Lufthansa Must Face Same-Sex 'Outing' Suit, 9th Circ. Says

By Lauren Berg

Deutsche Lufthansa AG cannot ground a same-sex couple's lawsuit accusing the German airline of outing their marriage to the Saudi Arabian government, a split Ninth Circuit panel ruled Thursday, saying there are enough strings tying the case to California to meet jurisdiction requirements.

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Analysis

Defamation Litigation Roundup: Drake, IRS, Greenpeace

By Theresa Schliep

In this month's review of defamation fights, Law360 highlights notable developments in California's anti-SLAPP law following a major Ninth Circuit opinion, as well as a decision — and appeal — in Drake's fight with his record label over Kendrick Lamar's diss track.

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Wash. Justices Reinstate $185M Monsanto PCB Verdict

By Rachel Riley

The Washington State Supreme Court has restored a $185 million jury verdict against Monsanto in the first of a series of chemical poisoning trials tied to a Washington state school site, finding a lower appellate court misapplied choice-of-law principles when overturning the win for three school teachers.

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Ga. Judges OK Axing Of Atty's Slander Suit Against Ex-Client

By Chart Riggall

A Georgia appellate panel Thursday backed the dismissal of an attorney's lawsuit against a former client who sued him for legal malpractice, ruling that the complaint boiled down to an abusive litigation claim that couldn't be pursued until the underlying case was complete.

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Senator Presses Md. Biz For Info On East Wing Demolition

By Tom Lotshaw

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., asked a Maryland business tapped to demolish the White House's East Wing to explain what steps were taken to protect workers and the public from hazardous building materials such as asbestos and lead paint.

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Mo. Judge Warns Of Sanctions In Peru Lead Poisoning Case

By Juan-Carlos Rodriguez

A Missouri federal judge is threatening attorneys representing a mining company controlled by billionaire Ira Rennert in a lawsuit over pollution in Peru with serious sanctions for repeatedly disregarding and misrepresenting his orders.

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Delbarton Seeks New Trial After $5M Clergy Abuse Verdict

By Carla Baranauckas

The Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey, which runs the elite Catholic college-prep Delbarton School, is seeking a new trial or reduced damages after a New Jersey state court jury awarded $5 million in damages Oct. 18 to a former student in a clergy abuse case involving a priest who was a teacher.

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Injury Risk Can't Support Toxic Tort Claims, Colo. Court Finds

By Mike Curley

A Colorado appeals court on Thursday affirmed the dismissal of a proposed class action by a man living near a Terumo BCT Inc. sterilization facility, finding that the trial court correctly found that his claim of a potential future illness from exposure to toxic chemicals isn't an injury that confers standing.

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Judge Unpauses 'Important' Suit Over Vax Guidelines

By Julie Manganis

A Massachusetts federal judge agreed Thursday to lift a government shutdown-related stay of litigation challenging new COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women, calling the case a "matter of national importance" that warrants keeping the case moving over the U.S. Department of Justice's objection.

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Mich. Top Court Upholds Gilead Immunity In COVID Drug Case

By Danielle Ferguson

The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday said it won't consider an appeal from a man who was injected with a COVID-19 treatment made by Gilead Sciences Inc. that was later recalled for containing glass shards, a few months after a lower appellate court found the company immune because of a federal health emergency law.

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Ex-NYU Doc's Disability Bias Verdict Gets Trimmed To $2.55M

By Patrick Hoff

A former New York University doctor had nearly $1.5 million cut from a $4 million verdict on claims he was unlawfully denied remote work while recovering from COVID-19 complications, with a federal judge saying evidence didn't support the level of emotional distress or punitive damages that jurors awarded him.

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Ga. Judge Should DQ Self From Med Mal Case, Couple Say

By Kelcey Caulder

A Florida couple have moved to disqualify a Georgia federal judge from presiding over their medical malpractice case, citing alleged conflicts of interest involving the judge's family members and their connections to Southeast Georgia Health System Inc.

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Insurer Aims To Trim Woman's $7.5M Crash Coverage Suit

By Hope Patti

A food service distributor's auto insurer asked a Connecticut federal court to toss a woman's claim that it violated the state's unfair trade and insurance practices laws when handling an underlying crash dispute that resulted in a $7.5 million judgment.

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Westfield Insurance Co. Hit With UIM Class Claims In Philly

By P.J. D'Annunzio

Ohio-based insurer Westfield Insurance Co. has been hit with putative class claims alleging it unfairly denies its customers underinsured motorist benefits.

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Burn Victims Sue Navy Pier Rooftop Restaurant Over Fire

By Celeste Bott

Four people who suffered burns from a fire during a corporate event at a Navy Pier rooftop restaurant have sued its management company and general manager in Illinois state court, claiming their negligence led to some of them being set ablaze, causing serious injuries and emotional distress.

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Asbestos Corp. Gets Ch. 15 Nod Over Claimants' Concerns

By Ben Zigterman

A New York bankruptcy judge granted Chapter 15 recognition for Asbestos Corp. Ltd.'s Canadian restructuring over the objection of personal injury claimants and a Chapter 7 trustee, finding that the corporation's business activity in Canada outweighs its management of litigation in the U.S.

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Risk Mitigation For Psychedelic Use In Reproductive Health

With the rising use of psychedelics among women of reproductive age and the absence of clear professional guidelines regarding risk labeling, healthcare providers and facilitators should adopt proactive, evidence-based approaches to mitigate malpractice liability risks, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell and Sara Shoar at the University of Southern California.

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10 Quick Tips To Elevate Your Evidence Presentation At Trial

A strong piece of evidence, whether in the form of testimony or exhibit, is wasted if not presented effectively, so attorneys must prepare with precision to help fact-finders both retain the information and internalize its significance, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.

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State Of Insurance: Q3 Notes From Pennsylvania

Todd Leon at Marshall Dennehey discusses three notable Pennsylvania auto insurance developments from the third quarter, including the Third Circuit weighing in on actual cash value, a state appellate court opining on the regular use exclusion and state legislators introducing a bill to increase property damage minimums.

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Series

Practicing Stoicism Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Practicing Stoicism, by applying reason to ignore my emotions and govern my decisions, has enabled me to approach challenging situations in a structured way, ultimately providing advice singularly devoted to a client's interest, says John Baranello at Moses & Singer.

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Judge Blasted For Violent Sexual Comments Against Minors

By Spencer Brewer

The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct has reprimanded a municipal judge for directing sexual remarks at children and wishing sexual violence upon them, noting that the judge exhibited racial bias from the bench.

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Meet The Judge Hearing Comey's, James' US Atty Challenges

By Jack Karp

The South Carolina federal judge who will consider former FBI Director James Comey's and New York Attorney General Letitia James' challenges to the authority of the interim U.S. attorney who brought separate criminal charges against them is known for her rigorous preparation and exacting standards.

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Comey Wins Bid For Judge Oversight In Privilege Dispute

By Jared Foretek

A Virginia federal judge has appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge William E. Fitzpatrick to preside over the privilege review of seized materials in the U.S. Department of Justice's case against former FBI Director James Comey, denying the DOJ's proposal for an outside "filter team" of government attorneys to conduct the review themselves.

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NJ Attys Punch Up Governor's Race With Campaign Funds

By Jake Maher

New Jersey's legal community has donated more than $900,000 to the gubernatorial candidates this election, with the Democrat surpassing the Republican in contributions, campaign finance records show.

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Habba Cites Essayli Ruling To Defend Role In NJ Cases

By Carla Baranauckas

The U.S. Department of Justice has urged the Third Circuit to reinstate Alina Habba's authority in two criminal prosecutions, arguing a recent California ruling backs her power to supervise cases as first assistant, even if she's barred from acting as U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey under federal vacancy law.

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Sidley's 'Incomplete' Story Hid Fraud Scheme, Family Says

By Chart Riggall

A family alleging it was roped into an illegal tax sheltering scheme on the advice of a former Sidley Austin LLP attorney has urged a Georgia federal judge to keep its suit against the firm alive, arguing a jury should decide when the family knew enough about the fraud to move forward with its claims.

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Copyright Rules For AI Creations Too Strict, IP Panel Says

By Ivan Moreno

The U.S. Copyright Office's rule barring registration of works created entirely by artificial intelligence systems may be overly strict and unlikely to endure, according to a panel of legal experts who discussed the matter Wednesday at the American Intellectual Property Law Association's annual conference in D.C.

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Judges Say Judicial Freedom Key To Maintaining Rule Of Law

By Rachel Konieczny

Colorado state and federal judges provided a glimpse Wednesday into how courts decide cases when facing current challenges to the rule of law, agreeing that judicial independence is paramount to maintaining the heart of the United States' legal system.

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4 Things To Know About Fla. Bar Admissions Reform Ideas

By Madison Arnold

A work group has issued its final report on possible changes to bar exam admission requirements in Florida, proposing 12 potential alternatives to the current system of requiring graduates to come from law schools accredited by the American Bar Association.

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