Appellate

March 03, 2025
Jarkesy Can't Get Penny Stock Co. Out Of SEC Penalty

The Second Circuit on Monday upheld the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's courtroom victory against a penny stock company found to have misled its investors about its financial state, ruling that the company couldn't lean on the U.S. Supreme Court's Jarkesy ruling to argue that a jury should have determined its punishment.
March 03, 2025
Sutter Settles Years-Old Antitrust Suit On Courthouse Steps

Attorneys for a class of millions of health insurance premium payors announced an eleventh hour deal staving off a new antitrust trial Monday in California federal court over claims that hospital chain Sutter Health drives up costs by pushing all-or-nothing network deals on insurers.
March 03, 2025
Vape Co. Backs 6th Circ. Challenge To Ky. E-Cig Law

A Texas e-cigarette liquids maker on Monday urged the Sixth Circuit to side with a group of vape interests in their bid to block a Kentucky law regulating vape sales, saying the companies have standing to block the measure and the law is preempted under federal law.
March 03, 2025
Pa. Supreme Court Snapshot: Negligence Damages Caps

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will start and end its March session examining long-standing precedents, beginning Tuesday with an argument that will spotlight damages against government entities, and wrapping up Wednesday with a matter hinging on a rule that lets general contractors share their subcontractors' immunity under the workers' compensation law.
March 03, 2025
9th Circ. Won't Revive Black Ex-Boeing Engineer's Bias Suit

The Ninth Circuit on Monday backed Boeing's defeat of a former engineer's lawsuit claiming he was disciplined for minor issues and ultimately terminated because he's Black, ruling he hadn't provided evidence that the company's actions were based on his race.
March 03, 2025
2nd Circ. Denies Amish Schools' Vaccine Rule Challenge

The Second Circuit on Monday denied a religious challenge to New York's immunization law from three Amish schools and two Amish parents, saying both the appellate court and the U.S. Supreme Court have a history of upholding school immunization requirements implemented by states.
March 03, 2025
NJ Justices Skeptical Of Judicial Privacy Law Challenge

The New Jersey Supreme Court appeared skeptical Monday over reviving a journalist's lawsuit alleging municipal officials improperly relied on the judicial safety measure Daniel's Law to chill his attempt to expose a city police director's out-of-town address.
March 03, 2025
Fla. Judge Admits To Improper Remarks About Prosecutors

A Florida state judge could receive a public reprimand after admitting to ethics charges for calling an assistant state attorney an "ass" and other inappropriate remarks directed toward prosecutors.
March 03, 2025
Colo. Says 1933 Dictionary Supports Netflix Subscription Tax

The plain meaning of tangible personal property has long encompassed Netflix streaming video subscriptions, Colorado's tax department told a state appeals court, urging it to allow a sales tax on the company's products.
March 03, 2025
Justices Pass On Reviewing Ohio Prisoner's Habeas Win

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to scrutinize a lower court ruling granting habeas corpus relief to an Ohio death row prisoner whom a biased judge had prevented from introducing new mitigating evidence at resentencing.
March 03, 2025
Justices To Weigh Double-Jeopardy Claim In Robbery Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to wade into a seven-circuit split over whether the double jeopardy clause allows for separate sentences on different charges stemming from the same robbery — an issue that can lead to significantly longer prison terms.
March 03, 2025
Fed. Circ. Says OPM Reg On Entry-Level Workers' OT Is Valid

The Office of Personnel Management's regulation denying overtime pay for federal employees undergoing training is valid, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Monday, sending an FBI analyst's overtime suit back to the Court of Federal Claims.
March 03, 2025
10th Circ. Backs CPSC In Challenge To New Magnet Rule

The Tenth Circuit on Monday denied a petition challenging a new Consumer Product Safety Commission rule regulating the sale of small, high-powered magnets, finding that the evidence the CPSC provided supports the rule and the commission's structure is constitutional.
March 03, 2025
DC Circ. Asks Crowley For More Info In GSA Audit Powers Suit

A D.C. Circuit panel directed Crowley Government Services Inc., which has challenged the authority of the General Services Administration to audit its contract with the U.S. Department of Defense's Transportation Command, to file a brief detailing whether the contract included any such audit provision.
March 03, 2025
Justices Decline Data Breach Suit Against SC Medical Center

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a Fourth Circuit decision that a health center cannot use federal immunity as a shield against a data breach lawsuit even though it received public funds, despite the company's warning that the ruling has created a circuit split.
March 03, 2025
3rd Circ. Preview: Litigation Funder, J&J Seek Relief In March

The Third Circuit's case lineup this month will task panels with determining if an American litigation funder can keep its dispute with a German law firm in federal court, and whether Johnson & Johnson can decertify class claims accusing the company of artificially inflating its stock price by failing to disclose the alleged cancer risks of its talc products.
March 03, 2025
Justices Deny Google Foe's Bid For Patent Eligibility Clarity

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a patent owner's appeal arguing that the Federal Circuit has a "broken approach to patent eligibility" and that the justices must clarify the law, in a case where advertising patents asserted against Google were found to cover abstract ideas.
March 03, 2025
Justices Turn Away Christian Worker Who Panned Pride Flag

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to review the dismissal of a suit brought by a Christian worker who said he was unlawfully fired by a metal manufacturer after calling a Pride month rainbow on the company's website an "abomination."
March 03, 2025
Justices Evade Circuit Split On Student Speech, Thomas Says

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to wade into a free speech advocacy group's suit challenging Indiana University's processes for reporting and investigating controversial speech, but Justice Clarence Thomas complained that the high court missed a chance to address a circuit split over student challenges to schools' "bias response teams."
March 03, 2025
Justices Turn Away Peru Mining Pollution Suit

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid by a mining company controlled by billionaire Ira Rennert to resolve whether the Eighth Circuit incorrectly denied the dismissal of claims raised by over 1,000 Peruvians alleging improper pollution.
March 03, 2025
High Court Declines Souvenir Store's TM Fraud Case

The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it will not consider a Florida souvenir store chain's challenge to a Second Circuit decision shutting down its case that a bankrupt beachwear company fraudulently procured a trademark registration to secure a $3.5 million settlement.
March 03, 2025
Justices Turn Down Suit By Worker Fired Over Online Post

The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it would not review a Sixth Circuit decision holding that a former CSX Transportation Inc. engineer waited too long to try to revive his wrongful termination suit stemming from an online post he made about a fatal train accident.
March 02, 2025
WH Appeals After Watchdog Chief Is Permanently Reinstalled

A D.C. federal judge ruled Saturday that President Donald Trump's firing of the head of the Office of Special Counsel was illegal, finding that the federal employment watchdog can only be ousted for cause.
February 28, 2025
9th Circ. Keeps Mass Starz Privacy Arbitration Consolidated

The Ninth Circuit on Friday refused to allow a consumer whose video privacy arbitration claims against Starz Entertainment LLC have been merged with more than 7,000 similar allegations to break off from the pack, finding that the television network couldn't be blamed for the current "procedural stalemate" in the consolidated arbitration proceedings.
February 28, 2025
Fed. Circ. Orders Interest Recalculation In Hardware IP Row

Halo Electronics' nearly two-decades-old dispute with a rival completed its fifth trip to the Federal Circuit, with the appeals court on Friday ordering a Nevada federal court to recalculate the amount of interest Halo could collect on a jury verdict.

Expert Analysis

Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top FMLA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Family and Medical Leave Act underscores why it is critical for employers to understand the basics of when leave and accommodations are required, say attorneys at Dechert.
5th Circ.'s Nasdaq Ruling Another Piece In DEI Policy Puzzle

The Fifth Circuit's recent en banc opinion vacating Nasdaq's board diversity listing rule wades into the hotly debated topic of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at a time when many public companies are navigating the attention that DEI commitments are drawing from activists and shareholders, say attorneys at Debevoise.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.
Series

Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.
The 6 Most Significant FCRA Litigation Developments Of 2024

From a key sovereign immunity decision at the U.S. Supreme Court to a ruling on creditworthiness out of the Seventh Circuit, several important Fair Credit Reporting Act cases wound their way through the courts in 2024, each offering takeaways for both plaintiffs and defendants, say attorneys at Shipkevich.
Fed. Circ. In December: A Patent Prosecution History Lesson

Despite relying on two rock-solid principles of patent law, DDR lost its Federal Circuit case against Priceline.com, highlighting how a change in the scope of the invention from the provisional to the nonprovisional application can affect the court's analysis of how a skilled artisan would understand claim terms after reading the prosecution history, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.
An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.
The Securities Litigation Trends That Will Matter Most In 2025

2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for securities litigation, as plaintiffs and defendants alike navigate shifting standards for omission theories of liability, class certification, risk disclosure claims and more, say attorneys at Willkie.
What To Watch For In The 2025 Benefits Landscape

While planning for 2025, retirement plan sponsors and service providers should set their focus on phased implementation deadlines under both Secure 1.0 and 2.0, an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling, and the fate of several U.S. Department of Labor regulations, says Allie Itami at Lathrop GPM.
Reviewing 2024's Crucial Patent Law Developments

As 2024 draws to a close, significant rulings and policies aimed at modernizing long-standing legal practices or addressing emerging challenges have reached patent law, says Michael Ellenberger at Rothwell Figg.
Contract Disputes Recap: Adjustments, Preclusion, Waivers

Ken Kanzawa at Seyfarth examines three recent decisions from the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals that examine distinctions between requests for equitable adjustments and claims, forum selection and res judicata, and the waiver of penalties for expressly unallowable costs.
The Justices' Securities Rulings, Dismissals That Defined '24

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 securities rulings led to increased success for defendants' price impact arguments, but the justices' decisions not to weigh in on important issues relating to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's pleading requirements may be just as significant, say attorneys at Skadden.
10 Noteworthy CFPB Developments From 2024

In a banner year for consumer finance regulation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau made significant strides in its efforts to rein in Big Tech and nonbank financial firms, including via rules regarding open banking, credit card late fees, and buy now, pay later products, say attorneys at Wiley.
Series

Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.