Tesla Asks 11th Circ. To Vacate $243M Fatal Crash Verdict

By Mike Curley

Tesla Inc. is urging the Eleventh Circuit to vacate a $243 million verdict against it in a fatal crash involving one of its vehicles, saying the driver's recklessness, not any defect in the vehicle, caused the collision in the Florida Keys.

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DOJ Says Lyft Drivers 'Insult And Demean' Disabled Riders

By Rae Ann Varona

The U.S. Department of Justice sued Lyft Inc. Monday in California federal court for $53 million, accusing the ride-hailing company of discriminating against passengers with disabilities, including former U.S. Circuit Judge David Tatel, whom the DOJ said was twice denied a ride because of his guide dog.

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Treasure Hunter Says Backer Refusing To Divvy Up Loot Fairly

By Spencer Brewer

A treasure hunter and his company asked a Texas federal judge on Sunday to appoint a receiver to oversee the distribution of sunken Spanish treasure after his financial backer refused to turn over artifacts in a "neutral" manner.

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United Airlines Escapes Ex-Pilot's Military Bias Lawsuit

By Patrick Hoff

United Airlines defeated a former pilot's lawsuit alleging it unlawfully refused to reinstate him following a lengthy furlough he took to serve in the Air Force Reserve, with an Illinois federal judge ruling he hadn't provided evidence that anti-military bias tainted the airline's decision.

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Seattle Area Residents Aim To Relaunch Airport Pollution Suit

By Rachel Riley

Washington residents are seeking a federal judge's permission to revamp their proposed class action over alleged flight path pollution near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with the goal of bringing federal claims against the airport operator and major airlines after the Ninth Circuit ruled out their previous state law claims.

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Execs Sandbagged Failed Trucking Insurer Receiver, Jury Told

By Cara Salvatore

The receiver for defunct trucking insurer Spirit told a Nevada jury Monday that in the days after a court took control, executives of an outside company handling Spirit's business functions inserted "extraordinary" roadblocks into the process of alerting customers that the insurer was finished.

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US Probes Chinese Bricks For Duty Evasion After Court Fight

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Department of Commerce said Monday that it will investigate whether certain Chinese heat-resistant bricks are circumventing duties based on their chemical makeup after a group of domestic manufacturers followed the Federal Circuit's recommendation to request such an inquiry.

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Brief

USTR Extends Vietnam Section 301 IP Investigation

By Dylan Moroses

The U.S. Trade Representative is extending its investigation into Vietnam's trading practices for three more months, according to a notice published Monday.

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Turkey, Taiwan Tin Mill Imports Facing Antidumping Duties

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday provisionally concluded that tin mill products imported into the country from Turkey and Taiwan are being sold at less than fair value, setting up possible antidumping duty rates.

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High Court Passes On Roberto Clemente Plate TM Dispute

By Ivan Moreno

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a dispute between Roberto Clemente's sons and Puerto Rico over commemorative license plates bearing the baseball legend's name and image.

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Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court last week cleared the way for Cloudflare Inc. to seek immediate review of an injunction blocking a stock restructuring designed to preserve its founders' control, while setting a January hearing in a similar dispute over Meta Platforms Inc.'s plan to create nonvoting shares.

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Justices Signal Support For Feds In Pipeline Payout Fight

By Keith Goldberg

U.S. Supreme Court justices Monday appeared inclined to conclude that federal law, and not state law, determines what gas infrastructure project developers should pay landowners in eminent domain proceedings.

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9th Circ. Pauses Some Calif. Climate Disclosure Requirements

By Rae Ann Varona

The Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that California can require companies to report greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations or from purchased energy, but temporarily blocked the state from requiring reporting of indirect emissions and climate-related financial risk.

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High Court Disbars Judicial Watch Founder Larry Klayman

By David Minsky

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday disbarred Judicial Watch founder and Florida conservative activist attorney Larry Klayman following his 18-month suspension issued last year by the D.C. Court of Appeals. 

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Firms Must Face RICO Claims In Asbestos Fraud Suit

By Emily Field

An Illinois federal judge on Friday held that Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP and Sokolove Law must face racketeering claims brought by a Los Angeles industrial pipe manufacturer alleging that the firms brought baseless asbestos claims, finding that an antitrust doctrine shielding those who petition the courts does not apply.

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DOJ's Civil Division Head Joins Agency Exits After Midterms

By Jack Karp

The leader of the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division, Brett A. Shumate, on Monday became at least the fifth top DOJ official to step down following Republicans' defeat in last week's midterm elections.

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Trump Eyes OLC Chief For Texas Judgeship After Midterms

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump is considering the head of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel for a federal judgeship in Texas, a process that started right after the Democrats won big in last week's midterm elections.

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Goldstein Says Gov't Conceded Key Trial Errors

By Jared Foretek

SCOTUSblog co-founder Thomas Goldstein told the Fourth Circuit that the federal prosecutors who netted 12 tax and mortgage fraud convictions effectively conceded they hid evidence by steering a key witness to new testimony mid-trial and had reversed their stance on jury instructions, two key issues in Goldstein's appeal.

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AAA Says Consumers' Monopoly Claims Lack Factual Support

By Caroline Simson

The American Arbitration Association is lashing out against consumers who accuse the institution of monopolizing the consumer arbitration services market, telling a federal judge on Monday that they should be sanctioned for including "false, misleading, and unsupported allegations" in an amended complaint.

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Wash. Panel Nixes $10K Sanctions On Monsanto PCB Attys

By Rachel Riley

A Washington Court of Appeals panel has overturned a combined $10,000 in sanctions against four attorneys who defended Monsanto from chemical poisoning claims, concluding Monday that the trial court overstepped its authority by personally punishing the lawyers for late disclosure of expert witnesses.

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