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Massachusetts
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June 27, 2025
How States Are Rethinking Life Without Parole For Youth
A wave of recent state high court rulings, including a landmark decision in Michigan in April, has curtailed the use of mandatory life without parole for defendants under 21, citing evolving standards of decency and brain science. Hundreds of incarcerated individuals in Michigan are now eligible for resentencing, but the reforms face resistance from prosecutors, victims’ rights advocates, and dissenting justices who warn of consequences for public safety and judicial overreach.
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June 27, 2025
Parolees Say Feds Not Processing Benefits As Required
Noncitizens challenging the Trump administration's termination of Biden-era parole programs called on a Massachusetts federal judge to make the government explain how it's not violating a court order to restore processing of their immigration benefits requests.
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June 27, 2025
RE Developer Cops Plea, Settles SEC's $3M Fraud Suit
A New Hampshire-based real estate developer has agreed to plead guilty and settle parallel U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission claims that she defrauded investors out of more than $3 million through a series of real estate investment projects between 2018 and 2024.
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June 27, 2025
Mass. High Court Says Bias In Police Stop Taints Evidence
A Massachusetts judge should have granted a motion to suppress evidence — in this case, a bag of cocaine — found after a driver ran from police who had presumably racially profiled him, the state's highest court said Friday.
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June 27, 2025
Mass. Cannabis Labs Call Rival's Suit 'Publicity Stunt'
Seven Massachusetts cannabis testing labs are asking a state court judge to toss out a lawsuit brought by a competitor accusing them of manipulating test results, with three of the defendants calling the complaint a "publicity stunt" driven by the plaintiff's declining market share.
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June 27, 2025
Justices Limit Universal Injunctions But Defer On Citizenship
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump can partially implement his executive order aimed at limiting birthright citizenship, in a ruling that significantly limits the ability of federal district court judges to issue nationally applicable orders against presidential edicts and policy initiatives.
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June 26, 2025
DHS Releases Grant Funds After Chicago Suit Targets 'Pause'
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released at least some of the counterterrorism grant fund reimbursements it had recently suspended for Chicago and certain other cities, but Chicago officials say the move isn't enough to end a lawsuit it launched over the allegedly unconstitutional pause.
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June 26, 2025
Flaws In Expert Report Doom Mass. Suit Over Patient's Death
A Massachusetts appellate court on Thursday affirmed the dismissal of a medical malpractice suit blaming a physician assisting on a gastric sleeve surgery for the patient's death, saying the plaintiff's expert failed to identify the relevant standard of care for the assisting doctor.
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June 26, 2025
Immigrants Tell 1st Circ. DHS Can't Justify Parole Program Ax
A class of nearly 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela told the First Circuit on Wednesday that the Trump administration can't show that a Massachusetts federal judge abused her discretion in blocking the government's rescission of temporary Biden-era removal protections.
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June 26, 2025
Mass. Court Lets Man Try Again To Escape Ankle Monitor
A convicted rapist in Massachusetts who spent nearly 16 years in prison will get a second shot at challenging how long he must wear a GPS monitor now that he's been released, after a state appellate court on Thursday ruled a lower court did not properly weigh his constitutional rights.
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June 26, 2025
Judge Casts Doubt On Plea Deals In Blood Test Defect Case
A set of plea agreements between Massachusetts federal prosecutors and former Magellan Diagnostics executives has been thrown into uncertainty amid a dispute over whether the executives admitted to fraud related to defective blood tests or merely an intent to mislead, a question a judge said Thursday might be "a very expensive rabbit hole."
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June 26, 2025
Natixis Beats Suit Claiming Self-Serving Funds Hurt Its 401(k)
Natixis defeated a 1,200-member class action Thursday claiming the French investment firm burdened its retirement plan with funds that performed poorly and benefited the company over employees, after a Massachusetts federal judge ruled the case lacked evidence of actionable lapses.
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June 26, 2025
ICE Agents Could Testify Anonymously In 1st Am. Trial
A Massachusetts federal judge suggested Thursday he is open to allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to testify anonymously at an upcoming bench trial in a suit brought by academic groups challenging the detention of noncitizen students and faculty who express pro-Palestinian views.
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June 26, 2025
Trans Passport Applicants Say Gov't Flouting Court Order
Members of two recently certified classes of transgender and nonbinary people seeking passports that reflect their gender identity accused the Trump administration of "slow-walking compliance" with a Massachusetts federal judge's order requiring the U.S. Department of State to resume issuing passports with the requested designations.
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June 26, 2025
Air Force Contractor Agrees To Pay $1M To Settle FCA Claims
A Massachusetts company will pay approximately $1 million to settle allegations it overcharged the government under a contract supporting Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, federal prosecutors have announced.
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June 25, 2025
Michigan Man Gets 2 Years In 'Despicable' Pill, Fraud Scheme
A Michigan resident was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison by a Massachusetts federal judge who called the defendant's role in a prescription pill smuggling and pandemic aid fraud scheme "despicable."
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June 25, 2025
Stroller Maker Can't Escape Rival's Patent Suit
A Massachusetts federal judge has denied a bid from a baby products company to escape patent infringement claims from a rival, saying the eight years of inaction between the case being filed and when the parties last corresponded about the patent was not enough to reasonably assume that the patent wouldn't be enforced.
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June 25, 2025
Spirit Flags Competition Concerns Over United-JetBlue Pact
Spirit Airlines LLC has filed a complaint with federal transportation regulators contending that a recently announced partnership between United Airlines and JetBlue raises issues similar to an alliance between American and JetBlue that was blocked over competition concerns.
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June 25, 2025
Mass. Atty Gets 18 Mos. For 'Greed' In Pot Shop Bribery Plot
A Massachusetts lawyer, whose conviction for attempting to bribe a police chief to endorse his client's retail cannabis license application had been partly reversed at the First Circuit, was re-sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison by a federal judge who said the attorney should have known better.
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June 25, 2025
Power Infrastructure Biz Takanock Nabs $500M Investment
Digital and power infrastructure solutions provider Takanock LLC, advised by Vinson & Elkins LLP, on Wednesday announced it had secured a $500 million investment from asset managers ArcLight and DigitalBridge.
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June 25, 2025
Curaleaf Says Class Cert. Wrong For Budtenders' Tips Suit
Curaleaf Inc. is urging a Maryland federal court to deny conditional class certification to a class of budtenders who allege the company illegally shares tips with store leads, arguing that they haven't shown any common policy or practice among its dispensaries that warrants class treatment.
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June 24, 2025
Powell Says Leverage Rule Revamp Won't Exclude Treasuries
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told House lawmakers Tuesday that a forthcoming plan to revamp big-bank leverage limits won't exempt U.S. Treasuries from their calculation, a potential disappointment for financial-sector lobbies that hope to resurrect the pandemic-era carveout.Â
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June 24, 2025
State AGs Sue Trump Admin To Stop Billions In Grant Cuts
A coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia filed suit Tuesday in Massachusetts federal court, accusing the Trump administration of unlawfully using a single clause "buried in federal regulations" to nix billions of dollars in federal grant funding to the states.
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June 24, 2025
1st Circ. Undoes Inflated Biz Interruption Award For Drink Co.
A Puerto Rico federal court wrongly maintained an award against an insurer that exceeded a beverage manufacturer's actual business income and extra expenses losses and was not supported by evidence at trial, the First Circuit held, reducing the total award from $1 million to approximately $686,000.
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June 24, 2025
Bloomberg 2020 Staffers Say Campaign Broke Pay Pledge
Former workers on Michael Bloomberg's 2020 presidential campaign said in a proposed class action filed in Massachusetts state court Tuesday that the media magnate and former New York City mayor reneged on a promise to keep them on the payroll through the general election.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.
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Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review
For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
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Expect More State Scrutiny Of PE In Healthcare M&A
While a California bill that called for increased antitrust scrutiny of many healthcare private equity transactions was recently vetoed by the governor, state legislatures are likely to continue introducing similar laws, particularly if the Trump administration eases federal enforcement, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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What Lawyers Can Learn From High School AI Suit
A pending Massachusetts lawsuit regarding artificial intelligence use in an academic setting underscores the need for attorneys to educate themselves on AI technology and tools that affect their clients so they can advise on establishing clear expectations and limits around the permissible use of AI, say attorneys at Hinckley Allen.
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Series
Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.
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Post-Election Implications For The EPA's Methane Rules
Amid the U.S. Supreme Court's recent denial of requests to halt implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's methane rule in two suits, and given the outcome of the election, a complete reversal of the methane rule is expected, but state-level policymaking and enforcement will continue, says John Watson at Spencer Fane.
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Racing Patents To The Fed. Circ.: Collateral Estoppel Lessons
As more and more parties find themselves in two different forums addressing the same issues and then competing in a race to the Federal Circuit, certain strategies can help despite unanswered questions on when Patent Trial and Appeal Board determinations trigger collateral estoppel, say attorneys at Akin.
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Series
Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer
Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.
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3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less
Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.
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Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin
Throughout his recent campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised increased oil and natural gas production and reduced reliance on renewables — and his administration will likely bring more oil and gas dealmaking, faster federal permitting and attempts to roll back incentives for green energy, say attorneys at Sidley.
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The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule
Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.
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Expect More State-Level Scrutiny Of Noncompetes Ahead
Despite the nationwide injunction against the Federal Trade Commission’s noncompete ban, and the incoming Republican administration, employers should anticipate that state legislatures will continue to focus on laws that limit or ban noncompetes, including those that target certain salary thresholds or industries, says Benjamin Fryer at FordHarrison.
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In Terror Case, DC Circ. Must Weigh Justices' Twitter Ruling
When the D.C. Circuit hears oral argument in AstraZeneca UK v. Atchley, how the court interprets the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Twitter v. Taamneh will have a significant impact on future claims brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, say attorneys at Lewis Baach.
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Series
Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.
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Video Privacy Law Claims After 2nd Circ. NBA Ruling
The Second Circuit's recent ruling in Salazar v. National Basketball Association expanded the definition of what constitutes a consumer under the Video Privacy Protection Act, breathing new life into the law by making any newsletter subscriber to a platform that hosts video content a potential plaintiff, say attorneys at Clark Hill.