Ex-Tugboat CEO Can't Reinstate $75M Defamation Verdict

By Mike Curley

A Washington state appeals panel won't let the former CEO of boating company Harley Marine Services Inc. reinstate a $75 million defamation verdict against his former business partners, finding that the comments that formed the basis for the verdict are covered under the state's "absolute" litigation privilege.

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Judge Forged Note For Parking Discount, Watchdog Says

By Greg Lamm

A Washington state judicial conduct board has accused a part-time district court judge of forging a note embossed with a court seal and using another judge's signature stamp to get a reduced parking rate offered to government employees.

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Starbucks Can't End Investor Suit Over Union-Busting Stance

By Rachel Riley

A Washington state judge won't toss a shareholder suit accusing Starbucks' corporate leadership of diminishing stock values by allowing store managers to quash baristas' organizing efforts.

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Amazon Says Zulily Lacks Standing To Bring Antitrust Claims

By Hailey Konnath

Amazon is asking a Washington federal court to throw out now-defunct online retailer Zulily's lawsuit accusing it of using its monopoly power to shut out competition from other online retailers, arguing that Zulily merely "parrots" allegations made by regulators and has singled out "plainly procompetitive practice."

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85 Lawmakers Join Chorus Opposing Space Force Transfers

By Chart Riggall

A bipartisan group of 85 federal lawmakers on Tuesday joined all 50 state governors in opposing a proposal to allow Air National Guard units to be transferred to the U.S. Space Force without gubernatorial approval, arguing the measure would undermine "the integrity and longstanding mission of the National Guard."

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Judge Limits Valve's Arguments In Controller Patent Fight

By Adam Lidgett

A federal judge in Seattle has partly granted a bid from Ironburg Inventions Ltd. to block Valve Corp. from raising certain arguments when challenging a video game controller patent at district court based on estoppel rules from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

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New IPad Buyers And Complaint OK'd In Amazon-Apple Suit

By Bryan Koenig

Two new iPad buyers filed an amended antitrust complaint Tuesday over the Amazon-Apple pact restricting iPhone and iPad sales to approved vendors after a Washington federal judge overrode defense arguments that the named plaintiff swap is too late and replaces an unsuitable class representative.

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Amazon, Epson Unite To Go After Printer Ink Counterfeiters

By Gina Kim

Amazon and Seiko Epson have teamed up to go after several bad actors in Turkey and the United Kingdom that are allegedly hawking knockoff Epson printer ink bottles and cartridges on Amazon's platform, according to a trademark infringement action filed in the Western District of Washington.  

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Policy Dispute Should Be Heard In Wash., Colo. Judge Says

By Hope Patti

A Colorado federal court has tossed an insurer's suit seeking a declaration that it doesn't owe $4 million in coverage to a climbing equipment manufacturer and its primary insurer, finding that a related case in Washington state court provides a better opportunity to resolve the parties' dispute.

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Amazon Blasts Writer's Ownership Claim Over New 'Road House'

By Ivan Moreno

Amazon Studios and others involved in the 2024 remake of 1989's "Road House" movie told a California federal court that the writer behind the original film who is suing for copyright infringement does not own the rights to the script for the original.

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Colo. Judge Iffy On DOJ's Missive In Kroger Merger Challenge

By Thy Vo

A Colorado state judge said he was unsure Tuesday about how to handle the Department of Justice's recent filing defending the state's authority to challenge Kroger's $24 billion merger with Albertsons, as Kroger claimed federal regulators were flip-flopping their antitrust stance.

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9th Circ. Asks Idaho To Define 'Recruit' In Abortion Travel Ban

By Theresa Schliep

A Ninth Circuit panel grappled Tuesday with an Idaho law that makes it a criminal offense to help minors travel out of state to receive abortions without parental permission, with one judge struggling to understand what it means to "recruit" a pregnant teen to get an abortion under the law.

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9th Circ. Revives Removal Fight Over Justices' Notice Ruling

By Rae Ann Varona

A Honduran woman who received a notice to appear in immigration court without a time specified can resume fighting her deportation after the Ninth Circuit leaned on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling requiring all court hearing information to be on a single document.

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Ga. Appeals Court Will Review Trump DQ Bid In Election Case

By Kelcey Caulder

The Georgia Court of Appeals on Wednesday agreed to review a judge's ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting the election interference case she brought against former President Donald Trump.

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Biden Picks US Magistrate Judge In Fla. For 11th Circ.

By Courtney Bublé

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday his intent to nominate U.S. Magistrate Judge Embry J. Kidd to the Eleventh Circuit.

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Series

Swimming Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Years of participation in swimming events, especially in the open water, have proven to be ideal preparation for appellate arguments in court — just as you must put your trust in the ocean when competing in a swim event, you must do the same with the judicial process, says John Kulewicz at Vorys.

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