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Public Policy
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June 03, 2024
Software Group Says IP Quality, Not Quantity, Is The Goal
Making sure patent standards are up to snuff, using artificial intelligence when looking into whether patents are viable and having the Patent Trial and Appeal Board maintain high standards when reviewing patents are goals federal patent officials should focus on, according to a trade collective of software businesses.
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June 03, 2024
Glycine Co. Couldn't Compel Cooperation, Trade Court Told
The U.S. Department of Commerce wrongly labeled an Indian glycine company as noncooperative after its unaffiliated suppliers declined to participate in a tariff review, the company said in a motion calling to unwind its penalty duty rate Monday.
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June 03, 2024
American Says 'Common Sense' Makes JetBlue Deal A Positive
An attorney for American Airlines appeared to run into turbulence during his First Circuit oral arguments Monday while contending that the mere presence of "upward pricing pressure" from the since-blocked Northeast Alliance joint venture with JetBlue is outweighed by deal benefits improperly ignored by the district court.
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June 03, 2024
Treasury Aims To Salvage Corp. Transparency Act At 11th Circ.
The Corporate Transparency Act is a valid exercise of congressional authority to curb money laundering under the commerce clause and the necessary and proper clause in the Constitution, the U.S. Treasury Department told the Eleventh Circuit on Monday in a bid to restore the law's reporting requirements.
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June 03, 2024
Public Stations Fight One-Size-Fits-All Definition Of Localism
The Federal Communications Commission might harm public TV stations if it applies the same definition of "locally originated content" to public outlets and its commercial counterparts, public broadcasting groups say.
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June 03, 2024
Feds Oppose Fla.'s Plea For Rushed CWA Appeal
The federal government on Monday told the D.C. Circuit it needs more time to decide whether it is going to appeal a lower court's decision to strip Florida of the power to administer a Clean Water Act permitting program.
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June 03, 2024
GAO Urges DEA To Streamline Religious Drug Use Requests
The U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a new report that the nation's drug enforcement agency needs to be more transparent about its process for reviewing religious exemption requests from churches that use controlled substances as sacraments.
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June 03, 2024
Drug Cos. Can Depose DC AG In Drug Price-Fixing Row
A Connecticut federal judge reluctantly ordered the District of Columbia Attorney General's Office to be deposed by the drug companies wrapped up in more than 40 states' claims over an alleged price-fixing conspiracy, noting that he would not have done so but for the case being remanded from a sprawling multidistrict litigation in Pennsylvania.
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June 03, 2024
DOL Fights Injunction Bid In Data-For-Insurance Fight
The U.S. Department of Labor pushed back against two companies' permanent injunction bid in a lawsuit that had challenged a now-vacated finding from the agency that a data-for-insurance health plan offering wasn't covered by federal benefits law, arguing a Texas federal court should instead end proceedings in the case.
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June 03, 2024
Trump's NY Gag Orders Likely Lifted With Verdict
Despite claims by former President Donald Trump that he is still limited in what he can say about jurors and witnesses following his guilty verdict, the gag orders imposed on him likely evaporated at the end of the Manhattan trial, lifting a threat of further contempt if he goes on the attack ahead of his sentencing this summer.
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June 03, 2024
Ga. Sheriff Wants Bookstore Suit Over Jail Book Policy Tossed
A Georgia sheriff and jail commander asked a Georgia federal judge to toss a lawsuit brought against them by a bookstore that alleges the jail instituted an unconstitutional and arbitrary policy of only allowing books into the county jail from "authorized retailers."
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June 03, 2024
Slipshod Shipping Cost Analysis Lands Commerce Remand
The U.S. Department of Commerce must check its work on duties covering mobile lift equipment after the U.S. Court of International Trade deemed its shipping cost data analysis a "mixed bag" that could have led to a different rate.
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June 03, 2024
Las Vegas Newspaper Fights Rival's Bid To Set Trial Date
The Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Las Vegas Sun are at each other's throats over setting a trial date in a yearsold dispute accusing the Review-Journal, formerly owned by the now-deceased conservative and billionaire Sheldon Adelson, of trying to drive its more liberal rival out of business.
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June 03, 2024
Missouri Judge OKs Cannabis Tax By Both City And County
Both a city in Missouri and the county that surrounds it can collect a tax on marijuana dispensaries, a state circuit judge found.
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June 03, 2024
Minn. Biz Groups Fight Ban On Required Anti-Union Meetings
A Minnesota company and two business groups are challenging the state's nearly year-old ban on so-called captive audience meetings, saying Minnesota can't exempt workers from sitting through mandatory meetings about their employers' views on unionization without violating the U.S. Constitution.
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June 03, 2024
Santos Can't Toss Identity Theft Claims, Feds Tell Court
Federal prosecutors told the Eastern District of New York that their claims of identity theft against former U.S. Rep. George Santos are specific enough to proceed to trial in September, saying they've provided the necessary transactional documents and the government isn't obligated to preview more trial evidence.
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June 03, 2024
Ga. Prison Official Aided Stabbing, Ex-Inmate Says
A former Georgia prison inmate has accused the state of complicity in his stabbing at the hands of another inmate who was not only allowed to work as an orderly in a mental health unit, but was given the green light to carry out the attack by a state corrections officer.
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June 03, 2024
Denver Oil Refinery Air Permit Is Valid, EPA Tells 10th Circ.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defended its refusal to object to the renewal of a Denver oil refinery's air pollution permit, telling the Tenth Circuit that the Center for Biological Diversity failed to show the permit would allow the refinery to emit harmful amounts of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide.
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June 03, 2024
Amazon, Wondery Want Out Of ICE Doc's Defamation Suit
Amazon.com LLC, Wondery LLC and Morbid: A True Crime Podcast LLC asked a Georgia federal judge on Friday to dismiss a former immigration prison doctor's lawsuit alleging he was defamed by the release of a true-crime podcast episode that accused him of performing forced hysterectomies on detainees.
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June 03, 2024
Iowa Says State Immigration Law Is Constitutionally Sound
Iowa has urged a federal judge to shoot down attempts to block a new state immigration law set to take effect July 1 empowering state officials to arrest noncitizens who were previously deported, saying it doesn't usurp federal immigration authority.
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June 03, 2024
Court Tosses Challenge To Wash. Pot Licensure Plan
A Washington federal judge has tossed a challenge to the residency restrictions of the state's cannabis social equity program, saying that the dormant commerce clause argument advanced by an out-of-state litigant is unpersuasive since pot is federally illegal.
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June 03, 2024
Sens. Say DOD Risks Security With Reliance On Microsoft
Lawmakers told the U.S. Department of Defense that they want information on a reported plan to require an expensive Microsoft software upgrade for department components, expressing concern the Pentagon will risk security by increasing dependence on the technology company.
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June 03, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court
Delaware's Court of Chancery pushed out tons of decisions last week, along with a second round of new rules and letters of concern over pending changes to the state's corporate law code. The court's docket was as busy as ever, with new cases involving Tesla CEO Elon Musk, FTX cryptocurrency claims, and more. In case you missed it, here's the latest from Delaware's Chancery Court.
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June 03, 2024
FERC Tells Justices Not To Review Rule Passed By Deadlock
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to disturb a Third Circuit decision upholding an electricity market rule change that took effect despite a commissioner deadlock, arguing the lower court got it right and that any market upheaval concerns are unfounded.
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June 03, 2024
States Say Biden Admin's LNG Export Pause Is Actually A Ban
A coalition of Republican-led states is urging a Louisiana federal court not to toss its lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's pause on reviewing applications to export liquefied natural gas to countries without free trade agreements, saying the pause effectively amounts to a ban because no timeline is provided.
Expert Analysis
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Understanding The IRC's Excessive Refund Claim Penalty
Taxpayers considering protective refund claims pending resolution of major questions in tax cases like Moore v. U.S., which is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, should understand how doing so may also leave them vulnerable to an excessive refund claim penalty under Internal Revenue Code Section 6676, say attorneys at McDermott.
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Why RWI Insurers Should Consider Excluding PFAS
As regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances escalates, carriers providing representations and warranties insurance should reconsider providing PFAS coverage on a case-by-case basis, say Dave Bartoletti and Ina Avalon at Taft Stettinius.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Don't Fall On That Hill: Keys To Testifying Before Congress
Because congressional testimony often comes with political, reputational and financial risks in addition to legal pitfalls, witnesses and their attorneys should take a multifaceted approach to preparation, walking a fine line between legal and business considerations, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.
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Takeaways From FDIC's Spring Supervisory Highlights
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s spring 2024 consumer compliance supervisory report found that relatively few institutions had significant consumer compliance issues last year, but the common thread among those that did were inadequacies or failures in disclosures to consumers, says Matthew Hanaghan at Nutter.
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Online Portal Helps Fortify Feds' Unfair Health Practices Fight
The Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently launched an online portal where the public can report potentially unfair healthcare practices, effectively maximizing enforcers' abilities to police anti-competitive actions that can drive up healthcare costs and chill innovation, say attorneys at Seyfarth.
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What To Expect From The DOL's Final Overtime Rule
The U.S. Department of Labor's final overtime rule dramatically increases the salary threshold for white collar workers to be exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act, so employers should prioritize identifying the potentially affected positions and strategically consider next steps, say Leslie Selig Byrd and Deryck Van Alstyne at Bracewell.
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Data Shows H-2B Wages May Be Skewed High By Sample Size
Occupational Wage and Employment Statistics wage data from April illustrates that smaller sample sizes from less populated areas may be skewing prevailing wages for H-2B visas artificially high, potentially harming businesses that rely on the visa program, says Stephen Bronars at Edgeworth Economics.
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10b-5 Litigation Questions Follow Justices' Macquarie Ruling
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Macquarie v. Moab that pure omissions are not actionable under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b–5(b), creating a slightly higher bar for plaintiffs and setting the stage for further litigation over several issues, say Steve Quinlivan and Sean Colligan at Stinson.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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Key Issues Raised By Colorado's Brain Data Privacy Bill
Colorado recently became the first state to provide consumer privacy protections for data generated from a person's brain waves, and despite the bill’s ambiguity and open questions introduced, the new law has helped turn the spotlight on neurodata, says Sara Pullen Guercio at Alston & Bird.
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Employer Considerations Before Title IX Rule Goes Into Effect
While the U.S. Department of Education's final rule on Title IX is currently published as an unofficial version, institutions and counsel should take immediate action to ensure they are prepared for the new requirements, including protections for LGBTQ+ and pregnant students and employees, before it takes effect in August, say Jeffrey Weimer and Cori Smith at Reed Smith.
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Expect Tougher Bank Exams 1 Year After Spring 2023 Failures
With federal banking agencies still implementing harsher examinations with swifter escalations a year after the spring 2023 bank failures, banks can gain insight into changing expectations by monitoring how the Federal Reserve Board, Office of the Comptroller of Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. are coordinating and updating their exam policies, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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Could 'General Average' Apply To The Key Bridge Crash?
While the owner and operator of the vessel that struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge have sought legal protection under the Limitation of Liability Act, they could choose to invoke the long-standing principle of general average, if supported by the facts of the crash and the terms of their contracts with cargo owners, says Julie Maurer at Husch Blackwell.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.