Latest News
Forge Industrial Staffing: the DOL’s demand for client information is a ‘raw exercise of the government’s coercive power’
Forge Industrial Staffing has expressed strong opposition to the Department of Labor's (DOL) investigation into its hiring practices, describing it as "a raw exercise of the government's coercive power." The company is contesting a magistrate judge's recommendation that it should surrender its clients' information to the DOL. This statement was part of Forge's court filing on March 18.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke’s Statement on Voter Intimidation
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, Civil Rights Division, explains how to report voter intimidation. In a brief statement released recently, Clarke highlighted the importance of addressing voter intimidation and provided guidance on the necessary steps to take when encountering such actions. The message serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to safeguard voting rights and ensure fair and accessible elections.For individuals who witness or experience voter intimidation, Clarke's instructions offer a clear pathway for reporting such incidents. By outlining the...
Chicago-Area Tax Preparer Indicted for False Tax Returns
An Illinois man, Byron Taylor, of Homewood, has made his initial appearance on an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Chicago. The indictment charges Taylor with 21 counts of preparing false tax returns for others through his business, We Are Taxes Inc.The indictment alleges that Taylor prepared false tax returns for clients for tax years 2017 through 2020. The returns contained false information, leading clients to claim refunds they were not entitled to. The false information included fraudulent business losses, false deductions like medical expenses, gifts...
Justice Department Secures Agreement with City of Virginia Beach to Improve Access for Individuals with Disabilities
The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement with the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to enhance access for individuals with disabilities, including Veterans, to city buildings and civic programs. According to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, "The ADA mandates equal access to civic life for people with disabilities." U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia emphasized that "Ensuring that individuals who have disabilities are afforded equal access to local government...
Foreign National Extradited from Chile to the United States for Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in Colombia
A Colombian national, Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, has been extradited from Chile to the United States to face charges related to the kidnapping and assaulting of two U.S. Army soldiers in Bogota, Colombia. Silva Ochoa, also known as Tata, is set to make his initial court appearance today in Miami, Florida.Court documents reveal that Silva Ochoa and his accomplices targeted and kidnapped the two soldiers in Bogota with the intention of robbing them. The victims were drugged at a pub in Bogota and then taken to a waiting car where they were robbed of their valuables including...
Appeal filed after lawyer loses civil rights lawsuit against Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A lawyer booted from a Los Angeles trial attorney group is appealing the loss of his civil rights lawsuit against it.
Washington hospitals could be liable for malpractice by contractor physicians
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - Hospitals may be liable for the actions of contractor physicians working in their emergency rooms, the Washington Supreme Court ruled, reversing the dismissal of a case involving a woman who died after an ER doc allegedly failed to diagnose flesh-eating bacteria in her shoulder.
Iowa HR exec can't use harassment reports in her own lawsuit
DES MOINES, Iowa (Legal Newsline) - The State of Iowa doesn’t have to pay a $790,000 jury award to a state employee who claimed a hostile work environment based mostly on secondhand reports she received as an administrator overseeing social workers in the Iowa Department of Human Services.
Class action over data breach targets AT&T
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - Class action lawyers have hit AT&T with a lawsuit over a data breach.
Lawsuit claims benzene in CereVe acne medication
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - L'Oreal faces a class action lawsuit that alleges an ingredient in its acne medication turns into benzene.
Federal Agencies Launch Portal for Public Reporting of Anticompetitive Practices in Health Care Sector
The Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have unveiled an online portal named HealthyCompetition.gov for the public to report potential anticompetitive practices in the health care sector. The initiative aims to address concerns regarding unfair competition and monopolistic practices that could impact healthcare affordability and quality in the United States.Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter emphasized the importance of competition in healthcare, stating, "Competition in health care is crucial to...
Janene Jackson Named New Leader of Holland & Knight in Washington, D.C.
Holland & Knight has named Janene Jackson executive partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Ms. Jackson will oversee the day-to-day management of the 190-plus lawyer office, while continuing to manage her local government practice.
Attorney General Alan Wilson announces 16-year sentence for Lancaster Co. man who hid camera in bathroom
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announces that a Lancaster County man has pleaded guilty to hiding a camera in a bathroom and recording young girls showering.
Paul T. Rushton Spoke on Stone House Retirement Income Planners’ Blue Collar Wealth Podcast Episode “Exit Strategies Unleashed: Selling Your Business Like a Pro.”
On March 18th, Paul T. Rushton, our Managing Partner and a member of our Business & Finance Department, was a guest on a Stone House Retirement Income Planners’ Blue Collar Wealth podcast titled “Exit Strategies Unleashed: Selling Your Business Like a Pro.”
Federal Appellate Court Rejects Smith & Wesson’s “Unjustified” Attempt to Move Civil Lawsuits on Behalf of Victims of Highland Park Mass Shooting into Federal Court
Mere days after the oral arguments, the Seventh Circuit rejected Smith & Wesson’s attempt to remove from state court the civil lawsuits filed by survivors of the Highland Park, Ill. mass shooting.
Statement from Attorney General Raúl Torrez Regarding the Arizona Supreme Court Passing Near-Total Abortion Ban
The ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court, affirming the state’s antiquated abortion ban, is an alarming and deeply concerning decision that undermines the fundamental rights of those accessing reproductive healthcare in our neighboring state.
AG Ferguson announces DNA collection from more than 2,600 serious offenders
Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that more than 2,600 serious criminal offenders provided their DNA to law enforcement after previously failing to do so as required by law. As a result of Ferguson’s lawfully owed DNA project, these samples are now in a national DNA database critical to identifying perpetrators of unsolved rapes, murders and other violent crimes.
AG Reyes Continues to Oppose Radical ESG Agendas
In a letter signed by 16 additional states to Climate Action 100+ (CA100+) members, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes reiterated legal concerns over association with the organization as it shifts to Phase 2.
Morrisey hails USSC ruling letting Idaho enforce ban on transgender medical treatment
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has praised a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says Idaho can enforce its ban on providing puberty blockers or hormones to minors.
State treasurer announces SMART529 board votes to drop China investments from portfolio
CHARLESTON – West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore has announced a state program that oversees the SMART529 is adopting his proposal to exclude China-based investments.