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Public Policy
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August 28, 2024
9th Circ. Overturns Rule Mandating Sealing Of Health Records
A Ninth Circuit panel found Wednesday that Hawaii state court rules mandating the automatic sealing of medical and health records in civil and criminal proceedings are unconstitutionally overbroad.
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August 28, 2024
Utah Counties Tell Justices DC Circ. Took NEPA Too Far
A coalition of seven Utah counties called on the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to upend a D.C. Circuit decision revoking federal approval of a rail line to transport crude oil from Utah, arguing the ruling saddles the U.S. Surface Transportation Board with "endless make-work far outside its wheelhouse."
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August 28, 2024
6th Circ. Frees Mich. City, Mayor From Lead Pollution Suit
The Sixth Circuit on Wednesday tossed all but one remaining defendant from a proposed class action filed by residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan, over elevated lead levels found in the city's tap water, finding allegations that the mayor misled the public to be vague and conclusory.
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August 28, 2024
Top Massachusetts Real Estate News This Summer
Catch up on the hottest real estate news out of Massachusetts so far this summer, from a hotel refinancing and the promises of offshore wind projects to a housing bill and an update on the Boston life sciences market.
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August 28, 2024
Feds' Bribery Case 'Rotten From The Start,' ComEd Four Say
Former Commonwealth Edison CEO Anne Pramaggiore and her three co-defendants have asked an Illinois federal judge to acquit them on all counts, arguing their bribery convictions cannot stand because the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling narrowing the scope of a federal corruption law confirmed the government's case "has been rotten from the start."
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August 28, 2024
'Smoking-Gun' Flaw Found In New Ark. Hemp Law, Say Cos.
In a legal fight over a recent Arkansas state law restricting hemp-derived intoxicants, the hemp companies who brought the challenge told a federal judge Wednesday they found "smoking-gun evidence" from regulators showing the 2023 law is unconstitutionally vague.
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August 28, 2024
Red States Raise Alarm Over Methane Rule Retroactivity
Republican led-states and industry groups have called on a Tenth Circuit panel to reconsider its decision to vacate a district court ruling that partially invalidated an Obama-era rule limiting venting and flaring from oil and gas wells on federal land, arguing it could lead to retroactive enforcement of the rule.
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August 28, 2024
ACLU Offers Harris 'Roadmap' To Rein In Gov't Surveillance
The American Civil Liberties Union is urging the Democratic presidential nominee to stop what the group calls exploitation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by the federal government by ending unwarranted surveillance of Americans if she wins office in November.
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August 28, 2024
9th Circ. Rejects Brady Violation Claim In CWA Conviction
The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday upheld a Seattle barrel cleaning company owner's conviction for dumping chemical-laden wastewater into public sewers, rejecting his argument that federal prosecutors kept information from the jury about the immigration status of a key witness who worked for him.
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August 28, 2024
3rd Circ. Rejects Citizenship Bid Despite 21-Year Gov't Delay
The Third Circuit on Wednesday upheld the denial of citizenship to a Trinidad and Tobago national convicted of drug-related offenses despite the government's 21-year delay in correcting its error in issuing his Certificate of Citizenship to begin with, ruling it doesn't have the power to grant citizenship.
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August 28, 2024
Feds Looks To Toss Ex-Citizens' Renunciation Fee Challenge
The federal government asked a D.C. federal judge to throw out a lawsuit brought by former U.S. citizens who want their $2,350 citizenship renunciation fee refunded, arguing during a Wednesday hearing that the United States is immune from the litigation and the plaintiffs can't relitigate claims that they already lost.
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August 28, 2024
NC Hit With Class Action Over Foster Care System In 'Crisis'
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and the state Department of Health and Human Services are to blame for a state foster care system in "crisis," according to a new federal class action alleging that children's rights have been trampled as the Tar Heel State struggles to keep pace with a ballooning foster care population.
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August 28, 2024
Fla. Bank City National Says Applebee's Franchisees Owe $8M
City National Bank of Florida sued a Louisiana-based Applebee's franchisee and three of its subsidiaries for $8.3 million, saying in a complaint filed Wednesday in Florida federal court that the companies defaulted on a federal COVID-19-era loan and then transferred control of their restaurants without consent.
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August 28, 2024
Attempted Child Abuse Is Grounds For Removal, BIA Says
The Board of Immigration Appeals said a noncitizen convicted in Texas of attempting to injure a child is removable, rejecting the man's argument that attempted child injury doesn't constitute actual child abuse under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
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August 28, 2024
US, Canada Agree To Work Together On Privacy Enforcement
The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday it has inked an agreement with Canada's privacy regulator to share information and cooperate on enforcement actions to protect consumers' data.
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August 28, 2024
11th Circ. Trans Health Redo May Spark Supreme Court Fight
The Eleventh Circuit's recent decision to rehear Georgia county officials' appeal seeking to exclude gender-confirmation surgery from its employee healthcare coverage rekindles an appellate debate on the extent to which Title VII protects transgender workers that could soon reach the U.S. Supreme Court, attorneys say.
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August 28, 2024
Rural Carriers Say Broadband Map Errors Undermine 5G Fund
Rural wireless carriers are urging the Federal Communications Commission to verify broadband map data on its own in order to resolve long-standing concerns that inaccurate industry maps of the country's broadband coverage threaten the effective distribution of the FCC's recently revived 5G Fund.
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August 28, 2024
Insurer Blasts Ralph Lauren's Appeal For COVID-19 Coverage
Factory Mutual Insurance Co. urged the Third Circuit on Wednesday to reject Ralph Lauren Corp.'s bid to recoup up to $700 million in COVID-19 pandemic losses, blasting the fashion house's "conclusory allegations" that it was entitled to coverage.
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August 28, 2024
4th Circ. Says Immigration Board 'Flouted' Review Precedent
The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday overturned a Board of Immigration Appeals decision denying a Yemeni national another chance to seek asylum, ruling that the BIA "flouted its own precedents" in applying a needlessly strict standard to reconsideration of his case.
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August 28, 2024
HUD Gives $10M For Homeless Native America Veteran Services
The federal government has announced that it would give $10 million to various tribal housing authorities, saying the money is for currently or nearly homeless Native Americans who fought for the U.S. military.
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August 28, 2024
Colo. House OKs Additional Property Tax Rate Cuts
The Colorado House approved a legislative package Wednesday aimed at limiting property tax increases by lowering assessment rates and capping local revenue growth, sending the measures to the state Senate.
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August 28, 2024
Wash. AG Fears Kroger Will Move Goalposts For Merger Trial
The Washington Attorney General's Office told a state court Wednesday that Kroger refuses to commit to sticking with the current terms of its divestiture package in its merger with Albertsons, which the state fears would unfairly "move the goalposts" less than three weeks before a trial on the state's merger challenge kicks off.
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August 28, 2024
The Biggest Enviro Cases To Watch In 2024: Midyear Report
Environmental attorneys can expect to see several developments in pending litigation during the remainder of 2024, including two cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear about Clean Water Act regulations for San Francisco and the extent of the federal government's authority as part of environmental reviews for projects. Here are some of the biggest cases to watch in the rest of 2024.
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August 28, 2024
NY Biz Group Rips FTC Suit Over $8.5B Luxury Handbags Deal
A New York City business group is urging Empire State Democratic lawmakers to oppose the Federal Trade Commission's "ideologically motivated litigation" to block an $8.5 billion deal that would bring together brands including Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Coach.
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August 28, 2024
Covering Up For Mayor Not Fire Chief's Job, 6th Circ. Says
Covering up alleged misconduct to help a Michigan mayor pursue reelection was not part of an ex-fire chief's official job duties, a Sixth Circuit panel said Tuesday, finding the fire chief's refusal to lie was protected speech and denying the mayor immunity.
Expert Analysis
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Unpacking Executive Privilege, Contempt In Recent Cases
The U.S. House of Representatives’ recent move to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress is the latest example in a growing trend of executive privilege disputes, and serves as a warning to private citizens and corporate leaders who are in communication with the president, says Kristina Moore at Womble Bond.
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Gilead Drug Ruling Creates Corporate Governance Dilemma
If upheld, a California state appellate court's decision — finding that Gilead is liable for delaying commercialization of a safer HIV drug to maximize profits on another drug — threatens to undermine long-standing rules of corporate law and exposes companies to liability for decisions based on sound business judgment, says Shireen Barday at Pallas.
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5 Insights Into FDIC's Final Rule On Big-Bank Resolution Plans
Although the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s recently finalized rule expanding resolution planning requirements for large banks was generally adopted as proposed, it includes key changes related to filing deadlines, review and feedback, and incorporates lessons learned — particularly from last year's bank failures, say attorneys at Cleary.
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3 Notes For Arbitration Agreements After Calif. Ruling
After last month's California Supreme Court decision in Ramirez v. Charter Communications invalidated several arbitration clauses in the company's employee contracts as unconscionable, companies should ensure their own arbitration agreements steer clear of three major pitfalls identified by the court, say attorneys at Cooley.
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Opinion
Focus On Political Stances May Weaken Labor Unions
Recent lawsujits and a bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives call attention to the practice of labor unions taking political stances with which their members disagree — an issue that may weaken unions, and that employers should stay abreast of, given its implications for labor organizing campaigns, workplace morale and collective bargaining, says Daniel Johns at Cozen O'Connor.
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Opinion
Time To Reimagine The Novation Process For Gov't Contracts
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, which recently extended a long-standing request for public comments on its novation procedures, should heed commenters' suggestions by implementing specific changes in its documentation requirements, thereby creating a more streamlined and practical novation process, say attorneys at Covington.
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Unpacking The Latest FTC Guidance On Multilevel Marketing
Branko Jovanovic and Monica Zhong at Edgeworth Economics discuss the Federal Trade Commission's recent advice for multilevel marketers on how MLMs should approach their income and earnings reports, including participants costs, typical proceeds and distributor gains.
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3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture
Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.
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The OIG Report: DOJ's Own Whistleblower Program Has Holes
A recent Office of the Inspector General memo found that the U.S. Department of Justice’s whistleblower program failed to protect federal employees whose security clearances were allegedly suspended in retaliation — a serious cause for concern that could have a potential chilling effect on would-be whistleblowers, says Diana Shaw at Wiley.
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How Justices' E-Rate Decision May Affect Scope Of FCA
The U.S. Supreme Court’s eventual decision in Wisconsin Bell v. U.S., determining whether reimbursements paid by the E-rate program are "claims" under the False Claims Act, may affect other federal programs that do not require payments to be made by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, says David Colapinto at Kohn Kohn.
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Series
After Chevron: Don't Let Loper Lead To Bank Compliance Lull
Banking organizations are staring down a period of greater uncertainty over the next few years as the banking agencies and industry navigate the post-Chevron world, but banks must continue to have effective compliance programs in place even in the face of this unpredictability, say Lee Meyerson and Amanda Allexon at Simpson Thacher.
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New State Carbon Capture Laws: Key Points For Developers
Multiple states have introduced or expanded legal frameworks for carbon capture and sequestration this year, and while there are some common themes, many of these state laws include unique approaches and requirements — which developers and investors should be aware of when considering potential projects and investment risks, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.
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Opinion
Chevron Reversal May Protect IP Rights Under Bayh-Dole
The U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Chevron deference may block the Biden administration's nearly finalized guidance reinterpreting the Bayh-Dole Act, protecting intellectual property rights and preventing harm to innovation and economic activity, says Brian O'Shaughnessy at Dinsmore & Shohl.
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E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents
Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.