2nd Circ. Spurns DOT Bid To Re-Freeze Hudson Tunnel Funds

By Linda Chiem

The Second Circuit on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration's bid to again freeze federal payments to New York and New Jersey for the ongoing $16 billion rehabilitation of aging commuter train tunnels under the Hudson River.

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

VA, DOJ Cut Deal To Make Attys Mental Health Guardians

By Mark Payne

Under a new initiative, attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice will serve as legal guardians for some homeless veterans, the Trump administration announced on Wednesday, though some veterans advocates expressed concern that the new program could involuntarily coerce veterans experiencing mental health issues into institutional care.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judge Eyes Halkbank's No-Fine Deal To Nix Sanctions Case

By Stewart Bishop

A Manhattan federal judge Wednesday let prosecutors and Turkey's Halkbank move forward with a no-fine deal that will likely resolve criminal charges alleging the state-backed lender conspired to launder billions of dollars in sanctioned Iranian oil proceeds.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-DOJ Atty Who Said 'This Job Sucks' Running For Congress

By Courtney Bublé

The former federal government lawyer detailed to Minnesota to help with immigration cases who last month told a federal judge "this job sucks" says she is running for Congress in the state.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Judge Won't Lift Sanctions For 'Abhorrent' Student Removals

By Britain Eakin

A Massachusetts federal judge on Wednesday denied the Trump administration's bid to stay an order imposing sanctions on the government for targeting pro-Palestinian protesters for removal over their speech while it appeals, saying the government's unconstitutional conduct must be stopped.

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

Roundup

Incumbent Ga. Judges Face Fresh Challengers In May

By Chart Riggall

With candidates for Georgia statewide offices qualifying for their races last week, a high-profile fight for two spots on the state's highest court and a wide-open race for attorney general are expected to be among the most prominent contests in the state's legal world this spring. Here, Law360 looks at who qualified.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

FDIC Plans No Pass-Through Stablecoin Insurance, Hill Says

By Jon Hill

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Travis Hill said Wednesday that his agency will propose expressly excluding payment stablecoins from pass-through insurance coverage, outlining the move as part of a wide-ranging update on his to-do list of regulatory initiatives.

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

Fed's Bowman Eyes 'Fine-Tuning' Of Bank Merger Reviews

By Jon Hill

Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said Wednesday that federal regulators are taking a look at the competition metrics used to evaluate bank mergers, signaling potential changes to the thresholds that guide when deals raise antitrust concerns.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Interior Dept. Sued Over Alaska Federal Land Revocation

By Gautama Mehta

The U.S. Department of the Interior was hit with a lawsuit from environmental organizations accusing it of failing to consult stakeholders and meaningfully justify its decision to revoke federal protections from 2 million acres of land in northern Alaska where mining and development have been prohibited since the 1970s.

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

NC AG Backs Merger Of Duke Energy's Two Carolina Utilities

By Hayley Fowler

The North Carolina Attorney General's Office has reached an agreement with Duke Energy over the proposed combination of its two subsidiary electric utilities serving the Carolinas, joining a growing list of other corporations and consumer advocacy groups that have also backed the merger.

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

Calif. Wants Truck Cos., Feds' Clean Truck Pact Claims Nixed

By Bryan Koenig

California officials again asked a federal judge to gut key claims from heavy-duty truck manufacturers and the federal government challenging the 2023 deal in which the manufacturers agreed to stringent state emissions standards and stiff penalties for noncompliance in the coming years.

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

Dem Lawmakers Dispute Economics Of Arctic Oil Leasing

By Joyce Hanson

Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House have condemned the Trump administration's plans to auction off lands within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas companies, saying there is no economic interest to be gained from drilling.

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

Pa. Justices Doubtful Law Unclear In AG-DA Opioid Deal Row

By Matthew Santoni

Multiple Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices on Wednesday doubted a state law was ambiguous about whether the attorney general could step in and settle claims brought by county-level district attorneys, as he had in a multistate settlement with opioid companies.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

New Wyoming Abortion Law Faces Familiar Legal Challenge

By Dan McKay

Just a day after it was signed into law, Wyoming's new anti-abortion law triggered a legal challenge from the same health clinic that successfully sued over the state's previous abortion limits.

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

La. Fights Dismissal Bid In Abortion Regulation Dispute

By Gianna Ferrarin

The state of Louisiana urged a federal court to deny motions by GenBioPro Inc. and Danco Laboratories seeking dismissal of its suit challenging federal regulation on mail-order abortion drugs, arguing it has established harms stemming from the regulations.

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

Minn. Lawmakers Advance Medical Psilocybin Bill

By Sam Reisman

Minnesota lawmakers this week advanced a bipartisan bill to create a regulated medical program for psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychoactive mushrooms.

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

Squires Adds Domestic Industry, Biz Size To Denial Analysis

By Dani Kass

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires will take into account the domestic impact of invalidating a patent and how big the patent owner is when deciding whether to discretionarily deny Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions, according to a memorandum issued Wednesday.

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

Dems Float Bill To Ban Death-Tied Event Contracts

By Aislinn Keely

Two Democrats from California are proposing to outlaw event contracts that reference or relate to terrorism, war or an individual's death amid the rise of certain prediction markets involving political shake-ups.

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

NY Mosque Says Town's Bias Blocked Land Use Request

By Grace Dixon

A Long Island mosque accused local leaders in New York federal court of wielding land-use approvals in a "Kafkaesque" fashion to stop it from making much-needed upgrades to its facilities, driven by anti-Muslim community opposition.

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

DOL Won't Oppose Vacating ERISA Fiduciary Rule In Texas

By Kellie Mejdrich

An insurance trade group challenging the U.S. Department of Labor's regulations expanding the definition of an investment advice fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act asked a Texas judge Wednesday to vacate the policies and said the DOL didn't oppose the request.

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

Gov't Workers' Unions Press Judge To Nix 'Loyalty Question'

By Carolyn Muyskens

Federal workers' unions told a Massachusetts federal judge Wednesday that President Donald Trump's administration is trying to fill the government workforce with loyalists, urging him to forbid the administration to ask prospective hires how they'd advance the president's priorities.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

Trump Cybercrime Order Creates New Compliance To-Do List

By Phillip Bantz

President Donald Trump's recent executive order calling for a coalition of government agencies to combat cybercrime is far more forceful than efforts under prior administrations, according to white collar lawyers, who tentatively applaud the proposal while warning it could raise new compliance risks.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

4th Circ. Expands Online Data Privacy Rules In CSAM Appeal

By Parker Quinlan

The Fourth Circuit has ruled that law enforcement officers are barred under the Fourth Amendment from opening and viewing private files stored on an online cloud database without a warrant, applying existing case law from physical files to electronically stored documents.

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

Mass. High Court Orders School To Comply With Records Law

By Julie Manganis

A publicly funded charter school is required to follow Massachusetts' public records laws, the state's highest court said Wednesday, affirming a series of orders to comply with requests for information about legal bills and other expenditures.

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

17 States Fight 'Unprecedented' WH Admissions Data Demand

By Julie Manganis

A coalition of more than a dozen states led by Massachusetts asked a federal judge Wednesday to block enforcement of a new Trump administration requirement to retroactively report detailed data on sex and race in college admissions, saying the survey was hastily implemented and rife with issues that expose schools to potential liability.

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

Conn. Murder Exoneree Sues City After Retrial, Acquittal

By Parker Quinlan

A Connecticut man has filed a lawsuit against the city of Hartford and a forensic expert he claims withheld evidence in a murder investigation that led to him being tried twice before the state Supreme Court overturned his conviction and a third jury acquitted him of all charges.

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

Advocacy Group Asks Ill. Judge To Block Trump DEI Orders

By Celeste Bott

Counsel for an advocacy group supporting human trafficking survivors urged an Illinois federal judge Wednesday to block two of President Donald Trump's executive orders restricting federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, arguing that the coalition has been forced to censor its speech for fear of losing Department of Justice grants it needs to operate.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Brief

Wisconsin Bell, Feds Settle 17-Year-Old FCA Suit For $55M

By Nadia Dreid

Wisconsin Bell will pay $55 million to end long-running False Claims Act whistleblower claims accusing the company of overcharging public schools and libraries for internet services paid for by the government under the federal E-rate program, bringing almost 18 years of litigation to an end.

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

Microsoft Backs Anthropic In DOD Security Risk Label Row

By Madeline Lyskawa

Microsoft has thrown its support behind Anthropic's bid to block the Trump administration from enforcing an order designating the artificial intelligence company a supply chain risk to national security, saying an injunction would avoid disrupting the military's use of advanced AI.

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

Trade Court Orders Redo Of Chinese Sulfate Scope Ruling

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Department of Commerce improperly considered just one potentially distinguishing factor when it determined that a type of enriched ammonium sulfate from China is subject to duty orders on imports of the chemical, the U.S. Court of International Trade said Wednesday.

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

ITC Finds Mexican Strawberry Imports Harming US Industry

By Jack McLoone

There is a reasonable indication that fresh winter strawberries imported into the U.S. from Mexico and being sold at allegedly unfair prices are harming domestic industry, the U.S. International Trade Commission has said in a preliminary finding.

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

Minn. Justices Reject Homeowner's Valuation Claims

By Jaqueline McCool

The Minnesota Tax Court had full jurisdiction over a homeowner's property tax case and properly dismissed his challenge to the county's valuation, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

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

NM Authorizes Property Tax To Pay Bonds, Interest, Costs

By Zak Kostro

New Mexico authorized the imposition of a property tax to repay principal, interest and costs for state-issued bonds, which are subject to voter approval, under a bill signed by the governor.

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

Wyo. Amends Property Tax Break For Long-Term Homeowners

By Zak Kostro

Wyoming amended a property tax exemption for long-term homeowners in the state so that it applies to an eligible property's fair market value instead of its assessed value under a bill signed by the governor that also establishes a limit on the exemption.

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

10th Circ. Reverses Colo. Court's Visa Reclassification Ruling

By Ganesh Setty

The foreign-born son of a lawful permanent resident who later became a naturalized citizen can keep his minor status for visa purposes even though he's now over 21 years old, the Tenth Circuit ruled, reversing a Colorado federal court's decision.

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

9th Circ. Reviews Stay Policy Amid Trump Appointees' Attack

By Lauren Berg

The Ninth Circuit's chief judge said the court is reviewing how to manage its "enormous immigration docket" after several judges appointed by President Donald Trump "unilaterally disrupted" the court's policymaking with a ruling questioning the legality of the court's practice to automatically stay deportations pending a review of the merits.

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

Feds Ask Justices To Let Haiti TPS Termination Move Forward

By Ganesh Setty

The Trump administration urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to again block courts from postponing its revocation of foreign nationals' temporary protected status, this time for 350,000 Haitians, saying its prior Venezuelan TPS decisions aren't holding sway.

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

More Info Sought On ICE Adherence To DC Arrest Order

By Jared Foretek

A D.C. federal judge said she'd need more briefing before deciding whether to grant a motion to enforce her injunction limiting the circumstances in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can make warrantless immigration arrests within the nation's capital.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Wash. Says ICE Contractor Cannot Defend Barring Inspection

By Elaine Briseño

The Washington State Department of Health said a contractor's attempts to escape an evidentiary hearing demonstrated that the company could not defend its jurisdictional claims in a lawsuit accusing it of illegally restricting access to an immigration facility.

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

Coalition Pushes For Ruling To Nix State Dept. Visa Pause

By Tom Lotshaw

Nonprofit groups, U.S. citizens and foreign workers asked a New York federal judge to overturn a U.S. Department of State decision to pause the issuance of immigrant visas for people from 75 countries as unlawful overreach.

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

Judges, Lawmakers Urge 4th Circ. To Affirm Halligan Ruling

By Ryan Boysen

Members of Congress and former federal judges have urged the Fourth Circuit to affirm that Lindsey Halligan was not properly appointed as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, saying the episode exemplifies why there are guardrails against installing political loyalists as federal prosecutors.

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

Ariz. Tribes' Water Rights Act Faces Funding Hurdles, DOI Says

By Crystal Owens

A U.S. Department of the Interior official told federal lawmakers Wednesday there is a significant funding shortfall for Native water rights agreements, including a $5 billion settlement that will make safe drinking water available to tens of thousands of tribal members in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Alaska Fights Tribes' $2M Legal Fees In Fishing Rights Row

By Crystal Owens

Alaska is asking a federal court to deny a bid for attorney fees by a Native organization in a dispute over rules regulating subsistence fishing in the Kuskokwim River, arguing it could collectively cost $2.2 million for the case that ultimately ended in the U.S. Supreme Court.

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

Sens. To Examine US Plans For Global Spectrum Talks

By Christopher Cole

With global talks over managing the airwaves set for next year, senators overseeing U.S. radio spectrum policy will focus a hearing next week on how the U.S. can get a leg up on using the airwaves to fuel economic growth.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Md. Gov't Agencies Oppose Talkie's FCC Preemption Bid

By Nadia Dreid

A Maryland-based internet service provider was not up front with the Federal Communications Commission about the details surrounding a permitting dispute when it came to the agency to ask it to preempt local regulations and allow it to move forward with a new utility pole and attachments without them, an Old Line State county says.

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

Verizon Told It Can't Reopen Pa. Utility Pole Dispute At FCC

By Nadia Dreid

Verizon will not be allowed to reopen an old beef with FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co. over pole attachment rates at the Federal Communications Commission, which just denied the telecom behemoth's request to return to the matter.

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

Ex-Senior Atty For Int'l Finance Corp. Joins Hunton

By Jack Rodgers

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has hired a former senior counsel from International Finance Corp., who spent 12 years there and who worked as the global legal lead for the institution's asset management company.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Takeaways From Calif. High Court's Public Records Decision

The California Supreme Court’s recent City of Gilroy v. Superior Court decision — clarifying the relief available under, and the duties imposed by, the California Public Records Act — expands the strategic significance of CPRA actions and demands greater foresight in public records practice, say attorneys at Hanson Bridgett.

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

Why The NCUA's Stablecoin Moment Matters

The National Credit Union Administration, a historically conservative federal agency, recently proposed a detailed stablecoin licensing framework, confirming that the proposition of building a regulatory architecture within the banking industry has moved well past "whether" and firmly into "how," says Stephen Aschettino at Fox Rothschild.

Proposed Rule attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

AG Watch: Ohio Targets DEI Policies

As Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost seeks to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in both public education institutions and private companies, Ohio entities must carefully navigate this constantly evolving, highly contentious topic to avoid litigation while also not forfeiting their core principles, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Structuring Water Agreements For Data Center Development

For developers of artificial intelligence data centers, water use is now a threshold feasibility and financing variable amid a regulatory landscape with a state-driven push for transparency and federal push to streamline pathways for AI-related infrastructure, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

High Court's Recess Talks Ruling Raises Practical Challenges

While the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Villarreal v. Texas decision, permitting some limits on attorney-client discussions during overnight midtestimony recesses, resolves certain ambiguities, it also implicitly exposes the structural impracticalities of attempting to police narrower consultation limits, says Ryan Magee at McCarter & English.

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

$600M IP Award, Quinn Emanuel Contempt Faulted On Appeal

By Ryan Davis

The Federal Circuit on Wednesday vacated a verdict against the maker of Norton antivirus software for infringing Columbia University patents and reversed a contempt ruling against Norton's former law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP that had caused the judgment to grow to just over $600 million.

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

Feature

Exxon Cements Texas As Delaware's Emerging Rival

By Spencer Brewer

Last year, Vinson & Elkins partner Katherine Frank fielded about one call a week from companies thinking about redomiciling in Texas. Speaking to Law360 the day after ExxonMobil announced its plan to reincorporate in the Lone Star State due to its business-forward courts and policies, Frank said the callers fell into three categories.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Firm Probed In $4B LA Sex Abuse Deal Hit With UPL Charges

By Rachel Rippetoe

A co-founder of the Los Angeles personal injury firm facing investigation for its involvement in a record $4 billion sex abuse settlement against Los Angeles County was hit with disciplinary charges by the California State Bar, alleging the firm illegally practiced law outside the state.

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

3 Attys Escape Ford's 'Retaliatory' Lemon Law RICO Suit

By Linda Chiem

A California federal judge has shut down Ford Motor Co.'s revised racketeering lawsuit accusing three attorneys affiliated with Knight Law Group LLP of orchestrating a massive fraudulent legal billing scheme, saying the attorneys' underlying conduct in pursuing lemon law litigation is shielded by First Amendment protections.

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