Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Cannabis
-
April 10, 2024
Hemp Cos. Win $134K In Investment Spat
A Colorado federal court has entered final judgment in favor of a hemp processing company sued in an investment dispute, awarding it more than $130,000, following on a judge's findings of fact and conclusions of law last month.
-
April 10, 2024
'Woodstock' Rivals Set To Test Weed-Adjacent Marks At Trial
The promoter of the famed 1969 Woodstock music fair sparred Wednesday in Manhattan federal court with an alleged usurper of its prospective right to Woodstock trademarks in the evolving marijuana market, with a jury set to hear the strangely postured dispute.
-
April 10, 2024
Pot Cos. Say California City Reneged On Fee Waiver Promise
Six cannabis companies are suing the city of Cudahy in California federal court, saying the city breached its contracts by refusing to waive fees accrued during national emergencies and city-caused delays, costing the companies more than $26 million in damages.
-
April 10, 2024
Electrical Workers Union Sues LIRR Over Cannabis Firing
The union that represents Long Island Rail Road workers is suing the commuter railroad for firing an employee who had been with it for 25 years after he allegedly tested positive for marijuana when returning to work after being treated for cancer.
-
April 09, 2024
9th Circ. Open To Reviving Calif. Cannabis Abatement Fight
A Ninth Circuit panel on Tuesday appeared open to reviving a proposed class action alleging that Humboldt County's abatement fines for unlicensed cannabis growing structures is an unconstitutional "dragnet scheme," with two judges suggesting the magistrate judge inappropriately resolved material factual disputes against the property owners at the pleading stage.
-
April 09, 2024
Pot Distributor Can't Restrain Hemp Co. Amid Contract Dispute
A cannabis distribution company and a family farm lost an early bid to stop online retailer Mood Product Group LLC from allegedly using their trade secrets to solicit suppliers, with a North Carolina Business Court judge finding the pair are unlikely to succeed on their claims.
-
April 09, 2024
Maryland Legislature Sends Kratom Bill To Governor
Maryland will become the 13th state to pass a Kratom consumer protection act into law, if Gov. Wes Moore signs the bill that the state Legislature sent to his desk.
-
April 09, 2024
Tribal Co. Says Calif. DA Shouldn't Escape Greenhouse Fight
A Native American-owned corporation is asking a California federal court not to throw out its suit aiming to block the San Bernardino District Attorney's Office from destroying its greenhouses, saying federal abstention isn't proper because the state proceeding the DA references is against a different party.
-
April 08, 2024
Software Licensees Say Investor Suit Doesn't Plead Fraud
Decentral Life Inc. and a group of its licensees, including a cannabis social media site, are urging a Colorado federal court to throw out an investor's suit alleging that they tricked him into investing more than $1.7 million, saying his claims are too vague and fail to show how they deceived him.
-
April 08, 2024
Feds Say Cannabis Cos. Can't Challenge CSA Pot Ban
The U.S. government is urging a Massachusetts federal court to throw out a suit by several cannabis companies alleging the ban on cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional, saying they don't have standing to sue because their activities aren't being prosecuted.
-
April 08, 2024
Cannabis Co. Says DEA Administrative Procedure Is Illegal
A Rhode Island cannabis company sued the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration claiming the agency is subjecting it to an illegal proceeding before an administrative judge.
-
April 05, 2024
NJ Smoking Law Violates Casino Workers' Rights, UAW Says
A law preventing smoking in certain indoor workspaces violates New Jersey's Constitution by excluding casino workers, the United Auto Workers alleged Friday in a state court suit against the governor and state health department commissioner.
-
April 05, 2024
Mo. High Court Affirms Co.'s Medical Pot License Denial
The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the denial of a company's application for a medical marijuana cultivation facility license, finding that its submission missed the mark by not including a certificate of good standing from the secretary of state.
-
April 05, 2024
Calif. Judge Faces Two New Ethics Charges
A California state judge facing a plethora of ethics charges is now facing additional allegations related to his participation in an online debate and comments he made during a court hearing.
-
April 05, 2024
Calif. Cannabis Delivery Workers Vote To Authorize Strike
California cannabis delivery company Eaze Technologies and its subsidiary Stachs LLC face a possible work stoppage just ahead of the April 20 weekend, after the union representing drivers announced they have rejected the companies' contract proposal and secured strike authorization from its members.
-
April 04, 2024
After Voiding 'All Agency Regs' On Pot, NY Judge Backtracks
After a New York state judge voided such a wide swath of rules governing the state's nascent recreational marijuana market that a state senator said the ruling effectively threw "out all agency regulations," the court on Thursday issued a narrower order that nullifies only certain marketing restrictions.
-
April 04, 2024
Hawaii Cannabis Legalization Bill Dies In State House
An effort to legalize adult-use marijuana in Hawaii is effectively dead for this legislative session after Democrats in the state House of Representatives announced they would not deliberate any further on a proposal that had already cleared the state Senate this year.
-
April 04, 2024
NYC Sues 11 Vape Shops Over Sales Of Flavored E-Cigarettes
The city of New York on Thursday sued 11 e-cigarette wholesalers, saying they're in violation of both city and federal regulations by selling disposable, flavored vapes, which the city said are responsible for a boom of youth vape use.
-
April 04, 2024
Feds Take $5.7M Worth Of Ore. Properties Used To Grow Pot
Federal prosecutors in Oregon say they have finalized asset forfeiture proceedings against 14 properties, together worth $5.7 million, used to cultivate marijuana that was transported and sold in states where the drug remains illegal.
-
April 03, 2024
Fla. Magistrate Nixes Recusal Bid In CBD Co. Securities Suit
A Florida federal magistrate judge has shot down an effort to have her disqualified from a securities fraud case against a CBD company for remarks she allegedly made during a March settlement conference, saying the plaintiffs' arguments in favor of recusal were "legally insufficient" to establish bias.
-
April 03, 2024
Philly Injection Site Org. Isn't Religious, Judge Rules
A Pennsylvania federal judge on Wednesday ruled that an overdose prevention organization planning to open a supervised safe-injection site in Philadelphia is not a religious entity, delivering a win to the U.S. Department of Justice, which opposed the site.
-
April 03, 2024
Anheuser-Busch 'Choking Off' Beer Supply, Distributor Says
A New York beer distributor accused Anheuser-Busch InBev of slowly cutting off its supply using force that could only be exerted by such a "corporate behemoth," according to a suit filed in Manhattan federal court.
-
April 03, 2024
Cannabis Cos. Agree To Proposed Deal In Workers' Wage Suit
A New Mexico federal judge has given preliminary approval to a $525,000 deal that would end a cannabis-employee-led lawsuit accusing dispensary owners of taking a large portion of tips meant for retail workers and giving them to store managers and supervisors.
-
April 02, 2024
Bong Maker Says Texas Company Is Ripping Off Its Trademark
A California-based bong maker says a Texas company used its registered trademarks on phony water pipes, telling a federal court Monday that the counterfeit marks leave customers confused and are causing the brand's reputation to go up in smoke.
-
April 02, 2024
9th Circ. Urged Not To Create Dormant Commerce Split On Pot
A Michigan resident and a California lawyer vying for one of Washington state's social equity cannabis licenses are urging the Ninth Circuit not to create a circuit split and to find that regulators' licensing scheme unconstitutionally discriminates against out-of-state players.
Expert Analysis
-
NBA Players Must Avoid Legal Fouls In CBD Deals
The NBA’s recently ratified collective bargaining agreement allows athletes to promote CBD brands and products, but athletes and the companies they promote must be cautious of a complex patchwork of applicable state laws and federal regulators’ approach to advertising claims, says Airina Rodrigues at Brownstein Hyatt.
-
How Attys Can Avoid Exposing Their Firms To Cyberattacks
Attorneys are the weakest link in their firms' cyberdefenses because hackers often exploit the gap between individuals’ work and personal cybersecurity habits, but there are some steps lawyers can take to reduce the risks they create for their employers, say Mark Hurley and Carmine Cicalese at Digital Privacy & Protection.
-
Virginia 'Rocket Docket' Slowdown Is Likely A Blip
After being the fastest or second-fastest federal civil trial court for 14 straight years, the Eastern District of Virginia has slid to 18th place, but the rocket docket’s statistical tumble doesn't mean the district no longer maintains a speedy civil docket, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
-
Preparing For Md. Adult-Use Cannabis: Operations And More
As a new regulatory body takes the reins before Maryland’s adult-use cannabis market launches on July 1, industry stakeholders should understand key provisions related to management agreements, secured creditors and receiverships, dispensary operations, and hemp, say Seth Gitner and Jonathan Havens at Saul Ewing.
-
Preparing For Md. Adult-Use Cannabis: Licensing Provisions
As the launch of Maryland’s adult-use cannabis market quickly approaches, current and prospective businesses will need to understand key provisions and limitations related to license conversion, qualifying partnerships, social equity applications and microlicenses, say Seth Gitner and Jonathan Havens at Saul Ewing.
-
5 Management Tips To Keep Law Firm Merger Talks Moving
Many law firm mergers that make solid business sense still fall apart due to the costs and frustrations of inefficient negotiations, but firm managers can increase the chance of success by effectively planning and executing merger discussions, say Lisa Smith and Kristin Stark at Fairfax Associates.
-
Recent Bills Show Congress' Growing Maturity On Cannabis
Though two recently introduced cannabis reform bills, the Prepare Act and the Small Business Tax Equity Act, are unlikely to pass in this Congress, they demonstrate a new level of focus and sophistication on the part of lawmakers as it relates to cannabis at the federal level, says Irina Dashevsky at Greenspoon Marder.
-
Rethinking In-Office Attendance For Associate Retention
The hybrid office attendance model doesn't work for all employees, but it does for many — and balancing these two groups is important for associate retention and maintaining a BigLaw firm culture that supports all attorneys, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.
-
Perspectives
A New HOPE For Expunging State-Level Cannabis Convictions
As states across the U.S. legalize cannabis, individuals with related convictions face hurdles to expunging their records due to outdated record-keeping systems — but the recently introduced HOPE Act would remedy this by providing grant funding to state and local governments, says Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio.
-
Murdaugh Trials Offer Law Firms Fraud Prevention Reminders
As the fraud case against Alex Murdaugh continues to play out, the evidence and narrative presented at his murder trial earlier this year may provide lessons for law firms on implementing robust internal controls that can detect and prevent similar kinds of fraud, say Travis Casner and Helga Zauner at Weaver and Tidwell.
-
What Courts Say About Workers' Comp And Medical Marijuana
Whether employers and insurance carriers are required or allowed to reimburse employees for out-of-pocket costs for treating work-related injuries with medical marijuana has spawned a debate, and the state courts that have addressed this matter are split on a number of issues, say Alexandra Hassell and Anthony Califano at Seyfarth.
-
Firm Tips For Helping New Lawyers Succeed Post-Pandemic
Ten steps can help firms significantly enhance the experience of attorneys who started their careers in the coronavirus pandemic era, including facilitating opportunities for cross-firm connection, which can ultimately help build momentum for business development, says Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners.
-
How The Fla. AG Is Impeding Recreational Marijuana
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has again vowed to stand in the way of a measure on a ballot proposal to legalize the adult use of recreational marijuana, which followed guidance from a previous Florida Supreme Court decision — and if the court sides with her, proponents will be left at an impasse, say Daniel Russell and Daniel McGinn at Dean Mead.
-
Prepping Your Business Ahead Of Affirmative Action Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on whether race should play a role in college admissions could potentially end affirmative action, and companies will need a considered approach to these circumstances that protects their brand power and future profits, and be prepared to answer tough questions, say Nadine Blackburn at United Minds and Eric Blankenbaker at Weber Shandwick.
-
Tackling Judge-Shopping Concerns While Honoring Localism
As the debate continues over judge-shopping and case assignments in federal court, policymakers should look to a hybrid model that preserves the benefits of localism for those cases that warrant it, while preventing the appearance of judge-shopping for cases of a more national or widespread character, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.