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In Rarity, 1 Party's Judges Gain 100% Control Of Circuit Bench
At the First Circuit, the judges' robes are all black, but the judges are all blue. It's a new and unusual instance of one political party's judicial picks controlling each active seat on a federal appeals court, and the Democratic dominance could prove magnetic for ideologically charged litigation.
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June 10, 2024
Baltimore Lands $45M Deal With Allergan In Opioid Litigation
Baltimore has put to rest its claims that Allergan played a part in the opioid crisis, reaching a $45 million settlement with the pharmaceutical company, an amount the city called "unprecedented" in an announcement on Monday.
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June 10, 2024
9th Circ. Says Choctaw's Dispute With CVS Must Be Arbitrated
A Ninth Circuit panel forced the Choctaw Nation to arbitrate a dispute over prescription drug reimbursement with CVS Health Corp. subsidiaries, affirming an Arizona federal judge's order in a published opinion Monday.
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June 10, 2024
Colo. Justices Say Toxic Tort Plaintiffs Didn't Waive Privilege
Colorado's justices on Monday said plaintiffs suing a medical sterilization plant over exposure to a carcinogen cannot be forced to turn over communications with their lawyers related to an expert report, rejecting the plant's argument that the disclosure of a spreadsheet to an expert waived attorney-client privilege.
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June 10, 2024
Ga. Panel Revives Woman's Crash Injury Suit Against Sheriff
A Georgia Court of Appeals panel revived a crash lawsuit against a Georgia sheriff and deputy Monday, ruling that the plaintiffs' serving of the suit upon county government officials instead of the sheriff himself did not doom her case after all.
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June 10, 2024
Unclaimed Property Group Backs Disney At Mich. High Court
An unclaimed property holder trade organization urged the Michigan Supreme Court to affirm that the state waited too long to demand that Disney and a restaurant company remit unclaimed property, arguing that third-party auditors' lax oversight allowed examinations to languish beyond the statute of limitations.
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June 10, 2024
Split 4th Circ. Tosses Suit Over 'Forever Chemicals' In NC
The Fourth Circuit ruled Monday that environmental groups couldn't challenge in district court the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's selection of particular so-called "forever chemicals" for testing after the agency agreed, at the groups' request, to research the chemicals' effects in North Carolina.
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June 10, 2024
Colo. Justices Say Doc-Patient Privilege Mirrors Atty-Client
The Colorado Supreme Court held Monday that doctor-patient privilege does persist after a patient dies but that a "testamentary exception" exists for when a late patient's medical records become necessary information to execute their estate, similar to how attorney-client privilege works.
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June 10, 2024
Split Mich. Panel Says Attorney-Free Confession OK For Court
A split Michigan appellate panel said a judge should have admitted a video of a defendant confessing to hitting someone with his truck because the defendant signed multiple documents waiving his right to have counsel present, although a dissenting judge said police "misled" the defendant and took advantage of his confusion.
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June 10, 2024
3 Takeaways From Cigna's Win In 9th Circ. Rehab Claim Fight
The Ninth Circuit's recent decision finding Cigna is off the hook for $8.6 million in out-of-network mental health and substance use disorder treatment claims against employee benefit plans administered by the insurer could discourage similar litigation, benefits attorneys say. Here are three key takeaways from the decision.
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June 10, 2024
EPA Air Compliance Rule Trumps State Powers, DC Circ. Told
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency usurped state authority when it issued a final rule changing the deadline for states to submit Clean Air Act compliance plans for power plants and other existing facilities within their borders, 25 Republican-led states told the D.C. Circuit.
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June 10, 2024
9th Circ. Doubts Suit Challenging US Military Aid To Israel
A Ninth Circuit panel appeared skeptical Monday of reviving a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's support for Israel's military efforts in Gaza, with two judges saying the injunctive relief requests are "extraordinary" and broad, and a third judge saying reviving the case would essentially have courts running the U.S. military.
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June 10, 2024
5th Circ. Upends Dallas School District Win In Age Bias Suit
The Fifth Circuit reinstated a lawsuit from a Dallas school district worker who said she was passed over for promotions and fired because she was in her mid-50s, saying a trial court held her to too high a standard when it threw out her lawsuit.
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June 10, 2024
Supreme Court Rejects WWII Oil Refinery Cleanup Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court left intact on Monday a Sixth Circuit decision that the federal government can't be held liable for environmental contamination left behind by oil refineries during World War II, rejecting a petition for certiorari filed by Valero Energy Corp.
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June 10, 2024
2nd Circ. Remands Malpractice Suit Against DLA Piper
The Second Circuit on Monday sent back to state court a Chinese smart car technology company's malpractice suit against DLA Piper that accused the firm of mishandling a shareholder suit, with the appeals court panel saying federal court does not have jurisdiction over the suit.
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June 10, 2024
Kan. Court Rejects Valuation Based On Overturned Precedent
SLOTTING--The Kansas Board of Tax Appeals incorrectly relied on overturned precedent when it lowered a Home Depot's property value by almost $2 million, the Kansas Appeals Court ruled.
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June 10, 2024
Rutgers GC, Former NJ AG Tapped For State Supreme Court
John Jay Hoffman, general counsel at Rutgers University since 2016 and acting New Jersey attorney general under former Gov. Chris Christie, is Gov. Phil Murphy's latest pick for the state Supreme Court, the governor announced Monday.
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June 10, 2024
Full 9th Circ. Rules AB5 And Its Exemptions Are Lawful
The California Legislature had a plausible reason for creating certain carveouts from a state law governing whether workers are employees or independent contractors, the full Ninth Circuit ruled Monday, departing from a panel's decision that Assembly Bill 5 disfavors companies such as Uber.
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June 10, 2024
Amid FBI Probe, Troubled Law Firm Gets Fees Win At 5th Circ.
An embattled Texas law firm has won another shot to secure fees for its work on hurricane-related cases in Louisiana, the Fifth Circuit ruled, one day after the FBI revealed it was investigating the firm over its client solicitation practices.
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June 10, 2024
FTC To Fight Go-Ahead Order On Novant $320M Hospital Deal
Just days after a district court loss, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday it will ask the Fourth Circuit to step in and block Novant Health from buying two North Carolina hospitals in a $320 million deal the agency contends would harm competition.
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June 10, 2024
Tampa-Area Doctor May Sue Attorney, Appeals Court Says
A doctor's lawsuit over a medical bill dispute with a personal injury lawyer over one of the lawyer's injured clients may proceed, a Florida appeals court has ruled.
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June 10, 2024
Trump Ally Asks If Stay Applies To All Ga. Co-Defendants
As former President Donald Trump asks the Georgia Court of Appeals to hear oral arguments in his appeal of a ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis to continue prosecuting the Georgia election interference case, one of his co-defendants asked for clarity on whether a recent stay applies to every defendant.
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June 10, 2024
9th Circ. To Hear Args In Psilocybin Right-To-Try Case
A Ninth Circuit panel will hear oral arguments in August in an appeal brought by a Seattle doctor seeking to administer psilocybin to terminal cancer patients under state and federal right-to-try laws.
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June 10, 2024
Justices Call For Do-Over In 9th Circ. Bank Preemption Case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday tossed a Ninth Circuit decision rejecting federal preemption of a California state interest-on-escrow law for Flagstar Bank, ordering a do-over in the case following the high court's recent ruling on preemption standards in a similar case involving Bank of America.
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June 10, 2024
Texas Urges 5th Circ. To Prioritize DHS Parole Program Appeal
Texas has urged the Fifth Circuit to expedite its bid to revive a challenge to the Biden administration's parole program for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, saying time is of the essence because the case has major implications on federal immigration policy.
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June 10, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Big players and big moves dominated much of the past week in Delaware's Court of Chancery, as Tesla in particular and big corporations in general showed their pique over rulings that went toward stockholders or against conventional expectations.
Editor's Picks
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Thomas' Long Quest To Undo A 'Grave Constitutional Error'
A quarter-century after Justice Clarence Thomas cast a pivotal vote against jury trial rights and rapidly regretted it, his relentless campaign to undo the controversial precedent is suddenly center stage with a serious shot at succeeding, as judges and lawyers increasingly deem the decision dubious and the U.S. Supreme Court chips away at its edges.
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DC Circuit Cases To Watch In 2024
As the D.C. Circuit heads into 2024, its judges are poised to answer hotly anticipated political questions about former President Donald Trump and his allies, as well as a number of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission cases that could determine the future of certain natural gas projects.
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Law360's Guide To Biden's Judicial Picks
UPDATED June 6, 2024 | President Joe Biden is shaping the federal judiciary by adding to the courts' professional and demographic diversity — a sharp break from former President Donald Trump, who made the judiciary more homogeneous as the judges confirmed under him were 84% white and 76% male.
Expert Analysis
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What High Court Ruling Means For Sexual Harassment Claims
In its recent Smith v. Spizzirri decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a district court compelling a case to arbitration is obligated to stay the case rather than dismissing it, but this requirement may result in sexual harassment cases not being heard by appellate courts, says Abe Melamed at Signature Resolution.
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Trademark In Artistic Works 1 Year After Jack Daniel's
In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court's Jack Daniel's v. VIP products ruling, courts have applied Jack Daniel's inconsistently to deny First Amendment protection to artistic works, providing guidance for dismissing trademark claims relating to film and TV titles, say Hardy Ehlers and Neema Sahni at Covington.
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9th Circ. Ruling Broadens Sweep Of Securities 'Solicitation'
The Ninth Circuit's recent revival of a putative securities fraud class action against Genius Brands for hiring a stock promoter to write favorable articles about it shows that companies should view "solicitation" broadly in considering whether they may have paid someone to urge an investor to purchase a security, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
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Why Jurors Balk At 'I Don't Recall' — And How To Respond
Jurors often react negatively to a witness who responds “I don’t remember” because they tend to hold erroneous beliefs about the nature of human memory, but attorneys can adopt a few strategies to mitigate the impact of these biases, say Steve Wood and Ava Hernández at Courtroom Sciences.
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Series
Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge at Robinson Bradshaw.
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5th Circ. Venue-Transfer Cases Highlight Mandamus Limits
Three ongoing cases filed within the Fifth Circuit highlight an odd procedural wrinkle that may let district courts defy an appellate writ: orders granting transfer to out-of-circuit districts, but parties opposing intercircuit transfer can work around this hurdle to effective appellate review, says Charles Fowler at McKool Smith.
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A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence
The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.
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PTAB Rulings Shed Light On Quantum Computing Patents
Recent Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions on enablement rejections against quantum computing patent claims provide patent practitioners with valuable guidance on best practices for avoiding and overcoming enablement, say Fred Qiu and Alex Nie at Sheppard Mullin.
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To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef
To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
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Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?
Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.
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Fed. Circ. Rulings Crystallize Polymorph Patent 'Obviousness'
A comparison of two recent Federal Circuit obviousness challenge decisions regarding polymorph patents provides helpful insight into the assessment of screening arguments, particularly the issue of reasonable expectation of success, say Michael Green and John Molenda at Steptoe.
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DC Circ. Ruling Heightens HHS Contract Pharmacy Challenges
The D.C. Circuit's recent ruling that the Section 340B program does not bar manufacturers from restricting deliveries of discounted drugs to contract pharmacies represents a second strike against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' current contract pharmacy policy and raises the stakes surrounding an upcoming Seventh Circuit ruling on the same issue, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.
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Series
In The CFPB Playbook: Regulatory Aims Get High Court Assist
Newly emboldened after the U.S. Supreme Court last month found that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding is constitutional, the bureau has likely experienced a psychic boost, allowing its already robust enforcement agenda to continue expanding, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.
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3 Infringement Defenses To Consider 10 Years Post-Nautilus
In the 10 years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s influential Nautilus ruling, the spirit of the “amenable to construction” test that the opinion rejected persists with many patent litigators and judges, so patent infringement defense counsel should always consider several key arguments, says John Vandenberg at Klarquist Sparkman.
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NY Ruling Paves A Court Payment Shortcut For More Creditors
A recent New York state appeals court ruling expands access to an expedited statutory procedure for court enforcement of promissory notes or unconditional guaranties, allowing more creditors to minimize the risk of potentially challenging litigation on threshold issues, says Alexander Levi at Friedman Kaplan.