Justices Signal Support For Feds In Pipeline Payout Fight

By Keith Goldberg

U.S. Supreme Court justices Monday appeared inclined to conclude that federal law, and not state law, determines what gas infrastructure project developers should pay landowners in eminent domain proceedings.

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Permitting Bill Passes First Procedural Senate Vote

By Gautama Mehta

An overhaul of the federal permitting process aimed at reducing red tape in infrastructure and energy projects cleared its first procedural vote in the U.S. Senate by a margin of 73 to 25 on Monday.

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9th Circ. Pauses Some Calif. Climate Disclosure Requirements

By Rae Ann Varona

The Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that California can require companies to report greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations or from purchased energy, but temporarily blocked the state from requiring reporting of indirect emissions and climate-related financial risk.

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US Probes Chinese Bricks For Duty Evasion After Court Fight

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Department of Commerce said Monday that it will investigate whether certain Chinese heat-resistant bricks are circumventing duties based on their chemical makeup after a group of domestic manufacturers followed the Federal Circuit's recommendation to request such an inquiry.

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Brief

Commerce Sets Early Duties On Chemicals From 4 Countries

By Jack McLoone

Imports of the chemical polytetramethylene ether glycol from China, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam are facing possible antidumping duties after the U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday preliminarily determined the products are being sold at less than fair value.

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Brief

Turkey, Taiwan Tin Mill Imports Facing Antidumping Duties

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday provisionally concluded that tin mill products imported into the country from Turkey and Taiwan are being sold at less than fair value, setting up possible antidumping duty rates.

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Brief

USTR Extends Vietnam Section 301 IP Investigation

By Dylan Moroses

The U.S. Trade Representative is extending its investigation into Vietnam's trading practices for three more months, according to a notice published Monday.

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USTR Keeps China Import Relief As Trade Talks Continue

By Dylan Moroses

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative took steps Monday to extend the product exclusions for certain Chinese imports from tariffs installed during President Donald Trump's first term, and to delay another two months port fees and tariffs on cranes associated with China's shipbuilding sector, according to published notices.

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DC Judge Pauses Decade-Old $50B Yukos-Russia Award Suit

By Nadia Dreid

Former Yukos Oil Co. shareholders have failed to convince a D.C. federal court not to put their lawsuit aimed at enforcing more than $50 billion in arbitral awards against Russia on hold, with the court telling the investors they "face the same hardship, with or without a stay."

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Strathcona Buying Greenfire Resources In Up To $2.1B Deal

By Al Barbarino

Strathcona Resources Ltd. has agreed to acquire Greenfire Resources Ltd. in a transaction valued at up to CA$2.9 billion, or about $2.1 billion, with at least six law firms advising the Canadian oil and gas producers.

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OpenAI, Local Officials Hid $20B Data Center Push, Suit Says

By David Aaro

OpenAI and the local government used secret meetings and nondisclosure pacts to keep plans for a massive South Georgia data center under wraps, a trio of Peach State residents said in a new lawsuit.

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Landowners Ask Justices To Weigh High-Voltage Line Surveys

By Nate Beck

A group of Maryland landowners asked the Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit decision allowing Public Service Energy Group access to survey the route of a proposed 67-mile high-voltage transmission line, based on a trial court finding that the company would likely win eminent domain entry.

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Southern Co. Can't Toss ERISA Fight 11th Circ. Revived

By Kellie Mejdrich

A Georgia federal judge Monday refused to toss a proposed class action from Southern Co. pensioners who alleged their annuity benefits were shortchanged due to outdated mortality data used in conversions, holding allegations were plausible that the conduct breached duties of prudence and loyalty under federal benefits law.

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Milbank, White & Case Guide $4B LS Power, NRG Gas Deal

By Al Barbarino

LS Power has agreed to acquire six natural gas-fired power generation facilities across four U.S. states from NRG Energy Inc. for $4 billion, the companies announced Monday. 

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Policy Not Yet Triggered For Contamination Costs, Court Told

By Hope Patti

A steel manufacturer must exhaust a $25 million property policy and pay an additional $5 million before an environmental liability policy will cover damage stemming from a radioactive contamination incident, an Allianz insurer told an Indiana federal court.

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How Power Grid Delays Are Reshaping Data Center Deals

Texas' pause on permits while it studies data centers' effect on its electrical grid highlights the nationwide problem of yearslong interconnection delays, where the ways developers, investors and customers bridge that gap — and decide who bears the risk when it widens — increasingly determine whether a deal works, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

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High Court Disbars Judicial Watch Founder Larry Klayman

By David Minsky

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday disbarred Judicial Watch founder and Florida conservative activist attorney Larry Klayman following his 18-month suspension issued last year by the D.C. Court of Appeals. 

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Firms Must Face RICO Claims In Asbestos Fraud Suit

By Emily Field

An Illinois federal judge on Friday held that Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP and Sokolove Law must face racketeering claims brought by a Los Angeles industrial pipe manufacturer alleging that the firms brought baseless asbestos claims, finding that an antitrust doctrine shielding those who petition the courts does not apply.

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DOJ's Civil Division Head Joins Agency Exits After Midterms

By Jack Karp

The leader of the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division, Brett A. Shumate, on Monday became at least the fifth top DOJ official to step down following Republicans' defeat in last week's midterm elections.

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Trump Eyes OLC Chief For Texas Judgeship After Midterms

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump is considering the head of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel for a federal judgeship in Texas, a process that started right after the Democrats won big in last week's midterm elections.

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Goldstein Says Gov't Conceded Key Trial Errors

By Jared Foretek

SCOTUSblog co-founder Thomas Goldstein told the Fourth Circuit that the federal prosecutors who netted 12 tax and mortgage fraud convictions effectively conceded they hid evidence by steering a key witness to new testimony mid-trial and had reversed their stance on jury instructions, two key issues in Goldstein's appeal.

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AAA Says Consumers' Monopoly Claims Lack Factual Support

By Caroline Simson

The American Arbitration Association is lashing out against consumers who accuse the institution of monopolizing the consumer arbitration services market, telling a federal judge on Monday that they should be sanctioned for including "false, misleading, and unsupported allegations" in an amended complaint.

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Wash. Panel Nixes $10K Sanctions On Monsanto PCB Attys

By Rachel Riley

A Washington Court of Appeals panel has overturned a combined $10,000 in sanctions against four attorneys who defended Monsanto from chemical poisoning claims, concluding Monday that the trial court overstepped its authority by personally punishing the lawyers for late disclosure of expert witnesses.

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Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court last week cleared the way for Cloudflare Inc. to seek immediate review of an injunction blocking a stock restructuring designed to preserve its founders' control, while setting a January hearing in a similar dispute over Meta Platforms Inc.'s plan to create nonvoting shares.

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