News from September 2024
Group urges Kentucky voters to support amendment to secure citizen-only voting
A non-profit organization officially has launched its campaign in support of Kentucky’s proposed amendment to codify that only American citizens can vote in state elections.
Judge blocks Utah law targeting minors on social media
SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) - Utah's new law that aims to protect minors on social media is in serious trouble, as a federal judge there has found it likely violates free speech.
Whitt Steineker Selected as Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyer for 2024-2025
Bradley is pleased to announce that Birmingham partner Whitt Steineker has been named to the 2024-2025 edition of the Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers list published by Cannabis Law Report.
Implications for Digital Lending and Copyright in Landmark Fair Use Case
In Hachette Book Group, Inc. v. Internet Archive, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit addressed whether Internet Archive’s practice of scanning print books and lending them digitally without publisher permission constitutes fair use under the Copyright Act.
Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Upstate man sentenced to prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minors
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announces that an Upstate man has been sent to prison for the sexual exploitation of minors.
Attorney General James Protects New Yorkers from AI-Created Election Misinformation
New York Attorney General Letitia James released a guide, called “Protecting New Yorkers from AI-Generated Election Misinformation,” to help identify and report misinformation generated by artificial intelligence (AI) about the upcoming November elections.
Seven-ag Coalition Secures Temporary Restraining Order Against Biden-harris Administration’s Latest Attempt to Unlawfully Cancel Student Loans
Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia granted a request by a seven-state coalition of attorneys general for a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Department of Education’s latest unlawful attempt to cancel student loans.
Labor & Employment Litigator Angela Ramson Joins Fox Rothschild in Atlanta
Fox Rothschild is pleased to welcome Angela F. Ramson to our Atlanta office as a partner in the Labor & Employment Department.
Attorney General Marshall Leads Additional Brief Supporting Florida’s Reasonable Law Regulating Child Gender Procedures
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall led a 23-state brief in support of Florida’s appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Doe v. Surgeon General, State of Florida.
Early Bitcoin investor pleads guilty to falsifying tax returns
An Austin, Texas man pleaded guilty today to filing a tax return that falsely underreported the capital gains he earned from selling $3.7 million in bitcoin.
Attorney General Moody urges Floridians to prepare for storms during National Preparedness Month
In recognition of National Preparedness Month and with storms brewing in the Atlantic Ocean, Attorney General Ashley Moody is encouraging all Floridians to take proactive steps to be ready for potential storm strikes. September is also the peak of hurricane season, and it is important that Floridians review emergency plans, gather essential supplies, and stay informed about possible threats.
Multistate coalition urges U.S. DOJ probe into Texas raids on Latino voting rights activists
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a multistate coalition in a letter requesting the United States Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) to investigate recent raids conducted by the Texas Attorney General’s Office. These raids targeted Latino voting rights organizers, candidates for office, and community volunteers. The investigation aims to determine whether these actions constitute violations of civil rights, including the right to vote.
Nationwide official: ‘we're trying to protect our customers from what is a very, very sophisticated legal abuse system’
Russ Johnston, Nationwide’s President of Commercial Lines, said during a September 9 episode of the Insurance Information Institute’s podcast that Nationwide is trying to protect its customers from a system of "legal abuse" in the form of third-party litigation funding (TPLF).
Vermont Supreme Court advisory committee reviews public access rules
The Vermont Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on Rules for Public Access to Court Records is scheduled to meet on September 13, 2024. The agenda includes several key topics.
Texas Supreme Court rules against City of Dallas in public safety charter amendment case
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled against the City of Dallas's attempt to mislead voters regarding proposed city charter amendments. Attorney General Ken Paxton had filed an amicus letter opposing the city's actions.
Colombian nationals sentenced for plot against American soldiers
Colombian nationals Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez, 40, and Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros, 31, were sentenced today to 35 and 30 years in prison, respectively, for conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. soldiers by detonating a car bomb outside a military base near the Colombia-Venezuela border.
Attorneys general call for DOJ probe into Texas raids targeting Latino political figures
Attorney General Raoul calls for DOJ investigation into Texas raids targeting Latino candidates and campaign volunteers
Four convicted for conspiring as illegal agents for Russian Government
A jury today convicted Omali Yeshitela, 82, Penny Hess, 78, Jesse Nevel, 34, all of St. Louis, and Augustus C. Romain Jr., 38, of Atlanta, of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government. The defendants were charged in a superseding indictment on April 13, 2023.
Attorney General secures $7.6M settlement over use of banned medicaid provider
New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced a settlement with Fidelis Care for billing Medicaid for services provided by Cornerstone Herkimer, LLC, despite the company's sole owner and director, Ward Halverson, being excluded from the Medicaid Program. Halverson was banned from Medicaid in 2017 after being convicted of firing a BB gun at a child. Under the terms of the settlement, Fidelis will repay more than $7.6 million to the Medicaid program and implement systematic status checks against federal and state lists of excluded providers.
Coalition urges DOJ probe into Texas raids targeting Latino campaigners
New York Attorney General Letitia James has led a coalition of 16 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate a civil rights investigation into recent raids by the Texas attorney general’s office. These raids, conducted on August 20, 2024, targeted Latino voting rights organizers, candidates for office, and volunteers. Ordered by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the raids resulted in the seizure of personal property from local organizers and candidates.