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Appellate

  • September 26, 2025

    Calif. Justices Approve Changes To Bar Exam Oversight Rule

    The California Supreme Court has approved amendments to the state rules of court, in part to clarify oversight of the California bar exam in the wake of a botched administration in February.

  • September 26, 2025

    Texas High Court Won't Redo Med Mal Nonprofit Liability Case

    The Texas Supreme Court said Friday it won't disturb its May ruling that nonprofit health organizations can be sued for the alleged medical malpractice of one of their physician employees.

  • September 26, 2025

    Texas Justices To Review Atty Fee Dispute Over Criminal Case

    The Texas Supreme Court on Friday agreed to wade into a fees dispute between a law firm and its former client in a criminal matter, with the high court's review likely to touch on the scope of a 30-year-old doctrine concerning the ability of criminal defendants to sue their defense lawyers after being convicted.

  • September 26, 2025

    Oregon Urges 9th Circ. To Revive Cannabis Labor Peace Law

    Oregon officials urged the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to reverse a lower federal judge's decision that blocked enforcement of a voter-approved law requiring licensed cannabis businesses to enter into labor peace pacts with their workers.

  • September 26, 2025

    Justices Urged To Review Suit Over Mich. City Tenant Info Law

    Real estate companies have pressed the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Sixth Circuit decision upholding the dismissal of a constitutional contract claim in their suit against a Michigan city over a law requiring commercial landlords to provide prospective tenant information in order to obtain a license to rent to them.

  • September 26, 2025

    Calif. Fights Biz Groups' Bid To Halt Climate Disclosure Rules

    California asked the Ninth Circuit to reject business groups' effort to halt two new state climate regulations requiring large companies to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks.

  • September 26, 2025

    4th Circ. Says NC Man's Abuse Of Trust Justifies Sentence

    The Fourth Circuit on Friday affirmed a North Carolina man's 33-month sentence for engineering an investment fraud scheme in which he pretended to be a successful day trader, finding he had abused his position of trust sufficient to support a sentencing enhancement.

  • September 26, 2025

    Oysters Not Covered By Drug Forfeiture Law, Court Rules

    Massachusetts' intermediate appellate court on Friday found that the commonwealth may not apply the same forfeiture laws used for seized drugs to 1,600 wild oysters, though it nonetheless upheld the taking of the allegedly ill-gotten mollusks.

  • September 25, 2025

    Justice Thomas Says High Court Precedent Isn't 'Gospel'

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Thursday that he doesn't view the high court's prior rulings as "the gospel," and that any precedent that doesn't respect the U.S. Constitution or the country's legal traditions is ripe for reconsideration.

  • September 25, 2025

    Standing Questions Loom In Mozambique LNG Loan Dispute

    The requirements for organizational standing dominated much of Thursday's oral argument over the Export-Import Bank of the United States' decision to back a massive liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique, as the challengers sought a preliminary injunction that could hinge on recent standing rulings from the D.C. Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court.

  • September 25, 2025

    Ex-Highland CEO Tells High Court Judge's Novels Show Bias

    The founder and president of hedge fund Highland Capital Management has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on a bankruptcy judge's refusal to recuse herself from proceedings involving the company after she published two novels that he says contain veiled commentary about the case.

  • September 25, 2025

    Pa. Justices Say Child Arbitration Invalid Despite Parents' OK

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Thursday that parents signing waivers at attractions like trampoline parks cannot bind their children or spouses to arbitration, in twin injury suits seeking to hold Sky Zone liable for two minors' injuries.

  • September 25, 2025

    CashCall Urges Justices To Overturn $134M ÃÛÌÒÊÓÆµ Award

    CashCall is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Ninth Circuit order that left the loan company on the hook for $134 million in restitution to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, despite the firm's insistence that conflicting precedent deprived it of its right to a jury trial.

  • September 25, 2025

    Rap Song Can't Be Used To Prove Rap Sheet, NY Court Says

    A criminal defendant's rap song should not have been allowed as evidence that he enabled a murder, a New York state appeals court ruled, granting a new trial in a case that saw Brooklyn prosecutors put one of their own on the stand on a moment's notice as a slang expert.

  • September 25, 2025

    Mining Cos. Look To Revive $50M Zimbabwe Award Suit

    Two Mauritian mining companies will look to challenge a D.C. Circuit decision nixing their lawsuit to enforce an 11-year-old, $50 million arbitral award against Zimbabwe stemming from an ill-fated mining deal, according to documents made public this week.

  • September 25, 2025

    NJ Justice Hints 'Essential' A Key Term In Benefits Case

    New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Rachel Wainer Apter asked Thursday if a worker can be considered an "essential employee" under an executive order but not under a COVID-19 law governing workers' compensation, as the court considered a school district's bid to deny the designation to a deceased teacher.

  • September 25, 2025

    NY Court Vacates Guilty Plea Over Impossible Plea Agreement

    A New York state appeals court on Thursday vacated a plea agreement after finding it contained a requirement that a defendant complete a substance abuse program despite not being eligible for enrollment.

  • September 25, 2025

    Chicago Man Forged Signatures Of Federal Judges, Feds Say

    A Chicago man has been indicted for forging the signatures of two Illinois federal judges on various court filings in an attempt to get around an order restricting his ability to file new cases, according to an announcement made by the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday.

  • September 25, 2025

    Amazon Denied Quick Appeal Of Massive Antitrust Class Cert.

    The Ninth Circuit has rejected a petition from Amazon seeking permission to immediately appeal an order certifying a class of roughly 300 million consumers in a sweeping antitrust case accusing the e-commerce giant of inflating prices through its merchant policies.

  • September 25, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Snubs Patent Atty's Bid To Join Toddler Mat IP Case

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday denied an attorney's bid to appear in a patent infringement case over toddler dining mats, in which the lower court found that his misrepresentation of prior art during prosecution was "purposeful, deliberate, and egregious."

  • September 25, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Rock Singer's Win In Arson Coverage Dispute

    The Sixth Circuit on Thursday affirmed that rock singer John Falls can still recoup a portion of the $2.5 million that a Hanover Insurance unit was ordered to pay for music equipment that was lost in an arson at a House of Blues recording studio.

  • September 25, 2025

    Pa. Justices Say Gov't Must Show Proof Of 'High-Crime Areas'

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that police detention of a person based in part on their presence in a "high-crime area" must be supported by proof that the area is actually high in crime, but declined to create strict rules or tests to make that designation.

  • September 25, 2025

    Pa. Justices Allow Utilities To Deny Rivals' Billing For Add-Ons

    Electricity distributors in Pennsylvania can apply add-ons to their customers' bills for things like smart thermostats, line insurance and tree trimming while denying the same "on-bill billing" service to third-party electricity providers, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

  • September 25, 2025

    6th Circ. Rejects GOP's Challenge To Michigan Voter Rolls

    The Sixth Circuit rejected the Republican National Committee's bid to purge ineligible voters from Michigan's voter rolls on Thursday, finding the party lacked standing.

  • September 25, 2025

    Pa. Justices Reject 'Key Witness' Test In Forum Swap

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Thursday that litigants shouldn't have to prove that out-of-town witnesses are "key" to their case to get a suit moved to a more convenient forum for them, unwinding a lower court's finding that raised the bar for seeking a "forum non conveniens" transfer.

Expert Analysis

  • Why EpicentRx Ruling Is A Major Win For Business Certainty

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    The California Supreme Court's recent decision in EpicentRx v. Superior Court removes a significant source of uncertainty that plagued commercial litigation in California by clarifying that forum selection clauses shouldn't be invalidated solely because the selected forum lacks the right to a jury trial, say attorneys at Clark Hill.

  • 9th Circ. Finding That NFTs Are Goods Will Change TM Law

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    The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in Yuga Labs v. Ripps establishes that NFTs have real, commercial value under U.S. federal trademark law, a new legal precedent that may significantly influence intellectual property enforcement and marketplace policies regarding digital assets going forward, say attorneys at Wilson Elser.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Texas AUSA To BigLaw

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    As I learned when I transitioned from an assistant U.S. attorney to a BigLaw partner, the move from government to private practice is not without its hurdles, but it offers immense potential for growth and the opportunity to use highly transferable skills developed in public service, says Jeffery Vaden at Bracewell.

  • Union Interference Lessons From 5th Circ. Apple Ruling

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    The Fifth Circuit's recent holding that Apple did not violate the National Labor Relations Act during a store's union organizing drive provides guidance on what constitutes coercive interrogation and clarifies how consistently enforced workplace policies may be applied to union literature, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • 3 Rulings Show Hurdles To Proving Market Manipulation Fraud

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    Three recent conviction reversals from New York federal courts highlight the challenges that prosecutors face in establishing fraud and market manipulation allegations, suggesting that courts are increasingly reluctant to find criminal liability when novel theories are advanced, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Drafting M&A Docs After Delaware Corp. Law Amendments

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    Attorneys at Greenberg Traurig discuss how the March and June amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law affect the drafting of corporate and M&A documents, including board resolutions, governing documents, and books and records demands.

  • Advice For 1st-Gen Lawyers Entering The Legal Profession

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    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm tells her story of being a first-generation lawyer and how others who begin their professional journeys without the benefit of playbooks handed down by relatives can turn this disadvantage into their greatest strength.

  • High Court E-Cig Ruling Opens Door For FDA Challenges

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    There will likely be more challenges to marketing denial orders brought before the Fifth Circuit following the Supreme Court's recent ruling in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., where litigants have generally had greater success, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • NY Ruling Eases Admission Of Medical Record Evidence

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    A New York appellate court’s recent ruling in Pillco v. 160 Dikeman clarifies the standard for evaluating accident-related entries from medical records, likely making it easier to admit these statements into evidence at trial, says Shawn Schatzle at Lewis Brisbois.

  • How 9th Circ. Customs Ruling Is Affecting FCA Litigation

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    The Ninth Circuit’s recent Island Industries decision holding that the U.S. Court of International Trade doesn’t have exclusive jurisdiction over whistleblower suits involving import duties has set the stage for the False Claims Act to be a key weapon on the customs enforcement battlefield, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.

  • 2nd Circ. Ruling Gives Banks Shield From Terrorism Liability

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    A recent Second Circuit dismissal strengthens the position of international banks facing claims they indirectly helped terrorist organizations and provides clearer guidance on the boundaries of secondary liability, but doesn't provide absolute immunity, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Fed. Circ. In July: Instability In IPR Requirements

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    The Federal Circuit's decision in Shockwave v. Cardiovascular last month provided an important, albeit short-lived, clarification to the type of evidence that can be used in an inter partes review challenge, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

  • 9th Circ. Qualified Immunity Ruling May Limit Phone Searches

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    Though the Ninth Circuit affirmed police officers’ qualified immunity claims in Olson v. County of Grant earlier this year, it also established important Fourth Amendment precedent on the use of cellphone extractions that will apply more broadly in criminal investigations and prosecutions, say attorneys at The Norton Law Firm.

  • Series

    Coaching Cheerleading Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    At first glance, cheerleading and litigation may seem like worlds apart, but both require precision, adaptability, leadership and the ability to stay composed under pressure — all of which have sharpened how I approach my work in the emotionally complex world of mass torts and personal injury, says Rashanda Bruce at Robins Kaplan.

  • 9th Circ.'s Kickback Ruling Strengthens A Prosecutorial Tool

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    The Ninth Circuit's decision last month in U.S. v. Schena, interpreting the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act to prohibit kickback conduct between the principal and individuals who do not directly interact with patients, serves as a wake-up call to the booming clinical laboratory testing industry, say attorneys at Kendall Brill.

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