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Public Policy
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July 22, 2025
Ethics Appeal Over Columbia Letter Nixed As Judge Joins USDA
In its first decision of 2025, the Judicial Conference's conduct committee on Tuesday dismissed a challenge to the Seventh Circuit Judicial Council's decision to toss ethics claims against a U.S. Court of International Trade judge who threatened not to hire law clerks from Columbia University over the school's handling of Israel protests.
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July 22, 2025
AST Plan Called Threat To Amateur Satellite Signals
A nonprofit amateur satellite organization is fighting an application from AST SpaceMobile to launch hundreds of satellites for space-based cellular service, saying the company's proposal to use the 430-440 megahertz frequencies for telemetry and command could cause interference with amateur satellites active in the band.
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July 22, 2025
Transportation Cases To Watch: Midyear Report 2025
Litigation concerning whether local delivery drivers qualify as transportation workers exempt from arbitration and clashes over the scope of federal preemption in personal injury cases involving freight brokers and motor carriers are among the court battles that transportation attorneys are watching in the latter half of 2025.
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July 22, 2025
8th Circ. Axes Witness Tampering Verdict In Kidnapping Case
The Eighth Circuit upheld the kidnapping conviction of a man who held a woman at gunpoint and forced her to drive across state lines, but it vacated his attempted witness tampering conviction, holding that there wasn't enough evidence.
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July 22, 2025
Native Groups Reject Trump's Call For Old Team Names
Two Native American advocacy groups are condemning President Donald Trump's threat to kill a $3 billion plan for the new Washington Commanders stadium if the NFL team's former name isn't reinstated, saying Indigenous cultures are not past relics, mascots or forms of entertainment.
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July 22, 2025
Sable Aims To Sink Groups' Suit Over Calif. Oil Platforms
Sable Offshore Corp. told a California federal judge that green groups didn't follow proper litigation notice rules, dooming their lawsuit alleging the federal government failed to require the company to update safety and pollution control plans at drilling facilities.
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July 22, 2025
EU Deepens Look Into Universal Music $775M Downtown Deal
European Union antitrust enforcers kicked off an in-depth probe Tuesday into Universal Music Group's bid to buy Downtown Music Holdings, raising concerns that the $775 million transaction could give UMG access to the "commercially sensitive data of its rival record labels" held by Downtown.
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July 22, 2025
NJ Judges End Habba's Tenure, Bondi Removes Replacement
The New Jersey federal district court brought Alina Habba's run as interim U.S. attorney to an end Tuesday by not extending her tenure in the temporary role past 120 days.
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July 22, 2025
NY To Make Prison Phone Calls Free, Saving Families Millions
Phone calls for inmates in New York state prisons will soon be free of charge, officials announced Tuesday — a policy shift advocates say will save more than $13 million annually for families of incarcerated people and strengthen ties that are crucial to rehabilitation and public safety.
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July 22, 2025
Missouri Solicitor General, State Judge Secure Federal Seats
The Senate confirmed two nominees on Tuesday to serve on Missouri federal courts.
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July 22, 2025
Judge Blocks Some Planned Parenthood Cuts In Partial Ruling
A Massachusetts federal judge partially blocked a measure passed by Congress this month stripping Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood-affiliated facilities, but only as it applies to those that do not provide abortions or that receive minimal federal support.
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July 22, 2025
Ore. Extends Brownfield Development Tax Breaks
Oregon extended its program of local property tax incentives for brownfield development by six years under a bill signed by the governor.
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July 22, 2025
Ala. Pot Regulators Seek Dismissal Of Retaliation Suit
Alabama medical cannabis regulators have urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from a prospective medical marijuana business that was denied a license, or abstain from the matter entirely, because similar cases are pending in state court.
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July 21, 2025
Revived Effort To Break Up 9th Circ. Makes Its Way To Senate
Idaho Republicans have reintroduced a U.S. Senate bill that looks to split up the Ninth Circuit and create a new Twelfth Circuit, according to an announcement made Monday, roughly nearly seven months after a similar bill was introduced in the House.
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July 21, 2025
Md. Judges Slam 'Unprecedented' Suit Over Habeas Orders
Maryland federal judges on Monday pressed a Virginia federal judge to throw out the Trump administration's "unprecedented" suit challenging their standing order that temporarily blocks deportation of detained noncitizens who file habeas petitions, warning that if the suit succeeds, "it will not be the last."
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July 21, 2025
Trump Asks DC Circ. To Block FTC Dem's Reinstatement
The Trump administration on Monday asked the D.C. Circuit to pause a Thursday order restoring a fired Federal Trade Commission Democrat's job, arguing that the ruling defies recent U.S. Supreme Court orders staying similar reinstatements at other independent agencies.
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July 21, 2025
The Biggest Telecom Developments Of 2025: Midyear Report
It's been a headline-grabbing year in communications law so far, with the U.S. Supreme Court handing down a major win for federal programs that help pay for broadband deployment and a new Republican chief at the nation's telecom agency ushering in a rule-slashing agenda.
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July 21, 2025
Sinclair Stations Clear Up FCC's Kid TV Enforcement
Sinclair Broadcast Group stations that aired Hot Wheels commercials during a children's Hot Wheels program in violation of Federal Communications Commission rules are settling with the agency after their owner inked a deal allowing the parent company to avoid a $2.6 million fine.
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July 21, 2025
FCC Waives Rules To Use Radar Digging In Construction
Rod Radar has convinced the Federal Communications Commission to grant it a waiver that would allow it to hook ground-penetrating radar to excavator buckets to help avoid underground infrastructure like utility lines.
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July 21, 2025
Man Tweaks Suit Over Gun Purchase Ban Tied To Pot Conviction
A man who claims he was wrongly denied the right to buy a gun despite his four-decades-old marijuana felony being expunged has tweaked his legal efforts, dropping the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as defendants in his lawsuit in Kansas federal court.
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July 21, 2025
DC Circ. Urged To Leave FERC Project Approvals Alone
Grid operator Southwest Power Pool Inc. urged the D.C. Circuit to deny utility petitions challenging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's approval of four transmission projects developed by Kansas-based Sunflower Electric Power Corp.
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July 21, 2025
Nonprofits Take Aim At New HUD Grant Rules
A coalition of nonprofit groups filed suit Monday in Rhode Island federal court, challenging new conditions for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants that target diversity, equity and inclusion programs; abortion access; and transgender individuals.
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July 21, 2025
CFPB Ends VyStar Consent Order After $1.5M Penalty Paid
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau disclosed Monday that it has ended another Biden-era consent order, this time with VyStar Credit Union, which the agency said has paid the seven-figure penalty that was imposed against it last year.
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July 21, 2025
Feds Tell 3rd Circ. Gun Rights Not Automatic After Crime
The Third Circuit heard oral arguments Monday over whether the Second Amendment gives a man convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol the automatic right to own weapons after serving his time.
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July 21, 2025
House GOP Would Cut SEC Funds, Curb Cyber Breach Rule
House Republicans are seeking to cut the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's budget by 7% in the upcoming fiscal year, presenting a plan that could also undercut a Biden-era regulation requiring publicly traded companies to quickly report cybersecurity breaches.
Expert Analysis
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3 Rulings May Reveal Next Frontier Of Gov't Contract Cases
Several U.S. Supreme Court decisions over the past year — involving wire fraud, gratuities and obstruction — offer wide-ranging and arguably conflicting takeaways for government contractors that are especially relevant given the Trump administration’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.
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How Ore. Law Puts New Confines On Corp. Health Ownership
A newly enacted law in Oregon strengthens the state’s restrictions on corporate ownership of healthcare practices, with new limitations on overlapping control, permissible services, restrictive covenants and more making it necessary for practices to review decades-old physician practice arrangements, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.
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Early Trends In Proxy Exclusion After SEC Relaxes Guidance
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent guidance broadening shareholder proposal exclusion under Rule 14a-8 has been undoubtedly useful to issuers this proxy season, but it does not guarantee exclusion, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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How New Texas Law Revamps Electric Grid To Meet Demand
A new Texas law enacted in response to the burdens that data centers, crypto mining and other large-scale users are placing on the state's electric grid means that stakeholders must review updated requirements around grid interconnection, disclosure of development plans and operational flexibility during tight conditions, say attorneys at Jackson Walker.
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Best Practices For State Banks Eyeing Federal Conversions
Amid a notable uptick — fueled by ongoing regulatory upheaval — in state-chartered banks exploring conversion to national bank charters, banks contemplating the decision should weigh the benefits, like uniform supervision, and potential impediments, like costly exam fees, say attorneys at Skadden.
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DOJ May Rethink Banning Firearms For Marijuana Users
In light of various federal circuit court decisions and an executive order from President Donald Trump, U.S. Department of Justice enforcement policy now may be on the verge of changing decidedly in favor of marijuana users' gun rights, and could foreshadow additional marijuana-friendly reforms, says Jacob Raver at Dentons.
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EDNY Ruling May Limit Some FARA Conspiracy Charges
Though the Eastern District of New York’s recent U.S. v. Sun decision upheld Foreign Agents Registration Act charges against a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, its recognition of an affirmative legislative policy to exempt some officials may help defendants charged with related conspiracies, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.
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9th Circ. Has Muddied Waters Of Article III Pleading Standard
District courts in the Ninth Circuit continue to apply a defunct and especially forgiving pleading standard to questions of Article III standing, and the circuit court itself has only perpetuated this confusion — making it an attractive forum for disputes that have no rightful place in federal court, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.
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Future Of Enviro Crimes Under Trump's Federal Regs Order
President Donald Trump's recent executive order about fighting overcriminalization in federal regulations creates new advocacy opportunities for defense counsel to argue that particular environmental crime investigations and matters ought to be limited or declined based on the policy priorities reflected in the order, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Trump Antitrust Shift Eases Pressure On Private Equity Deals
Enforcement actions and statements by Trump administration antitrust officials forecast a shift away from specifically targeting private equity activity, which should be welcome news to dealmakers, but firms shouldn't expect to escape traditional antitrust scrutiny, says Nathaniel Bronstein at Fried Frank.
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How Cos. Can Prep For Calif. Cybersecurity Audit Regulations
As the California Privacy Protection Agency Board finalizes cybersecurity audit requirements, companies should take six steps to prepare for the audit itself and to build a compliant cybersecurity program that can pass the audit, say attorneys at Covington.
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Series
Competing In Modern Pentathlon Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Opening myself up to new experiences through competing in modern Olympic pentathlon has shrunk the appearance of my daily work annoyances and helps me improve my patience, manage crises better and remember that acquiring new skills requires working through your early mistakes, says attorney Mary Zoldak.
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Shifting DEI Expectations Put Banks In Legal Crosshairs
The Trump administration's rollbacks on DEI-friendly policies create something of a regulatory catch-22 for banks, wherein strict compliance would contradict established statutory and administrative mandates regarding access to credit for disadvantaged communities, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.
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Compliance Tips After Court Axes EEOC's Trans Rights Take
A Texas federal court's recent decision struck portions of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's 2024 guidance pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity under Title VII, barring their use nationwide and leaving employers unsure about how to proceed in their compliance efforts, say attorneys at Dorsey & Whitney.
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Atkins' Crypto Remarks Show SEC Is Headed For A 'New Day'
A look at U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins' recent speeches provides significant clues as to where the SEC is going next and how its regulatory approach to crypto will differ from that of the previous administration, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.