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Public Policy
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March 11, 2025
Split 2nd Circ. Says Court Records Rule Flouts Free Speech
A split panel of the Second Circuit said Tuesday that Vermont's new rule restricting access to newly filed state court complaints until they can be reviewed by court staff is unconstitutional in its current form, with one judge arguing that the majority's ruling will stifle innovation in judicial procedures.
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March 11, 2025
Colo. Justices Uneasy About Reach Of Xcel's Immunity Claim
Colorado's justices were concerned Tuesday about the potentially far-reaching consequences of Xcel Energy's claim that a regulatory tariff limits its liability from a man's personal injury claim, with one justice asking if it would be a "severe derogation of common law" for regulators to grant the utility such broad immunity.
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March 11, 2025
'Victim Of Its Own Success': The Federalist Society's Shift
The Federalist Society can now boast long-sought victories and point to scores of federal judges appointed from its ranks. But its alliance with President Donald Trump may bring about a reckoning within the conservative legal movement.
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March 11, 2025
Eric Adams Case Dying Slow Death In 'Sovereign' District
Experts say New York City Mayor Eric Adams' criminal corruption case appears on track to be tossed permanently — a looming development that could signal the end of the fierce independence of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
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March 11, 2025
Threats Against Judges 'Top Priority,' Fed. Judiciary Says
Protecting federal judges is a "top priority" as violent threats spike against a polarized political backdrop, making congressional funding for additional security measures more important than ever, the U.S. Judicial Conference said Tuesday.
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March 11, 2025
NJ Power Broker Fights Civil Suit After Criminal Case Victory
South Jersey power broker George Norcross and his brother moved this week to dismiss a civil racketeering suit against them arguing that the plaintiff's claims "parroted" a criminal indictment against them that was recently dismissed.
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March 11, 2025
California Entities Escape State Judge's Underpayment Suit
A California state judge threw out some claims in a proposed class action from a judge who alleges she was underpaid the last several years, saying the state's retirement agency and its controller showed they didn't have much authority over judges' pay.
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March 11, 2025
Publix's Suit Over Ga. County's Private Attys 'Beyond Reason'
Publix can't sue a metro Atlanta county to force it to drop its private attorneys who filed an opioid suit against the supermarket chain, the Georgia Court of Appeals has said, ruling that the company "fails to show what right the county has violated by its choice of counsel."
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March 11, 2025
Colorado Pot Grower Sues Regulators Over Lax Enforcement
A Colorado cannabis grower is suing state regulators, alleging that they are failing to crack down on illegal businesses and retaliating against legitimate operations for blowing the whistle on noncompliant actors.
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March 11, 2025
Trump Admin Drops Suit Over COVID Nasal Spray Ads Claims
The U.S. Department of Justice quietly moved Monday to drop a Utah federal court lawsuit filed on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission accusing a sinus nasal spray company of falsely claiming its products could help prevent and treat COVID-19.
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March 11, 2025
NJ High Court Approves AG Conflicts Waiver Pilot Program
The New Jersey Supreme Court has given the go-ahead for a two-year pilot program through which the state attorney general will be allowed to waive conflicts of interest for public clients represented by the Office of the Attorney General.
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March 11, 2025
Bipartisan Bill Penalizing Child Labor Violations Reintroduced
A bill that would heavily penalize companies that have been found in violation of child labor laws and would bar them from securing government contracts has been reintroduced by two senators.
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March 11, 2025
1st Circ. Upholds Block On Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order
The First Circuit on Tuesday refused to disturb a Massachusetts federal judge's ruling that blocked the Trump administration's move to end birthright citizenship, rejecting the government's claim that states suing over the policy lacked standing.
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March 11, 2025
Utah Lawmakers OK Min. Tax Rate Consensus Certification
Utah would require a minimum property tax rate imposed by school districts to be certified by the state's tax commission, the governor's Office of Planning and Budget and the state Legislature's Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst under a bill approved by state lawmakers and headed to the governor.
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March 11, 2025
White House Names Ex-Goldman Sachs Atty To Lead USPTO
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated John Squires, Goldman Sachs' former longtime chief intellectual property counsel, to serve as the next U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director.
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March 11, 2025
Trump Admin Must Restore $250M In Teacher Grants For Now
A federal judge in Massachusetts late Monday ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore $250 million in funding for teacher training grants that it had slashed over their ties to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
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March 11, 2025
Womble Bond Partner Named US Attorney For Western NC
A white collar defense attorney and business litigator from Womble Bond Dickinson's Charlotte office will helm the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina, filling a vacancy left by former U.S. Attorney Dena J. King.
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March 10, 2025
CFPB Hasn't Justified Pausing Comerica Suit, Judge Rules
A Texas federal judge on Monday refused to pause the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's case accusing Comerica of mismanaging a government benefit card program, ruling that the CFPB hasn't explained why staying the case "would be in the interest of justice."
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March 10, 2025
Justices Seen Resolving Circuit Split Over Med Mal Law
The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it will decide whether a Delaware medical malpractice statute requiring an expert affidavit can apply in federal court, which experts said will give the justices the opportunity to reassess the so-called Erie doctrine and the relationship between state and federal courts.
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March 10, 2025
EPA Says It Wants To Redo Biden-Era Chemical Risk Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday told the D.C. Circuit it wants to reconsider a Biden-era rule that strengthened regulations to assess chemicals' health and environmental risks.
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March 10, 2025
Warren Says Defense Nominee Has 'Clear Conflict Of Interest'
Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren called out deputy defense secretary nominee Stephen Feinberg on Sunday for a "clear conflict of interest" due to his ties to Ligado Networks, which is suing the federal government for $40 billion, and urged him to agree to recuse himself from any decisions about the company.
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March 10, 2025
Split SEC Pulls Subpoena Authority From Enforcement Head
A divided U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday withdrew a 15-year-old policy that allowed the director of enforcement to greenlight new investigations and approve the issuance of subpoenas, leaving the decision squarely in the hands of the agency's Republican majority.
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March 10, 2025
ICE Can't Deport Columbia Student Suing Over Campus Arrest
A New York federal judge barred immigration officials Monday from deporting a pro-Palestinian Columbia University graduate student, a day after he sued the Trump administration for allegedly violating his constitutional rights by arresting him outside his on-campus home that he shares with his pregnant wife who is a U.S. citizen.
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March 10, 2025
FCC Chair Suggests YouTube Censors Christian Content
The Federal Communications Commission's new leader wants to know if YouTube and Google have a policy, "secret or otherwise," of discriminating against faith-based programming after receiving a complaint from the network that owns the popular Christian streaming service PureFlix.
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March 10, 2025
Tribal Nations, Students Sue Feds Over School Staffing Cuts
Three tribal nations and five Native American students are asking a D.C. federal court to block a Trump administration executive order calling for large-scale federal workforce reductions, saying the directive devastated operations and undermined Bureau of Indian Education schools across the nation.
Expert Analysis
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A Look At HHS' New Opinion On Patient Assistance Programs
A recent advisory opinion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General follows a recent trend of blessing patient assistance program arrangements that implicate the Anti-Kickback Statute, as long as they are structured with appropriate safeguards to minimize the risk of fraud and abuse, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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Employer Tips For Wise Use Of Workers' Biometrics And Tech
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Employers that collect employee biometric data and operate bring-your-own-device policies, which respectively offer better corporate security and more flexibility for workers, should prioritize certain best practices to protect the privacy and rights of employees and safeguard sensitive internal information, says Douglas Yang at Sheppard Mullin.
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How Trump EPA Could Fix Carbon Combustion Residuals Rule
The Trump administration is likely targeting the recently adopted carbon combustion residual rule, especially since it imposes very stringent, detailed and expedited requirements on coal power plants — but even if the rule is not vacated entirely, there are measures that could greatly reduce its regulatory burden, says Stephen Jones at Post & Schell.
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Expect To Feel Aftershocks Of Chopra's CFPB Shake-Up
Publications released by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau personnel in the last days of the Biden administration outline former Director Rohit Chopra's long-term vision for aggressive state-level enforcement of federal consumer financial laws, opening the doors for states to launch investigations and pursue actions, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.
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The Rising Need For The Selective Prosecution Defense
In a political climate where criminal and civil prosecution on the basis of political affiliation, constitutionally protected speech or other arbitrary classification is increasingly likely, existing precedent shows why judges should be more open to allowing a selective prosecution defense, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Unprecedented Firings And The EEOC's Shifting Agenda
While President Donald Trump's unprecedented firing of Democratic Equal Employment Opportunity Commission members put an end to the party's voting majority, the move raises legal issues, as well as considerations related to the EEOC's lack of a quorum and shifting regulatory priorities, says Ally Coll at the Purple Method.
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How New SBA Rule May Affect Small Government Contractors
By limiting competition from larger entities, the Small Business Administration's recently published final rule may help some small government contractors, but these restrictions on set-aside work following a merger, acquisition or sale may also deter small businesses' long-term growth, say attorneys at Akerman.
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Nippon Order Tests Gov't Control Over Foreign Investments
The U.S. government is primarily interested in restraining foreign transactions involving countries of concern, but former President Joe Biden’s January order blocking the merger of Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel shows that all foreign direct investments are under the federal government’s microscope, say attorneys at Blank Rome.
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Opinion
Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice
A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.
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How Trump Orders Roll Back Energy Efficiency Mandates
President Donald Trump's first-day executive orders — including a freeze on administrative rules, an order to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, and a directive to broaden consumers' appliance choices — have shifted federal policy on energy efficiency, and bring new considerations for companies engaging with the U.S. Department of Energy, say attorneys at HWG.
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What Financial Intermediaries Can Expect From New Admin
Understanding the current regulatory landscape of consumer financial services — and anticipating how it might evolve under Trump 2.0 — is essential for brokers, lead generators and digital platforms, and they should consider strategies for managing regulatory uncertainty, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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Expect Continued Antitrust Enforcement In Procurement
The scope of federal antitrust enforcement under the second Trump administration remains uncertain, but the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, which collaborates with federal and state agencies to enforce antitrust laws in the government procurement space, is likely to remain active — so contractors must stay vigilant, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.
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Takeaways From Oral Argument In High Court Trademark Case
Unpacking oral arguments from Dewberry Group v. Dewberry Engineers, which the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on this year, sheds light on the ways in which the decision could significantly affect trademark infringement plaintiffs' ability to receive monetary damages, say attorneys at Buchanan Ingersoll.
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In-House Counsel Pointers For Preserving Atty-Client Privilege
Several recent rulings illustrate the challenges in-house counsel can face when attempting to preserve attorney-client privilege, but a few best practices can help safeguard communications and effectively assert the privilege in an increasingly scrutinized corporate environment, says Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics.
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What Banks Need To Know About Trump's Executive Orders
While the numerous executive orders and memos from the last few weeks don't touch on many of the issues the banking industry expected the Trump administration to address, banks still need to pay attention to the flurry of orders from strategic, compliance and operational perspectives, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.