Michigan

  • September 12, 2025

    PetSmart Not Liable For Worker's Alleged Assault, Jury Says

    A Michigan federal jury on Friday found that PetSmart Inc. is not liable for its employee's assault on a customer in 2020 over a dispute involving the price of a dog toy, instead finding that the worker was completely responsible for the incident and awarding the customer $5,000.

  • September 12, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Kent State In Prof's Trans Bias Suit

    The Sixth Circuit ruled Friday that Kent State University backtracked on a promotion promised to a transgender professor because of insulting tweets and emails directed at colleagues, not because of their gender identity.

  • September 12, 2025

    Off The Bench: NCAA Athlete Ban, WNBA Sun Controversy

    In this week's Off The Bench, the NCAA administered permanent bans to three basketball players, and two high-profile politicians warned the WNBA that it could be at risk of violating antitrust laws if it interferes in the sale of the Connecticut Sun.

  • September 12, 2025

    Appeals Courts Rethink Harsh Youth Sentences, Search Rules

    State appellate courts across the country have issued major criminal law opinions this year, softening some of the harshest sentences for young defendants while shifting rules for searches and evidence collection.

  • September 12, 2025

    Fresh Angles On Display In ERISA Summer Filing Uptick

    Attorneys dealing with a rise in Employee Retirement Income Security Act cases are paying close attention to a handful of recent suits with allegations that put a twist on traditional benefits disputes. Here, Law360 looks at three cases with fresh angles that lawyers are keeping an eye on.

  • September 11, 2025

    6th Circ. Says Papa John's Founder's Ex-PR Can't Arbitrate

    The Sixth Circuit ruled Wednesday that a marketing agency Papa John's founder and former CEO accused of leaking comments that led to his resignation from the pizza company's board cannot ship his lawsuit to arbitration, saying in a published opinion that the agency had defaulted on its arbitration rights.

  • September 11, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Toss Of Suit Over Alleged Jif Contamination

    A Sixth Circuit panel affirmed a lower court win for J.M. Smucker Co. on Wednesday, saying customers in a proposed class action over a Jif peanut butter recall lacked proof that their specific items were contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

  • September 11, 2025

    Mich. Judge Accused Of Sexual Harassment, Drunkenness

    Michigan's judicial watchdog has alleged that a state court judge sexually harassed his female colleagues — including by telling another judge he wanted to have sex with her — arrived at the courthouse intoxicated and used his position to try to influence cases involving a relative.

  • September 11, 2025

    NCAA Investigating 13 More Alleged Sports Betting Violations

    The NCAA announced Thursday that it is investigating an additional 13 former men's basketball players from several universities for alleged sports betting violations.

  • September 11, 2025

    Panel Says $4.5M Wrongful Death Award Lacked Evidence

    A panel of the Michigan state appeals court on Wednesday undid a $4.5 million default judgment against a bus driver who ran over a man in Detroit, finding the estate of the man did not provide enough evidence to support the damages amount.

  • September 11, 2025

    Mich. Judge Greenlights Fiat Chrysler Engine Fire Settlement

    A Michigan federal judge on Thursday granted preliminary approval to a settlement between drivers and FCA US LLC to resolve claims that the automaker sold trucks with an engine defect that could cause fires.

  • September 11, 2025

    LifePoint Must Face Workers' 401(k) Mismanagement Suit

    A Tennessee federal judge refused to toss a proposed class action against LifePoint Health Inc. from participants in the healthcare company's employee 401(k) plan who alleged their retirement savings were dragged down by excessive recordkeeping and administrative fees, concluding allegations were sufficiently backed up to proceed to discovery.

  • September 11, 2025

    State Regulators Press FERC To Back $21.8B MISO Grid Plan

    Utility commissions in favor of a $21.8 billion transmission development plan told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this week that other state commissions challenging the plan are mischaracterizing their policy differences as tariff violations.

  • September 11, 2025

    Longtime General Dynamics Legal Counsel Joins Honigman

    A 20-year veteran of General Dynamics who worked as general counsel of several subsidiaries and most recently oversaw the company's business operations in Canada, has joined Honigman LLP as a partner.

  • September 10, 2025

    Feds Barred From Axing 30-Year Noncitizen Services, For Now

    A Rhode Island federal judge Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from enacting a policy change requiring immigration status checks for a number of federally funded community services, saying a coalition of Democratic-led states is likely to succeed in its assertion that the move is unconstitutional, as well as arbitrary and capricious.

  • September 10, 2025

    6th Circ. Splits In Racial Bias Suit Over Hearsay Evidence

    A divided Sixth Circuit panel upheld an elevator manufacturer's defeat of a former employee's retaliation suit Wednesday, saying a human resources representative's secondhand statement about the reason for the employee's termination was correctly kept out of the case.

  • September 10, 2025

    State AGs Back Trans Worker In Liberty U.'s 4th Circ. Appeal

    A group of 19 states and Washington, D.C., urged the Fourth Circuit to back a trial court's decision to keep a former Liberty University employee's transgender bias case in court, arguing the religious university's interpretation of the First Amendment would decimate anti-discrimination efforts.

  • September 10, 2025

    Longtime Mich. Resident In ICE Custody Gets Bond Hearing

    A Michigan federal judge on Tuesday ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to give a longtime resident a bond hearing or release him from detention within seven days, finding the government has been inappropriately keeping him in custody under a section of law that applies to those trying to enter at the border.

  • 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. 

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2025 And Beyond

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    In the year to come, e-discovery will be shaped by new and emerging trends, from the adoption of artificial intelligence provisions in protective orders, to the proliferation of emojis as a source of evidence in contemporary litigation, say attorneys at Littler.

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Religious Accommodation Lessons From $12.7M Vax Verdict

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    A Michigan federal jury’s recent $12.7 million verdict against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan starkly reminds employers of the risks they face when assessing employees’ religious accommodation requests, highlighting pitfalls to avoid and raising the opportunity to consider best practices to follow, say attorneys at Williams & Connolly.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • Mich. Ruling Offers View On 'Occurrence' Coverage Definition

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    As demonstrated by a Michigan state court in its recent decision finding per-wound insurance coverage for a school shooting, the amount of coverage available under occurrence-based policies often depends on how courts interpret "occurrence," say attorneys at Hunton.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

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    Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • How Changes In State Gift Card Laws May Affect Cos. In 2025

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    2024 state legislative movements around the escheatment of unused gift card balances and consumer fraud protections should prompt issuers to consider whether changes in company domicile or blanket cash-back policies are needed in the new year, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Health Tech Regulatory Trends To Watch In 2025

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    With an upcoming change in administration and the release of some long-awaited rules, the healthcare industry should prepare for shifting trends, including a growing focus on health data and interest in technology-enabled delivery of healthcare, say attorneys at Orrick.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • The Securities Litigation Trends That Will Matter Most In 2025

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    2025 is shaping up to be a significant year for securities litigation, as plaintiffs and defendants alike navigate shifting standards for omission theories of liability, class certification, risk disclosure claims and more, say attorneys at Willkie.

  • Reviewing 2024's Crucial Patent Law Developments

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    As 2024 draws to a close, significant rulings and policies aimed at modernizing long-standing legal practices or addressing emerging challenges have reached patent law, says Michael Ellenberger at Rothwell Figg.

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