4th Circ. Backs W.Va.'s Trans Care Coverage Exclusion

By Grace Elletson

The Fourth Circuit said Tuesday that West Virginia's Medicaid coverage exclusion for gender-affirming care passes constitutional muster and does not discriminate based on sex, basing its conclusion on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

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10th Circ. Upholds Lawmakers' Misgendering-Rule Immunity

By Zach Dupont

A Tenth Circuit appellate panel upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit from two advocacy groups Tuesday that sought to overturn a rule in the Colorado General Assembly prohibiting speakers from misgendering or deadnaming people.

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Judiciary Approves Supreme Court Public Defender Office

By Katie Buehler

The federal judiciary approved a new office Tuesday aimed at improving the quality of representation for indigent defendants with cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. 

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Boston Exam Schools Case May Hinge On 1st Circ. Ruling

By Carolyn Muyskens

A Massachusetts federal judge weighed arguments Tuesday on whether to dismiss a challenge to the admissions system for Boston's three selective "exam schools" in light of a First Circuit ruling backing a previous plan that increased racial diversity.

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DOJ Official Faces Ethics Case Over Georgetown DEI Letters

By Alison Knezevich

U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin has been hit with disciplinary charges in the nation's capital over threatening letters he sent to Georgetown University Law Center last year while he was interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

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Wisconsin Judges Decline To Extend Interim US Atty's Term

By Courtney Bublé

A majority of judges in the Eastern District of Wisconsin have declined to extend the tenure of interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel, according to an announcement Tuesday.

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Dems Confront Roberts At Wide-Ranging Judiciary Gathering

By Jeff Overley

The federal judiciary's top administrator voiced "serious and urgent concerns" Tuesday regarding threats of retribution against judges, a warning that coincided with a judicial gathering where Democrats discussed security fears and controversial U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

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Ballot Selfie Ban Doesn't Flout Free Speech, NC Judge Rules

By Hayley Fowler

A North Carolina federal judge has upheld the state's ban on ballot selfies, rejecting a First Amendment challenge by a former Libertarian state senate candidate and voter who accused state and local election officials of trampling her free speech rights by enforcing the ban.

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Calif. Judge Says EFTA Doesn't Cover Wires In Discover Suit

By Sydney Price

Discover Bank has escaped a proposed class action accusing it of failing to reimburse consumers for wire fraud, ruling that a key federal payments law does not make Discover liable for the fraudulent $110,000 transfer made from the plaintiff's account.

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DOJ Defends Tying Loan Forgiveness To Employer Conduct

By Jared Foretek

The Trump administration is asking a D.C. federal judge to toss a lawsuit challenging a new rule that could strip some nonprofits of Public Service Loan Forgiveness program eligibility, claiming that the plaintiffs in the suit have no standing because they aren't engaged in any illegal activities.

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8th Circ. Revives Loan Forgiveness Suit, Keeps Plan Blocked

By Jared Foretek

The Eighth Circuit has revived a challenge to a Biden-era student loan repayment program brought by Republican-led states, hours after a group of borrowers sued the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., claiming that the case's dismissal last month should have immediately restarted the program.

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$18.7M Settlement Nixed Over 'Fabricated' Loan Docs

By Brian Steele

Citing a need for public confidence in judicial decisions, a Connecticut state court judge has set aside an agreed-upon $18.7 million judgment against a housing nonprofit, which claimed that its ex-leader "fabricated" the documents purporting to authorize the defaulted loan at issue in the case.

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Dem Says 'Compromise' Can Thread Stablecoin Yield Needle

By Jon Hill

A key U.S. Senate Democrat called Tuesday for closing what bankers say is a stablecoin interest "loophole" that could siphon deposits from traditional lenders, stressing that compromise may be needed to avoid letting the "perfect be the enemy of good."

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EPA Updates 20-Year-Old Incinerator Emissions Rules

By Gautama Mehta

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency revised emissions limits at large municipal waste combustors, easing back on a Biden administration proposal from 2024 while strengthening standards last set in 2006.

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Brief

Feds Can't Pause Fight Over Offshore Wind Stop-Work Order

By Keith Goldberg

A D.C. federal judge has rejected the Trump administration's bid to pause litigation challenging its stoppage of the Empire Wind offshore wind project, saying the government hasn't justified the need for a stay.

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Wash. To Set Its Own Vaccine Schedule Under New State Law

By Dan McKay

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed legislation that requires health plans to cover vaccines and other preventive care recommended by the state rather than the federal government, joining a movement toward states setting their own recommendations.

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CFTC Urged To Halt War Bets Over Insider Trading Fears

By Elaine Briseño

Two Democratic lawmakers from Colorado and Rhode Island have urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to "immediately halt" wagers on events tied to U.S. military operations, arguing those types of offerings on prediction markets threaten national security.

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Robinhood Wants Mich. Gambling Law Enforcement Blocked

By Tom Lotshaw

Robinhood Derivatives LLC has asked a Michigan federal judge to block the state from enforcing gaming laws against it, arguing that federal statutes give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jurisdiction over sports-related event contracts.

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Fla. Defends Social Media Teen Ban As Content-Neutral

By Carolina Bolado

Florida defended its restrictions on social media for children before the Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday, arguing that the law is content-neutral and does not violate the First Amendment, and urged the appeals court to undo an injunction blocking its enforcement.

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11th Circ. Torn On Ga.'s Social Media Restrictions For Children

By Chart Riggall

An Eleventh Circuit panel appeared conflicted Tuesday over a Georgia law that placed new restrictions on children's use of social media, suggesting that some provisions were "clearly constitutional" while others likely won't clear First Amendment scrutiny.

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Trump Admin Sued Over Immigration Censorship Policy

By Nadia Dreid

The Trump administration's new immigration "censorship policy" is aptly named, not because it actually prevents censorship but because it targets noncitizens who advocate against misinformation in order to scare them into silence, according to a new lawsuit.

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NY Truckers' Congestion Pricing Lawsuit Is Tossed For Good

By Linda Chiem

A New York federal judge on Tuesday dismissed for good an amended lawsuit claiming congestion pricing tolls wrongfully discriminate against commercial truckers, saying a trade group representing New York motor carriers presented no new facts or evidence suggesting the tolls were unreasonable or unconstitutional.

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Panel Blocks Pension Atty Fee Deduction By Wash. Agency

By Ben Adlin

Washington's Department of Retirement Systems can't pay down a $12.6 million legal bill related to a $32 million class settlement over pensions by deducting from a class member's withdrawal of their state retirement contributions, a three-judge state appellate panel ruled Tuesday, partially affirming a trial court's ruling in the worker's favor.

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AFSCME Sues Trump Admin Over $600M Health Funding Cuts

By Katherine Smith

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is seeking to block a federal government directive to cancel more than $600 million in public health grants administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alleging that the directive was issued to target Democratic-led states.

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Judge Fumes As Live Nation Antitrust Trial Remains In Limbo

By Stewart Bishop

The status of Live Nation Entertainment's antitrust trial and proposed settlement over federal and state government claims of anticompetitive conduct remained up in the air Tuesday amid pushback by several states, while the Manhattan federal judge overseeing the case upbraided the parties for keeping him out of the loop about negotiations.

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Colo. High Court Considers Debt Collector's Compliance

By Rachel Konieczny

The Colorado Supreme Court grappled Tuesday with the requirements and limits of a state debt collection practices law in an appeal brought by a consumer arguing a debt collector did not comply with the law when seeking to collect her $671.29 credit card debt.

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Pa. Justices Wonder When Printed Parts Become Guns

By Matthew Santoni

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court struggled Tuesday with where to draw important lines for a case involving Philadelphia's ban on 3D-printed "ghost guns," looking for distinctions between "parts" and "firearms," or "manufacturing" and "possessing," since gun groups argued state law preempts local regulations of the latter.

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Anthropic Asks Judge To Block DOD's Security Risk Label

By Madeline Lyskawa

Anthropic has urged a California federal judge to block the Trump administration from enforcing an order designating the artificial intelligence company a supply chain risk to national security, arguing the government has retaliated against Anthropic for its constitutionally protected speech.

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Brief

Russian Palladium Getting 110% Subsidies, Commerce Says

By Kevin Pinner

Russian producers of unwrought palladium are receiving countervailable subsidies equal to nearly 110% the value of their merchandise, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Tuesday, weeks after making a preliminary determination that the metal should face a triple-digit tariff.

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Brief

Chinese Bin Imports Hurting US Industry, Setting Up Duties

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. International Trade Commission determined Monday that imported plastic boxes from China are causing material injury to U.S. industries due to being unfairly priced and subsidized, lining them up for duties.

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Brief

Certain Taiwanese Chemicals Hit With Triple-Digit Duties

By Jack McLoone

Imports of certain chemicals from Taiwan into the U.S. were tagged with large antidumping and countervailing duties by the U.S. Department of Commerce on Tuesday.

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Colo. Broadens Farm, Ranch Definitions For Property Taxes

By Zak Kostro

Colorado broadened its definitions of farms and ranches for property tax purposes to allow more agriculture producers to qualify for tax advantages under a bill signed by Gov. Jared Polis.

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Conn. Court Says Day Care On Church Property Tax-Exempt

By Jaqueline McCool

A Connecticut church that leases part of its property out to a private for-profit day care should be allowed a property tax exemption for the entirety of its property, the state Appellate Court affirmed. 

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Feds Urge End To IRS Wind, Solar Safe Harbor Fight

By Keith Goldberg

The Trump administration has told a D.C. federal judge there's no basis to sustain a lawsuit challenging an IRS notice eliminating a safe harbor test that wind and solar projects could use to qualify for clean energy tax credits.

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Kan. House Bills Seek To Limit School Property Taxes

By Jaqueline McCool

Kansas would impose a cap on the ad valorem taxes that school districts could impose under bills introduced in the state House.

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Judge Says Noncitizen's Habeas Petition Isn't Reviewable Yet

By Ganesh Setty

An Ohio federal court tossed a Mexican national's habeas petition alleging due process violations over his immigration detention and an immigration court's bond denial, finding the Immigration and Nationality Act contains "sharp" jurisdictional limits.

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Judge Says No Imminent Harm From Alleged ICE Racial Stops

By Britain Eakin

A Minnesota federal judge ruled that Minneapolis-area residents who claim immigration officers unlawfully stopped and arrested them based on racial profiling aren't entitled to a preliminary injunction, but nonetheless showed that the federal government was likely involved in unlawful conduct.

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Somali Immigrants Sue To Block End Of Protected Status

By Elaine Briseño

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is facing another lawsuit over terminating a temporary protected status designation, with nonprofit groups and Somali individuals alleging the government's decision was rooted in racial animus.

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Wash. Senate Passes Bill Banning Masked Law Enforcement

By Elizabeth Daley

A bill to prohibit law enforcement officers, including federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from concealing their faces while interacting with the public has received final approval from the Washington state Senate, making the state one of many to consider such legislation.

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Feds Ask DC Circ. Not To Halt Immigrant Truck Driver Rule

By Linda Chiem

The Trump administration urged the D.C. Circuit to reject an attempt by unions and workers to block the U.S. Department of Transportation from implementing new restrictions next week on so-called nondomiciled commercial driver's licenses for immigrants, saying the crucial regulation addresses known public safety risks.

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ACLU Says 90 Alien Enemies Act Deportees Still Want Relief

By Britain Eakin

Attorneys for a class of Venezuelans deported last March under the Alien Enemies Act said all but one of the 91 deportees they've contacted so far want to proceed with a challenge to their designation as members of Tren de Aragua.

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AILA Tells 11th Circ. Fla. Lacked Immigration Jail Authority

By Tom Lotshaw

The American Immigration Lawyers Association told the Eleventh Circuit that the immigration detention facility Florida built in the Everglades required federal authorization under the Immigration and Nationality Act, making the facility subject to federal environmental reviews.

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Military Attys In DOJ 'Erodes Democratic Norms,' Ex-JAGs Say

By Lauren Berg

Nearly a dozen former military lawyers raised the alarm about the Trump administration appointing judge advocate officers to U.S. attorneys' offices, urging a Minnesota federal judge Tuesday to bar an Army lawyer from prosecuting a case that accuses a civilian of assaulting federal immigration enforcement agents.

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Ill. Tax Preparer Gets 10 Years For $14M PPP Loan Fraud

By Celeste Bott

An Illinois federal judge's decision to impose a 10-year prison sentence on a man for his role in a $14 million fraud scheme where he took kickbacks for preparing false applications for pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program loans drew surprised outbursts in the courtroom Tuesday from both the defendant and his attorney.

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Judge Won't Block Millions In Salmon Hatchery Tribal Awards

By Crystal Owens

A Washington federal judge won't block millions in Pacific salmon hatchery grants or set aside $22 million for two Indigenous nations that allege they were unfairly deemed ineligible for the funding, saying the tribes don't meet the standard for relief and are unlikely to succeed on the merits.

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EPA Looks To Rescind Biden Era Rule On Tribal Water Rights

By Joyce Hanson

A North Dakota federal judge is letting red states' lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over a tribal water rights rule remain on hold for now after the EPA said it will begin new rulemaking procedures to rescind the original rule made under the Biden administration.

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Calif. County Says Tribes Can't Renew Dismissed Claims

By Mike Curley

Mendocino County and its sheriff are asking a California federal court to strike claims from the latest complaint by the Round Valley Indian Tribes over cannabis raids, saying they can't amend and reallege claims that were dismissed with prejudice.

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Native Rights Group Urges Veto Of South Dakota Voting Bill

By Crystal Owens

The Native American Rights Fund is urging South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden to veto a bill that they say will impose harmful barriers to voter registration and disproportionately burden Indigenous voters and communities across the state.

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Fla. Archaeologist Fights Bid To Nix Defamation Suit

By David Minsky

A Florida archaeologist has asked a federal judge to deny a bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging a Maryland-based nonprofit claimed in a press release he trafficked stolen Native American artifacts, saying the words used suggest the false statements aren't protected as "pure opinion." 

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Pole Upgrades Too Often Lead To Sticker Shock, FCC Told

By Christopher Cole

The Federal Communications Commission needs to put guardrails on the cost of adding broadband gear to utility poles because bills often take years to show up and in some cases far exceed the pole owners' estimates, a cable industry group said.

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Keep CBRS Rule Framework Intact, Supporters Tell FCC

By Christopher Cole

Regulators shouldn't mess with the rules and device power levels that have made the Citizens Broadband Radio Service run smoothly over the last decade, supporters of the tiered system for farming out critical midband spectrum say.

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Florida High Court Rebuffs 2026 Cannabis Legalization Bid

By Sam Reisman

The campaign to legalize retail marijuana in Florida via ballot initiative in the 2026 election appears finished after the state's highest court declined jurisdiction in a challenge to a lower court's upholding the invalidation of thousands of signatures gathered in support of the effort.

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Drug Wholesaler's DPA Shows Imperfect Efforts Still Count

Atlantic Biologicals’ recent deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors for allegedly distributing controlled substances to pill mill pharmacies demonstrates that even subpar cooperation, when combined with genuine remediation and strategic advocacy, can yield outcomes that protect a company's long-term interests, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.

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H-1B Registration Tips For New Wage-Weighted Selection

Practitioners participating in this year’s H-1B visa registration, currently underway, must understand that under the new wage-weighted selection process that replaced the random lottery, the crucial first step is choosing the correct standard occupational classification, says Jimmy Lai at Lai & Turner.

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Lessons From Justices' Split On Major Questions Doctrine

The justices' varied opinions in Learning Resources v. Trump, which held the International Emergency Economy Powers Act did not confer the power to impose tariffs, offer a meaningful window into the U.S. Supreme Court's perspective on the major questions doctrine that will likely shape lower courts' approach to executive action challenges, say attorneys at Venable.

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How NY Stay-Or-Pay Law Shifts Leverage Dynamics

The recent passage of New York's Trapped at Work Act reflects increasing scrutiny of stay-or-pay arrangements, but its lack of a private right of action represents a meaningful departure from other employment laws, dramatically shifting leverage from the courtroom to a state agency, says James Valentino at Clayman Rosenberg.

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Ill. Swipe Fee Ruling Sets Stage For A High-Stakes Appeal

In Illinois Bankers Association v. Raoul, an Illinois federal court upheld the state's ban on credit and debit card swipe fees on tax and tip payments, while permanently enjoining the statute's data usage limitation, but an imminent appeal could significantly influence the trajectory of state-level payments regulation, say attorneys at Latham.

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What Cos. Must Know About Pa.'s Proposed Data Center Regs

Under Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's new proposal to balance hyperscale data center infrastructure with grid stability, water resources and community transparency, businesses in the state face a strategic choice: wait for binding requirements to emerge, or proactively align projects with the standards now, say Wade Stephens and Sasha Burton at Langsam Stevens.

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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.

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$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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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