Michigan

  • September 10, 2025

    Chinese Scholar Gets Time Served In Smuggling Case

    A Michigan federal judge on Wednesday said more time in prison wasn't warranted in the case of a Chinese scholar accused of smuggling biological material into the U.S., finding the last three months she's spent in custody and the collateral damage done to her personal and professional life are sufficient punishment.

  • September 09, 2025

    6th Circ. Revives Prisoner's Claim Over 'Cold Fan' Punishment

    The Sixth Circuit on Tuesday partially revived a civil rights lawsuit brought by an incarcerated person in Michigan, finding that his First Amendment rights were violated and he was retaliated against for complaining about an industrial fan that blew excessively cold air into his cell.

  • September 09, 2025

    Mich. Appeals Court Unsure It Can Force Through Stalled Bills

    A Michigan state appeals court panel wrestled Tuesday with whether courts have the power to compel members of the state's House of Representatives to deliver to the governor legislation that was passed last year by their political opponents.

  • September 09, 2025

    7 Enviro Cases To Watch At The Supreme Court

    The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a slew of environmental cases for the coming term, including jurisdiction disputes in pipeline and pollution cases, a challenge to a Washington state climate change law and Monsanto's bid to undo a $1.2 million weed killer cancer award.

  • September 09, 2025

    Mich. Judge OKs Auto Mogul's $19M Bid To Reclaim Assets

    A Michigan federal judge on Tuesday allowed a Detroit-area auto parts manufacturer to buy assets in a sale held by his own trust as part of efforts to satisfy a years-old $775 million judgment against it, finding the businessman didn't interfere with the sale or flout a court sales procedure order.

  • September 09, 2025

    Mich. Judge Throws Out Charges For Fake Trump 'Electors'

    A Michigan judge on Tuesday dismissed all criminal charges against Republicans accused of acting as fake electors for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, finding that prosecutors failed to show criminal intent.

  • September 08, 2025

    Claims Against UMich Trimmed In Ex-Coach Hacking Suit

    Former student-athletes on Monday agreed to drop the majority of their claims against the University of Michigan in sprawling federal litigation alleging its former co-offensive coordinator hacked personal information of thousands of students across the country as part of an agreement to pursue the claims in state court. 

  • September 08, 2025

    Split 4th Circ. Axes States' Challenge To Trump Admin Layoffs

    A split Fourth Circuit panel held Monday that a coalition of states doesn't have standing to sue the Trump administration over the mass firing of thousands of probationary government employees, finding that it was the employees — not the states — who "suffered the brunt of the harm" underlying the case.

  • 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

    Michigan Pot Co. Drops Suit Over City's Licensing Process

    A Michigan cannabis company has agreed to drop a lawsuit seeking to halt a city's recreational marijuana application process over allegations that the process was unfair and resulted in the company missing out on points already awarded to other license applicants.

  • 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

    Dem Sens., AGs Increase Pressure On DOJ's HPE Merger Deal

    The controversial Justice Department settlement clearing Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion purchase of Juniper Networks drew further pushback from Democratic senators and state attorneys general who respectively sought answers from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and told a California federal judge to reject the deal.

  • September 05, 2025

    Judge Doubts DOE Stance On Ending Mental Health Grants

    A Seattle federal judge hinted on Friday that 16 states have valid claims against the U.S. Department of Education for arbitrarily discontinuing mental health funding for public schools, expressing frustration with the federal government's argument that it could terminate grant funding the same way it could fire a landscaper under contract.  

  • September 05, 2025

    Refugee Aid Agency Urges Judge To Save Michigan Contracts

    A Christian refugee aid provider has asked a federal judge to preserve funding it receives for refugee resettlement services amid its religious liberty lawsuit against the state, saying Michigan plans to terminate several of the group's contracts in a matter of weeks.

  • September 05, 2025

    Drivers Demand GM, OnStar Data 'Snooping' Suit Roll On

    Plaintiffs hoping to represent a nationwide class of up to 16 million drivers who were allegedly covertly surveilled by their General Motors cars urged a Georgia federal judge Friday to keep their suit alive, arguing GM used onboard devices to run a massive wiretapping and data mining scheme.

  • September 05, 2025

    Miner Must Show Why Chuckwalla Suit Belongs In Mich.

    A Michigan federal judge has ordered a Michigan resident challenging the Chuckwalla National Monument's protected status to show why the lawsuit should remain in the Great Lakes State, suggesting that the case seems to fit better in California where the vast desert acreage is located.

  • September 05, 2025

    6th Circ. Finds Boss' Pregnancy Remark Supports Bias Claim

    A split Sixth Circuit panel revived part of a lawsuit from a woman who alleges a Michigan hospital system laid her off because she was pregnant, finding that evidence that the worker's supervisor was concerned about the pregnancy's effects on department productivity supports pregnancy discrimination claims.

  • September 05, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Search Of Home Linked To One Drug Sale

    A federal appeals panel has said officers had good reason to search a home connected to a man they say set up in a drug-buying sting, determining a federal judge did not err by refusing to suppress evidence found inside the home.

  • September 04, 2025

    18 States Fight Trump Admin's Bid To End Haitian Protections

    A coalition of 18 states led by Massachusetts, California and New York has thrown its weight behind immigrants challenging the Trump administration's effort to remove temporary protected status for more than 250,000 Haitians in D.C. federal court, arguing TPS-eligible Haitians contribute $4.4 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

  • September 04, 2025

    Late Funkadelic Member's Royalty Suit Too Late, Judge Finds

    A Michigan federal judge ended a case Thursday brought against George Clinton by his late keyboardist's estate over unpaid royalties, saying the statute of limitations expired when there was silence between the parties about a contract between them for decades.

  • September 04, 2025

    Couple Say Mexico Timeshare Feud Belongs In State Court

    A Michigan couple who sued a Mexican resort company in a fight over a timeshare contract is arguing that their case belongs in Florida state court, saying an underlying arbitration agreement calling for disputes to go to Canada cannot be heard in federal court.

  • September 04, 2025

    Enbridge Asks High Court To Reverse Pipeline Remand Ruling

    Enbridge Energy has pushed the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a Sixth Circuit decision saying the company missed a deadline to transfer to federal court a suit by Michigan's attorney general seeking to block a pipeline, arguing the attorney general failed to show the removal process was untimely.

  • September 04, 2025

    Ex-Law Firm Worker Fights $500K Judgment In Fraud Suit

    The former office manager for a Detroit civil rights firm asked Michigan appellate judges to throw out a $500,000 judgment for the firm for admittedly using its money for her personal purchases, arguing the damages improperly included costs the firm said it incurred investigating the fraud.

  • September 04, 2025

    'Tone Matters,' Justice Kavanaugh Tells Fellow Judges

    U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the judiciary should recommit to using cool-headed and civil language in their writing and spoke about the difficulties the court faces in handling a flood of emergency relief cases at a conference Thursday. 

  • September 04, 2025

    Automakers Fail In PTAB Bid To Ax Neo Wireless Patent

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has found that Ford, General Motors and Nissan did not prove that claims in a Neo Wireless patent at issue in a multidistrict litigation are invalid, in a case where the former patent office director undid the board's refusal to institute review.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From NY Fed To BigLaw

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    While the move to private practice brings a learning curve, it also brings chances to learn new skills and grow your network, requiring a clear understanding of how your skills can complement and contribute to a firm's existing practice, and where you can add new value, says Meghann Donahue at Covington.

  • Top 3 Litigation Finance Deal-Killers, And How To Avoid Them

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    Like all transactions, litigation finance deals can sometimes collapse, but understanding the most common reasons for failure, including a lack of trust or a misunderstanding of deal terms, can help both parties avoid problems, say Rebecca Berrebi at Avenue 33 and Boris Ziser at Schulte Roth.

  • How Attys Can Use A Therapy Model To Help Triggered Clients

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    Attorneys can lean on key principles from a psychotherapeutic paradigm known as the "Internal Family Systems" model to help manage triggered clients and get settlement negotiations back on track, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.

  • 3 Steps For In-House Counsel To Assess Litigation Claims

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    Before a potential economic downturn, in-house attorneys should investigate whether their company is sitting on hidden litigation claims that could unlock large recoveries to help the business withstand tough times, says Will Burgess at Hilgers Graben.

  • Series

    Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

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    Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: April Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses four federal appellate court decisions and identifies practice tips from cases involving pretrial detainee bail funds, employment law, product defect allegations and claims of not providing proper pain medication at a jail.

  • Legal Ethics Considerations For Law Firm Pro Bono Deals

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    If a law firm enters into a pro bono deal with the Trump administration in exchange for avoiding or removing an executive order, it has an ethical obligation to create a written settlement agreement with specific terms, which would mitigate some potential conflict of interest problems, says Andrew Altschul at Buchanan Angeli.

  • Series

    Playing Football Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    While my football career ended over 15 years ago, the lessons the sport taught me about grit, accountability and resilience have stayed with me and will continue to help me succeed as an attorney, says Bert McBride at Trenam.

  • 10 Arbitrations And A 5th Circ. Ruling Flag Arb. Clause Risks

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    The ongoing arbitral saga of Sullivan v. Feldman, which has engendered proceedings before 10 different arbitrators in Texas and Louisiana along with last month's Fifth Circuit opinion, showcases both the risks and limitations of arbitration clauses in retainer agreements for resolving attorney-client disputes, says Christopher Blazejewski at Sherin and Lodgen.

  • Notable Q1 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    The first quarter of 2025 was filled with the refinement of old theories in the property and casualty space, including in vehicle valuation, time to seek appraisal and materials depreciation, says Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler.

  • Series

    Power To The Paralegals: The Value Of Unified State Licensing

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    Texas' proposal to become the latest state to license paraprofessional providers of limited legal services could help firms expand their reach and improve access to justice, but consumers, attorneys and allied legal professionals would benefit even more if similar programs across the country become more uniform, says Michael Houlberg at the University of Denver.

  • 10 Soft Skills Every GC Should Master

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    As businesses face shifting regulatory and technological uncertainty, general counsel will need to strengthen certain soft skills to succeed, from admitting when they make a mistake to maintaining a healthy dose of dispassion, says Douglas Brown at Manatt.

  • An Unrestrained, Bright-Eyed View Of Legal AI's Future

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    Todd Itami at Covington offers a bright-eyed, laughing-all-the-way, skydive look at what the legal industry could look like after an artificial intelligence revolution, which he believes may happen much sooner and more dramatically than we expect.

  • Tracking The Evolution In Litigation Finance

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    Despite continued innovation, litigation finance remains an immature market with borrowers recieving significantly different terms as lenders learn to value cases, which firms need a strong handle on to ensure lending terms do not overwhelm collateral value, says Robert Wilkins at Lightfoot Franklin.

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