Public Policy

  • July 15, 2024

    Calif. Justices Nix 3 Charter Arb. Terms, Remand Severability

    The California Supreme Court held Monday that three of four challenged provisions in Charter Communications Inc.'s employee arbitration agreement are "substantively unconscionable" but remanded a worker's discrimination case back to the trial court to determine if those provisions can be severed and the agreement can still be enforced.

  • July 15, 2024

    Bulk Billing Regs Could Hurt Lower-Income Tenants, FCC Told

    Tighter regulations on bulk billing in multitenant environments could make it harder for seniors, low-income households and students to afford high-speed internet service, industry representatives told the Federal Communications Commission.

  • July 15, 2024

    School Counselor's FMLA Suit Should Be Tossed, Judge Says

    A Georgia school district should be allowed to escape a former counselor's lawsuit alleging she was terminated for requesting time off to care for her sick husband, a federal judge said Monday, finding she couldn't overcome the district's explanation that she'd failed to correct performance issues despite multiple opportunities.

  • July 15, 2024

    Feds Outline Eligibility Criteria For Foreign Entrepreneur Rule

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided updated guidance on the requirements for foreign entrepreneurs to qualify for short-term immigration benefits under the International Entrepreneur Rule.

  • July 15, 2024

    Gun Mags Are Not 'Arms' Under Constitution, Wash. AG Says

    Washington's attorney general is urging the state Supreme Court to uphold a ban on sales of large-capacity magazines for firearms, arguing on Friday that the ammunition devices are not arms deserving of constitutional protection.

  • July 15, 2024

    3rd Circ. Wants Higher Bar For Halting Delaware Gun Laws

    The Third Circuit held Monday that courts have lowered the bar for issuing preliminary injunctions too much, allowing Delaware to keep its ban on "assault weapons" and extended magazines because the gun rights groups challenging the law hadn't met the burden of showing the harm necessary for "extraordinary relief."

  • July 15, 2024

    Airstrike Survivors Lose Bid To Block UAE's $23.4B Arms Sale

    A Washington, D.C., federal court dismissed an effort to block a $23.4 billion arms sale to the United Arab Emirates, saying the plaintiffs — survivors of a 2019 airstrike in Libya — hadn't shown a likelihood of getting attacked again.

  • July 15, 2024

    9th Circ. Won't Review Toss Of Youths' Climate Case

    The Ninth Circuit has rejected youth plaintiffs' request for an en banc rehearing of a May ruling that dismissed their climate change suit against the U.S. government.

  • July 15, 2024

    Insurance Groups Want DOL Investment Advice Regs Blocked

    Several insurance groups urged a Texas federal court to halt the U.S. Department of Labor's new regulations that broaden who qualifies as a fiduciary under federal benefits law, saying the agency's new rule is no different from one the Fifth Circuit invalidated in 2018.

  • July 15, 2024

    4th Circ. Rejects Couple's $5.1M Easement Deduction

    The Fourth Circuit rejected Monday a married couple's bid to revive a claimed $5.1 million conservation easement deduction, saying it represented a "remarkable" attempt to inflate the value of a 41-acre property that was worth just $652,000 the year before they donated it.

  • July 15, 2024

    FTX Proposes $4B Settlement Of CFTC's Massive $52B Claim

    FTX Trading Ltd. asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to sign off on a settlement with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, saying the agreement to allow the agency a $4 billion claim in its bankruptcy would end a fraud civil enforcement action and address the "most significant single creditor" in the crypto currency exchange's Chapter 11 case.

  • July 15, 2024

    NHTSA Fuel Economy Suits Consolidated In 6th Circ.

    Eight separate legal challenges to the U.S. Department of Transportation's newly finalized fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks have been consolidated in the Sixth Circuit, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation said Friday.

  • July 15, 2024

    Fired NJ Cops Say ALJ's Ruling Backs Their Off-Duty Pot Use

    An administrative law judge's decision reinstating a Jersey City police officer to her job after she was fired for off-duty marijuana use provides an argument for dismissing the city's lawsuit against the state in which it argues that federal law is at odds with New Jersey law, police officers say in a letter filed Monday in federal court.

  • July 15, 2024

    New York AG Lobs New Challenge To Rec Sports Trans Ban

    New York Attorney General Letitia James and a local roller derby league each sued to strike down a newly passed law banning transgender women and girls from participating in recreational sports at facilities run by Nassau County on Monday, reviving a bitter legal fight.

  • July 15, 2024

    4th Circ. OKs No Hardship Finding In Mexican Man's Removal

    A Fourth Circuit panel on Monday rejected a petition from a Mexican citizen seeking to halt his removal from the United States, ruling that the Board of Immigration Appeals was right to find that his petition fell short of the extreme hardship standard necessary to prevent removal.

  • July 15, 2024

    Ex-NYC Homeless Services Fraud Investigator Admits ID Theft

    A former fraud investigator for the New York City Department of Homeless Services pled guilty along with a co-defendant Monday to scheming to steal the personal information of homeless people and using it to fraudulently apply for unemployment benefits.

  • July 15, 2024

    Ariz. Rancher Says Monument Order A 'Regulatory Regime'

    A sixth-generation Arizona rancher is fighting a bid by the Biden administration to dismiss litigation challenging a presidential proclamation that designated an Indigenous site in the Grand Canyon region a national monument, arguing the order subjects him to a "regulatory regime" he must comply with to enhance his property.

  • July 15, 2024

    FTC Warns Franchisors About Unfair Contract Terms

    The Federal Trade Commission warned franchisors in a new policy statement not to use contract provisions or other tactics to prevent their franchisees from reporting potential law violations to government enforcers.

  • July 15, 2024

    Okla. Tribes Agree To Share Hunting, Fishing Rights

    Oklahoma's Five Civilized Tribes say an agreement that will allow its members to use their tribal hunting and fishing licenses to access one another's territories strengthens their sovereign rights and gives them greater autonomy over the care and preservation of the land for future generations.

  • July 15, 2024

    North Carolina Cases To Watch In 2024: A Midyear Report

    The second half of 2024 will see the North Carolina Business Court tackle media rights in one of the country's largest collegiate athletic conferences while state justices weigh the scope of hospital immunity under the Tar Heel State's COVID-19 emergency law.

  • July 15, 2024

    DC Circ. Won't Rethink Revived DOJ Realtor Antitrust Probe

    The D.C. Circuit won't reconsider a ruling that allowed the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen an investigation into certain rules and policies of the National Association of Realtors, rejecting the trade group's request that the court correct "far-reaching and exceptionally important" legal errors.

  • July 15, 2024

    Neoprene Maker Tells 5th Circ. Louisiana Can Stall EPA Rule

    A Louisiana neoprene manufacturer is asking the Fifth Circuit to affirm a state regulator's decision to grant the company a two-year extension to comply with a final chemical emissions rule issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

  • July 15, 2024

    Widow To Pull $1.7M From Swiss Bank To Pay FBAR Penalties

    A logger's widow agreed to pull about $1.7 million from her Swiss bank account to pay down penalties that her late husband's estate owes the IRS for his failure to report offshore accounts, according to a filing Monday in a Colorado federal court.

  • July 15, 2024

    Diocese's Insurer Says No Coverage For Sex Abuse Claims

    An excess insurer for the Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange told a California federal court it owes no coverage for over 200 consolidated child sex abuse lawsuits, arguing that despite the primary insurer's insolvency, underlying limits must deplete before excess coverage kicks in.

  • July 15, 2024

    Auditor Says City Forced Him Out For Raising Red Flags

    Officials in New Haven, Connecticut, have accused the city's internal auditor of misconduct in retaliation for his numerous reports of financial irregularities, safety concerns and potential violations of local ordinances, forcing him out of his position in April, according to a whistleblower suit filed in state court last week.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    After Chevron: FDA Regulations In The Crosshairs

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine is likely to unleash an array of challenges against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, focusing on areas of potential overreach such as the FDA's authority under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Realtor Settlement May Create New Antitrust Pitfalls

    Author Photo

    Following a recent antitrust settlement between the National Association of Realtors and home sellers, practices are set to change and the increased competition may benefit both brokers and homebuyers, but the loss of the customary method of buyer broker compensation could lead to new antitrust concerns, says Colin Ahler at Snell & Wilmer.

  • Navigating The New Rise Of Greenwashing Litigation

    Author Photo

    As greenwashing lawsuits continue to gain momentum with a shift in focus to carbon-neutrality claims, businesses must exercise caution and ensure transparency in their environmental marketing practices, taking cues from recent legal challenges in the airline industry, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • In Memoriam: The Modern Administrative State

    Author Photo

    On June 28, the modern administrative state, where courts deferred to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, died when the U.S. Supreme Court overruled its previous decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council — but it is survived by many cases decided under the Chevron framework, say Joseph Schaeffer and Jessica Deyoe at Babst Calland.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Expect Limited Changes In USPTO Rulemaking

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling overturning Chevron deference will have limited consequences for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office given the USPTO's unique statutory features, but it is still an important decision for matters of statutory interpretation, especially those involving provisions of the America Invents Act, say Andrei Iancu and Cooper Godfrey at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Preparing For CFPB 'Junk Fee' Push Into Mortgage Industry

    Author Photo

    As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau considers expanding its "junk fee" initiative into mortgage closing costs, mortgage lenders and third parties must develop plans now that anticipate potential rulemaking or enforcement activity in this space, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For Nationwide Race-Based Hair Protections

    Author Photo

    While 24 states have passed laws that prohibit race-based hair discrimination, this type of bias persists in workplaces and schools, so a robust federal law is necessary to ensure widespread protection, says Samone Ijoma and Erica Roberts at Sanford Heisler.

  • Series

    After Chevron: EEOC Status Quo Will Likely Continue

    Author Photo

    As the legal landscape adjusts to the end of Chevron deference, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s rulemaking authority isn’t likely to shift as much as some other employment-related agencies, says Paige Lyle at FordHarrison.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Impact On Indian Law May Be Muted

    Author Photo

    Agency interpretations of Indian law statutes that previously stood the test of judicial review ​are likely to withstand new challenges even after the end of Chevron deference, but litigation in the area is all but certain, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Opinion

    Trump Immunity Ruling Upends Our Constitutional Scheme

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s Trump v. U.S. decision elevates the president to imperial status and paves the way for nearly absolute presidential immunity from potential criminal prosecutions — with no constitutional textual support, says Paul Berman at the George Washington University Law School.

  • High Court Paves Middle Ground For Proceedings Obstruction

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Fischer sensibly leaves the door open for prosecutors to make more nuanced assessments as to whether defendants' actions directly or tangentially impair the availability or integrity of anything used in an official proceeding, without criminalizing acts such as peaceful demonstrations, say attorneys at Perry Law.

  • How High Court Approached Time Limit On Reg Challenges

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Corner Post v. Federal Reserve Board effectively gives new entities their own personal statute of limitations to challenge rules and regulations, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh's concurrence may portend the court's view that those entities do not need to be directly regulated, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • Series

    Florida Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

    Author Photo

    The second quarter of 2024 brought two notable bills that will affect Florida's banking and finance community across many issues, including virtual currency abandonment, cancellation of financial services on the basis of political opinions, and the exemption amount of motor vehicles, say Joshua Prever and Andrew Balthazor at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    After Chevron: FTC's 'Unfair Competition' Actions In Jeopardy

    Author Photo

    While the U.S. Supreme Court's decision ending Chevron deference will have limited effect on the Federal Trade Commission's merger guidelines, administrative enforcement actions and commission decisions on appeal, it could restrict the agency's expansive take on its rulemaking authority and threaten the noncompete ban, say attorneys at Baker Botts.

  • How To Clean Up Your Generative AI-Produced Legal Drafts

    Author Photo

    As law firms increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence tools to produce legal text, attorneys should be on guard for the overuse of cohesive devices in initial drafts, and consider a few editing pointers to clean up AI’s repetitive and choppy outputs, says Ivy Grey at WordRake.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!