Legal News & Developments

Major legal developments including Supreme Court decisions, new legislation, regulatory changes, state law updates, and enforcement actions.

Showing 30 articles

State Law2024-09-15
California Enacts Comprehensive AI Regulation Legislation

California enacted several AI-related bills addressing deepfakes, AI in hiring, AI safety testing, and transparency requirements. Notable legislation includes requirements for AI-generated content wat...

Enforcement2024-08-05
Federal Judge Finds Google Maintains Illegal Search Monopoly

A federal judge in Washington D.C. ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in the online search market. The landmark decision found that Google's exclusive distribution agreements — paying b...

SCOTUS2024-07-01
Supreme Court Rules on Presidential Immunity in Trump v. United States

The Supreme Court held that former presidents have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts taken within the core constitutional powers of the presidency, and presumptive immunity...

State Law2024-07-01
Comprehensive Privacy Laws Take Effect in Seven New States

Seven additional states had comprehensive consumer privacy laws take effect in 2024: Texas, Oregon, Montana, Florida, Iowa, Delaware, and New Hampshire. These laws join existing frameworks in Californ...

SCOTUS2024-07-01
Supreme Court Addresses Social Media Censorship in Moody v. NetChoice

The Supreme Court vacated lower court rulings on Florida and Texas laws that sought to prevent social media companies from removing or moderating user content. The Court remanded the cases for further...

SCOTUS2024-06-28
Supreme Court Limits Federal Agency Power in Loper Bright v. Raimondo

In a landmark 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court overruled Chevron deference, the 40-year-old doctrine that required courts to defer to federal agencies' reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes....

SCOTUS2024-06-24
Federal Court Blocks Nationwide Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

Federal courts continued to block the Biden administration's attempts at broad-based student loan forgiveness. After the Supreme Court struck down the original plan in Biden v. Nebraska (2023), findin...

SCOTUS2024-06-21
Supreme Court Rules on Second Amendment Scope in United States v. Rahimi

The Supreme Court upheld a federal law prohibiting individuals subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. In an 8-1 decision, the Court found that the law is consistent ...

SCOTUS2024-06-13
Supreme Court Unanimously Rejects Challenge to Abortion Pill Access

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that anti-abortion medical organizations lacked standing to challenge the FDA's approval and regulatory actions regarding mifepristone, one of two drugs used in med...

Enforcement2024-06-10
SEC Charges Multiple Crypto Firms with Securities Violations

The SEC continued its aggressive enforcement campaign against the cryptocurrency industry, filing actions against multiple exchanges and token issuers for operating unregistered securities exchanges a...

Regulation2024-05-16
Cannabis Rescheduling: DEA Proposes Moving Marijuana to Schedule III

The Drug Enforcement Administration published a proposed rule to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, following a recommendation from the Department o...

Enforcement2024-05-08
DOJ and States Reach $418 Million Settlement with Pharmaceutical Company over Opioid Marketing

The Department of Justice and a coalition of state attorneys general reached a $418 million settlement with a major pharmaceutical company over allegations of illegal opioid marketing practices. The s...

Regulation2024-04-25
EPA Finalizes Stricter Power Plant Emissions Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency finalized new rules for greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, requiring existing coal plants and new natural gas plants to dramatically reduce carbon dioxide ...

Regulation2024-04-23
FTC Finalizes Ban on Non-Compete Agreements Nationwide

The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to finalize a rule banning most non-compete agreements nationwide. The rule prohibits employers from entering into or enforcing non-compete clauses with workers,...

Legislation2024-04-15
Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits Drive Record Investment

Clean energy investment in the United States reached record levels in 2024, driven by tax credits and incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Treasury Department and IRS finalized guida...

Regulation2024-04-10
EPA Announces PFAS Drinking Water Standards and Superfund Liability

The Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first-ever national drinking water standard for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as 'forever chemicals.' The rule sets maxim...

State Law2024-04-01
Multiple States Enact Housing Reform Legislation

Several states enacted significant housing reform legislation aimed at addressing the nationwide affordability crisis. Montana, Washington, and Vermont joined states like Oregon, California, and Minne...

Enforcement2024-03-21
DOJ Files Landmark Antitrust Case Against Apple

The Department of Justice, joined by 16 state attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple alleging the company maintains an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market. The complain...

Legislation2024-03-20
CHIPS and Science Act Implementation Accelerates with Major Grants

The Department of Commerce announced over $35 billion in preliminary agreements with semiconductor manufacturers under the CHIPS and Science Act. Major awards include $8.5 billion for Intel, $6.4 bill...

State Law2024-03-10
Abortion Trigger Laws and Ballot Measures Reshape Reproductive Rights Landscape

Two years after the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the legal landscape for reproductive rights remains in flux. As of early 2024, 14 states have near-total abortion bans in ef...

Regulation2024-03-06
SEC Adopts Final Climate Disclosure Rules for Public Companies

The Securities and Exchange Commission adopted final rules requiring public companies to disclose climate-related risks, greenhouse gas emissions, and the financial impacts of severe weather events in...

Regulation2024-03-05
CFPB Finalizes Rule Capping Credit Card Late Fees at $8

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule reducing credit card late fees from an average of $32 to $8 for most issuers. The rule amends the safe harbor provision under the Credit CARD ...

Legislation2024-02-28
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds Bridge and Highway Projects Nationwide

The Federal Highway Administration announced over $40 billion in formula funding to states for fiscal year 2024 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Major projects include bridge r...

Regulation2024-02-26
NLRB Expands Joint Employer Standard for Franchise Operations

The National Labor Relations Board's new joint employer standard took effect, significantly expanding when companies can be considered joint employers of contract and franchise workers. Under the new ...

Enforcement2024-02-22
DOJ Secures Record $2.68 Billion in False Claims Act Recoveries

The Department of Justice announced $2.68 billion in settlements and judgments from civil cases involving fraud and false claims against the government in fiscal year 2023, continuing a long trend of ...

State Law2024-02-01
Paid Leave Laws Expand Across Multiple States

The trend toward state-mandated paid family and medical leave continues to accelerate. As of 2024, 13 states plus Washington D.C. have enacted paid family and medical leave programs, with several addi...

Regulation2024-01-29
Executive Order on AI Safety Triggers New Agency Rulemaking

Federal agencies continue implementing requirements under the October 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. NIST published its AI Ri...

State Law2024-01-15
Minnesota, Delaware, and Ohio Legalize Recreational Cannabis

The wave of cannabis legalization continued as Minnesota enacted recreational cannabis legislation effective in August 2023, Delaware's governor signed legalization in April 2023, and Ohio voters appr...

Enforcement2024-01-09
FTC Orders Major Data Broker to Stop Selling Sensitive Location Data

The Federal Trade Commission took enforcement action against multiple data brokers for selling precise geolocation data that could reveal consumers' visits to sensitive locations including healthcare ...

Regulation2024-01-01
Treasury Department Finalizes Corporate Transparency Act Beneficial Ownership Rules

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) took effect on January 1, 2024, requiring millions of small businesses and LLCs to report their beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcemen...