Staff Writer

  • Man Charged for Threatening Judge in Florida

    Federal authorities have charged a 65-year-old Illinois man, Eric James Rennert, with making violent threats against a federal judge in Florida, according to an indictment revealed on Thursday. Rennert faces five federal charges for allegedly making interstate threats and threatening to assault, kidnap, and murder a federal judge. Prosecutors also accuse him of threatening to…

  • Conservative 5th Circuit Judge Takes Helm at Key Appeals Court

    Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, who has delivered major rulings against abortion rights, gun control, and Obamacare, took over as the new chief judge of the New Orleans-based court on Friday. Elrod, appointed by then-President George W. Bush, replaced Circuit Judge Priscilla Richman, a fellow Bush-era appointee who…

  • Legal Jobs Rebound After 4-Month Slump, Labor Dept Says

    The legal services sector added 1,600 jobs in September, marking a reversal of the job losses that began in the spring, according to Labor Department data released on Friday. Legal sector employment climbed to 1,181,400 jobs last month, based on preliminary seasonally adjusted figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rebound comes after…

  • Bar Exam Pass Rates are up in Most States as More Scores Roll In

    The July 2024 bar exam is shaping up to be a promising one for test takers, with rising pass rates bringing good news for law graduates and legal employers alike. As of Friday morning, more than half of U.S. states had reported results, and 18 of the 26 states saw higher overall pass rates compared…

  • What are the Top Cases Coming Before the Supreme Court?

    The U.S. Supreme Court will begin its new nine-month term on Monday, tackling cases on critical issues such as gun rights, gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, online pornography, federal regulatory authority over nuclear waste storage and vape products, and securities fraud involving Nvidia and Facebook. Here’s a preview of some of the cases the…

  • Law Firm Crowell Loses $30M COVID Rent Refund Lawsuit

    A judge ruled on Thursday that law firm Crowell & Moring cannot force its Washington, D.C., landlord to refund $30 million in rent paid while most of its lawyers worked from home during the pandemic. Judge Donald Tunnage of the District of Columbia Superior Court sided with Crowell’s landlord, The TREA 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue Trust,…

  • Texas Sues TikTok for Violating Children’s Privacy

    Texas sued TikTok on Thursday, accusing the social media platform of violating children’s privacy and state law by sharing their personal identifying information without parental consent. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit in Galveston County, seeking an injunction and civil penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of the state’s Securing Children…

  • Becton Dickinson Agrees to Settle 38,000 Hernia Mesh Lawsuits

    Becton Dickinson (BDX.N) has agreed to settle nearly all U.S. lawsuits from individuals claiming injuries caused by its hernia repair mesh, covering around 38,000 cases. This unusual settlement, jointly overseen by state and federal courts, promises to conclude litigation that has spanned almost two decades. The company, in an announcement on Wednesday, did not disclose…

  • Jury Urged to Hold Formula Makers Responsible for Premature Baby’s Illness

    On Wednesday, a lawyer representing a Missouri mother urged jurors to hold Abbott, Reckitt’s Mead Johnson unit, and St. Louis Children’s Hospital accountable for the severe intestinal illness her prematurely born son developed after being fed the companies’ formulas. Tim Cronin, the attorney for Elizabeth Whitfield and her son Kaine, told jurors in a St.…

  • Gun, Transgender Rights, Porn Cases Loom as SCOTUS Returns

    The U.S. Supreme Court begins its new nine-month term on Monday, with several major cases already on the docket, including those involving guns, transgender rights, and online pornography. The court may also face legal disputes stemming from the Nov. 5 presidential election. With a 6-3 conservative majority, the court continues to shift U.S. law rightward…