In a major political move on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued pardons for approximately 1,500 individuals convicted for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The rioters, who stormed the Capitol in a bid to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election, will now see their convictions erased…
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and several immigrant rights organizations filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire District Court on Monday, challenging the Trump administration’s executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who entered the country illegally. The lawsuit argues that the executive order violates the…
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., the telecommunications giant from China, has achieved a significant milestone in the U.S. intellectual property landscape. The telecommunications behemoth is ranking as the #5 patentee in 2024 with 3,285 U.S. patents granted, a 44% increase from 2023. This achievement, detailed in Harrity LLP’s annual report on top patentees, underscores the growing…
Mozambique’s former finance minister, has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison for his role in the infamous $2 billion “tuna bond” scandal. Manuel Chang’s sentence, handed down by a Brooklyn federal court, is evidence of the global reach of U.S. financial regulations and the consequences for foreign officials who exploit the international financial system.…
Introduction Brown v. Board of Education (1954) is one of the most significant cases in the history of U.S. constitutional law. This landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the doctrine of “separate but equal” that had been established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.…
Introduction The recent wildfires in Los Angeles County, described as the most devastating fire seasons in recent history, have brought to light significant issues regarding property insurance coverage and the complexities of filing claims after natural disasters. In a 2023, a similar devastating fire hit L.A. and as the fires wreaked havoc on thousands of…
The American Bar Association (ABA) has called on U.S. senators to vote against the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), a bill that mandates the indefinite detention of noncitizens arrested for certain low-level offenses, without an option for bond. In a letter dated January 16, ABA President Bill Bay expressed concerns that the bill would undermine…
Cook County Circuit Judge Thomas E. Nowinski, who was elected to the bench in 2022, has requested a transfer out of the Domestic Violence Division following his controversial decisions in two cases that resulted in the tragic deaths of a child and a woman. Nowinski, who has been in the spotlight for his handling of…
In a landmark decision on Friday, January 17, 2025, U.S. President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 2,500 non-violent drug offenders, the largest number of pardons and commutations ever issued by a U.S. president. The move, which addresses disproportionate sentencing, is seen as a critical step toward criminal justice reform. The commutations were granted in…