Public Policy

  • August 07, 2025

    Insurer Says Conviction Bars Coverage For Police Injury Suit

    An insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify a man facing a civil claim of negligently blinding a Los Angeles police officer with a laser, it told a California federal court, saying the man's criminal conviction for assault means his conduct was intentional and therefore not covered.

  • August 07, 2025

    German Carmakers Press EU To Secure Tariff Relief Quickly

    A German automaker association urged the European Union to finalize its trade deal with the U.S. to relieve the car manufacturing industry of the pressure of tariffs.

  • August 07, 2025

    Calif. Sheriff Says Criminal Law Enforceable On Tribal Land

    A California sheriff is asking a federal judge to dismiss the latest complaint from the Round Valley Indian Tribes and three members alleging law enforcement illegally raided cannabis growers, saying criminal laws can still be enforced on tribal land.

  • August 07, 2025

    UnitedHealth Selling Home Health Branches In DOJ Deal

    The U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement Thursday resolving its Maryland federal court challenge to UnitedHealth's $3.3 billion acquisition of home health and hospice company Amedisys, with the deal requiring the companies to sell at least 164 locations across 19 states.

  • August 06, 2025

    6th Circ. Rips 'Stalking Horse' Ploy In Drug Negotiation Suit

    The pharmaceutical industry will feel the sting of a Wednesday loss in a wide-ranging war over Medicare's power to negotiate drug prices, as the Sixth Circuit tossed a suit and accused one major company of utilizing a "stalking horse" to sue in a more favorable forum.

  • August 06, 2025

    States Urge Justices To Back Med Mal Laws In Federal Court

    Tennessee and 26 other states on Wednesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to hold that state statutes requiring an expert affidavit in all medical malpractice suits may be applied in federal court, arguing that overriding these laws under federal procedure rules would undermine state authority.

  • August 06, 2025

    Okla. Tribe Accuses US Sen. Of Secretly Targeting Its Rights

    An Oklahoma tribe announced Tuesday allegations of a secret effort by a U.S. senator to incorporate language into future legislation that would terminate its rights to trust land and basic economic development it shares with the Cherokee Nation. 

  • August 06, 2025

    Stanford Daily Sues Trump Admin Over Deportation Threats

    Stanford University's student newspaper, The Stanford Daily, sued the Trump administration in California federal court on Wednesday, claiming that the threat of immigration law enforcement against lawfully present noncitizen students expressing pro-Palestinian views is unconstitutional and has students self-censoring out of fears of being deported.

  • August 06, 2025

    Calif. Water Toxicity Test Flouts Federal Law, Court Rules

    A California state appeals court has barred state regulators from requiring wastewater entities to use a new water pollution test for discharge permits, but said the Golden State's adoption of new toxicity provisions was proper under state law.

  • August 06, 2025

    FCC Blocks 185 Voice Providers For Breaking Robocall Regs

    Nearly 200 voice service providers will no longer be able to connect to U.S. networks because they refused to comply with Federal Communications Commission regulations aimed at stemming the flood of robocalls being made to people's phones, the agency said.

  • August 06, 2025

    Gray TV Urges FCC To Stick With Next-Gen Transition

    Broadcast behemoth GrayTV says it's time for the Federal Communications Commission to force the finalization of transition to the next generation of television broadcasting, arguing that the old generation services "place broadcasters at a technological disadvantage."

  • August 06, 2025

    USPTO's Stewart Suggests Org. Is Eyeing Patent Fee Changes

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart addressed rumors that the Trump administration is considering a new fee on the values of patents on Wednesday, saying Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is "very concerned" about the "disconnect" between the low costs of obtaining patents and their huge worth.

  • August 06, 2025

    5th Circ. Upholds Gun Ban For Convicted Felons

    A Fifth Circuit panel on Wednesday shot down a felon's attempt to have a gun charge thrown out after he was found guilty of a drive-by shooting, saying a historical analog from the time of the country's founding allows for confiscation of firearms from felons.

  • August 06, 2025

    Parents Lose Deportation Appeal That Cited Child's Disability

    An Eleventh Circuit panel said Wednesday that hardship determinations in deportation proceedings should be reviewed to ascertain whether federal immigration courts have "substantial evidence" to back the determinations, in the process rejecting an undocumented immigrant couple's bid to stay in the U.S. to continue treatment and schooling for their child, who has a learning disability.

  • August 06, 2025

    Indivior Beats Investor Suit Over Opioid Drug Sales Forecasts

    A Virginia federal judge Wednesday tossed an investor class action accusing drugmaker Indivior PLC of overstating the financial prospects of its drugs used to treat opioid use disorders and its ability to forecast such financial projections, finding, among other things, that the complaint's challenged statements are inactionable.

  • August 06, 2025

    Crypto.com Seeks Win Over Nev. Regulators In Betting Brawl

    The derivatives platform owned by Crypto.com asked a Nevada federal judge to permanently block the state's gambling regulators from taking action over its sports event contracts, which it argues are exclusively overseen by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

  • August 06, 2025

    Local Gov'ts Oppose FCC's Fast-Track Rule Cut Process

    Local governments banded together Wednesday to oppose a new rulemaking procedure that lets the Federal Communications Commission more deftly slash telecom regulations that it views as outdated.

  • August 06, 2025

    USPTO To Require Advanced Multifactor Authentication

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Wednesday that, beginning in November, it will no longer accept email as an account verification method and will require other, more advanced authentication processes.

  • August 06, 2025

    Feds Give Amazon's Zoox Robotaxis Green Light

    Amazon's self-driving car unit, Zoox Inc., has received federal approval to deploy fleets of robotaxis, making the company the first to receive an exemption from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for U.S.-built autonomous vehicles under a newly expanded program, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday.

  • August 06, 2025

    UC Policy Found Discriminatory Based On Immigration Status

    A California state appeals court has ruled that the University of California's employment policy against hiring unauthorized immigrant students who lack federal work permits is "facially discriminatory," and that the university system couldn't lean on a risk of federal enforcement for justification.

  • August 06, 2025

    Conn. Hospital Advances $8.3M Bonus Claims Against State

    Connecticut Children's Medical Center Inc. can proceed on all its claims against the state Department of Social Services in a dispute over an unpaid $8.3 million performance bonus, a state court judge has ruled in turning away the department's bid to trim the case to a single count.

  • August 06, 2025

    Broadcasters Worry Upper C-Band Moves Could Cause Harm

    Broadcasters are concerned about a federal plan to turn over more midband airwaves for next-generation mobile use since networks depend on satellites in the existing band to deliver interference-free programs to affiliate stations.

  • August 06, 2025

    State AGs Want Final OK For $39M Apotex Price-Fixing Deal

    Nearly every state attorney general in the country has asked a Connecticut federal judge to give final approval to a $39.1 million deal to settle claims that drugmaker Apotex Corp. schemed with others to fix prices and allocate markets for generic drugs, noting that the Florida-based company has already made the payment.

  • August 06, 2025

    Rev Up Unlicensed Device Power In 6 GHz, FCC Told

    Now that the Federal Communications Commission has made 6 gigahertz spectrum more widely available to low-power unlicensed devices, the FCC should raise the devices' allowed power levels to make the band even more useful, a wireless group said.

  • August 06, 2025

    Battle Lines Form Around Interior's Updated NEPA Rule

    The U.S. Department of the Interior is facing stiff resistance from green groups and blue states that oppose its new environmental review process for infrastructure projects, but some industry groups said the agency has taken the right approach.

Expert Analysis

  • Steps For Universities To Pass Tax-Exempt Test Amid Scrutiny

    Author Photo

    After decades of a quiet governmental acceptance of tax-exempt status, universities are facing unprecedented and public pressure to defend themselves, and must consider how to protect this valuable status, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • In 2nd Term, Trump Has New Iran Sanctions Enforcement Tool

    Author Photo

    As tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate, the Trump administration may use a whistleblower program enacted in 2022 to target violations that were previously more difficult to detect, thus expanding enforcement of economic sanctions, say attorneys at MoloLamken and Zuckerman Law.

  • Texas Targets Del. Primacy With Trio Of New Corporate Laws

    Author Photo

    Delaware has long positioned itself as the leader in attracting business formation, but a flurry of new legislation in Texas aimed at attracting businesses to the Lone Star State is aggressively trying to change that, says Andrew Oringer at the Wagner Law Group.

  • Explicit Pic Takedown Law Casts A Wide Net

    Author Photo

    With a surprisingly broad range of online platforms potentially subject to the new Take It Down Act’s process for removing revenge porn or explicit deepfakes, all services that allow user interaction or content hosting should proactively evaluate their legal obligations and demonstrate compliance, say attorneys at Goodwin, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • How AI May Reshape The Future Of Adjudication

    Author Photo

    As discussed at a recent panel at Texas A&M, artificial intelligence will not erase the human element of adjudication in the next 10 to 20 years, but it will drive efficiencies that spur private arbiters to experiment, lead public courts to evolve and force attorneys to adapt, says Christopher Seck at Squire Patton.

  • What Money Transmitters Need To Know About New Colo. Law

    Author Photo

    Colorado's new Money Transmission Modernization Act updates standards for the licensing, supervision and regulation of money transmitters while codifying an agent-to-payee exemption, and represents another step toward standardizing these rules across state governments, say Sarah Auchterlonie and Joel Herberman at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • How States Are Taking The Lead On Data Center Regulation

    Author Photo

    While support for data center growth is a declared priority for the current administration, federal data center policy has been slow to develop — so states continue to lead in attracting and regulating data center growth, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • Justices' Charter School Tie Delays Church-State Reckoning

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent deadlock in Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board v. Drummond, blocking the creation of the nation’s first religious charter school, preserved the separation of church and state for now, but offered little reassurance about its continued viability, says Jeffrey Sultanik at Fox Rothschild.

  • When Legal Advocacy Crosses The Line Into Incivility

    Author Photo

    As judges issue sanctions for courtroom incivility, and state bars advance formal discipline rules, trial lawyers must understand that the difference between zealous advocacy and unprofessionalism is not just a matter of tone; it's a marker of skill, credibility and potentially disciplinary exposure, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Opinion

    It's Time To Expand The WARN Act Liability Exception

    Author Photo

    With layoffs surging across several industries, Congress should amend the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act to address an exception-based disparity that prevents directors and officers from taking all reasonable steps to save a company before being required to provide workers with a mass-layoff notice, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Texas Bill Could Still Boost Property Rights In Gov't Disputes

    Author Photo

    The passage of a bill in Texas that would provide litigants with access to a greater swath of judicial remedies in immunity disputes with government entities and officials would be an invaluable boon for property rights, says Nathan Vrazel at Munsch Hardt.

  • Two Bills Promise A Crypto Revamp, But Not A Done Deal Yet

    Author Photo

    Recent efforts in Congress toward an updated regulatory framework for digital assets have led to two bills — the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act — that represent the most consequential legislative developments yet in the push for coherent, pro-innovation, reliable regulation for the industry, but both face multiple hurdles, says Mike Katz at Manatt.

  • Opinion

    NJ Should Align With Federal Rule On Expert Testimony

    Author Photo

    The time is right to amend Rule 702 of the New Jersey Rules of Evidence to align it with the recently amended Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence and clarify the standard for admissibility of expert testimony, says Timothy Freeman at Tanenbaum Keale.

  • Recent Reports Shed Light On Section 340B's Effectiveness

    Author Photo

    Recent analyses of the Section 340B program's effectiveness in helping patients afford drugs in Minnesota reinforce concerns about the program's lack of transparency and underscore the need for further evaluation of whether legislative reform should be enacted, say William A. Sarraille at the University of Maryland, and Andrée-Anne Fournier and Molly Frean at Analysis Group.

  • Opinion

    Congress Should Pass IP Reform, Starting With 3 Patent Bills

    Author Photo

    Congress is considering a trio of bipartisan bills to fix patent law problems that have cropped up over the past two decades, and it shouldn't stop there — addressing two other intellectual property issues is critical for America's economy, says retired Judge Kathleen O'Malley at the Council for Innovation Promotion.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Public Policy archive.