5th Circ. Backs FDA's Block On Vape Marketing

By Aneeta Mathur-Ashton

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to block two vape companies from marketing their menthol-flavored e-cigarette products after finding the benefits to adult smokers didn't outweigh the risk to minors.

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High Court Strikes Down Hawaii Gun Restrictions

By Elizabeth Daley and Marco Poggio

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a Hawaii law banning people from bringing firearms onto private property open to the public without express permission from the owner violates the Second and 14th amendments.

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8th Circ. Backs Immunity In DAPL Protest Injury Dispute

By Crystal Owens

A panel of the Eighth Circuit has upheld a decision to dismiss a challenge by an environmentalist who was severely injured by North Dakota law enforcement during a protest over the Dakota Access pipeline, finding the officers are entitled to immunity and her claims of 14th Amendment violations do not meet a "shocks the conscience" threshold.

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11th Circ. Judges Question Coke's View Of IRS As Arbitrary

By Molly Moses

Judges for the Eleventh Circuit probed attorneys for Coca-Cola and the government Thursday about whether the IRS was arbitrary in abandoning its position in a closing agreement the beverage company had relied on for decades to calculate its transfer prices with related foreign suppliers.

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Justices Say Asylum Rights Begin On US Soil

By Britain Eakin

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that federal immigration officials can turn away noncitizens without valid travel documents who haven't physically crossed the southern border when U.S. ports of entry are at capacity.

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Justices Let Trump End Temporary Status For Haiti, Syria

By Britain Eakin

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday gave the green light to the Trump administration to move forward with ending temporary protected status for Haitians and Syrians, ruling that courts are barred from reviewing such determinations.

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Senate Confirming Judges Faster Than In Trump's 1st Term

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate has confirmed 45 judges in the second Trump term, outpacing the rate of his first administration, Senate Republicans announced on Thursday.

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Feds Say Would-Be Kavanaugh Assassin Was Let Off Easy

By Nadia Dreid

Both federal prosecutors and a Stephen Miller-founded public interest group believe that a Maryland federal judge let a woman accused of trying to kill U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh off too easy because of her gender identity and want the Fourth Circuit to order resentencing.

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Another Trump Order For Election Restrictions Blocked

By Julie Manganis

A Massachusetts federal judge on Thursday blocked the Trump administration from implementing the president's March order to compile a federal list of eligible voters and to set new restrictions on the use of mail-in ballots in this fall's general election.

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GOP Election Rules Appeal Sent To Ga. Supreme Court

By Kelcey Caulder

A Georgia appellate panel said Thursday that the state's justices, rather than the Georgia Court of Appeals, will need to consider whether two rules promulgated by the State Election Board violated the nondelegation doctrine of the state constitution.

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Kan. Proxy Adviser Law Blocked For Viewpoint Discrimination

By Katryna Perera

A Kansas federal judge agreed to block a state law from taking effect amid lawsuits brought by proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis & Co. LLC and Institutional Shareholder Services Inc., which claim the law is unconstitutional and imposes burdensome requirements on issuing recommendations that go against corporate management's wishes.

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FDIC Calls For Narrower Resolution Plans, Assessment Cuts

By Jon Hill

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Thursday floated new rules that would significantly scale back its resolution-planning requirements for large banks and slash the banking industry's annual deposit insurance assessment bill by $4 billion, or roughly a third.

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Dell Shareholders Approve Legal Move To Texas

By Spencer Brewer

Dell Inc.'s shareholders approved a proposal to move the company's legal home from Delaware to Texas, the company's founder and CEO Michael Dell announced Thursday on social media.

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CFPB Updates Online Complaint Process To Stem 'Abuse'

By Sarah Jarvis

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is updating its complaint submission process, including by requiring those who submit complaints online to verify their email address and phone number, in moves that the National Consumer Law Center said aim to discourage complaints against the major credit reporting companies.

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SpaceX Wants In On Suit Challenging Texas Land Swap Deal

By Ganesh Setty

SpaceX has urged a federal court in Washington to let it intervene in a lawsuit from environmental groups opposing the company's south Texas land exchange deal with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, noting its property interests are directly at stake.

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Pa. River Group Sues Mineral Facility Over Water Pollution

By Corey Rothauser

A Pennsylvania environmental nonprofit has sued a mineral processing company in federal court, alleging it has for years illegally discharged polluted stormwater from its Montgomery County facility into waterways that ultimately feed the Delaware River, in violation of the Clean Water Act.

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Wash. Justices Back Climate Act Farm Fuel Exemption Regs

By Rachel Riley

The Washington Supreme Court unanimously rejected the Washington Farm Bureau's challenge to regulations surrounding a farm fuel exemption in a landmark 2021 law establishing the state's cap-and-invest program, finding Thursday the rule aligns with lawmakers' ultimate goal of curbing top greenhouse gas emitters.

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Ohio Justices Reject Claims Of $115M Utility Overcharges

By Keith Goldberg

The Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday rejected claims that consumers were overcharged by $115 million for electricity from aging coal-fired power plants in 2020, saying that utility regulators correctly determined that state law entitled the plants' owners to the payments.

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Wash. Therapist Seeks Bar On 'Conversion Therapy' Ban

By Gianna Ferrarin

A Washington therapist has urged a federal court to bar the state from enforcing its ban on what is commonly known as conversion therapy, arguing that a U.S. Supreme Court decision this year has "vindicated" his right to provide counseling targeted by the ban.

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Trump ITC Commissioner Pick Aims To Accelerate IP Rulings

By Dylan Moroses

One of President Donald Trump's picks to serve as a commissioner for the U.S. International Trade Commission said during a U.S. Senate hearing Thursday that a goal of his would be to work toward a faster timeline for intellectual property rulings.

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NHTSA Floats Rule Nixing Brake Pedals In Autonomous Vehicles

By Linda Chiem

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday proposed eliminating brake pedal requirements for cars equipped with higher levels of automated driving systems as the Trump administration presses ahead with efforts to ease regulations and accelerate U.S. development of self-driving vehicles.

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Kalshi Says NM Tribes Lack Power Over Its Sports Contracts

By Crystal Owens

Kalshi is asking a New Mexico district court to dismiss a challenge by four Indigenous nations trying to block the prediction market platform from offering online sports betting within Indian Country, arguing that allowing the tribes to exercise regulatory authority will enable hundreds of other tribes to follow suit.

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Sens. Want CFTC Restricted From Prediction Markets Suits

By Katryna Perera

A group of 17 Democratic senators has called on a U.S. Senate subcommittee to prohibit the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission from using federal funds to prevent states and tribes from enforcing their gambling laws against prediction markets as litigation over the legality of their offerings continues to spread.

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Conn. Justices Say Local Rent Board Can Enter Eviction Fight

By Brian Steele

The Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a municipal fair rent commission to get involved in a landlord-tenant eviction action in state court, finding the local body clearly has an interest in advocating for its statutory right to adjudicate complaints and enforce its own orders.

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9th Circ. Says Farmworkers' Attys Deserve Higher Fee

By MJ Koo

The Ninth Circuit has ordered a Washington federal court to increase an attorney fee award for farmworkers who successfully challenged the federal government's agricultural wage survey methodology, finding the lower court's explanation for slashing the award by 75% was insufficient.

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7th Circ. Won't Reinstate Trans Bus Driver's Bias Suit

By Grace Elletson

The Seventh Circuit declined to revive a transgender bus driver's suit claiming the Chicago Transit Authority fired him due to his gender identity, ruling he failed to show the decision was driven by prejudice rather than claims that he took medical leave that wasn't approved.

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NYC Seeks To Shut Down Delivery App Over Wage Violations

By MJ Koo

New York City has moved to bar a food delivery app from operating in the city unless it begins paying its workers the legally required minimum wage, after the company's own reports showed it paid workers as little as $1.82 per hour.

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Del. Shields Kroger Lawyers' Brainstorming In Albertsons Suit

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday denied Albertsons Cos. Inc.'s bid to force The Kroger Co. to submit additional internal law firm communications in litigation over the companies' failed $24.6 billion merger, ruling that Kroger's waiver of attorney-client privilege does not extend to lawyers' brainstorming that was never communicated to the client.

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Robo-Surgery Co., FTC Urge 9th Circ. To Revive Antitrust Case

By Bonnie Eslinger

Surgical Instrument Service and the Federal Trade Commission urged the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to revive the company's case accusing Intuitive Surgical of blocking third parties from refurbishing components for its da Vinci surgery robot, saying a lower court erred in requiring the U.S. Supreme Court's Kodak factors to be proven.

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Texas Faces Tough Questions In Tylenol Autism Appeal

By Spencer Brewer

A Texas appellate court seemed skeptical Thursday of an argument that the parent entities of the company that sells Tylenol should have to defend claims that the pain reliever causes autism, suggesting that the companies don't have enough ties to Texas.

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Colo. Panel Says Prehearing Objection Preserves Arb. Fight

By Zach Dupont

A Colorado Court of Appeals panel ruled Thursday that a party doesn't waive its right to object to arbitrability so long as the objection is raised prior to the arbitration hearing, even if the party participated in the arbitration proceedings for an extended period of time.

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NJ Court Says Comptroller's Subpoena To Private Vendor Valid

By George Woolston

The Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court on Thursday said the state comptroller's office subpoena to a private company that provides services to charter schools is valid, holding that the watchdog agency can issue a subpoena to a vendor as part of an investigation.

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EU Implements US Trade Deal, With Safeguards

By Jack McLoone

The European Union granted final approval Thursday to its modified version of a trade deal with the U.S. that will cut tariff rates on U.S. goods, albeit with guardrails.

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Black & Decker Owes Tariff Plan Refunds, DeWalt Buyer Says

By Hailey Konnath

A DeWalt tools purchaser on Thursday filed a proposed class action against its parent company, Stanley Black & Decker, claiming that the company hiked prices as a result of tariffs that were later deemed illegal and now owes consumers refunds as a result.

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Brief

US, Australia Sign Customs Enforcement Info Sharing Pledge

By Dylan Moroses

The United States and Australia signed a bilateral agreement Thursday to strengthen coordination on customs enforcement through enhanced information sharing, according to a news release published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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Swiss Approve Aligning EU Tax Info Swaps With OECD Rules

By Kevin Pinner

Switzerland's agreement to automatically exchange information between tax authorities in the European Union is poised to come under updated OECD standards after the government's executive branch recommended that lawmakers adopt amendments.

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Mich. Panel Says Detroit Schools Can't Use Tax For Bond Debt

By Melanie Dorsey

The Detroit Public Schools Community District and its predecessor have lost a bid to continue collecting an operating tax after an emergency loan is paid off, with an appellate court panel finding state law does not allow the tax to be levied to pay off other long-term debts. 

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NJ Judge Says Flaw Dooms DOJ Sanctuary Policy Suit

By Tom Lotshaw

A New Jersey federal judge has tossed a Trump administration suit challenging the sanctuary policies in four Garden State cities, ruling that most of the government's grievances against them actually stemmed from a statewide directive it unsuccessfully challenged previously.

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Ore. Judge Grants Class Cert. In ICE Warrantless Arrest Suit

By Gina Kim

An Oregon federal judge Wednesday granted class certification to people who have been or will be swept up in warrantless immigration arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without individually assessing the probability of whether someone poses a flight risk, finding the named plaintiffs' claims are typical throughout the class.

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Ábrego García Can't Force Costa Rica Removal, DOJ Says

By Jared Foretek

The Trump administration said that Kilmar Ábrego García has no legal right to stop his removal to Liberia, arguing that the Salvadoran national's habeas claims are jurisdictionally barred and reiterating the government's position that negotiations with Liberia would make his removal to Costa Rica "prejudicial" to the United States.

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FCC Floats Rules To Preempt States On Wireline Approvals

By Christopher Cole

The Federal Communications Commission moved ahead Thursday on a proposal to preempt reviews of wireline deployments if the agency finds that state and local authorities are unfairly delaying or denying permits.

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FCC Crafts New License Rules For Undersea Cable Lines

By Christopher Cole

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday adopted new rules covering industry deployment of undersea communications cables, including the first licensing regime of its kind for submarine line terminal equipment.

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Verizon Buy Shows Need For FCC Support, Trade Org. Says

By Nadia Dreid

Rural telecom carriers are going to keep disappearing if the Federal Communications Commission doesn't step in and provide more support for companies operating in rural areas, a trade group has said in the wake of Verizon's purchase of Carolina West.

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No Immunity In Idaho THC Child Abuse Registry Suit

By Mike Curley

An Idaho federal judge won't throw out a class action alleging Idaho violates constitutional rights by placing women on the state's Child Protection Central Registry for using THC during pregnancy, finding the director of the state's Department of Health and Welfare doesn't have immunity against the claims.

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Anti-Pot Advocates Preview Arguments In DEA Hearings

By Sam Reisman

The anti-cannabis parties participating in upcoming U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration hearings on a proposal to change marijuana's Schedule I status will argue that the drug poses too many public health and safety risks for the government to loosen restrictions on it.

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Congress Members Reintroduce Cannabis Banking Bill Again

By Sam Reisman

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill once again reintroduced a federal bill to ease the cannabis industry's ability to access banking that previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives seven times, but has never advanced in the U.S. Senate.

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Is The SEC Entering Fight Over Prediction Market Oversight?

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had remained largely silent on prediction market regulation until last week, but that trend may be changing, as many event contracts could qualify as security-based swaps, which are subject to the SEC's oversight under current definitions, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.

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High Court Ruling Casts Doubt On Status-Based Gun Bans

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling in U.S. v. Hemani demonstrates that the justices are increasingly skeptical of broad theories of categorical disarmament and clarifies that dangerousness cannot simply be presumed from one's status or membership in a statutory category, such as illegal drug use, says Lee Francis at Widener Law.

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Data Reveals Pivot In Feds' Financial Fraud Priorities

Recent Justice Department data shows fraud prosecutions fell to their lowest rate in a decade in 2025, illustrating a move away from traditional financial cases and toward a targeted mix of healthcare, government program, consumer and sanctions matters, say Paul Hinton and Adrienna Huffman at The Brattle Group.

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Examining 3 Notable DOL Moves In The First Half Of 2026

With the U.S. Department of Labor addressing independent contractor classification, joint employment and white collar exemptions so far this year, employers must understand this shifting landscape to ensure proper treatment of employees based on their classification and to mitigate enforcement risk, say attorneys at Conn Maciel.

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Weighing The Implications Of The Anthropic Export Directive

The Trump administration recently issued an export control directive against Anthropic to suspend all access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 by any foreign national, representing one of the first uses of the regime against a frontier large language model in widespread commercial distribution, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

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5 Key Factors Behind USPTO's Inter Partes Review Decisions

Though U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has drawn criticism for failing to explain his reasoning in inter partes review decisions, his recent precedential order in Magnolia v. Kurin provides five important insights into his decision-making process, says Christopher Loh at Venable.

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Okla. Reforms Will Curb Oil, Gas Royalty Litigation Risk

Recent amendments to Oklahoma's Production Revenue Standards Act — the most comprehensive in decades — raise the stakes for true noncompliance with the state's oil and gas royalty payment framework, while offering operators clearer rules, defined interest boundaries and predictable exits from prolonged suspense situations, say attorneys at GableGotwals.

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Series

Moshing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Entering a mosh pit is much like entering the practice of law — it is difficult, you have to know both the written and unwritten rules, and conduct yourself according to the expectations of each community, says Christopher Deubert at Constangy Brooks.

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Groombridge Wu Tops Milbank Pay Scale For Associates

By Kevin Penton

Groombridge Wu Baughman & Stone LLP is the latest firm to top the pay scale for associates announced earlier this month by Milbank LLP, with attorneys set to earn as much as $470,000.

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Attys Urged To Challenge Clients Who Demand AI Research

By Aaron Keller

A Connecticut federal judge urged attorneys during a Thursday sanctions hearing to push back against clients who demand lawyers use generative artificial intelligence tools to conduct legal research, saying the technology is no substitute for professional judgment and discretion because it "aims to please" and can misstate the law.

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Lack Of Evidence Sinks Insurance Fraud Case, Atty Says

By Emily Sawicki

A Louisiana law firm and lawyer found guilty of criminal conspiracy and wire fraud for staging vehicle crashes as part of a scheme to defraud insurance carriers and trucking companies are seeking acquittal or a new trial, arguing that federal prosecutors failed to support their claims with evidence.

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SCOTUSblog Founder Goldstein Blasts 'Inflated' DOJ Tax Math

By Jared Foretek

Convicted SCOTUSblog founder Tom Goldstein and federal prosecutors are clashing again over their dramatically divergent sentencing recommendations, with the defense accusing the government of presenting a "one-dimensional caricature" of the famed lawyer in seeking an eight-year sentence, and prosecutors accusing him of potentially deleting "secret chats" with his gambling backers.

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Quinn Emanuel Says 3M Fee Proposal Undervalues Its Work

By Carolina Bolado

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP has objected to a special master's recommendation on the allocation of common benefit fees in the $6 billion settlement that ended multidistrict litigation against 3M over allegedly faulty combat earplugs, saying the amount doesn't value the "length, extent and impact" of the firm's work.

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