Top Stories

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  Rand Paul Goes After DHS Secretary Nom Mullin In Hearing

  By Courtney Bublé

  Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., the nominee to replace Kristi Noem as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homela...(read more)

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  CFTC Rescinds Request For Climate Risk Information

  By Gautama Mehta

  The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Wednesday withdrew a request for information on climate-related...(read more)

• Texas Biz Court's Likely Role In Patent Fights Becoming Clear

  By Dani Kass

  The Texas Business Court has released its first opinion exploring when intellectual property can be used to create jurisdiction, and attorneys say the decision involving state trade secret law offers insight into when patent matters can be pursued there.

• 4th Circ. Says Bankruptcy Stay Trumps Arbitration Agreement

  By Vince Sullivan

  A split Fourth Circuit panel ruled Wednesday that requiring a consumer debtor to arbitrate credit card collection actions would interfere with the clear purpose of the federal bankruptcy code, upholding a pair of lower court rulings that found alleged automatic stay violations by Goldman Sachs Bank should be dealt with through bankruptcy adversary proceedings.

• 10th Circ. Weighs Whether To Revive Suncor Pollution Suit

  By Rachel Konieczny

  The Tenth Circuit on Wednesday took on environmental justice groups' bid for the court to revive their claims that Suncor Energy polluted neighborhoods near its Colorado oil refinery, challenging Suncor on whether decades-old consent decrees bar the groups' claims.

• Feds Say It's End Of The Line For NY, NJ Hudson Tunnel Suit

  By Linda Chiem

  The Trump administration has asked a Manhattan federal judge to dismiss New York and New Jersey's attempt to force the federal government to continue funneling payments for the ongoing $16 billion rehabilitation of aging commuter train tunnels under the Hudson River.

• USPTO Wants 900 New Patent Examiners By October

  By Dani Kass

  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office plans to hire 900 patent examiners focusing on sciences and engineering by Oct. 1, two agency managers said in a Wednesday webinar.

• Powell Says He Won't Make Fed Exit While Facing DOJ Probe

  By Jon Hill

  Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that he will stay on as a board member of the central bank if he remains under U.S. Department of Justice investigation when his term as Fed chairman runs out this spring.

• Groups Urge DC Circuit To Rescind 2 DOE Coal Plant Orders

  By Ganesh Setty

  A group of environmental and public interest organizations urged the D.C. Circuit to overturn U.S. Department of Energy emergency orders requiring two Indiana coal-powered plants to continue operating into late March, arguing the DOE overstepped its authority.

• 8th Circ. Seems Skeptical About Nix Of Wells Fargo 401(k) Suit

  By Kellie Mejdrich

  The Eighth Circuit appeared skeptical Wednesday of the reasoning behind a lower court's decision to toss a proposed class action alleging Wells Fargo's 401(k) forfeiture spending violated federal benefits law, but still expressed doubts about the case's viability.

• Mich. Justices Hear Broad Support For Court Rule Changes

  By Melanie Dorsey

  The Michigan Supreme Court received largely supportive feedback Wednesday at its public administrative hearing on a series of proposed court rule changes, including amendments dealing with electronic service, unpublished appellate opinions and state bar representative assembly elections.

• CyberLink Targets Former Unit Perfect Corp. In $198.6M Bid

  By Al Barbarino

  Beauty and fashion-focused artificial intelligence company Perfect Corp. said Wednesday it is weighing a roughly $198.6 million take-private offer backed by its CEO and CyberLink International Technology Corp. 

• Deals In Jackson Walker-Judge Affair A 'Dilemma,' Judge Says

  By José Luis Martínez

  A Texas federal judge ordered three of Jackson Walker LLP's former bankruptcy clients Tuesday to explain by next month what would happen to money from potential vacaturs or sanctions against the law firm if the estates close after their contested deals get approved.

• SEC Draws Lines With Crypto 'Token Taxonomy' Guidance

  By Aislinn Keely

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shared its anticipated "token taxonomy" on Tuesday, issuing interpretive guidance that detailed which types of cryptocurrency assets appear to be beyond the reach of securities laws and the circumstances that could pull them back into the regulator's oversight as part of an investment contract.