State Court
$1.7B Georgia verdict reversed; Ford can now present proper defense
ATLANTA (Legal Newslne) - Trial judges went too far when they stripped Ford Motor Co. of nearly all its defenses in a truck-rollover lawsuit that ended with a $1.7 billion jury verdict, a Georgia appeals court ruled.
Federal Court
Randi Ellis appointed as future claims representative in J&J $8.2 billion talc settlement
Hot Topics
Constitution doesn't block Indiana's ban on gender transition procedures for kids: Appeals court
Federal Court
North Dakota says shutdown of Dakota Access Pipeline would cause ‘immediate’ fiscal harm
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - North Dakota has filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in a federal lawsuit brought by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to shut down a major oil pipeline, arguing that the State has significant environmental and economic interests in the litigation.
Asbestos
Hedge-fund money complicates J&J's massive settlement for talc claims
HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) - Johnson & Johnson’s lawyers think they’ve identified the reason the company is having such a hard time settling thousands of lawsuits claiming its talcum powder causes cancer, even though it’s won the vast majority of the cases that have gone to trial.
In the wake of escalating auto insurance rates in Georgia, a small but significant legal reform could signal the beginning of relief for drivers across the state - if the House would take action…
From WV Record
From WV Record
TOPDOG Legal Marketing Named Finalist of 2024 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics in Greater Arizona
Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB) has named TOPDOG Legal Marketing, LLC as a finalist for the 2024 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics, sponsored by Desert Financial Credit Union. The program raises awareness in marketplace ethics and honors businesses that operate with integrity.
Arizona Estate Law Firm Unveils New Brand, Website
Chandler, Arizona (AZ) attorney Bernard M. Strass is excited to announce fresh branding and a new website for his AZ estate law firm, Desert Rose Estate and Elder Law. The law firm’s new name reflects a full concentration on estate and life planning that enables Strass to provide focused and dedicated legal services for these matters. It also honors Strass’s father, Luke, who owned Desert Draperies and Interiors in Phoenix for many years and Strass’s mother’s family, the Roses.
State AG
Ken Paxton promotes adoption month with special license plate initiative
Attorney General Ken Paxton is recognizing November as National Adoption Month and urging Texans to support the cause by purchasing a "Support Adoption" license plate.
Attorneys & Judges
Justice Department sues Pennsylvania over discriminatory housing codes for disabled
The Justice Department has initiated legal action against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, along with its Department of Labor and Industry and Department of Human Services.
State Supreme Court
Ohio Supreme Court leaves transgender woman's birth certificate unchanged
The Supreme Court of Ohio has left a probate court's decision intact, denying a transgender woman's request to change the sex marker on her birth certificate.
Attorneys & Judges
Juvenile justice reforms emphasized at national conference
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brent J. Cohen addressed attendees at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) National Conference on Youth Justice, marking the first national conference by OJJDP in over a decade.
Attorneys & Judges
Deputy AG highlights progress and challenges at national youth justice conference
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer recently addressed attendees at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) National Conference on Youth Justice.
State Supreme Court
Webinar on intellectual disabilities postponed by Vermont Judiciary
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the "Intellectual Disabilities 101" webinar originally planned for November 19, 2024, has been postponed.
State AG
Attorneys general push Congress for kids' online safety legislation
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, alongside a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general, has urged Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) before the year's end.
State AG
Attorney General calls for stronger measures in RI primary care regulations
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha has called on the Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) to adopt more assertive measures in its proposed amendments concerning primary care regulations.
State AG
Connecticut AG comments on utility rate cuts amid rising energy costs
Attorney General William Tong has commented on the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's (PURA) decision to reduce revenue for Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG).
America First Legal challenges Biden-Harris Administration on alleged Taylor Force Act violations
America First Legal (AFL) has filed a reply in support of its motion for partial summary judgment in a lawsuit against President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
America First Legal criticizes Biden-Harris immigration policies' impact on U.S. cities
America First Legal (AFL) has released new documents and data highlighting the impact of the Biden-Harris Administration's immigration policies on American cities, with a focus on Chicago.
United Airlines ends discriminatory hiring after legal challenge
America First Legal (AFL) has announced that United Airlines will cease its discriminatory hiring practices following a federal civil rights complaint.
America First Legal files lawsuits against Biden administration over campus unrest
Last week, America First Legal (AFL) initiated a series of lawsuits following revelations from the House Education and Workforce Committee's investigation into pro-Hamas activities on U.S. college campuses.
DOJ naming Rocket Mortgage in appraisal lawsuit ‘a flagrant example of government overreach,’ says company spokesman
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has named Rocket Mortgage in a new lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in home appraisals, a claim that the company has called "a flagrant example of government overreach."
Constitution doesn't block Indiana's ban on gender transition procedures for kids: Appeals court
A divided federal appeals panel said the Indiana ban on surgeries, puberty blockers and other care do not violate parent's rights to direct their children's medical care nor the speech rights of doctors, dissolving a lower court's injunction blocking enforcement of the law
Ex-BART workers fired over Covid vax mandate should get $7.8M, jury says
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District should pay at least $1.1 million to six workers who were fired in 2022 after BART repeatedly refused to grant religious exemptions and accommodations to workers who said their faith prevented them from complying with BART's Covid shot mandate
Paxton sues Biden administration for refusing to verify citizenship status of potentially ineligible voters
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary and other parties in the Biden administration for refusing to comply with federal law requiring them to assist States in verifying the citizenship status of potentially ineligible people registered to vote.
New Jersey Appellate Court upholds arbitration agreement in McGinty v. Uber technologies
On September 20, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, reversed a lower court's decision by upholding the enforceability of Uber Technologies, Inc.'s arbitration agreement.
W.Va. attorneys secure key victory in Pa. contamination case
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Some West Virginia attorneys are declaring a key victory in a Pennsylvania case regarding properties contaminated with arsenic and lead decades after a U.S. Steel facility was shuttered.
Justice Department sues Pennsylvania over discriminatory housing codes for disabled
The Justice Department has initiated legal action against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, along with its Department of Labor and Industry and Department of Human Services.
Citizen-only voting amendments victorious in all eight states they were on ballot
Constitutional amendments to ensure only American citizens can vote in elections passed in all eight states they appeared on the ballot.
Indiana law providing buffer zone for cops blocked by federal judge
INDIANAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge has blocked an Indiana law that requires onlookers, including members of the press, to stand at least 25 feet away from cops when they are told to do so.
Hedge-fund money complicates J&J's massive settlement for talc claims
HOUSTON (Legal Newsline) - Johnson & Johnson’s lawyers think they’ve identified the reason the company is having such a hard time settling thousands of lawsuits claiming its talcum powder causes cancer, even though it’s won the vast majority of the cases that have gone to trial.
Veil lifted, slightly, on asbestos money flowing through South Carolina court
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Legal Newsline) - The court-appointed receiver for a long-defunct insulation company in South Carolina has paid more than $27 million to settle asbestos cases, according to a new filing that provides limited financial information about one of the secretive funds the receiver uses to hold proceeds of settlements with insurance companies.
Chief Justice receives Spirit of Justice Award from Hawaii foundation
Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald was honored with the Spirit of Justice Award by the Hawaii Justice Foundation (HJF) during its annual meeting on October 29.
North Dakota says shutdown of Dakota Access Pipeline would cause ‘immediate’ fiscal harm
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - North Dakota has filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in a federal lawsuit brought by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to shut down a major oil pipeline, arguing that the State has significant environmental and economic interests in the litigation.
University of Missouri law professor: Third-party litigation funding presents 'significant ethical concerns'
On October 11th, Dennis Crouch, a law professor at the University of Missouri School ofLaw, published a detailed breakdown of third-party litigation funding (TPLF) in patent cases, emphasizing the ethical and transparency issues surrounding this growing practice.