Public Policy

  • March 20, 2025

    Judge Orders Feds To Explain If Removals Defied Injunction

    U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Thursday called the Trump administration's Thursday response to his inquiry into whether the deportation of Venezuelans violated his injunction "woefully insufficient," and gave the administration until Friday morning to fulfill its obligations and provide the court with an adequate response.

  • March 20, 2025

    Fox News Host Wins Atty Fees Over Failed Defamation Row

    A New York federal judge on Thursday ordered a former business associate of Hunter Biden and an attorney to pay more than $331,000 in attorney fees to a Fox News analyst they targeted in a failed defamation lawsuit, saying the analyst's counsel didn't engage in "duplicative" and "opportunistic" billing practices.

  • March 20, 2025

    OCC Says It Will Stop Examining Banks For Reputation Risk

    The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said Thursday that it will no longer examine banks for reputation risk, adopting a policy change that some Republican lawmakers want to require for all federal banking regulators to help curb so-called debanking.

  • March 20, 2025

    Media Matters Says X Can't Restrict Dispute To Texas

    A nonprofit media watchdog wants to preserve its California federal lawsuit challenging social media site X's efforts to pursue defamation claims in Texas federal court, telling a Texas federal judge that X failed to adequately argue for an anti-suit injunction.

  • March 20, 2025

    9th Circ. Judge Takes Aim At Calif. Gun Ruling On YouTube

    A Ninth Circuit judge on Thursday took to YouTube to issue a dissent over the court's decision to ban in California all high-capacity magazines for weapons, a move that several of his fellow judges lamented as "wildly improper" and said they needed to address "lest the genre proliferate."

  • March 20, 2025

    SEC Steps Back From Crypto Mining In Staff Statement

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance said Thursday that certain crypto mining activities are beyond the agency's purview, but the commission's lone Democrat warned against interpreting the statement as a "wholesale exemption for mining."

  • March 20, 2025

    NTSB Says Maryland Didn't Track Risks Of Key Bridge Collapse

    The National Transportation Safety Board recommended Thursday that 68 bridges in 19 states be evaluated for risk of collapse in the event of a vessel strike, and found that Maryland officials failed to adequately calculate vulnerabilities in Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge well before its collapse last year.

  • March 20, 2025

    LA Hit With Sanctions Request In Encampment Sweep Lawsuit

    Homeless residents accused the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office of hiding documents they requested in their suit challenging the constitutionality of encampment sweeps, asking a California federal court for case-ending sanctions for the second time in two weeks.

  • March 20, 2025

    Colo. Judge Tells School To Return Banned Books To Shelves

    A Colorado federal judge has ordered a rural school district to return 19 books to school library shelves and temporarily barred it from removing more titles, finding the district was motivated by a "blatantly unconstitutional" desire to ban books it disagrees with.

  • March 20, 2025

    FTC Asks 8th Circ. To Nix Click-To-Cancel Rule Challenges

    The Trump administration's Federal Trade Commission isn't planning an about-face on the "click-to-cancel" rule debuted last year under the Biden administration, at least according to a recent filing asking the Eighth Circuit to dismiss a petition challenging the rule.

  • March 20, 2025

    Industry Groups Criticize Withdrawal Of PTAB Denial Memo

    Groups representing major industries have written to the White House expressing "grave concern" about the patent office's withdrawal of a guidance memo limiting when patent challenges can be denied, and large tech companies told a court the office's move bolsters their case against such denials.

  • March 20, 2025

    'Skill Games' Don't Define One's Character, Court Says

    Pennsylvania regulators can't judge owners and operators of so-called skill games terminals as lacking "good character" solely because the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has concerns about the legality and effects of the games, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

  • March 20, 2025

    Utah High Court Leaves Youth Climate Claims Down For Now

    The Utah Supreme Court on Thursday found that a group of youths hasn't shown it has grounds to pursue a lawsuit against the state over its energy policies that allegedly contribute to climate change.

  • March 20, 2025

    Ore. City Can License Channels For Public Safety System

    A small town nestled in the northwestern part of Oregon will be allowed to license four business channels for public safety and first responder communications, the Federal Communications Commission has said.

  • March 20, 2025

    No Coal Plant Rescue Plans On The Table, FERC Chair Says

    President Donald Trump's recent call for his administration to encourage more coal-fired power use hasn't resulted in any order to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to craft policies to prop up coal plants, Chairman Mark Christie said Thursday.

  • March 20, 2025

    Conn. Murder Exoneree Seeks Extra $2M From Cop's Estate

    A Connecticut felony murder exoneree on Thursday asked a judge to heap an extra $2 million onto a $5.7 million federal jury verdict issued Wednesday against the estate of a now-deceased town police officer who failed to raise red flags about a key witness's interview.

  • March 20, 2025

    DOJ Drops Biden-Era Suit Over Texas Migrant Arrest Law

    The U.S. Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to dismiss its challenge to a Texas law that allows state officials to arrest people suspected of crossing the border unlawfully and empowers state judges to order their removal.

  • March 20, 2025

    Parolees Say DHS Parole Program Cuts Causing Broad Injury

    Eighteen noncitizen parolees and U.S.-based sponsors suing the Department of Homeland Security are urging a Massachusetts federal judge to block the termination of Biden-era parole programs for Afghanistan, Ukraine, Cuba and other countries, arguing a block is necessary to "prevent deep and broadening irreparable injury."

  • March 20, 2025

    State AGs Want 11th Circ. Redo Of FCC Robocall Reg Ruling

    Attorneys general from more than half the states and Washington, D.C., are urging the full Eleventh Circuit to reverse a panel decision that nixed a federal rule restricting the use of comparison shopping sites to generate robocall leads.

  • March 20, 2025

    Oil And Gas Cos. Say DC 'Greenwashing' Claims Are Too Vague

    A D.C. Superior Court judge pressed both sides in the district's consumer protection suit against four major oil and gas companies Thursday to say whether the city's claims that the companies misled consumers through systematic "greenwashing" campaigns fall within the scope of what she called a "very broad" statute.

  • March 20, 2025

    8th Circ. Won't Pause FTC's Insulin Pricing Case

    The Eighth Circuit refused Thursday to pause the Federal Trade Commission's in-house case accusing Caremark Rx, Express Scripts and OptumRx of artificially inflating insulin prices while the pharmacy benefit managers challenge the constitutionality of the proceedings.

  • March 20, 2025

    MiMedx Challenges FDA Classification Of Wound Care Powder

    Biomedical company MiMedx Group urged a Georgia federal judge on Thursday to overturn the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's classification of a wound care treatment as a biological product, arguing the agency misapplied its own regulations.

  • March 20, 2025

    Texas Senators Approve Bill Banning THC Consumables

    The Texas state Senate has approved a bill that would broadly ban consumable products with hemp-derived cannabinoids, such as delta-8 THC, sending the legislation to the state House of Representatives.

  • March 20, 2025

    Feds Say Crypto Lobbyist Can't Delay FTX-Tied Case

    New York federal prosecutors Thursday opposed a request from attorney and crypto lobbyist Michelle Bond to extend filing deadlines for pre-trial motions in her criminal case until June, saying Bond's inability to access her assets due to bankruptcy proceedings involving her FTX-affiliated husband is not enough to warrant a delay.

  • March 20, 2025

    Senate Panel To Weigh NTIA Nom Next Week

    A U.S. Senate panel next week will consider President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Commerce branch that oversees federal spectrum policy.

Expert Analysis

  • 4 Keys To Litigating In An Active Regulatory Environment

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    For companies facing litigation influenced by government regulatory action — a recent trend that a politically charged atmosphere will exacerbate — there are a few principles that can help to align litigation strategy with broader public positioning in the regulatory and oversight context, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Perspectives

    How High Court May Rule In First Step Act Resentencing Case

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    U.S. Supreme Court justices grappled with verb tenses and statutory intent in recent oral arguments in Hewitt v. U.S., a case involving an anomalous resentencing issue under the First Step Act, and though they may hold that the statute is unambiguous, they could also decide the case on narrow, practical grounds, say attorneys at Bracewell.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

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    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • Illuminating The Trend Of Florida's Unpaid Hurricane Claims

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    The sheer number of insurance claims closed without payment for damage caused by Hurricanes Milton and Helene reveals a systemic problem within Florida's insurance industry exacerbated by complex issues, including climate change and state regulators' resource limitations, say attorneys at Farah & Farah.

  • 2025 May Be A Breakout Year For The Cannabis Industry

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    The cannabis industry faced a slow and frustrating 2024, but consumer trends continue to shift in favor of cannabis, and the new administration may provide the catalyst that the industry needs, says Lynn Gefen at TerrAscend.

  • Mass. Law Shows Patchwork Money Transfer Rules Persist

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    Though Massachusetts' recently passed law governing domestic money transfers means 26 states now have a version of the Model Money Transmission Modernization Act on the books, the national framework remains a patchwork that will continue to force industry players to pay sharp attention to state variations, say attorneys at Manatt.

  • Opinion

    Firing Of Jack Smith's Team Is A Threat To Rule Of Law

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    The acting attorney general’s justifications for firing prosecutors who worked on the criminal cases against President Donald Trump rest on a mischaracterization of legal norms, and this likely illegal move augurs poorly for the rule of law, say Bruce Green at Fordham University and Rebecca Roiphe at New York Law School.

  • FDA's Red No. 3 Ban Reshapes Food Safety Legal Landscape

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent ban on Red No. 3 represents more than the end of a controversial dye — it signals a shift in regulatory priorities, consumer expectations, intellectual property strategy, compliance considerations and litigation risk, says Dino Haloulos at Foley Mansfield.

  • Top Considerations For Insurance Companies In 2025

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    As insurance industry participants look to plan for the year, regulatory changes, climate-related challenges, the ongoing effects of social inflation and the potential for significant mergers and acquisitions will be among the key items for insurer boards and management to have on their radar, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Scope And Nature Of Judicial Relief Will Affect Loper's Impact

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    The practical result of post-Loper Bright rulings against regulatory actions will depend on the relief courts grant — and there has been controversy in these types of cases over whether the ruling is applied just to the parties or nationwide, and whether the action can be left in place while it's corrected, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • Trump's Day 1 Orders Augur Disruptions In Travel To US

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    While the orders President Donald Trump issued his first day in office didn't impose immediate entry bans as some speculated, they authorized greatly increased scrutiny of foreign nationals at U.S. consulates and ports of entry, and laid the groundwork for future actions that could significantly disrupt international travel, says Jennifer Kim at Moore & Van Allen.

  • The Implications Of E-Cigarette Cos. Taking Suits To 5th Circ.

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    The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds over the definition of an "adversely affected" person under the Tobacco Control Act, and the justices' ruling will have important and potentially wide-ranging implications for forum shopping claims, says Trillium Chang at Zuckerman Spaeder.

  • Del. Dispatch: Lessons From Failed Albertsons-Kroger Merger

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    The allegations in Albertsons' lawsuit against Kroger following the grocery stores' blocked merger demonstrate how a target company can best ensure that a buyer timely and effectively complies with its obligations to pursue the necessary regulatory approvals for a deal, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

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