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…
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,…
For the first time in over two years, retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer will resume hearing cases, this time as a visiting judge on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. The court’s recently released calendar confirmed that Breyer, now 86, will join three-judge panels to preside over appeals from New England…
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…
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…
New York State will impose $75 billion in fines on fossil fuel companies over the next 25 years to fund climate damage mitigation. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the landmark bill into law on Thursday, marking a significant step in holding oil, gas, and coal companies accountable for their role in climate change. Law Targets Polluters…
Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has blocked Uber Technologies’ $950 million acquisition of Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda operations on the island, citing anti-competitive concerns. The FTC announced the decision on Wednesday, highlighting that the merger would negatively impact market competition. Concerns Over Market Dominance The FTC explained that UberEats currently faces significant competition from Foodpanda in…
When Republican President-elect Donald Trump assumes office for the second time next year, he will face a wave of lawsuits targeting the Biden administration’s healthcare policies. These cases present Trump with immediate opportunities to shift policy direction before introducing new rules or legislation. Below, we examine the most significant cases to watch. Abortion Cases Take…
In a 13-2 ruling on Monday, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed its decision that Bryan Range, a Pennsylvania man convicted of food stamp fraud, cannot be barred from owning firearms under federal law. The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court directed the appellate court to reconsider its prior ruling in light…