Texas Frees ICE Agent Wanted In Minn. After Extradition Fight

By Brandon Lowrey

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent wanted in Minnesota for felony assault walked out of a jail in the border town of Brownsville, Texas, early on Thursday, hours after a federal judge backed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's refusal to immediately extradite him for prosecution.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-Abercrombie CEO's Sex Trafficking Trial Pushed To Jan.

By Cara Salvatore

A Brooklyn federal judge on Thursday delayed the sex trafficking trial of former Abercrombie CEO Michael Jeffries and two others to Jan. 4 to give legal teams more time to prepare in the wake of the recent finding that Jeffries is competent.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Jerry Sandusky Says Accuser Recanted Molestation Claim

By P.J. D'Annunzio

Convicted child molester and former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is set to appear in court next month for a hearing in which he will argue that one of his accusers has allegedly recanted his abuse claims.

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

Feds Want Ex-Google Engineer To Get Over 5 Yrs For AI Theft

By Dorothy Atkins

Prosecutors have urged a California federal judge to sentence ex-Google software engineer Linwei Ding to nearly 6 years in prison for stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets, while Ding argued that the government's suggestion is based on speculative evidence and he deserves only home confinement since he was acquitted of economic espionage.

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

Colo. Judge Says GEO Appeal Can't Oust Court's Jurisdiction

By Zach Dupont

A Colorado federal judge ruled Thursday that he will continue to have jurisdiction over a case from detainees accusing private prison operator GEO Group of forcing inmates to do labor without proper compensation despite a pending appeal from the prison group, according to courtroom minutes.

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

Officer Assaults Not Always Violent Crimes, 8th Circ. Says

By Brandon Lowrey

An Eighth Circuit panel has ruled that assault against a federal employee is not categorically a crime of violence, saying U.S. Supreme Court precedent demands proof of more physical force than a conviction under the federal statute requires.  

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

3rd Circ. Backs Conviction, Life Term For Carjacking 'Spree'

By Parker Quinlan

The Third Circuit on Thursday upheld the conviction and life sentence of a New Jersey man for a carjacking "spree," ruling that the trial court correctly barred evidence related to the arresting officer's past drunken-driving conviction.

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

Series

Taekwondo Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Taekwondo has taught me to recognize when to fight for a position and when to focus on finding a solution, and that the best outcomes are often achieved by solving problems — all of which has improved my work as a bankruptcy lawyer, mediator and Subchapter V trustee, says Amy Denton Mayer at Berger Singerman.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Exclusive

Inside The $150M Immigration Contract That Wasn't

By Daniel Connolly

The leader of a small Houston-based law firm says she was "blindsided" by an announcement from the federal government that her 24-attorney shop had won a $150 million no-bid contract to represent thousands of immigrant children in deportation proceedings.

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

ABA Faces Uphill Battle To Remain As Law School Accreditor

By Emma Cueto

The American Bar Association council responsible for accrediting law schools is fighting on multiple fronts to retain its status as a nationwide accreditor, fending off challenges at both the federal and state levels.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Dems Say DOJ Opinion Aims To Foil Oversight Of White House

By Courtney Bublé

With midterm elections right around the corner, Senate Democrats are worried the new legal opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice could let the Trump Administration obstruct congressional oversight of the White House.

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

Google Users' Atty Fee To Be In 'Realm' Of $147M, Judge Says

By Bonnie Eslinger

A California federal judge indicated Thursday that he won't give the full $147 million in fees sought by lawyers who won a $425 million class action verdict against Google for unlawfully collecting user information, but he said their "really excellent lawyering" deserves an amount "within that realm."

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Womble Bond Asks To Drop Dutch Software Client Over Rift

By Hayley Fowler

Womble Bond Dickinson is looking to pull its representation of a Dutch software company after five years of a bitter trademark battle, citing a "fundamental disagreement" that has allegedly made it impossible for the firm to move forward as counsel of record.

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