Michigan

  • October 23, 2025

    Ex-Mich. Speaker Aide Cops To Embezzlement, Will Testify

    A former top staffer for former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield pled guilty to embezzling from a political nonprofit while working for the state and, as part of a plea deal, has agreed to provide "truthful testimony in future hearings," according to an announcement made Thursday.

  • October 23, 2025

    6th Circ. Probes State Power In Interstate Horse Race Betting

    Sixth Circuit judges on Thursday appeared torn on the extent of states' abilities to control interstate wagering in their borders, challenging both Michigan on its licensing requirements that seem to contradict federal law and a betting platform's stance that the state has no say in how its residents bet on out-of-state horse races.

  • October 23, 2025

    6th Circ. Panel Torn On Mich. 'Conversion Therapy' Ban

    A Sixth Circuit panel appeared divided Thursday about whether to block enforcement of Michigan's ban on conversion therapy for minors as the U.S. Supreme Court grapples with a nearly identical Colorado law.

  • October 23, 2025

    DOJ Seeks To End Suit Over Tying Victim Aid To Immigration

    The U.S. Department of Justice urged a Rhode Island federal judge to dismiss a suit lodged by Democratic-led states, saying the challenge to a policy barring federal grant funds from covering legal services for unauthorized or removable immigrants belongs in federal claims court.

  • October 23, 2025

    Mich. Hospitals Seek To Shake Patient Data-Tracking Suit

    Michigan healthcare facilities said a proposed class action alleging they improperly used data-tracking pixel tools to collect and share patients' private information shouldn't proceed, telling a federal judge Wednesday that the patients haven't claimed they experienced any harmful use of their information.

  • October 23, 2025

    Mich. Defense Atty Charged With Smuggling Drugs Into Prison

    A Michigan criminal defense lawyer has been accused of attempting to smuggle drugs into a state prison during a client visit, according to court records.

  • October 23, 2025

    Derailment Counsel Fee Provision 'Troubles' 6th Circ. Judge

    A three-judge Sixth Circuit panel on Thursday seemed skeptical that counsel representing victims of the fiery 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, was blindsided by a "quick-pay" provision in the attorney fee agreement that saw class lawyers get paid before their clients.

  • October 23, 2025

    NBA Coach Billups, Guard Rozier Arrested In Gambling Bust

    Chauncey Billups, the head coach of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, and Terry Rozier, a point guard with the Miami Heat, have been arrested on federal gambling charges in what the FBI on Thursday called a "sweeping" and "historic" Mafia-linked crackdown.

  • October 22, 2025

    State AGs Push Back In First Amendment Subpoena Fight

    A coalition of state attorneys general is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to safeguard their fundamental investigative authority, warning in an amicus brief filed Tuesday that a New Jersey anti-abortion center's challenge could allow subpoenaed entities to routinely bypass state courts and tie up enforcement actions in federal litigation.

  • October 22, 2025

    Ed Dept. Must Face States' Case Over Mental Health Grants

    A Seattle federal judge declined to throw out a lawsuit accusing the U.S. Department of Education of illegally discontinuing grants for student mental health programming, recognizing that Washington and other states have valid claims that the move will cut them off from money meant for reducing violence in schools.

  • October 22, 2025

    Fifth Attorney For Michigan Pastor Exits Zoning Suit

    A Michigan federal judge Wednesday allowed the fifth lawyer who represented a pastor in a zoning ordinance and retaliation dispute against a township to withdraw from the case, a few months after refusing to recuse himself from the case over a comment about the turnover rate for the pastor's counsel.

  • October 22, 2025

    6th Circ. Backs Lordstown Execs In Failed Foxconn Deal Suit

    The Sixth Circuit has upheld the dismissal of a suit claiming former executives of Lordstown Motors Corp. misled investors about the state of a partnership with Foxconn Technology Group, finding leaders' optimism about the ultimately failed deal wasn't intentionally false.

  • October 22, 2025

    Feds Fight Early Release For Atty Convicted Of $550M Fraud

    Federal prosecutors on Tuesday opposed compassionate release of a Kentucky lawyer who fled the country after pleading guilty to a $550 million Social Security fraud scheme, telling the Sixth Circuit that the lawyer's medical conditions are being adequately treated in prison and the seriousness of his crimes warranted more time behind bars.

  • October 21, 2025

    Tribes Ask Justices To Keep Enbridge Suit In Mich. State Court

    Ten tribal nations have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to refuse Enbridge Energy LP's bid to move the Michigan attorney general's lawsuit seeking to shut down a pipeline out of state court, saying Tuesday the company wrongly wants to change the rules on a deadline it missed.

  • October 21, 2025

    Mich. Court Denies Gov't's Foreclosure Suit Atty Fee Bid

    A Michigan appellate panel on Monday determined governments that foreclose on tax-delinquent properties aren't entitled to attorney fees and expenses racked up during litigation over how the surplus proceeds of the property sale are paid out.

  • October 21, 2025

    6th Circ. Probes If Prior Cases Block Landowner's $2M Award

    A Sixth Circuit panel appeared torn Tuesday over Detroit's appeal of a $2 million condemnation judgment for a landowner whose commercial property was in the path of airport expansion plans, with one judge trying to tease out the effect of previous state court proceedings where the city prevailed.

  • October 21, 2025

    Football Players Urge Judge To Rethink Tossing $50M NIL Suit

    A Michigan federal judge committed "a clear error of law" by dismissing a $50 million antitrust suit against the NCAA by four former college football players last month based on the statute of limitations and on a misapplication of recent rulings involving other past college athletes' publicity rights, attorneys for the former football players said Tuesday in a motion to reconsider the suit's dismissal.

  • October 21, 2025

    Mich. AG Can Step Into Fire Insurance Policy Challenge

    The Michigan attorney general can intervene in a dispute over the constitutionality of the state's Fire Insurance Withholding Program, which allows participating municipalities to withhold part of a property owner's insurance payout until fire-damaged property is repaired, a federal court ruled.

  • October 21, 2025

    Mich. Judge Halts Challenge To Air Nat'l Guard Training Plans

    A Michigan federal judge halted litigation over a proposed expansion of Air National Guard training flights in Michigan until Congress has restored appropriations to the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • October 20, 2025

    States, DC Fight Feds' Bid To Cut Billions In OMB Grant Case

    Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have told a Massachusetts federal judge to hold onto their case challenging the Trump administration's use of "a single subclause" buried in a U.S. Office of Management and Budget regulation to shut off billions in federal grants. 

  • October 20, 2025

    Vape Co. Can't Resume Selling 'Breeze' Products

    A New Jersey hookah and vape company suffered two setbacks in its legal battle over the "Breeze" trademark, with a Michigan federal judge refusing to lift a court order blocking it from using the mark and throwing out its counterclaims against the rival who initiated the litigation.

  • October 20, 2025

    Mich. Judge Orders Release Or Bond Hearings For Immigrants

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement violated the rights of eight noncitizens by detaining them without providing bond hearings, a Michigan federal judge ruled, echoing her prior characterization of the Trump administration's push to impose mandatory detention as "not only wrong, but fundamentally unfair."

  • October 20, 2025

    DOJ Says Shutdown Slowing Flint Water Case Progress

    U.S. Department of Justice attorneys told a Michigan federal judge on Monday that the government shutdown is "straining" resources and restricting their ability to timely produce requested information in litigation over the response to the Flint water crisis.

  • October 20, 2025

    Split Mich. Panel Orders Probe Into Black Juror's Removal

    A divided Michigan state appeals court has granted a hearing to a man convicted of child sexual abuse to determine if a prospective juror was removed because of his race.

  • October 20, 2025

    Ford Says Solar Battery Co. Shared Trade Secrets

    Ford Motor Co. has sued a battery maker with which it once had a business partnership, claiming the company filed multiple patent applications disclosing Ford's confidential technology.

Expert Analysis

  • GM Case Highlights New Trends In AI-Related Securities Suits

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    Bold company statements about artificial intelligence have resulted in a rise in AI-related securities litigation, and a recent Michigan federal court decision in In Re: General Motors Co. Securities Litigation illustrates how courts are analyzing these AI-based claims and applying traditional securities concepts to new technologies, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Attacks On Judicial Independence Tend To Manifest In 3 Ways

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    Attacks on judicial independence now run the gamut from gross (bald-faced interference) to systemic (structural changes) to insidious (efforts to undermine public trust), so lawyers, judges and the public must recognize the fateful moment in which we live and defend the rule of law every day, says Jim Moliterno at Washington and Lee University.

  • High Court Birthright Case Could Reshape Judicial Power

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    Recent arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in cases challenging President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order primarily focused on federal judges’ power to issue nationwide injunctions and suggest that the upcoming decision may fundamentally change how federal courts operate, says Mauni Jalali at Quinn Emanuel.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Appreciating Civil Procedure

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    If you’re like me, law school’s often complex and theoretical approach to teaching civil procedure may have contributed to an early struggle with the topic, but when seen from a practical perspective, new lawyers may find they enjoy mastering these rules, says Chloe Villagomez at Foster Garvey.

  • Calif. Bar Exam Fiasco Shows Why Attys Must Disclose AI Use

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    The recent revelation that a handful of questions from the controversial California bar exam administered in February were drafted using generative artificial intelligence demonstrates the continued importance of disclosure for attorneys who use AI tools, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable

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    The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity

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    As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.

  • Series

    Running Marathons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After almost five years of running marathons, I’ve learned that both the race itself and the training process sharpen skills that directly translate to the practice of law, including discipline, dedication, endurance, problem-solving and mental toughness, says Lauren Meadows at Swift Currie.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Supporting A Trial Team

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    While students often practice as lead trial attorneys in law school, such an opportunity likely won’t arise until a few years into practice, so junior associates should focus on honing skills that are essential to supporting a trial team, including organization, adaptability and humility, says Lucy Zelina at Tucker Ellis.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From US Attorney To BigLaw

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    When I transitioned to private practice after government service — most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — I learned there are more similarities between the two jobs than many realize, with both disciplines requiring resourcefulness, zealous advocacy and foresight, says Zach Terwilliger at V&E.

  • The Ins And Outs Of Consensual Judicial References

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    As parties consider the possibility of judicial reference to resolve complex disputes, it is critical to understand how the process works, why it's gaining traction, and why carefully crafted agreements make all the difference, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • How Focus On Menopause Care Is Fueling Innovation, Access

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    Recent legislative developments concerning the growing field of menopause care are creating opportunities for increased investment and innovation in the space as they increase access to education and coverage, say attorneys at Kirkland.

  • Opinion

    The BigLaw Settlements Are About Risk, Not Profit

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    The nine Am Law 100 firms that settled with the Trump administration likely did so because of the personal risk faced by equity partners in today's billion‑dollar national practices, enabled by an ethics rule primed for modernization, says Adam Forest at Scale.

  • Series

    Brazilian Jiujitsu Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in Brazilian jiujitsu – often against opponents who are much larger and younger than me – has allowed me to develop a handful of useful skills that foster the resilience and adaptability necessary for a successful legal career, says Tina Dorr of Barnes & Thornburg.

  • Birthright Ruling Could Alter Consumer Financial Litigation

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming decision about the validity of the nationwide injunctions in the birthright citizenship cases, argued on May 15, could make it much harder for trade associations to obtain nationwide relief from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's enforcement of invalid regulations, says Alan Kaplinsky at Ballard Spahr.

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