LEGAL NEWSLINE

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has filed a 24-state brief before the U.S. Supreme Court defending election integrity in Arizona. The case, Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota, involves federal courts enjoining an Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship for anyone registering to vote in state or presidential elections. The RNC and members of the Arizona legislature intervened when it became clear that Arizona’s Attorney General would not defend the law's enforcement for this election cycle. The emergency applicants have asked the Supreme Court to...

LANSING – Rashad Maleek Trice, 27, of Lansing, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Judge Joyce Draganchuk in the 30th Judicial Circuit Court in Ingham County for the 2023 murder of 2-year-old Wynter Cole-Smith. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the sentencing. Trice was also given a concurrent sentence of 60-90 years' incarceration for the violent assault of Wynter’s mother. He pled guilty in July to one count each of First-Degree Murder and First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct.

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, Governor Dan McKee, and the outside legal team of Max Wistow and Jonathan Savage announced the filing of a lawsuit against 13 companies that have provided design, construction, and inspection services related to the Washington Bridge. The lawsuit aims to hold these companies accountable for the near-miss catastrophic closure of the bridge and seeks to recover resources required for rebuilding and compensating the State.

A Missouri woman was arrested this morning on federal charges in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed an amicus brief alongside 23 other state attorneys general, urging the Supreme Court of the United States to hear Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota. The coalition seeks confirmation that states can establish rules governing their own elections, including requiring voters to show proof of citizenship.

Rea S. Hederman Jr., executive director of the Economic Research Center and vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute, commented on the newly released jobs report from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

The United States Supreme Court has blocked the Biden-Harris administration from enforcing its Title IX rule, which has been criticized for endangering the rights and safety of girls and young women. In response to the decision, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued a statement expressing his approval.

This week, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco hosted the sixth convening of the Justice AI Initiative, which she launched earlier this year to inform the Justice Department’s AI policy. The initiative aims to address how AI will impact the Department’s mission to uphold the rule of law, maintain national security, and protect civil rights. Justice AI gathers stakeholders from civil society, industry, academia, and law enforcement to share expertise and perspectives on both the promise and risks associated with AI.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to support the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) climate disclosure rule. The rule, finalized in March, mandates that companies regulated by the SEC report climate-related risks, their strategies to manage these risks, and specific information about their greenhouse gas emissions. The rule is currently facing challenges from industry groups and other states that argue the requirements exceed the SEC’s legal authority.

Attorney General Chris Carr has announced the appointment of former Cobb County Assistant District Attorney Timothy Ruffini to lead Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit. Ruffini will manage a team of prosecutors and investigators dedicated to addressing criminal networks involved in recurring thefts and acts of violence targeting businesses across the state. This new unit is part of the Attorney General’s Prosecution Division, which also includes units focused on gang prosecution, human trafficking, and white-collar and cybercrime.

Attorney General Miyares issues AG opinion prohibiting ESG influences on VRS investment decisions

As the 2023-2024 school year concludes, Safe2Tell experienced a notable increase in report volume, with a more than 25% rise compared to the previous year. The July monthly report, released today, shows a total of 28,218 reports for the school year, marking the highest number in Safe2Tell’s history.

The Justice Department has transferred $300,921.09 in forfeited criminal assets to Bonaire, a special Dutch Caribbean municipality within the Netherlands. This transfer recognizes Bonaire’s assistance to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in investigating and forfeiting proceeds from an unlicensed money transmitting business operating on the black market for exchanging Venezuelan bolivars for U.S. dollars.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced today that his office successfully defended the convictions of Calvin Pittman at the Eastern District Court of Appeals. Pittman was convicted on one count of voluntary manslaughter, two counts of armed criminal action, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. The appeals court upheld the circuit court’s judgment and denied Pittman's claims regarding the prosecutor’s closing argument.

John Michael Nilles (Mike) passed away on August 7, 2024. He was born on August 20, 1930, in Langdon, ND and grew up in Fargo, ND.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody, along with 20 other attorneys general, is demanding answers from online retailer Temu following concerning recent reports. Attorney General Moody and the coalition are seeking information regarding the company’s alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), data collection and sharing practices, and possible violations of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).

A 36-year-old Montgomery County woman indicted earlier this year for allegedly stealing $1.5 million from Ohio Medicaid has been apprehended in Texas after months on the run, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom issued statements today in response to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in NetChoice v. Bonta. The court found that NetChoice did not demonstrate a likelihood of success in proving that most provisions of California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act are unconstitutional. Specifically, the Ninth Circuit vacated the injunction on provisions restricting the collection, use, and sale of children's data, and on collecting a child's geolocation information without an obvious sign to the child.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is continuing to investigate an officer-involved death in the City of Fitchburg, Wis., that occurred on the morning of Monday, August 12, 2024.

On August 16, 2024, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Enbridge Energy's request for a rehearing of its June decision to remand back to a Michigan state court the Attorney General’s lawsuit aimed at shutting down Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac. The announcement was made by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The federal court was unpersuaded by Enbridge’s petition for rehearing en banc, which sought to have the entire bench of judges in the Court of Appeals re-hear the case previously decided by a three-judge panel. Consequently, the case, Nessel v. Enbridge,...