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Police chase case raises concerns among defense bar
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that police did not violate the Fourth Amendment by shooting more than a dozen rounds into the car of a fleeing unarmed suspect is making defense attorneys and civil liberties advocates uneasy. The decision in Plumhoff v. Rickard, No 12-1117, nixed a civil rights lawsuit brought by the […]
Affirmative action ruling adds new twist to same-sex marriage challenges
WASHINGTON — The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding a state law barring the consideration of race in public university admission decisions is having an immediate effect on a set of closely watched appeals involving an entirely different issue: the constitutionality of state same-sex marriage bans. In Schuette v. BAMN, the Supreme Court upheld a […]
Supreme Court town prayer ruling divides justices, bar
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing prayers to be delivered before public town meetings divided the justices in two ways: in the result and in the standard that applies in determining whether public prayers violate the Establishment Clause. Attorneys’ reaction to the decision in Town of Greece v. Galloway, No. 12-696, was also […]
Last patent case of the term could end in a bust
WASHINGTON — In the last oral argument of the term, the U.S. Supreme Court took up a closely-watched patent case that practitioners hoped would establish a standard for indirect patent infringement. But early on the justices seemed to realize that the case, Limelight Networks Inc. v. Akamai Technologies Inc., No. 12-786, might not present the […]
Justices search for limits in cell phone search cases
WASHINGTON — Applying centuries-old constitutional principles to situations not contemplated by the Founding Fathers is nothing new for the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. But that doesn’t make it easy, as was clear during two hours of oral argument Tuesday in cases testing the Fourth Amendment’s limits on cell phone searches. The attorneys arguing […]
Court ponders First Amendment retaliation case
WASHINGTON — The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court tackled a host of issues in a multi-layered First Amendment case involving alleged government corruption and claims of employment retaliation and qualified immunity. The case of Lane v. Franks, No. 13-483, was brought by Edward Lane, a director of a youth program at Central Alabama Community […]
Patent case gives justices a workout
WASHINGTON — In a case that could clarify the specificity with which patent holders must describe their inventions, the justices of the U.S Supreme Court and the attorneys arguing the case of Nautilus Inc. v. Biosig Instruments Inc., No. 13-369, had a tough time finding the right words to articulate a standard. The case stems […]
Supreme Court ponders if state law nixes homeowners’ toxic tort claim
WASHINGTON — The ability of a group of North Carolina homeowners to bring a lawsuit over latent contamination in their well water will come down to the U.S. Supreme Court’s answer to a single, if technical, question: Is there a functional difference between a statute of limitations and a statute of repose? The issue in […]
High court takes on law barring false political speech
WASHINGTON — The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to cast some constitutional doubt on a state statute that prohibits making false statements about political candidates during oral arguments Tuesday in the case of Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, No. 13-193. But the court may not reach the merits of the case. The […]
Legal juice drink showdown reaches Supreme Court
WASHINGTON — During oral arguments on Monday, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court seemed disinclined to hold that a Lanham Act claim of false representation against beverage giant Coca-Cola was preempted under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The case POM Wonderful LLC v. Coca-Cola Co., 12-761, stems from a product released by Coca-Cola […]
Supreme Court averts avalanche of FICA refund requests
WASHINGTON — Avoiding what attorneys say could have been an “earthquake” effect from businesses rushing to file for a collective $1 billion in tax refunds, the U.S. Supreme Court recently held that severance payments are wages for federal tax withholding purposes. The court’s decision in U.S. v. Quality Stores Inc. concluded that “supplemental unemployment compensation […]
Supreme Court takes up ERISA fiduciary duty case
WASHINGTON — Seeking to resolve a rather lopsided circuit split, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court seem poised to support a requirement that employees alleging breach of fiduciary duty overcome a pleading-stage presumption that employee stock plan fiduciaries acted with prudence. The case of Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer, No. 12-751, comes from the […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Driver fell asleep, causing significant auto accident — $1M settlement
- Defense verdict returned for company in rear-end crash
- Cauda equina syndrome developed after procedure — $625,000 settlement
- Passenger died months after sustaining multiple injuries — $725,000 settlement
- Plaintiff injured in crash with oncoming vehicle — $235,000 settlement
- Driver killed in rear-end collision with tractor-trailer — $1.5M settlement
- Man died from pancreatic cancer after delayed response — $1.8M settlement
- Worker fell off roof, rendering him a paraplegic — $1.25M settlement
- Driver sustained permanent hearing loss after traffic collision — $240,000 settlement
- Plaintiff suffered concussion in rear-end collision — $81,000 verdict
- Builder misrepresented home status to buyers — $675,000 verdict
- Low potassium led to cardiac arrest, death of patient — $1M settlement
Opinion Digests
- Company owner dodges breach of contract suit
- Employee’s own allegations doom minimum wage claim
- Federal government defeats former employee’s claims
- Principal wasn’t entitled to exclusively remote work
- USPTO properly redacted info in responsive documents
- Untimely lawsuit allowed to proceed
- Engineering consultant dismissed from suit
- Rule 60 motion was filed too late
- Nonprofit directors immune from ex-employees’ claims
- City, employees immune from whistleblower claims
- Experts excluded in condemnation damages suit
- Judgment entered against company for horse’s death
