Public Policy

January 06, 2026
Calif. Tribe Rejects Feds' Delay In 40-Acre Land Transfer Fight

A California tribe is asking a D.C. federal court to deny a bid by the U.S. Department of the Interior for an indefinite stay in responding to a challenge to the agency's decision to approve a 40-acre land transfer for a fellow state tribe's casino project.
January 06, 2026
Calif. Locomotive Emissions Rule Repeal Ends Industry Suit

A California federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a legal challenge from rail industry groups to a since-repealed regulation that would've required railroads to transition to zero-emission locomotives in the Golden State, closing the book on the dispute after the parties agreed to drop the case.
January 06, 2026
Wyo. High Court Strikes Down 2 Laws Restricting Abortion

The Wyoming Supreme Court struck down the state's near-total abortion ban and a first-of-its-kind prohibition on abortion pills on Tuesday, saying the laws violated the state constitution.
January 06, 2026
Visa Suit Tossed After DHS Restored Students' Status

A Washington federal judge agreed Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit a student brought against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after it reinstated his visa status, finding the action is moot because the government indicated it has no plans to re-terminate visas based on criminal database searches.
January 06, 2026
Top Groups Lobbying The FCC

Groups lobbying the Federal Communications Commission stayed busy in December as the agency closed out a year of rapid change, with advocates focused on satellite spectrum sharing, amateur radio rules, network recovery on the U.S. Virgin Islands, and more.
January 06, 2026
9th Circ. Says Christian Ministry Can Reject Gay Applicants

The Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday that a Christian ministry is constitutionally clear to refuse employment to people based on their sexual orientation, explaining that the First Amendment allows religious ministries to prefer candidates who share their beliefs about marriage and sexuality.
January 06, 2026
Groups Again Push Fed. Circ. To Eye 'Settled Expectations'

The latest petition challenging the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's use of "settled expectations" based on a patent's age to deny reviews has gotten support from several industry groups, which told the Federal Circuit the policy will cause "severe damage" to the patent system.
January 06, 2026
Bankers Urge Senate To Ban Stablecoin Yield Payments

The American Bankers Association is doubling down on efforts to convince policymakers to outlaw yield payments for stablecoins, urging banking CEOs and their clients to flood U.S. senators with letters and calls as a forthcoming crypto market structure bill presents an opportunity to solidify the prohibition.
January 06, 2026
NJ Bill Aims To Earmark $2.5B In Development Tax Credits

New Jersey would earmark $2.5 billion in economic development tax credits, with up to $300 million designated for sports and entertainment projects, as part of a bill introduced in the state Assembly.
January 06, 2026
Texas Justices Erase ABA Approval In Bar Admissions

The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday issued an order ending a longstanding rule requiring graduation from a law school approved by the American Bar Association for admittance to the state bar, with the court giving itself the authority for accreditation.
January 06, 2026
Kalshi Seeks To Keep Status Quo Amid Sports Contract Fight

Kalshi is urging the Ninth Circuit to allow it to continue offering sports event contracts as it litigates a patchwork of cases from state gaming regulators arguing that the trading platform is using the contracts to violate sports betting laws.
January 06, 2026
Fulton County Says Feds Can't Force Release Of 2020 Ballots

Fulton County, Georgia's clerk of court called on a federal judge to toss the Trump administration's bid to force her to hand over 2020 election ballots, arguing the government sought the records under the wrong law and in the wrong venue.
January 06, 2026
Rep. McIver To Face All Counts From Detention Center Scrum

U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., must face the full criminal indictment accusing her of assaulting federal officers outside an immigration detention center in Newark, a New Jersey federal judge has ruled.
January 06, 2026
Former Ga. State Legislator Accused Of Pandemic Aid Fraud

A former Georgia state House member was charged Monday with fraudulently obtaining pandemic-era unemployment benefits, the second Democratic lawmaker from the Peach State targeted in a criminal case related to COVID-19 relief in the past month.
January 06, 2026
Indiana Lawmaker Files Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

An Indiana state lawmaker has introduced legislation to decriminalize personal possession of small amounts of marijuana.
January 06, 2026
WH Says Judge Can't Pursue Immigration Contempt Probe

The Trump administration has once again told the D.C. Circuit that U.S. District Judge James Boasberg lacks the constitutional authority to open a contempt probe into the government's removal of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants against his emergency order in March, calling the investigation an "unprecedented criminal fact-finding inquisition."
January 06, 2026
FTC Urges DC Circ. To Unblock Media Matters Probe

The Federal Trade Commission told the D.C. Circuit the agency's investigation into left-leaning watchdog Media Matters for America is about potential collusion in the advertising industry, not retaliation for reporting on Nazi content, and said a lower court was wrong to block the probe.
January 06, 2026
ISP Asks Feds To Preempt SC City Over Fiber Deployment

A broadband provider has urged the Federal Communications Commission to use its preemption authority to block a South Carolina city's requirements for deployment of new internet services.
January 06, 2026
Judgeship Nomination Not Renewed Amid Fla. Charity Probe

The nomination of John Guard, senior counselor to the attorney general of Florida, for a Middle District of Florida federal judgeship, has not been renewed for the new session of Congress after he came under scrutiny in a criminal probe regarding a charity connected to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
January 06, 2026
Creek Nation Fights Okla. Over Tribal Hunting Rights

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has joined three fellow Oklahoma tribes in asking a federal court to block state wildlife officials from requiring tribal citizens to obtain state licenses to hunt and fish on their reservation lands, arguing that the practice violates its sovereignty and right to self-govern.
January 06, 2026
IRS Appeals Pause Of ICE Info-Sharing Agreement

The Internal Revenue Service is appealing to the D.C. Circuit a federal court order temporarily stopping the agency from sharing confidential taxpayer addresses with immigration enforcement officials, according to a filing Tuesday in D.C. federal court.
January 06, 2026
Tax Firm Says IRS Can't Justify Microcaptive Reporting Rules

A global tax services provider urged a Texas federal court to vacate tax reporting rules for microcaptive insurance companies, arguing that the Internal Revenue Service failed to provide evidence of tax evasion that would justify the regulations.
January 06, 2026
San Diego Sues DHS Over Marines' Border Barrier

The city of San Diego has sued the Department of Homeland Security over what it described as an unauthorized installation of razor-wire fencing by the U.S. Marines in a city-owned protected wildlife habitat area near the southern border.
January 06, 2026
US Imposes Triple-Digit Duties On Indian, German Hexamine

Imported hexamine from certain producers in India and Germany faces triple-digit antidumping duties after the Commerce Department finalized a determination late last year that those goods were sold at less than fair value, according to a notice issued Tuesday.
January 06, 2026
German Waived Challenge To $4.6M SEC Tab, 1st Circ. Hints

A German national's failure to formally respond to discovery requests probing whether he is subject to personal jurisdiction in the United States may have undermined his challenge to a $4.6 million default judgment in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fraud case, a First Circuit panel suggested Tuesday.

Expert Analysis

Del. Dispatch: Key 2025 Corporate Cases And Trends To Know

The Delaware corporate legal landscape saw notable changes in 2025, spurred by amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law, ubiquitous artificial intelligence fervor, boardroom discussion around DExit, record shareholder activism activity and an arguably more expansive view of potential Caremark liability, say attorneys at Fried Frank.
Series

Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.
2025 Brought A New Paradigm For Federal Banking Regulation

A series of thematic shifts defined banking regulation in 2025, including a fundamental reform of prudential supervision, a strategic easing of capital constraints, steps to streamline merger reviews, and a new framework for fair access and entrants seeking to offer banking services, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
What 2025 Transpo And Logistics Legal Trends Mean For 2026

2025 was challenging for the transportation and logistics sector, with emergent trends including dramatic federal policy shifts, developments in tort risk, and a host of mergers and acquisitions — but a review of these themes offers a useful playbook for where the industry is headed in 2026, says Jonathan Todd at Benesch.
How Cos. Can Roll With NY's New Algorithmic Pricing Rules

Despite uncertainty from New York’s new ban on artificial intelligence and computer algorithms for setting rents, and efforts to further restrict individualizing prices based on consumers' personal data, property managers, software providers and merchants can take several steps to stay compliant, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.
2025 State AI Laws Expand Liability, Raise Insurance Risks

As 2025 nears its end, claims professionals should be aware of trends in state legislation addressing artificial intelligence use, as insurance claims based on some of these liability-expanding statutes are a certainty, say attorneys at Wiley.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.
Crypto In 2025: From Federal Deregulation To State Action

The cryptocurrency enforcement landscape evolved in 2025, marked by federal deregulatory trends and active state attorney general enforcement, creating both opportunity and risk for businesses navigating the digital asset market, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.
How CFTC Enforcement Shifted In 2025 And What's Next

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission pivoted sharply under acting Chairman Caroline Pham in 2025, resulting in a pared-back enforcement docket, sweeping policy changes intended to provide greater transparency, and a renewed focus on fraud prevention and maintaining market integrity for the CFTC's core markets, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.
Learning From 2025 FCA Trends Targeting PE In Healthcare

False Claims Act enforcement trends and legislative developments from this year signal intensifying state and federal scrutiny of private equity's growing footprint in healthcare, and the urgency of compliance, says Lisa Re at Arnold & Porter.
Reviewing 2025's State And Federal AI Regulations

In light of increasing state and federal action to oversee the use of artificial intelligence, companies that develop or deploy the technology should keep abreast of current and forthcoming AI laws and consider their applicability to their business activities, says Jessica Brigman at Spencer Fane.
Software Patents May Face New Eligibility Scrutiny

November guidance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, along with recent litigation trends from the Federal Circuit, may encourage new challenges in the USPTO and district courts to artificial intelligence and software patents that rely on generic computing functions without concrete details, say attorneys at Venable.
What Trump Order Limiting State AI Regs Means For Insurers

Last week's executive order seeking to preclude states from regulating artificial intelligence will likely have minimal impact on insurers, but the order and related congressional activities may portend a federal expectation of consistent state oversight of insurers' AI use, says Kathleen Birrane at DLA Piper.
Opinion

A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.
Investment Advisers Should Stay Apprised Of New AI Risks

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently issued annual examination priorities reiterate a host of regulatory implications for investment advisers using artificial intelligence tools, highlighting that meaningful ongoing due diligence can help mitigate both operational and regulatory surprises amid AI's rapid evolution, says Christopher Mills at Sidley.