Public Policy

  • July 23, 2024

    LA Sued Over Illegal Pollutant Discharges In San Pedro Bay

    The city of Los Angeles was hit with a Clean Water Act suit in California federal court Tuesday by a nonprofit accusing it of regularly violating its wastewater discharge permit by exceeding limits on dangerous pollutants dispelled into the San Pedro Bay, threatening aquatic life and public health.

  • July 23, 2024

    Biz Groups Form Lobby Effort To Fight FCC Bulk Billing Rules

    Bulk billing agreements are often a boon for people living in apartment buildings and condos, according to a new coalition made up of multifamily housing organizations and a cable trade group, which was formed to push the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider banning such arrangements.

  • July 23, 2024

    Bannon To Face Border Wall Trial After Release From Prison

    Steve Bannon's New York trial on charges that he stole donor money earmarked for a wall along the southern U.S. border will begin on Dec. 9, a month and a half after the former Donald Trump adviser is released from prison on a separate contempt of Congress conviction.

  • July 23, 2024

    After Trump Attack, GOP Presses DOJ On Justices' Security

    Two Republican U.S. House representatives pressed the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday for information on security measures protecting court officers, warning that limitations on the U.S. Marshals Service's authority to arrest protesters near justices' homes are "dangerous and misguided," especially after former President Donald Trump's attempted assassination.

  • July 23, 2024

    Feds Urge Final Toss Of Youths' Constitutional Climate Suit

    The U.S. government called on a California federal judge to reject an attempt by youth plaintiffs to amend their lawsuit alleging the federal government unconstitutionally discriminates against them by favoring the fossil fuel industry's interests, saying they have alleged no harm from the policies they seek to enjoin.

  • July 23, 2024

    No Victims, No Fraud, Trump Says In $465M Judgment Appeal

    Donald Trump has appealed the $465 million judgment against him, arguing that the New York attorney general exceeded her authority in her civil fraud suit against the former president because the statute in question does not apply to victimless transactions.

  • July 23, 2024

    India Eyes End Of Digital Tax For E-Commerce, But Not Ads

    Foreign e-commerce companies would be exempted from India's equalization levy, a 2% digital tax, but online advertisers would continue to pay a 6% rate on gross revenues sourced to Indian customers under a budget bill presented Tuesday by the government.

  • July 23, 2024

    On Capitol Hill, PBM Execs Deny Role In High Drug Costs

    Executives from the nation's three largest pharmacy benefit managers told members of a U.S. House committee on Tuesday that they lower drug costs while pointing the finger at pharmaceutical manufacturers.

  • July 23, 2024

    NY Judge OKs Public Disclosure In Atty Misconduct Cases

    A New York federal judge ruled Monday that the First Amendment does allow those who filed grievances against attorneys to access disciplinary hearings before the Appellate Division's Second Judicial Department, records related to those hearings and some of the grievance committee's final dispositions.

  • July 23, 2024

    Stay Of Power Plant Mercury Rule Unwarranted, EPA Says

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, joined by states, cities and public health and environmental groups, is urging the D.C. Circuit not to block a new rule tightening standards for mercury and other toxic metal emissions from some coal-fired power plants.

  • July 23, 2024

    Senate Dems Roll Out Bill To Codify Chevron Deference

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led a group of Democratic senators Tuesday in introducing a bill to codify the now-defunct doctrine of Chevron deference after it was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last month.

  • July 23, 2024

    Ariz. Court OKs Hospital District Tax For Legal Costs

    A property tax levied to fund an Arizona hospital district's expenses including legal fees was properly authorized and did not require approval by voters, the Arizona Tax Court said, rejecting a suit by a local taxpayer.

  • July 23, 2024

    NJ Gov. Gets Partial Win In Ex-Elections Chief's Suit

    A New Jersey state judge has handed Gov. Phil Murphy a partial win over claims from the state's former elections chief alleging that his civil rights were violated, dismissing a claim that former official had a legal right to his job.

  • July 23, 2024

    FCC Urged To Protect Public Safety In 5.9 GHz Band

    A public interest group urged the Federal Communications Commission to keep public safety as the top priority for licensees of the 5.9 gigahertz airwaves as the FCC considers rules to allow advanced car connectivity uses in the band.

  • July 23, 2024

    EPA Says High Court's Chevron Ruling Doesn't Doom Air Rule

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday told the Fifth Circuit that a U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating judges' obligation to defer to federal agencies in rulemaking litigation does not impact its decision to reject states' ozone air pollution plans.

  • July 23, 2024

    Feds Say Student Must Fight Sanctions In Treasury, Not Court

    The White House told a D.C. federal court that an international student can't sue over being blacklisted based on her father's business dealings in Myanmar, as she hadn't yet challenged the sanctions through an agency appeals system.

  • July 23, 2024

    Convicted Sen. Menendez Of NJ Resigning Aug. 20

    U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez has decided to resign as the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee was moving swiftly to consider whether he should be expelled or censured after his conviction last week on 16 corruption charges.

  • July 23, 2024

    Mass. Pig Farming Law Survives Pork Industry Challenge

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Tuesday shot down a suit from out-of-state hog farmers and food producers challenging a state law that bans the sale of pork from pigs that are kept in tightly confined spaces, saying nothing in the law conflicts with federal statutes.

  • July 23, 2024

    Wyoming Hemp Regulations Not Preempted By 2018 Farm Bill

    A Wyoming federal judge won't block enforcement of a newly enacted law regulating hemp-derived intoxicating products, saying the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp products doesn't preempt the regulation.

  • July 23, 2024

    Northern District Of NY Judge To Take Senior Status

    U.S. District Judge Glenn Suddaby of the Northern District of New York will take senior status as of Sept. 1.

  • July 23, 2024

    Chemours Loses 3rd Circ. Fight Over EPA Water Advisories

    In a precedential ruling Tuesday, the Third Circuit shot down Chemours Co.'s challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's health advisories over chemicals in drinking water, finding that the advisories couldn't be reviewed by a court.

  • July 23, 2024

    Secret Service Chief Out Amid Trump Rally Shooting Probes

    U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle resigned Tuesday, the day after lawmakers at a contentious congressional hearing demanded she step down following her agency's failure to stop the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

  • July 23, 2024

    Chase, McKinsey Get FTC Inquiry Over 'Surveillance Pricing'

    The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to eight companies — including Mastercard, Chase, Accenture and McKinsey & Co. — seeking more information about the potential impact their practices of "surveillance pricing" products and services have on privacy, competition and consumer protection, the FTC said Tuesday.

  • July 22, 2024

    AbbVie Challenges Mo. Drug Discount Program Requirements

    AbbVie Inc. on Monday asked a Missouri federal court to block a state law that adds requirements to participate in the federal drug discount program, claiming that the measure violates both the federal and Missouri constitutions.

  • July 22, 2024

    Conn. PFAS Judge Needs More Info Before Deciding Toss Bid

    A water utility and a proposed class of water customers agreed to submit additional briefs to a Connecticut state court judge tasked with determining whether those who claim to have experienced "subclinical cellular changes" after drinking water that allegedly contains "forever chemicals" have alleged an injury sufficient for judicial review.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    It's Time For Nationwide Race-Based Hair Protections

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Opportunities For Change In FHFA Practices

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine should lead to better cooperation between the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Congress, and may give the FHFA a chance to embrace transparency and innovation and promote sustainable housing practices, says Mehdi Sinaki at Michelman & Robinson.

  • Constitutional Protections For Cannabis Companies Are Hazy

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    Cannabis businesses are subject to federal enforcement and tax, but often without the benefit of constitutional protections — and the entanglement of state and federal law and conflicting judicial opinions are creating confusion in the space, says Amber Lengacher at Purple Circle.

  • Supreme Court's ALJ Ruling Carries Implications Beyond SEC

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    In its recent Jarkesy opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the types of cases that can be tried before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's in-house administrative law judges, setting the stage for challenges to the constitutionality of ALJs across other agencies, say Robert Robertson and Kimberley Church at Dechert.

  • Opinion

    A Tale Of 2 Trump Cases: The Rule Of Law Is A Live Issue

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision this week in Trump v. U.S., holding that former President Donald Trump has broad immunity from prosecution, undercuts the rule of law, while the former president’s New York hush money conviction vindicates it in eight key ways, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • USPTO Disclaimer Rule Would Complicate Patent Prosecution

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    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's proposed changes to terminal disclaimer practice could lead to a patent owner being unable to enforce a valid patent simply because it is indirectly tied to a patent in which a single claim is found anticipated or obvious in view of the prior art, say attorneys at Sterne Kessler.

  • 2nd Circ. ERISA Ruling May Help Fight Unfair Arb. Clauses

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    The Second Circuit recently held that a plaintiff seeking planwide relief under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act cannot be compelled to individual arbitration, a decision that opens the door to new applications of the effective vindication doctrine to defeat onerous and one-sided arbitration clauses, say Raphael Janove and Liana Vitale at Janove.

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