Every state requires prospective lawyers to be screened for character and fitness before admission to the bar. Once admitted, all state bars are expected to provide oversight that assures their members act ethically to advance the rule of law and protect American democracy. But recent actions by both public and... Read More »
On December 10, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8-0 ruling on Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, making a potentially profound stride in protecting states’ abilities to regulate prescription drug prices. The unanimous opinion was authored by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, with a concurrence submitted by Justice Clarence Thomas.... Read More »
At Least 66 unaccompanied minors have been expelled from the United States even after a federal judge ordered border patrol officials to stop the practice. In late November, a federal judge ordered border patrol authorities to stop the practice of expelling migrant children without giving them the opportunity to seek... Read More »
After an investigation conducted by the FBI San Antonio field office, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated its first federal court action to fight fraud related to the Coronavirus. The historic enforcement action was filed in Austin, Texas, this week against a website offering fake vaccines. The government enacted... Read More »
There is no question that Google has impacted the world in numerous significant ways. The massive company is the go-to source for information online and transformed how we seek answers to important questions. Google engages in other groundbreaking innovations and is among the corporations making driverless cars a reality. While... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA has announced through a press release that the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in over $3,504,345 of violations. The violations stem from 263 inspections where citations were issued. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers have the legal duty to provide a... Read More »
After an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Clearwater Cylinder Head, Inc. was ordered to pay $13,133 in back wages for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA). Twenty employees of the cylinder manufacturer based in Clearwater, Florida, will receive $656.65 as compensation... Read More »
The Department of Justice and the state of North Dakota have reached a settlement agreement in which the state will provide a more expansive community-based care service for individuals who live with disabilities. This settlement comes after a long battle between states concerning their role in upholding the law regarding... Read More »
Available in the United States since August of 2018, TikTok is a social media app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance that allows users to create and share brief videos. The app provides sound and video effects that are easy to use and can produce sophisticated-looking results. Especially popular with... Read More »
Muskingum County Judge Mark C. Fleegle has been disqualified from two cases scheduled for this month after complaints that Fleegle has not followed COVID-19 safety protocols in his courtroom. The complaints came from a Columbus, Ohio lawyer, Harry Reinhart. Reinhart, who is 69, was dissatisfied with the lack of safety... Read More »
On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against J. Randolph Parry Architects and eight owners of multifamily properties that were designed by the architectural firm. The lawsuit alleges that both the architectural firm and the property owners violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And in... Read More »
In a unanimous decision by the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, justices rejected a lawsuit filed by fifteen survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. The survivors sued local officials for not protecting them during the mass shooting that claimed the lives of seventeen victims... Read More »
The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has issued a final rule entitled Fiduciary Duties Regarding Proxy Voting and Shareholder Rights. This ruling establishes a regulatory framework for fiduciaries of private employee benefits plans and helps clear up prior misunderstandings regarding proxy voting. This new ruling will... Read More »
Known for relatively stringent pandemic safety measures (along with protests and governor-kidnapping plots in response), Michigan remains in a partial shutdown amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Though the state of the pandemic now surpasses the initial early-spring surges, restrictions are far less universally imposing than the lockdowns enacted at the... Read More »
A joint finalized rule by the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security will go into effect mid-January 2021 which will “streamline and enhance procedures for the adjudication of claims for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) regulations.” The two Departments claim this... Read More »
