Fourth Circuit ruled that a Ghanaian national retained his status as a lawful permanent resident and is therefore eligible for U.S. citizenship, even though border officials refused to admit him into the country following a misdemeanor conviction for embezzlement.
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July 10, 2024
'Wrong In Every Way': 11th Circ. Judges Rip VRA Ruling
A trio of Eleventh Circuit judges castigated their colleagues Wednesday for refusing to revisit a decision upholding an allegedly discriminatory Georgia electoral system, charging that their "novel, dramatic, and wrong" conclusions have made Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act "a dead letter" within the circuit.
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July 10, 2024
3rd Circ. Questions Authority Of Fish Management Councils
The Third Circuit on Wednesday grappled with whether the "Fishery Management Councils" that set plans and limits for ocean fisheries are merely advisers to the commerce secretary or if they're empowered enough for their members to be subject to Senate confirmation, with one judge suggesting that the panels are essentially "toothless."
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July 10, 2024
Mont. High Court Weighs Youths' Right To Sue In Climate Case
The Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday wrestled with whether to revive state law provisions that bar the consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in permitting decisions that were struck down by a lower court judge, querying both sides whether the youth plaintiffs had standing to sue.
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July 10, 2024
Washington Justices To Tackle CARES Act Eviction Split
Washington's Supreme Court has agreed to review whether the CARES Act eviction notice only applies to tenants who are late on rent, and not to violent tenants targeted by landlords for quick removal.
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July 10, 2024
10th Circ. Now Seems Unsure 'Tiger King' Violated Copyright
A Tenth Circuit panel that cited the U.S. Supreme Court's Warhol decision in holding that Netflix Inc. could not dodge a copyright complaint for including a funeral video clip in its "Tiger King" docuseries sounded more skeptical about the plaintiffs' arguments during a rehearing Wednesday, grilling counsel about why the short video was not fair use.
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July 10, 2024
Wash. Justices To Review Worker's Asbestos Exposure Row
Washington's highest court agreed to review whether the deliberate intention exception in the state's Industrial Insurance Act prevented a worker from asserting personal injuries against his former employer's successor over a claim that his mesothelioma was caused by employment-related asbestos exposure.
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July 10, 2024
NJ Panel Says Tax Amendment Challenge Had No Real Claim
A New Jersey state appeals court on Wednesday tossed a challenge to an amendment blocking certain appeals from being litigated in the state's tax court, reasoning that parties can still fight tax matters in trial court.
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July 10, 2024
NJ Justices OK Class Waivers Sans Arbitration Mandates
Class action waivers don't require a mandatory arbitration provision to be enforceable, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, while also warning that waivers deemed unconscionable for other reasons may be invalidated.
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July 10, 2024
9th Circ. Says Nev. Call Center Agents' Bootup Warrants Trial
The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday revived, for a second time, call center agents' collective action alleging the time spent turning on and off their computers before their shifts is payable under the Fair Labor Standards Act, finding that to be a factual issue that should be resolved through a jury trial.
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July 10, 2024
Nike Wins Another Look At TM Atty Fees Ruling At 3rd Circ.
The Third Circuit on Wednesday undid a $5 million attorney fee award to a Pennsylvania clothing manufacturer that sued Nike Inc. for trademark infringement, ordering a federal trial court to look more closely at the specifics of the case to determine if the outcome was truly "exceptional."
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July 10, 2024
Bang Energy Drink Co. Ex-CEO Urges DQ Of Ch. 11 Judge
The former CEO of the company that makes Bang energy drinks urged the disqualification of a Florida federal bankruptcy judge and called for an investigation, alleging that the judge committed misconduct in the company's Chapter 11 case, according to a complaint filed with the Eleventh Circuit.
Expert Analysis
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Justices' Bump Stock Ruling Skirted Deference, Lenity Issues
Despite presenting a seemingly classic case on agency deference, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week in Garland v. Cargill did not mention the Chevron doctrine, and the opinion also overlooked whether agency interpretations of federal gun laws should ever receive deference given that they carry criminal penalties, say Tess Saperstein and John Elwood at Arnold & Porter.
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Emerging Trends In ESG-Focused Securities Litigation
Based on a combination of shareholder pressure, increasing regulatory scrutiny and proposed rulemaking, there has been a proliferation of litigation over public company disclosures and actions regarding environmental, social, and governance factors — and the overall volume of such class actions will likely increase in the coming years, say attorneys at Mintz.
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Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.
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High Court's BofA Ruling Leaves State Preemption Questions
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Cantero v. Bank of America sheds light on whether certain state banking regulations apply to federally chartered banks, but a circuit split could still force the Supreme Court to take a more direct position, says Brett Garver at Moritt Hock.
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Next Steps After 5th Circ. Nixes Private Fund Adviser Rules
The Fifth Circuit's recent toss of key U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules regarding private fund advisers represents a setback for the regulator, but open questions, including the possibility of an SEC petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, mean it's still too early to consider the matter closed, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Foreign Discovery Insights 2 Years After ZF Automotive
Although an Arizona federal court decision last month demonstrates that Section 1782 discovery may still be available to foreign arbitral parties, the scope of such discovery has narrowed greatly since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in ZF Automotive, and there are a few potential trends for practitioners to follow, say attorneys at Venable.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Deciphering SEC Disgorgement 4 Years After Liu
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in Liu v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to preserve SEC disgorgement with limits, courts have continued to rule largely in the agency’s favor, but a recent circuit split over the National Defense Authorization Act's import may create hurdles for the SEC, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.
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Where Anti-Discrimination Law Stands 4 Years After Bostock
On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Bostock ruling, Evan Parness and Abby Rickeman at Covington take stock of how the decision, which held that Title VII protects employees from discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, has affected anti-discrimination law at the state and federal levels.
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8th Circ. Insurance Ruling Spotlights Related-Claims Defenses
The Eighth Circuit’s recent Dexon v. Travelers ruling — that the insurer must provide a defense despite the policy’s related-acts provision — provides guidance for how policyholders can overcome related-acts defenses, say Geoffrey Fehling and Jae Lynn Huckaba at Hunton.
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Series
Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
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9th Circ. Clarifies ERISA Preemption For Healthcare Industry
The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in Bristol SL Holdings v. Cigna notably clarifies the broad scope of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act's preemption of certain state law causes of action, standing to benefit payors and health plan administrators, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Patent Lessons From 7 Federal Circuit Reversals In May
A look at recent cases where the Federal Circuit reversed or vacated decisions by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board or a federal district court provide guidance on how to succeed on appeal by clarifying the obviousness analysis of design patents, the finality of a judgment, and more, say Denise De Mory and Li Guo at Bunsow De Mory.
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Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians
Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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What To Know As CFPB Late Fee Rule Hangs In Limbo
Though the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's final credit card late fee rule faces an uncertain future due to litigation involving injunctions, emergency petitions and now a venue dispute, card issuers must understand how to navigate the interim period and what to do if the rule takes effect, say attorneys at Steptoe.