Appellate

  • January 02, 2026

    Colorado Appeals Panel Says Defense Waived Client's Rights

    A division of the Colorado Court of Appeals, for the first time in a published opinion, ruled Wednesday that if an attorney tells a jury to convict his client on a charged offense, the client loses the right to appeal the conviction in the future.

  • January 02, 2026

    9th Circ. Affirms Paramount's Win In 'Top Gun' IP Fight

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday affirmed Paramount's win in a copyright lawsuit alleging the studio's 2022 "Top Gun: Maverick" blockbuster film failed to credit a journalist whose article inspired the original 1986 movie, finding that similarities between the sequel and the article are too abstract to be protected.

  • January 02, 2026

    NJ Panel Tosses Newark Property Claims, Cites 'Unclean Hands'

    A New Jersey state appeals court backed the permanent dismissal of claims, crossclaims and counterclaims involving business agreements over a Newark residential property, ruling Friday that a lower court rightfully determined that sham filings and unscrupulous behavior meant the case had been invalidated under the "unclean hands" doctrine.

  • January 02, 2026

    5 Labor Cases To Watch In 2026

    The new year is poised to be consequential for labor practitioners as courts mull states' power to act and the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether to wade into a circuit split over the National Labor Relations Board's remedial powers. Here, Law360 looks at these and other labor cases to watch in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    Ga. Probate Judge Should Be Removed, JQC Panel Says

    A three-member panel of Georgia's Judicial Qualifications Commission has recommended a probate judge be removed from the bench over allegations of yearslong case delays, citing a "pattern of improper activity" and its impact on the judicial system.

  • January 02, 2026

    Ind. Judge's Chat With Tesla Crash Jurors Undoes $60M Verdict

    An Indiana state appellate panel has vacated a $60.7 million jury verdict against Tesla in a suit accusing its employee of negligently hitting a motorcyclist and causing a catastrophic brain injury, saying the trial court judge had an improper private conversation with the deadlocked jury regarding a potential mistrial.

  • January 02, 2026

    Newman Eyes High Court After Latest Loss On Suspension

    An attorney for Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman said Friday the 98-year-old judge plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after the full D.C. Circuit refused to reconsider a decision affirming the dismissal of her lawsuit challenging her suspension.

  • January 02, 2026

    Hilton Hotel Tax Valuation Rightly Cut, Minn. Justices Told

    Minnesota's tax court was correct in reducing the tax valuations of a Hilton hotel and convention center, which included a $70 million drop in one year, the property owner told the Minnesota Supreme Court.

  • January 02, 2026

    Hawaii Property Tax Appeal Is Untimely, State Justices Affirm

    A Hawaii vacation homeowner failed to appeal his property's tax assessment through the correct channels and is now time-barred from doing so, the Hawaii Supreme Court said. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Fla. Justices Reject Atty Vacancy Proposal Backed By AG

    The Supreme Court of Florida has rejected a proposal from the attorney general's office to allow out-of-state lawyers to work in some state government roles, despite the support it got from the governor's office and others.

  • January 02, 2026

    Legal Ethics Cases To Watch In 2026

    Federal judges will continue tackling notable ethics issues in 2026 — a U.S. Justice Department battling former federal prosecutors in court and an immigration justice system in upheaval.

  • January 02, 2026

    The Top Sports & Betting Cases To Watch In 2026

    As attorneys prepare for a busy year of sports cases centering on antitrust, labor laws and prediction markets, all eyes are sure to be locked on the U.S. Supreme Court, which will decide the fate of two state laws banning transgender girls and women from competing in female sports.

  • January 02, 2026

    Top Delaware Chancery Cases And Trends To Watch In 2026

    Delaware's business courts and corporation laws are heading into 2026 wrapped in a third straight year of controversy and high-level litigation, with the state's future as the nation's premier corporate charter hub under continued critical attention.

  • January 02, 2026

    Approach The Bench: What Judges Had To Say In 2025

    Jurists discussed their strategies for decision-making, the difficulties of case management, and their predictions for the future of litigation in a dozen interviews with Law360 this year.

  • January 02, 2026

    Drug Pricing Battles To Watch In 2026

    With drugmakers already pushing back on drug affordability programs and policies, Law360 looks at the year ahead for litigation focused on state and federal drug pricing programs.

  • January 02, 2026

    5 Cases In Georgia To Keep An Eye On In 2026

    Attorneys in Georgia will be watching several legal battle battles involving hot-button issues in the new year, including a suit over gender-affirming healthcare in state prisons, multidistrict litigation seeking to hold Meta and others liable for alleged social media addiction and a bid by the U.S. Justice Department to obtain 2020 election records. Here is look at five cases to follow in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    5 Policy Areas Benefits Attys Should Keep Tabs On In 2026

    The new year promises policy shifts that could change the legal landscape for health and retirement benefits, including action to follow through on an executive order encouraging alternative assets in 401(k) plans, and a potential replacement for a Biden-era rule covering how retirement plan managers can factor environmental and social issues into their investment strategy. Here are five policy areas benefits attorneys will be watching in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    Copyright & Trademark Policy And Trends To Watch In 2026

    Intellectual property attorneys are waiting to see if the U.S. Copyright Office releases an additional report on artificial intelligence and are curious if the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office continues to speed up its handling of trademark applications. Here are Law360's picks for the copyright and trademark policies and trends to watch this year.

  • January 02, 2026

    Patent Litigation Trends To Watch In 2026

    Attorneys are expecting a significant increase in district court litigation after a series of dramatic changes at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have made the Patent Trial and Appeal Board less attractive, which is one of the most significant trends for 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    DC Circuit Cases To Watch In January

    The D.C. Circuit will start the New Year hearing several noteworthy cases, including a challenge to the Trump administration's transgender troop ban and a fight over whether two common "forever" chemicals qualify as hazardous materials under the Superfund law.

  • January 02, 2026

    Trademark Cases To Watch In 2026

    An appeal over the use of foreign words in branding is up for consideration at the U.S. Supreme Court, and a Delaware federal judge is set to deliver his verdict following a bench trial over the "Ugliest House in America." Here are Law360's picks for the trademark cases to watch in 2026.

  • January 02, 2026

    Antitrust Cases Ahead: Live Nation, Middleman On Trial

    The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission enter 2026 with decisions to make about how to regroup after coming up short in major cases against Google and Meta Platforms.

  • January 02, 2026

    Illinois Cases To Watch In 2026

    The Seventh Circuit will have its first opportunities in 2026 to analyze recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent narrowing federal bribery convictions as it resolves two high-profile public corruption appeals, while the Illinois Supreme Court could significantly impact state jury management when it decides whether a juror's "surrender" note signaled enough deliberation discord to warrant a retrial. 

  • January 02, 2026

    Trade Secret Trends To Watch In 2026

    The landscape of trade secret law could see significant developments in 2026 as courts address the aftermath of astronomical jury awards and navigate jurisdictional tensions surrounding the timing and specifics of trade secret disclosures in litigation.

  • January 02, 2026

    Guns, Taxes & Labor: Cannabis Litigation Trends To Watch

    In 2026, courts throughout the U.S. will consider cases weighing Second Amendment rights of cannabis users, a punitive federal tax policy that affects state-legal marijuana businesses, labor peace requirements in the cannabis space, and whether a constitutional doctrine bars states from preferencing their residents in doling out marijuana licenses.

Expert Analysis

  • 3 Securities Litigation Trends To Watch In 2026

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    Pending federal appellate cases suggest that 2026 will be a significant year for securities litigation, with long-standing debates about class certification, new questions about the risks and value of artificial intelligence features, and private plaintiffs' growing role in cryptocurrency enforcement likely to be major themes, say attorneys at Willkie.

  • 5 Tariff And Trade Developments To Watch In 2026

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    A new trade landscape emerged in 2025, the contours of which will be further defined by developments that will merit close attention this year, including a key ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court and a review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, says Ted Posner at Baker Botts.

  • Funding Haze And Deregulatory Pursuits: The CFPB In 2026

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    In 2025, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau did not seek additional funding from the Federal Reserve and unwound the legacy of former bureau leadership, and this year will bring further efforts to rescind or rewrite bureau regulations, as well as a changed tone to supervision efforts, say attorneys at Covington.

  • 4 Developments That Defined The 2025 Ethics Landscape

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    The legal profession spent 2025 at the edge of its ethical comfort zone as courts, firms and regulators confronted how fast-moving technologies and new business models collide with long-standing professional duties, signaling that the profession is entering a period of sustained disruption that will continue into 2026, says Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG Law.

  • 5 Trade Secret Developments To Follow In 2026

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    Watch for major developments in trade secret law this year, especially as courts clarify the reach of U.S. law internationally, the availability of trade secret damages and more, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • Top 10 Employer Resolutions For 2026

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    Heightened regulatory attention, shifting enforcement priorities and increased litigation risk mean that routine workplace decisions in 2026 will require greater discipline and foresight, including in relation to bias and inclusion training, employee resource groups, employee speech, immigration compliance, workplace accommodations, and shadow artificial intelligence, say attorneys at Krevolin & Horst.

  • Navigating AI In The Legal Industry

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    As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly integral part of legal practice, Law360 guest commentary this year examined evolving ethical obligations, how the plaintiffs bar is using AI to level the playing field against corporate defense teams, and the attendant risks of adoption.

  • 4 California Insurance Law Decisions To Know From 2025

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    California continued to shape the national insurance landscape in 2025, issuing a series of decisions that may recalibrate claims handling, underwriting strategy and policy drafting in areas from property damage claims after a wildfire to automobile coverage for delivery drivers in the gig economy, say attorneys at Nicolaides Fink.

  • The Major Securities Litigation Rulings And Trends Of 2025

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    The past 12 months saw increased regulator focus on disclosures concerning artificial intelligence, signs of growing judicial scrutiny at the class certification stage, and shifting regulatory priorities at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — all major developments that may significantly affect securities litigation strategy in 2026 and beyond, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • A 6th Circ. Snapshot: 3 Cases That Defined 2025

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    With more than a thousand opinions issued this year, three rulings from the Sixth Circuit stood out for the impact they'll have on the practice of civil procedure, including a net neutrality decision, a class certification standards ruling and an opinion about vulgarity in school, say attorneys at Ice Miller.

  • How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

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    As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.

  • Health, Legal Employers Face Unique Online Speech Hurdles

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    Employers in the legal and healthcare industries must consider distinctive ethical obligations and professional requirements when disciplining employees for social media posts, while anticipating an area of the law in flux as courts seek to balance speech rights and the workplace function, say attorneys at FordHarrison.

  • Opinion

    Justices Should Clarify Loper Bright Doctrine Via Patent Case

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    The U.S. Supreme Court should use the Lynk Labs v. Samsung patent case to provide urgently needed guidance on how last year’s Loper Bright decision should be applied to real-world questions of agency authority in the post-Chevron world, says Timothy Hsieh at Oklahoma City University School of Law.

  • 3 Notable Developments In Ch. 15 Bankruptcy This Year

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    Several notable Bankruptcy Code Chapter 15 decisions from 2025 warrant review, including rulings that clarified the framework of Chapter 15 surrounding nonparty releases, reinforced the principles of a debtor's center of main interest in the face of extensive mass tort litigation, and reviewed synthetic cross-border proceedings, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Reviewing 2025's Most Pertinent Wiretap Developments

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    2025 was a remarkable year in the world of web tracking wiretapping litigation, not only for the increased caseload but also because of numerous developing theories of liability, with disputes expected to continue unabated in 2026, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

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