In a major legal decision, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled that the Biden administration likely overstepped its authority by issuing a privacy rule designed to protect women seeking abortions and patients receiving gender-affirming care. The judge, known for his previous rulings on reproductive healthcare, granted a preliminary injunction to block the U.S. Department of…
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street, is set to be arraigned on Monday in New York state court. Mangione faces an 11-count indictment that includes three murder charges, one of which brands the killing as an act of terrorism. If convicted, he could…
A U.S. judge ruled in favor of Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp on Friday, finding the Israeli spyware firm NSO Group liable for exploiting a bug in the messaging app to install its Pegasus surveillance software. The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in Oakland, California, paves the way for a trial to determine damages.…
A national organization opposing race and gender preferences filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday against leaders of the West Virginia State Bar, alleging that the policy reserving one seat on its governing board for a Black member is discriminatory. The case reflects a broader wave of legal challenges to diversity and inclusion initiatives following the…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on Friday that an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule aimed at increasing transparency about chemicals wrongly allowed the unlawful disclosure of manufacturers’ trade secrets. A three-judge panel vacated parts of the 2023 rule while rejecting a separate challenge to the rule brought by…
Qualcomm’s central processors, developed using Nuvia technology, are properly licensed under its agreement with Arm Holdings, a U.S. federal court jury determined. However, the trial ended in a partial mistrial, leaving unresolved questions about licensing terms and paving the way for further legal battles between the two chipmakers. Mixed Verdict in High-Stakes Trial After a…
A second federal judge in Texas has stepped away from presiding over Elon Musk’s X Corp lawsuit against a group of advertisers accused of boycotting the social media platform, causing significant delays in the case. Judge Ed Kinkeade Steps Aside U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade in Dallas recused himself from the case, following the earlier…
Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden secured his 235th federal judicial appointment on Friday, surpassing Donald Trump’s first-term tally of 234 by a narrow margin. Biden’s appointments emphasize diversity, with a record number of women and people of color filling these lifetime positions. Biden Reshapes Federal Judiciary The Democratic-led U.S. Senate confirmed two California-based judges on…
National law student diversity remained stable this year, but enrollment of Black and Hispanic first-year students at the nation’s most prestigious law schools declined sharply, with Black enrollment falling 8% and Hispanic enrollment dropping 9%. Experts warn this could mark the beginning of a “cascade effect” caused by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to…
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved California’s request to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. This decision, announced on Wednesday, grants the state a waiver under the Clean Air Act for its Advanced Clean Cars II Rule and Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. Legal Basis for the Waiver California’s request hinged…