Judiciary AI Rule Draws Fire As Judges Get Deepfakes Survey

By Jeff Overley

Federal judiciary policymakers heard extensive concerns Thursday regarding high-profile plans to formally screen evidence generated with artificial intelligence, and they set the stage for more feedback by preparing an AI survey for every federal trial judge.

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

Calif. Justices Order Prosecutors To Explain Alleged AI Errors

By Dorothy Atkins

The California Supreme Court has ordered Nevada County prosecutors to explain to a lower court why they shouldn't be sanctioned for "apparent serial submission" of artificial intelligence-generated briefs with nonexistent legal citations in multiple criminal proceedings.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Trump Admin Open To Settling Ill. National Guard Case

By Celeste Bott

An Illinois federal judge agreed to stay forthcoming deadlines in a suit over the deployment of National Guard troops to Illinois, with the parties exploring a possible settlement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump can't federalize the Guard to aid in immigration enforcement.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Wash. Judges To Pick US Atty As Floyd's Term Set To Expire

By Gina Kim

The chief judge for the Western District of Washington on Wednesday announced the court's intent to select a U.S. attorney to serve on a temporary basis if President Donald Trump's pick, Charles Neil Floyd, who has been serving on an interim basis, isn't confirmed by the Senate by next month. 

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

Sens. Advance Indiana Judge Nominee Grilled Over Sermons

By Courtney Bublé

A federal judicial nominee for Indiana who came under scrutiny by a Republican senator for his past sermons as an ordained elder was voted out of committee Thursday alongside five other judicial nominees.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Seattle Judge Fights Removal Rec Over Forged Parking Doc

By Rachel Riley

Washington state's high court seemed split Thursday on whether to bar a substitute county judge from the bench for using an official court stamp without permission in pursuit of a parking discount, with one justice remarking she "can't even imagine" behaving that way, while another suggested removal would be a disproportionate sanction.

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

NJ Courts Report Bail Reform Successes, COVID Snags

By Brandon Lowrey

A New Jersey state court report on Thursday found that the state's mostly cashless, risk-based bail system has resulted in a dramatic decrease in people jailed because of an inability to post minimal bail, despite lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Wash. Judge Arrested For DUI Had Booze In Car, County Says​​​​​​​

By Ben Adlin

A Washington county urged a federal judge to toss a former state judge's lawsuit accusing sheriff's deputies of wrongfully stopping and arresting him on suspicion of DUI, arguing law enforcement had probable cause to detain him because he had an open alcoholic beverage in his vehicle and his speech was stumbling, slow and repetitive.

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

Ga. Election Board Disputes $435K Cost For County Records

By Kelcey Caulder

Georgia's State Election Board has challenged the estimated $435,000 that Fulton County's elections director said it would have to pay to obtain the county's 2020 presidential election records.

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

BuzzFeed Loses Bid To Unseal HSBC Laundering Report

By Lauren Berg

The U.S. Department of Justice does not have to provide to former BuzzFeed reporter Jason Leopold a confidential report on HSBC Bank's anti-money laundering compliance, a D.C. federal judge ruled Thursday, saying disclosure of the entire report, even with redactions, risks chilling the cooperation of foreign regulators.

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

Dems Push SEC To Pursue Crypto Case Against Justin Sun

By Aislinn Keely

Three House Democrats on Thursday pressed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to reinvigorate its paused enforcement case against Tron founder Justin Sun and address their concerns that the agency's wave of crypto case dismissals coincided with considerable industry donations to President Donald Trump.

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

NY Bill Criminalizes Unlicensed Cryptocurrency Businesses

By Frank G. Runyeon

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York State Sen. Zellnor Myrie on Thursday announced a proposed law to criminalize operating a cryptocurrency business without a license, saying crypto has become an "ideal vehicle for money laundering."

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

5th Circ. Rejects Challenge To Texas LNG Construction Delay

By Elaine Briseño

The Fifth Circuit greenlighted work on a liquefied natural gas terminal in the Port of Brownsville, Texas, saying state regulators followed the correct rule when granting a third construction deadline extension for the project.

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

Sheep Grazing Won't Make Solar Farm Agriculture, Court Says

By Matthew Santoni

A proposed 25-acre solar facility can't be built in a Lancaster County agricultural zone because the planned inclusion of sheep grazing among the panels did not transform the whole project into a farm, a Pennsylvania appellate panel ruled Thursday.

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

Equinor Win Makes Wind Projects 2-For-2 In Restart Bids

By Keith Goldberg

A D.C. federal judge on Thursday allowed work to resume on the Empire Wind project, the second time this week that a federal court has enjoined the Trump administration's stoppage of offshore wind projects under construction.

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

11th Circ. Told Everglades Detention Site Upsets Enviro Law

By Joyce Hanson

Five conservation groups have urged the Eleventh Circuit to uphold a preliminary injunction halting operations of an immigrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, saying state and federal actions commissioning the site run contrary to the National Environmental Protection Act.

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

3M Brings Conn. Town's PFAS Case To Federal Court

By Aaron Keller

Pointing to immunity defenses for federal contractors and officers, 3M has removed to federal court a Connecticut town's claims that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from a U.S. Army reserve training facility and other sources contaminated local water supplies.

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

Trump Admin Defies Funding K-12 Mental Health Grants

By Mark Payne

The Trump administration is fighting an effort by a coalition of U.S. states to preserve at least six months of funding for K-12 mental health grants meant to help students process gun violence, arguing that an earlier court ruling doesn't require the feds to fund the grants.

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

PTAB Denials, Reexams & New Patent Suits Rose In 2025

By Theresa Schliep

The volume of Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions dropped last year, while requests for ex parte reexaminations surged with a 66% increase from those in 2024, according to a new report from Unified Patents.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

6th Circ. Rejects Kentucky Mom's Bid For Copyrighted Survey

By Ivan Moreno

A Kentucky mother cannot rely on copyright's fair use doctrine to obtain a copy of a student mental-health survey because her dispute with the school district arises under the state's open records law, a panel of the Sixth Circuit has concluded.

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

Civil Rights Groups Fight Relaxed Media Ownership Regs

By Christopher Cole

Groups representing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders urged the Federal Communications Commission not to allow media companies to further expand their ownership of local broadcasters, citing the need to protect viewpoint diversity and consumers.

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

As Goldstein Trial Begins, Gov't Points To 'Lavish' Lifestyle

By Jared Foretek

An accountant for billionaire investor Alec Gores said that Thomas Goldstein had suggested he open a foreign account for Gores' poker-related transactions or even classify him as a professional player for tax purposes, although Gores was just getting started in the high-stakes poker world.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

NCAA Urges Feds, States To Rein In College Sports Wagers

By Tom Lotshaw

The NCAA has urged a federal regulator to suspend prediction market trades based on college sports until appropriate safeguards are in place and called on state gambling commissions to restrict certain types of wagers, saying it knows they are being manipulated.

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

HUD Must Award Homeless Housing Grants, Court Hears

By Grace Dixon

A coalition of local governments and service providers have urged a Rhode Island federal court to order the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to award funding previously allocated under a key homelessness program, without making changes to grant requirements.

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

DHS Blocked From 2nd Attempt To End TSA Union Deal

By Rachel Riley

A Washington federal court has again stopped the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from canceling a collective bargaining agreement covering tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration workers, ruling Thursday that the federal government cannot get around a June injunction just by providing a fresh rationale.

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

House OKs Restricting ESG Investment In 401(k) Plans

By Kellie Mejdrich

The U.S. House of Representatives greenlighted a bill Thursday that would restrict how retirement plan managers can consider environmental, social and governance issues when picking investments, codifying a 2020 U.S. Department of Labor rule requiring a sole focus on financial risk factors.

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

Trump Admin Asks DC Circ. To Ax CBA-Protecting Injunctions

By Emily Brill

The Trump administration has urged the D.C. Circuit to vacate injunctions protecting union contracts at a dozen federal agencies, saying the unions should have challenged the agencies' attempts to oust them through internal dispute resolution processes, not in federal court.

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

IT Worker Fired For Flagging Pantsless Mayor Video, Suit Says

By Hayley Fowler

A former town employee in North Carolina was fired after reporting security footage of the mayor walking around pantsless in town hall afterhours with a female consultant, according to a federal lawsuit claiming he was retaliated against and wrongfully discharged.

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

Ex-LA Fire Official Alleges Retaliation In Whistleblower Case

By Craig Clough

A former Los Angeles Fire Department deputy chief Thursday filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the city in state court, alleging she was discriminated against for being a gay female and constructively terminated after reporting the misappropriation of wildfire funds by a subordinate. 

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

Wash. Anti-Spam Law Not Federally Preempted, Judge Rules

By Ben Adlin

A Seattle federal judge has shot down Nike Inc.'s effort to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the sportswear giant of sending false or misleading marketing emails to shoppers in Washington, ruling that the state's Commercial Electronic Mail Act is not preempted by federal law.

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

Fla. Eye Clinics To Pay $6M Over False Medical Billing Claims

By David Minsky

Five Florida ophthalmology clinics have reached settlements with the government over allegations that they filed false claims to Medicare and Medicaid, agreeing to collectively pay nearly $6 million to resolve accusations that the clinics billed the federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary eye procedures.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ill. Judge Halts Policy Conditions DOJ Tied To Safety Grants

By Lauraann Wood

An Illinois federal judge on Thursday halted the Trump administration's renewed effort to tack allegedly unlawful immigration and other policy-related conditions onto certain public safety grants for sanctuary cities, and blocked the government from enforcing the conditions while two cities' legal challenge plays out.

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

RJ Reynolds Asks ITC To Probe Vape Restriction Violations

By Jack McLoone

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is pushing the U.S. International Trade Commission to open an investigation into China-based competitors' alleged skirting of vape restrictions in order to illicitly grow their market share.

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

China, Germany Seek To Avoid Double Tax In UN Tax Treaty

By Kevin Pinner

China and Germany want to insert a pledge on avoiding double taxation within the main body of the United Nations framework convention on international tax cooperation, according to letters released by the U.N. 

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

Nvidia Sued In Del. For US 'Tax' On Chip Deal With China

By Jeff Montgomery

Alleging possible company conflicts of interest and unlawful agreements involving the White House and Commerce Department, two NVIDIA Corp. stockholders sued the company late Wednesday for records involving company agreements to pay the U.S. Department of Commerce percentages of high-end graphics processing chip sales to buyers in China.

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

Colo. Bill Would Widen Ranch, Farm Definitions For Taxes

By Zak Kostro

Colorado would broaden its definitions of ranches and farms for property tax purposes under a bill introduced in the state Senate.

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

NJ Requires Update Of Requirements For Ag Land Taxation

By Zak Kostro

New Jersey will require a state committee to periodically adjust gross sales and income requirements for land to be deemed devoted to agricultural and horticultural use for assessment and tax purposes under a bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

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

Businesses Seek Clarity On R&D Credit Post-GOP Tax Law

By Stephen K. Cooper

Businesses that use the federal research credit are reexamining how to apply expense reduction rules after last year's GOP tax law changes, but Treasury officials and tax experts said Thursday that revisions, although complex, were intended to coordinate with existing capitalization rules.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Georgia Governor Pitches Income Tax Rate Cut, Rebates

By Sanjay Talwani

Georgia would cut its corporate and personal income tax rate and provide $1 billion in rebates for taxpayers under a plan pitched Thursday by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Colo. Bill Would Allow Taxes On Vacant Residential Property

By Zak Kostro

Colorado would authorize local governments to impose taxes on vacant residential properties under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

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

EU Should Use Tax Transparency For Public Bids, Report Says

By Kevin Pinner

The European Union should require large companies to submit country-by-country tax reports to authorities when bidding for public contracts, a tax transparency group and EU public-sector union said ahead of the bloc revising its public procurement laws.

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

Judge Sanctions 'Breathtaking' Plot Against Gaza Protesters

By Julie Manganis

A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday said immigration actions taken against noncitizen class members in a free speech lawsuit will be presumed retaliatory, as a sanction for what he called a "breathtaking" unconstitutional conspiracy by the Trump administration to chill the right to protest.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Feds Must Show Their Work On Ending South Sudan Protections

By Carolyn Muyskens

A Massachusetts judge on Thursday ordered the federal government to produce records documenting the decision-making process that led to ending deportation protections for South Sudanese nationals, as she weighs whether to keep the protections in place.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

State Dept. Releases List Of Countries Targeted By Visa Pause

By Ganesh Setty

The U.S. Department of State released an official list of the 75 countries for which it will pause issuing immigrant visas, after it said immigrants from these countries "take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates."

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

ICE Detention Facilities Nearly Doubled Last Year, Report Says

By Tom Lotshaw

An American Immigration Council report said the Trump administration detained record numbers of noncitizens last year, most without criminal records, and held them in a rapidly expanding network of facilities that could soon rival the federal criminal prison system.

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

Colorado County DA, Sheriff Challenge State's U Visa Law

By Rachel Konieczny

The Douglas County, Colorado, district attorney and sheriff have filed a federal lawsuit against the state's governor and several other state leaders, challenging the constitutionality of a 2021 Colorado statute that made it easier for victims of certain crimes to obtain a U visa.

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

ACLU Sues Feds For 'Crude Dragnet' Of Minn. Arrests

By Lauren Berg

Thousands of masked federal agents are indiscriminately and unlawfully arresting Minnesotans based on nothing more than racial profiling as they carry out a U.S. Department of Homeland Security operation targeting immigrants in the Twin Cities area, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union.

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

Harvard Club Settles Pandemic Loan Fraud Claims For $2.4M

By Katryna Perera

The Harvard Club of Boston, a private club that is not formally affiliated with Harvard University, has agreed to pay approximately $2.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a COVID-19-era Paycheck Protection Program loan for which it was not eligible.

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

Utah Urges Decision In Fight With Tribe Over Split Estate Lands

By Crystal Owens

The state of Utah and three of its counties are asking a federal district court to declare that split estate lands within the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation are not Indian Country for the purpose of determining criminal and civil jurisdiction, arguing that appellate and Supreme Court precedent settles the dispute.

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

Five Tribes Demand Federal Talks On Indian Education Deals

By Crystal Owens

The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Tribes has approved a series of resolutions that call for more formal consultation efforts from federal agencies, oppose an immigration detention center in Oklahoma and support Haskell Indian Nations University's efforts to transition to a self-governing, federally chartered corporation.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Verizon, Calif. Strike Diversity Deal In Frontier Takeover

By Christopher Cole

California utility regulators approved Verizon's takeover of Frontier Communications' fiber network Thursday, after the wireless giant has reached several agreements to support statewide diversity and digital equity initiatives.

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

Pot Shops Say NY Denied Licenses Due To Outdated Rule

By Mike Curley

A pair of New York dispensaries are suing state cannabis regulators, saying officials wrongly denied their applications for additional licenses using a now-outdated bit of guidance that had prevented applicants from receiving multiple licenses for a time.

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

Trump US Atty Pick In NM Bumped To First Assistant

By Emily Sawicki

A New Mexico federal judge has ruled the Trump-appointed interim U.S. Attorney for New Mexico is not validly serving in the role but declined to disqualify the prosecutor from a slate of cases pending in the district, instead determining the lawyer may continue to work in the federal prosecutor's office as first assistant.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Jenner Atty And Ex-Newsom Aide O'Leary Heads To OpenAI

By Hailey Konnath

Jenner & Block LLP public policy partner Ann O'Leary, who previously worked as chief of staff for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, has joined OpenAI in the newly created role of vice president of global policy, according to an announcement this week.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Easing Equity Research Firewall Shows SEC Open To Updates

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent agreement to modify a decades-old settlement meant to limit investment bankers’ influence over research analysts within major broker-dealer firms reflects a shift toward a commission that recognizes how rules can be modernized to lighten compliance burdens without eliminating core safeguards, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Aligning With EPA's 'Compliance First' Enforcement Policy

To take advantage of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new "compliance first" policy, companies will need to maintain up-to-date compliance programs, implement self-audits and find-and-fix protocols, and lean more into open communication with regulators, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Series

Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q4

The regulatory and litigation developments for California financial institutions in the fourth quarter of 2025 were incremental but consequential, with the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation relying on public enforcement actions to articulate expectations, and lawmakers and privacy regulators playing a role as well, says Stephen Britt at Stinson.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

CMS 2027 Proposal Is Mixed Bag For Medicare Advantage

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' recent proposed rule for the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs gives small organizations reason for optimism, although certain elements may be inconsistent with the Centers' desire to enhance competition, says Christine Clements at Sheppard Mullin.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Unpacking The DOJ Meatpacking Probe

The recent U.S. Department of Justice meatpacking antitrust investigation is in line with the Trump administration's focus on crimes that affect U.S. consumers, and businesses in other agricultural sectors should be aware of the increased antitrust scrutiny currently aimed at the industry, say attorneys at Norton Rose.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

4 Ways GCs Can Manage Growing Service Of Process Volume

As automation and arbitration increase the volume of legal filings, in-house counsel must build scalable service of process systems that strengthen corporate governance and manage risk in real time, says Paul Mathews at Corporation Service Co.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Series

Fly-Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Much like skilled attorneys, the best anglers prize preparation, presentation and patience while respecting their adversaries — both human and trout, says Rob Braverman at Braverman Greenspun.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Simpson Thacher Offers Stipend To Lure Summer Associates

By Tracey Read

In an effort for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP to attract top students who want to pursue public interest work, the firm said it will pay a stipend of $42,500 for the 2026-2027 cycle for those who opt to spend their 1L summer in a qualifying public service, government, academic, in-house legal or nonprofit role.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Fla. High Court Opens Door To Non-ABA Accrediting Entities

By Carolina Bolado

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday changed the bar exam admission requirements to allow graduates of law schools accredited by entities other than the American Bar Association to sit for the Florida bar exam.

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

5th Circ. Revives Allstate's Fraud Suit Over Car Crash Billing

By Gina Kim

The Fifth Circuit on Wednesday revived Allstate's racketeering suit alleging doctors and personal injury lawyers unleashed a barrage of unnecessary treatments for car accident patients and caused Allstate to pay $4.7 million in claims, finding the insurer sufficiently pled details about the conspiracy and specifics surrounding each allegedly fake medical billing.

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