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North Carolina
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May 08, 2024
NC Court Clerks, Administrators Escape Digital Courts Suit
Plaintiffs in a proposed class action have voluntarily dropped North Carolina court administrators and clerks from a lawsuit alleging that flaws in the state's electronic court filing system led to unlawful arrests and longer jail stays.
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May 08, 2024
No Reimbursement For $5.5M Crash Settlement, Insurer Says
A highway construction company is not entitled to reimbursement for a $5.5 million settlement in an underlying suit over multiple motorcycle accidents that killed one and injured two others, a subcontractor's insurer has told a North Carolina federal court, saying the company does not qualify as an additional insured.
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May 08, 2024
Catholic School Defeats Gay Teacher's Bias Suit At 4th Circ.
The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday struck down a gay drama teacher's win in his suit alleging he was unlawfully fired by a Catholic school after announcing his wedding on Facebook, finding that his job entailed responsibilities that triggered a religious exception to anti-discrimination law.
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May 08, 2024
Biden Picks US Magistrate Judge In Fla. For 11th Circ.
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday his intent to nominate U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry J. Kidd to the Eleventh Circuit.
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May 07, 2024
Novant CEO Vows To Improve Hospitals Facing FTC Scrutiny
Novant Health kicked off its defense Tuesday in the Federal Trade Commission's $320 million merger challenge with testimony from its longtime CEO, who vocalized the health system's promise to reinvest in the two struggling hospitals at the center of the case.
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May 07, 2024
85 Lawmakers Join Chorus Opposing Space Force Transfers
A bipartisan group of 85 federal lawmakers on Tuesday joined all 50 state governors in opposing a proposal to allow Air National Guard units to be transferred to the U.S. Space Force without gubernatorial approval, arguing the measure would undermine "the integrity and longstanding mission of the National Guard."
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May 07, 2024
Duke Energy Rival Stresses Holistic View Of Monopoly Suit
Duke Energy's contract snub and price drops reveal a bid to monopolize the North Carolina market when the conduct is viewed holistically rather than in piecemeal fashion, a rival told the Fourth Circuit on Tuesday in an attempt to revive antitrust claims.
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May 07, 2024
DOJ Tells High Court To Undo 4th Circ. OT Carveout Ruling
Employers need only adhere to a less stringent standard in proving whether a worker is overtime-exempt, the U.S. Department of Justice told the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday in support of the reversal of a Fourth Circuit ruling that sales workers didn't fit the carveout's guidelines.
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May 07, 2024
Contract's 1-Year Limit Doesn't Block NC Mold Claims
A North Carolina appeals court on Tuesday reinstated a couple's suit against a contractor they say failed to remediate water and mold damage in their house, saying the trial court was wrong to find that the contract's one-year limitation on claims applied to the state's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
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May 07, 2024
NC Firm Beats Appeal In Fee Fight With Fla. Client
A North Carolina state appeals court on Tuesday affirmed a lower court's denial of a motion to dismiss a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by Raleigh-based law firm Wilson Ratledge PLLC, agreeing the fee dispute with two Florida-based companies falls under the state court's jurisdiction.
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May 07, 2024
US Chemical Cos. Say Chinese Refrigerant Duties Are Wrong
Domestic chemical companies called on the U.S. Court of International Trade to scrap new anti-dumping duties on Chinese hydrofluorocarbons, saying the duties were based on economic information from Romania, which allegedly doesn't produce a similar product.
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May 06, 2024
Alaska Man Gets 2 Years Over 'Bud And Breakfast' Scheme
An Alaska man has been sentenced to two years in prison and will have to pay more than $580,000 in restitution after duping investors into staking a purported plan to build a marijuana-themed hospitality center referred to as a "Bud and Breakfast."
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May 06, 2024
Warranty Claims Trimmed From Bone Graft Tuberculosis Suit
A North Carolina federal judge has thrown out breach of warranty claims against three companies in a suit alleging their bone repair product gave a woman tuberculosis, saying it's subject to a state law blocking warranty liability for services involving human tissue.
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May 06, 2024
Home Builder Beats NC Trade Secrets Suit
The North Carolina's business court scrapped an interior designer's claims that a competitor stole cabinetry designs and customer information when it hired a former employee, sparing only an accusation that the ex-worker embezzled money.
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May 06, 2024
Claims Court Won't Toss Dispute Over Army Corps Work Redo
A Court of Federal Claims judge on Monday refused to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the Army Corps of Engineers wrongly required a building construction contractor to redo its work, ruling the suit was not barred by a related previous case.
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May 06, 2024
4th Circ. Clinches NBA Star Win In Legal Saga With Ex-Agent
NBA star forward Zion Williamson secured a Fourth Circuit victory on Monday in a prolonged legal battle with his would-be agent, with a unanimous panel ruling his contract with the Florida marketing agency was void under a North Carolina law governing student-athlete representation.
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May 06, 2024
Meet The Attys For NC Insurance Mogul Facing Bribery Retrial
Nearly two years after the Fourth Circuit exonerated Greg E. Lindberg on bribery and wire fraud charges, a team of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP partners with prosecution experience has joined forces with prominent white collar defense lawyer James F. Wyatt lll in hopes of staving off a second conviction for the embattled insurance tycoon.
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May 06, 2024
SEC Settles Insider Info Charges With CBD Co.'s Ex-Chairman
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a settlement with the former chairman of Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. to resolve charges that he leaked inside information about the company's then-pending purchase of SugarLeaf Labs Inc. to a friend's wife.
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May 06, 2024
Full NC Court Asked To Review Panel's 'Double Odor' Pot Test
A man who pled guilty to cannabis-related charges after a traffic stop is asking for an en banc review of a North Carolina appeals panel's rejection of his argument that the evidence against him was unconstitutional.
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May 03, 2024
Hospital In Novant Merger Beset By Staff Turnover, Court Told
The Federal Trade Commission and two healthcare companies used witness testimony Friday to paint competing pictures of a North Carolina hospital at the center of a $320 million merger dispute: one in which the hospital has focused on making quality improvements, and another where it's been plagued by poor ratings and high staff turnover.
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May 03, 2024
Rue21 Can Use Lender Cash As It Moves To Shut All Stores
A Delaware bankruptcy judge gave an initial nod Friday to teen apparel company rue21's bid to use its lender cash collateral to fund itself as it works to sell off inventory across 540 stores in the U.S. during its Chapter 11 case.
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May 03, 2024
Ex-Defender Can't Make Feds Release Harassment Reports
A North Carolina federal court rejected a former assistant federal defender's bid to have the federal government release certain #MeToo evidence following a trial over her claims of a botched sexual harassment probe, saying she was "woefully late" in deciding to challenge its confidentiality status.
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May 03, 2024
Lewis Brisbois Adds 2 Insurance Coverage Pros In The South
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP has hired a pair of attorneys from a boutique insurance coverage firm as partners for its insurance coverage and bad faith litigation practices for its office in Jackson, Mississippi, the firm said Friday.
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May 03, 2024
4th Circ. Preview: Hemp, Wells And A Withdrawal
The Fourth Circuit's second session of 2024 will have the court pondering the tension between Virginia's recent hemp restrictions and federal regulations, and how the Truth in Lending Act impacts a case accusing PNC Bank of an unauthorized account withdrawal.
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May 02, 2024
Camp Lejeune Litigants Ask Court Who Can Represent Family
Family members of former residents of Camp Lejeune who died, allegedly after being exposed to contaminated drinking water, asked the North Carolina federal court overseeing the litigation on Wednesday to clarify who can qualify to act as a legal representative for out-of-state decedents.
Expert Analysis
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Case Law Is Mixed On D&O Coverage For Gov't Investigations
As the Fourth Circuit’s recent decision in Brown Goldstein v. Federal Insurance Co. demonstrates, federal appeals courts take different approaches to determine whether government investigations are covered by directors and officers liability insurance, so companies and individuals must review their policy language, say Chloe Law, Jan Larson and Caroline Meneau at Jenner & Block.
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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.
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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.
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4th Circ. Ruling Continues Trend Of Insurer Bump-Up Wins
The Fourth Circuit's recent decision in Towers Watson v. National Union Fire Insurance, finding no directors and officers insurance coverage for underpayment in a reverse triangular merger, supports an emerging consensus that "acquisition" encompasses a variety of transaction types for the purposes of D&O bump-up exclusions, say Joshua Polster and Charlotte McCary at Simpson Thacher.
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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.
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4th Circ. Ruling Outlines Defense Against Retaliation Claims
The Fourth Circuit's surprising decision in Johnson v. Global Language Center eschewed the low standard typically applied to demonstrating protected activities under Title VII and could affect internal complaint processes and the retaliation defenses available to employers, say Tory Summey and Zack Anstett at Parker Poe.
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High Court Cert Denial Puts New Spotlight On Plea Bargains
The U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Davis v. U.S. — provoking two justices’ dissent — highlights a lesser-known circuit split on whether an attorney's failure to pursue a plea agreement constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel, and will likely spur several key changes in criminal law practice, says Spencer Gottlieb at Perkins Coie.
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How Courts Are Treating SEC Disgorgement 3 Years After Liu
Following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2020 Liu decision on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's ability to seek equitable disgorgement of defendants' net profits, case law is veering significantly in the SEC's favor, and there are four key issues to follow, say Amy Jane Longo and Brooke Cohen at Ropes & Gray.
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Now Is The Time For State And Local Sales Tax Simplification
In the five years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, state and local governments increasingly rely on sales tax, but simple changes are needed to make compliance more manageable for taxpayers, wherever located, without unduly burdening interstate commerce, says Charles Maniace at Sovos.
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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.
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The Texas Two-Step May Be Losing Steam
The Texas Two-Step is a powerful bankruptcy strategy that has been used in recent high-profile cases, including Johnson & Johnson’s talc unit bankruptcy case, but ongoing debate and legal challenges raise the question of whether this maneuver is losing reliability, say Brendan Best and Justin Allen at Varnum.
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3 Abortion Enforcement Takeaways 1 Year After Dobbs
A year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, confusion continues to abound amid the quagmire of state-level enforcement risks, federal efforts to protect reproductive health care, and fights over geolocation data, say Elena Quattrone and Sarah Hall at Epstein Becker.
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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.
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Opinion
ALI, Bar Groups Need More Defense Engagement For Balance
The American Law Institute and state bar committees have a special role in the development of the law — but if they do not do a better job of including attorneys from the defense bar, they will come to be viewed as special interest advocacy groups, says Mark Behrens at Shook Hardy.
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High Court Ruling Wouldn't Change Federal Affirmative Action
If the U.S. Supreme Court's eventual decision in two cases concerning affirmative action indicates that using race or ethnicity as a factor in college admissions is illegal, it would align with how the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs already enforces nondiscrimination regulations for government contractor hiring, say Joanna Colosimo and Evan Szarenski at DCI Consulting.