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Appellate

  • September 08, 2025

    3rd Circ.'s Grid-Planning Ruling Will Coax States To Play Ball

    A Third Circuit decision limiting states' ability to block transmission projects already greenlighted by regional grid operators could make a federal overhaul of transmission planning policies more appealing, even as several states and utilities pursue litigation to block the changes.

  • September 08, 2025

    Chamber Accuses Mich. Of 'Gamesmanship' In Pipeline Fight

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has urged the Supreme Court to rule that judges have the power to waive the deadline to transfer a lawsuit to federal court in special circumstances, saying Michigan shouldn't be allowed to play procedural games to keep a case against energy infrastructure firm Enbridge Energy LP in state court. 

  • September 08, 2025

    Unions Knock 'Flawed' 4th Circ. Injunction Take In DOGE Row

    A split Fourth Circuit panel's decision to vacate an injunction targeting the Department of Government Efficiency created a flawed framework for evaluating whether an injunction is appropriate, a coalition of unions argued Monday, asking the full Fourth Circuit to override the majority's "sharp departure from established precedents."

  • September 08, 2025

    Mayo Clinic Beats Suit Over Fatal Brain Hemorrhage

    A Minnesota state appeals court ruled Monday that a lower court was within its rights to exclude an expert witness who couldn't identify a causal link between a pain medication the Mayo Clinic gave an amputation patient and a subsequent fatal brain hemorrhage.

  • September 08, 2025

    DC Circ. Probes Sovereign Immunity In Nazi Art Case

    The D.C. Circuit on Monday grappled with whether claims asserted by the descendants of Hungarian Jewish art collectors over artwork stolen during the German occupation of Hungary are barred under sovereign immunity, focusing on how to delineate an "occupation."

  • September 08, 2025

    Atty In Judge Newman Suspension Feud Moves To DOJ

    An attorney who has been representing Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman in the legal battle over her suspension has jumped from the New Civil Liberties Alliance to work at the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • September 08, 2025

    Barrett Talks Dobbs, Court's Role In New Book

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett defends her vote to overturn Roe v. Wade and declare there's no constitutional right to abortion in her new memoir, which also provides unique insight into her view of the judiciary's role in American democracy and her approach to interpreting law.

  • September 08, 2025

    11th Circ. Grants Cop Immunity Over Repeat 911 Caller Arrest

    An Eleventh Circuit panel has ruled that a pair of cops are shielded by qualified immunity for arresting a woman who repeatedly called 911 to report gunfire in her neighborhood despite knowing that the guns were being fired on a legal shooting range.

  • September 08, 2025

    Securities Class Actions Had A Late Summer Appellate Bloom

    While the later summer months are often a quiet time for the nation's courts, the federal appellate courts were hard at work this past July and August issuing important rulings on class certification standards for shareholder lawsuits and handing down split-panel decisions over the future of disclosure litigation.

  • September 08, 2025

    11th Circ. Says Cos.' 20-Year Contract Fight Properly Ended

    The Eleventh Circuit won't revive fastener and components supplier Whitesell Corp.'s contract fight with household appliance maker Electrolux and a lawn and garden equipment-maker spinoff company, saying it will not disturb various court rulings that led to a nearly $9 million jury verdict after 20 years of litigation.

  • September 08, 2025

    9th Circ. Upholds Dismissal Of 'Penny Dreadful' IP Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Monday affirmed a lower court's decision to dismiss a suit brought by a woman who claimed her writings on an online role-playing forum were used to create a character in the Showtime series "Penny Dreadful," saying the resemblance between her characters and Showtime's wasn't obvious enough to preclude coincidence.

  • September 08, 2025

    Grassley Blocked On Quick US Attorney Confirmations

    Senate Judiciary Committee chair Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tried Monday to quickly confirm 10 nominees for U.S. attorneys, but was blocked by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

  • September 08, 2025

    Phillips 66 Faces Retrial After 'Improper' Infringement Theory

    The Federal Circuit on Monday ordered a new trial over allegations that Phillips 66 infringed Magēmā Technology's oil refinery patents, saying in a precedential opinion that a Texas federal court wrongfully concluded that Phillips' noninfringement theory was harmless, as it had also found the theory "improper and prejudicial."

  • September 08, 2025

    Biz Groups Ask Justices To Shield Freight Brokers From Suits

    Business and trucking trade groups asked the U.S. Supreme Court to smooth out splintered circuit court rulings that have exposed freight brokers to patchwork liability for state-based negligence claims, saying there could be lasting disruptions to the supply chain if the justices don't intervene.

  • September 08, 2025

    Exxon, BP, Others Keep Dismissal Of Pa. Benzene Suit

    A Pennsylvania appeals court on Monday refused to reinstate a woman's suit alleging that products from Exxon Mobil Corp., BP Products North America Inc. and others exposed her husband to benzene, leading to his death, ruling the trial court rightly found that North Carolina is the far better venue.

  • September 08, 2025

    Del. Gov. Defends Corp. Law Overhaul In Pending Appeal

    Delaware's governor has weighed in strongly against a state Supreme Court challenge to legislation approved earlier this year barring damages or "equitable" relief for some controlling stockholder or going-private deals, arguing that nothing in the measure unconstitutionally limits court powers.

  • September 08, 2025

    Caltrans Escapes $3.8M Verdict Over Bicyclist's Injuries

    The California Department of Transportation successfully overturned a $3.8 million jury verdict in a case involving a bicycle accident on a bridge in Santa Barbara that caused a man's severe injuries, as an appeals court ruled Monday that the trial court improperly excluded Caltrans' witnesses as a discovery sanction.

  • September 08, 2025

    Trump Returns To High Court In Foreign Aid Freeze Dispute

    President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to pause a lower court's order requiring the administration to release roughly $4 billion in frozen foreign aid, claiming the ruling interferes with his attempt to lawfully rescind the funding.

  • September 08, 2025

    Pa. Top Court Snapshot: Clickwrap Agreements, Mail-In Votes

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will return from its summer break with a couple of familiar issues, including the heavily litigated issue of discarding undated mail-in ballots and a much-anticipated review of common "clickwrap" agreements for apps and websites. Here are some of the cases the state's justices will hear in their Sept. 9-11 session.

  • September 08, 2025

    NJ Justices Question Parole Board Rule's Constitutionality

    The New Jersey Supreme Court suggested Monday that a state Parole Board regulation posed a due process problem by categorically barring prison inmates from accessing their psychological evaluations even if the board applies the rule in a manner that it says is constitutional.

  • September 08, 2025

    9th Circ. Denies CoStar's Bid To Rehear Antitrust Ruling

    A Ninth Circuit panel rejected a call to revisit the court's June decision reviving claims alleging that real estate information service CoStar monopolizes several commercial real estate listing markets through exclusive deals with brokers and technological barriers for competitors.

  • September 08, 2025

    Class Actions May Be The New Injunction Bid, And Next Target

    In the two months since the Supreme Court hobbled universal injunctions, lawyers and trial judges have pivoted to adjust to a new litigation landscape, with class actions playing a larger role in lawsuits seeking to stop presidential policies. That, in turn, could put the tactic in the administration's crosshairs.

  • September 08, 2025

    Bessent Says US Will Refund Revenue If Justices Nix Tariffs

    If the U.S. Supreme Court decides President Donald Trump lacked authority to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the U.S. government will refund revenue it has collected with tariffs under that law, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

  • September 08, 2025

    9th Circ. Backs Trump Donor's Tax, Foreign Agent Convictions

    A venture capitalist whose 12-year prison term for evading taxes and making illegal campaign contributions through foreign clients was commuted by President Donald Trump did not plead guilty to the crimes involuntarily, the Ninth Circuit found in affirming his convictions, rejecting his claim that his attorney hid information from him.

  • September 08, 2025

    5th Circ. Reinstates $2.4M Award In Hair Product Co.'s IP Suit

    The Fifth Circuit has restored a $2.4 million jury award to a hair product company in its trademark infringement trial win over a rival, ruling a district court judge was wrong to throw out the verdict and the company had shown evidence the infringement hurt its business.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Supporting A Trial Team

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    While students often practice as lead trial attorneys in law school, such an opportunity likely won’t arise until a few years into practice, so junior associates should focus on honing skills that are essential to supporting a trial team, including organization, adaptability and humility, says Lucy Zelina at Tucker Ellis.

  • Google Damages Ruling May Spur Income Approach Usage

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    The Federal Circuit's recent decision in EcoFactor v. Google may affect the extent to which damages experts apply the market approach in patent infringement matters, and income approach techniques may assume greater importance, says Erin Crockett at Charles River Associates.

  • Opinion

    Address Nationwide Injunction Issues With Random Venues

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    Many of the qualms about individual district court judges' authority to issue nationwide injunctions could be solved with a simple legislative solution: handling multiple complaints about the same agency action filed in different district courts by assigning a venue via random selection, says Harvey Reiter at Stinson.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From US Attorney To BigLaw

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    When I transitioned to private practice after government service — most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — I learned there are more similarities between the two jobs than many realize, with both disciplines requiring resourcefulness, zealous advocacy and foresight, says Zach Terwilliger at V&E.

  • 11th Circ. Ruling Warns Parties To Follow Arbitral Rules

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    The Eleventh Circuit's recent decision in Merritt Island Woodwerx v. Space Coast is important for companies utilizing arbitration clauses because it clearly demonstrates the court's intent to hold noncompliant parties responsible in federal court — regardless of subsequent efforts to cure, says Ed Mullins at Reed Smith.

  • 2nd Circ. Limits VPPA Liability, But Caveats Remain

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    The Second Circuit's narrowed scope of the Video Privacy Protection Act in Solomon v. Flipps Media, in which the court adopted the ordinary person standard, will help shield businesses from VPPA liability, but the decision hardly provides a free pass to streamers and digital media companies utilizing website pixels, say attorneys at Frankfurt Kurnit.

  • The Ins And Outs Of Consensual Judicial References

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    As parties consider the possibility of judicial reference to resolve complex disputes, it is critical to understand how the process works, why it's gaining traction, and why carefully crafted agreements make all the difference, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • SpaceX Labor Suit May Bring Cosmic Jurisdictional Shifts

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    The National Mediation Board's upcoming decision about whether SpaceX falls under the purview of the National Labor Relations Act or the Railway Labor Act could establish how jurisdictional boundaries are determined for employers that toe the line, with tangible consequences for decades to come, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

  • Opinion

    The BigLaw Settlements Are About Risk, Not Profit

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    The nine Am Law 100 firms that settled with the Trump administration likely did so because of the personal risk faced by equity partners in today's billion‑dollar national practices, enabled by an ethics rule primed for modernization, says Adam Forest at Scale.

  • Opinion

    Courts Must Revitalize Robust Claim Construction

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    Two Federal Circuit decisions from earlier this year illustrate the rarity of robust claim construction and the underused reverse doctrine of equivalents — a dual problem that prevents courts from clearly delineating and correctly cabining the scope of rights conferred by patent claims, say attorneys at Klarquist Sparkman.

  • State Tort Claims May Help Deter Bribes During FCPA Pause

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    As the U.S. pauses Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement, companies that lose business due to competitors' bribery should consider using state tortious interference suits to expose corruption, deter illegal practices and obtain compensation for commercial losses, says Jason Manning at Levy Firestone.

  • 2nd Circ. Arb. Ruling May Give Foreign Insurers An Edge

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    The Second Circuit's decision this month in Lloyds of London v. 3131 Veterans Blvd that international arbitration agreements take primacy over state anti-arbitration insurance laws opens a division between domestic and foreign insurers that could affect the surplus lines market, says attorney Rosanne Felicello.

  • Buyer Beware Of Restrictive Covenants In Delaware

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    Based on recent Delaware Chancery Court opinions rejecting restricted covenants contained in agreements in the sale-of-business context, businesses need to craft narrowly tailored restrictions that have legitimate interests, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • Series

    Brazilian Jiujitsu Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in Brazilian jiujitsu – often against opponents who are much larger and younger than me – has allowed me to develop a handful of useful skills that foster the resilience and adaptability necessary for a successful legal career, says Tina Dorr of Barnes & Thornburg.

  • Fed. Circ. Offers Lesson On Gov't Data Rights In Contracts

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    The Federal Circuit's recent decision in FlightSafety v. Air Force serves as a warning for U.S. Department of Defense contractors attempting to mark their commercial technical data developed at private expense, say attorneys at Butzel Long.

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