In October, Canada is set to legalize the recreational use of marijuana nationwide. Legalization theoretically could mean that American consumers could cross the border to consume marijuana in Canada and possibly bring it back to the U.S., but in reality this is unlikely to happen, at least for now. While some states…


A lawsuit has been filed by MGM Resorts in connection with the 2017 mass shooting with Las Vegas, claiming they have no liability to the victims of the attack. Read the complaint @ Justia's Online Dockets & Filings.


Posted in: US Congress

California’s felony murder rule may soon be curtailed, if a bill in the state legislature gets approved.


The states of New York, Connecticut, Maryland and New Jersey sued the United States today over new rules ushered in via the 2017 federal tax overhaul which cap federal deductions of state and local taxes (SALT) to $10,000. Read the complaint via Justia.


Posted in: Tax Law

In May, the City of Philadelphia announced that it was suspending foster care placements at Catholic Social Services (CSS) and Bethany Christian Services after reports showed that the agencies refused to place children with same-sex couples. Doing so was in violation of the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance. While Bethany agreed to comply with the law, CSS sued to city and argued that it should be allowed to discriminate against same-sex couples in accordance with their religious beliefs.


On Friday Special Counsel Robert Mueller issued an indictment of 12 Russian military officers for conspiring to hack into the computers of U.S. persons and entities involved in the 2016 presidential election. The 11-count indictment goes into great detail and specificity, charging that the hacking began at least in March of 2016 and continued through November 2016.


Posted in: Criminal Law

On July 12, nonprofit organization Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of DC against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos alleging that the Secretary acted unlawfully in issuing a Delay Regulation that would postpone implementation of a regulation intended to help black and Latino children with disabilities.


The law in Tennessee stated that failure to pay court fines and other fees associated with an arrest or imprisonment that lasted more than a year is grounds for taking away a person's driver’s license. The consequences of the law for such individuals means that they will have a more difficult time to earn income, as many employment opportunities require a valid driver’s license. Additionally, driving to and from work without a valid driver’s license runs the risk of getting fined or arrested if caught.


On Friday, June 29, 2018, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra brought suit in California Superior Court for the County of San Francisco against student loan servicer Navient Corp. and two of its subsidiaries, Pioneer and General Revenue Corp.


President Trump has announced Brett Kavanaugh as his pick to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court. Kavanaugh is a conservative jurist who has served for over a decade on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He previously worked in the George W. Bush White House, and also worked with Kenneth Starr's team in the effort to impeach former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Notably, Kavanaugh has published scholarly commentary suggesting that Congress should pass a law insulating a sitting president from criminal indictment until after leaving office or being impeached, convicted, and removed from office; he has also written that civil lawsuits should be deferred while the president is in office. Some speculate that these writings could have influenced Trump's decision to nominate Kavanaugh given the mounting legal scrutiny Trump is facing. If Kavanaugh is confirmed by the Senate, he is expected to vote with the Court's conservative majority on issues including abortion, union rights, civil rights, and gun control. 


Posted in: US Supreme Court