Texas Court Mostly Reverses $27M Exxon Explosion Verdict

By Y. Peter Kang

A Texas appellate court on Thursday largely vacated a $27 million jury verdict against ExxonMobil related to a 2019 explosion at a Houston-area petrochemical plant, citing insufficient evidence to support the damages awarded to three injured workers.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

5th Circ. Pushes TSA On $48M Refund Fine Against Southwest

By Spencer Brewer

A Fifth Circuit judge laughed aloud at the Transportation Security Administration's statement that it lacks the capacity to refund a security service fee to millions of passengers, questioning Thursday why Southwest Airlines Co. should get dinged with a $48 million fine for failing to refund the fee to some passengers.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

5th Circ. Wary Of Giving Investors Another Go At Lumen Suit

By Spencer Brewer

A Fifth Circuit panel wanted to know why a group of investors should get another shot at a class action against Lumen Technologies Inc. for allegedly covering up its lead-covered copper cables, asking Thursday if the investors told the lower court how they would amend their pleading.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Olin Sales Tactics Key To $70M Contract Trial, Judge Told

By Cara Salvatore

Plastics manufacturer Shintech Inc. argued Wednesday it should be able to tell a Texas federal jury about industrial giant Olin Corp.'s allegedly extortionist "activation" sales strategy in an upcoming $70 million contract trial over a critical interruption in a supply chemical for vinyl.

Motion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

Texas AG Says P&G Is Updating Kid Fluoride Crest Label

By Emily Field

The Texas attorney general said Wednesday that Procter & Gamble has agreed to place information about the recommended amount of fluoride toothpaste for children on its packaging in order to show the accurate amount on its Crest toothpaste for children.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Satellite Co. Pays $175K To End FCC's Team Telecom Case

By Christopher Cole

The Federal Communications Commission has agreed in return for a $175,000 payment to end its probe into whether a Luxembourg satellite company violated a national security deal with the U.S. government.

Order attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Calif. Agency Secures Halt On Data Broker's Info Resales

By Allison Grande

A marketing firm that compiles and redistributes lists of people with serious health conditions has agreed to pay a $45,000 fine and stop selling California residents' personal information in order to settle the California Privacy Protection Agency's latest enforcement strike against a data broker for failing to register, the agency announced Thursday. 

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Comcast Wants Full Fed. Circ. To Rethink Transfer Denial

By Adam Lidgett

Comcast said Thursday that the full Federal Circuit should review a December panel decision that shot down its bid to overturn an Eastern District of Texas judge's decision declining to transfer an infringement suit the telecom behemoth is facing to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Petition attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Pipeline Co., Contractor Pull Plug On Fuel Terminal Fight

By Kelcey Caulder

A pipeline company and a contractor it hired to build a $22.4 million fuel terminal have agreed to end the company's suit alleging it was owed at least $600,000 because of missed deadlines and shoddy workmanship, according to a filing in Georgia federal court.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Vicor's Patent Defense Faces Skepticism In SynQor Case

By Jared Foretek

Electronics company Vicor's claims that it couldn't have shown "willful blindness" of SynQor's power converter technology patent that a jury said it infringed met with some skepticism from a panel of Federal Circuit judges, who pointed out that Vicor's CEO himself said that he didn't look at the patent.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

ITC To Investigate Smartwatch Giants Over Fall Detection IP

By Dani Kass

The U.S. International Trade Commission on Thursday said it will review whether Apple, Google, Garmin and Samsung are infringing UnaliWear Inc.'s patents with their smartwatch imports.

Notice attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Holland & Knight Adds DOJ Cybercrime Advisor In Dallas

By Lynn LaRowe

Holland & Knight LLP announced Thursday that it has expanded its litigation practice with the addition of a Dallas-based partner who previously served as the global attorney advisor for dark web and cryptocurrency matters in the U.S. Department of Justice's office of overseas prosecutorial development, assistance and training.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Haynes Boone Adds Perkins Coie Employment Pro In Dallas

By Lynn LaRowe

Haynes Boone has bolstered its labor and employment practice with the addition of an experienced Dallas-based partner who came aboard after more than a decade with Perkins Coie LLP.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Series

Muay Thai Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Muay Thai kickboxing has taught me that in order to win, one must stick to one's game plan and adapt under pressure, just as when facing challenges by opposing counsel or judges, says Mark Schork at Feldman Shepherd.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

New Assistant AG For Fraud Will Report To White House

By Courtney Bublé

Vice President JD Vance announced on Thursday the creation of a new assistant attorney general role for fraud, which will be overseen by him and the president.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

US Atty In NY Northern District Serving Unlawfully, Judge Says

By Stewart Bishop

A Manhattan federal judge on Thursday held that the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York is unlawfully serving in his position, the latest in a string of rulings disqualifying prosecutors appointed by President Donald Trump.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Calif. Judge Will Resign, Cop To Workers' Comp Fraud

By Lauren Berg

A California state judge has agreed to resign and plead guilty to a felony fraud charge after prosecutors alleged he knowingly hired a physician previously convicted of healthcare fraud to prepare medical reports to submit to the state's workers' compensation program, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Alito Recuses From Chevron, Exxon Coastal Pollution Case

By Keith Goldberg

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday recused himself from considering Chevron and ExxonMobil's effort to place Louisiana pollution lawsuits stemming from the companies' World War II-era production in federal court, just days before the justices hear oral arguments in the case.

Letter attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

House OKs $540M For Imperiled Legal Services Corp.

By Emily Sawicki

The "minibus" appropriations bill that the U.S. House of Representatives passed on Thursday includes a lifeline $540 million allocated toward the nonprofit Legal Services Corp. — representing a reduction of $10 million, or 3.6%, compared to fiscal year 2025's budget — whose funding the White House previously suggested should be slashed.

Bill attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

La. Judge Is Senate's 1st Judicial Confirmation Of 2026

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate voted 53-40 on Thursday to confirm former acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook to be a district judge in the Western District of Louisiana.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »