A Manhattan federal judge will decide on Friday whether to hold Rudy Giuliani in civil contempt. Two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss, accuse Giuliani of defying orders to surrender property as part of a $148 million defamation judgment against him. What is Contempt of Court? READ HERE Giuliani Faces Defamation Liability After…
Oswald K. Azumah[*] ABSTRACT “An inferior court which attempts to punish a contempt committed out of court is clearly a usurper trying to clothe itself with a jurisdiction its very nature or origin denies it; or is assuming an authority its very constitution bereft it of”—so says Kpegah J (as he then was) in Republic…
A U.S. military appeals court has upheld plea agreements involving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks, and two accomplices. This decision comes after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s attempt to nullify the deals was ruled invalid. Court Affirms Validity of Plea Deals In August, Austin rescinded plea deals negotiated with…
The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a significant blow to efforts by state bar regulators to discipline Brent Webster, a top deputy to Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. In a 7-2 ruling, the court rejected the disciplinary case tied to Texas’s controversial 2020 election lawsuit, effectively safeguarding Webster and potentially shielding Paxton from similar…
In a recent ruling that has drawn attention for its sharp rebuke, New York Judge Analisa Torres delivered what experts are calling a “bench slap” to Jay-Z’s legal team after the rapper’s attorneys filed multiple motions demanding the public identification of an anonymous woman in a high-profile sexual assault case. The ruling has sent a…
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings in Lubbock, Texas, struck down a Biden administration rule aimed at expanding mandatory overtime pay to 4 million salaried workers. This decision mirrors a similar ruling by U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan in Sherman, Texas, who permanently blocked the rule in November. Both judges, appointed by Republican presidents,…
After President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is poised to quickly undo several key labor policies of the Biden administration. Trump’s appointees are expected to target regulations on independent contractors, overtime pay, immigrant labor, and workplace safety, potentially reshaping labor practices across various industries. Repealing Independent Contractor Rule One of…
Two Democratic lawmakers in Congress, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Hank Johnson, are pushing for more transparency in the U.S. judiciary’s rules on disclosing travel-related gifts. They have raised concerns about the recently implemented financial disclosure policy, which they believe falls short in addressing past omissions. Lawmakers Question Limited Scope of New Policy In a…
The upcoming year promises pivotal developments in copyright lawsuits that may reshape the business landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). Authors, news outlets, visual artists, musicians, and other copyright owners have filed lawsuits against major tech companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta Platforms, accusing them of using copyrighted materials without permission or payment to train AI…
In a significant legal development, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has halted enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which requires companies to disclose their real beneficial owners to the U.S. Treasury Department. This decision comes ahead of the initial January 13 deadline for compliance, creating uncertainty for businesses nationwide. Appeals…