USA Archive - Law Commentary

Stethoscope resting on medical charts with graphs in the background.

Missouri Health Care Charity Will Pay Over $8M to Settle Bribery and Embezzlement Accusations

An investigation into Missouri-based nonprofit charity Preferred Family Healthcare has resulted in the forfeiture of over $8 million to the federal government and the state of Arkansas. Preferred Family Healthcare was the nation's largest Medicaid-funded charity providing services to the public including counseling, treatment for mental health and substance abuse,... Read More about Missouri Health Care Charity Will Pay Over $8M to Settle Bribery and Embezzlement Accusations

A defendant standing in a courtroom facing three judges.

Defendant’s Lateness to Court Due to LA Traffic Can’t Bar Plea Agreement

He was late to court. He claimed he was the father of a newborn who got stuck in Los Angeles traffic. The judge, who was unmoved by the burglary defendant’s excuses, disregarded his plea agreement and sent him to prison. But a California appeal court found his excuses acceptable and... Read More about Defendant’s Lateness to Court Due to LA Traffic Can’t Bar Plea Agreement

A large crowd of protesters holding signs advocating for racial justice, with a mural of George Floyd in the background.

George Floyd Protesters Receive $14 Million Over the Use of Excessive Force by Police

Jurors have awarded protesters in the 2020 demonstrations against the death of Minneapolis man, George Floyd, a total of $14 million. The death of Floyd in the summer of 2020 sparked a national outcry for police reform across the nation. In many cities, demonstrators came out to peacefully protest police... Read More about George Floyd Protesters Receive $14 Million Over the Use of Excessive Force by Police

A woman sitting on a makeshift bed surrounded by blankets and luggage, holding a baby, in a crowded shelter setting.

DHS Announces Expansion Of Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainian Nationals

In early March, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians living in the United States. This latest initiative to help nationals of the war-torn country will impact an estimated 30,000 Ukrainians who are currently living in the United States under a... Read More about DHS Announces Expansion Of Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainian Nationals

A close-up of a person vaping, exhaling vapor from an e-cigarette.

Los Angeles County Can Ban Flavored Tobacco

Vapes and e-cigarettes. They come in lots of kid-friendly flavors like Blue Razz, Pegasus Milk and Menthol Freeze. They hide the dangers of tobacco while they poison the brains of teens. Los Angeles County is one of over a hundred California localities to ban their sale. Big Tobacco fought the... Read More about Los Angeles County Can Ban Flavored Tobacco

Hospital building with a sign indicating the emergency entrance and south entrance under a blue sky with clouds.

California Hospitals Sue Federal Government for Medicare Underpayments

Several California hospitals recently filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Department) alleging undercalculation of disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments. DSH is a federal program that provides additional funding to hospitals that treat more low-income patients than the average hospital. The California lawsuit is the... Read More about California Hospitals Sue Federal Government for Medicare Underpayments

A top-down view of a young child playing with colorful building blocks on a textured green table, surrounded by empty wooden chairs.

Mother of 3rd Grade Autistic Boy Files Suit After School Worker Throws Her Child Across a Room

The mother of a nine-year-old boy has filed a lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court after a school worker allegedly threw the child across an empty room. Tiria Jones’s autistic son was just days into the new school year at Four Creeks School when an altercation with one of the... Read More about Mother of 3rd Grade Autistic Boy Files Suit After School Worker Throws Her Child Across a Room

AT&T Age Discrimination Lawsuit is a Reminder That Employment Class Actions Are in Danger

In January 2020, a 57-year-old former AT&T employee filed a putative class action alleging that the telecommunications giant engaged in a pattern and practice of age discrimination. The outcome of the case so far provides a case study on how corporations that rely too heavily on anti-litigation agreements can accidentally... Read More about AT&T Age Discrimination Lawsuit is a Reminder That Employment Class Actions Are in Danger

Image of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton during a presidential debate, with Trump speaking passionately and Clinton listening.

Trump Sues Hillary Clinton and a Score More for Orchestrating a Malicious Conspiracy Against Him

Perhaps inspired by the old proverb that advises, “If you throw enough mud at a wall, some of it will stick,” Donald Trump has sued Hillary Clinton and scores of others for “orchestrating an unthinkable plot” that “shocks the conscience and is an affront to the nation’s democracy.” All these... Read More about Trump Sues Hillary Clinton and a Score More for Orchestrating a Malicious Conspiracy Against Him

A person holding a U.S. passport in an airport security line.

3 American Muslims Sue Over Religious Questioning by Border Officers

Three Muslim Americans have filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Los Angeles against Department of Homeland Security officers. The men, who are from Minnesota, Texas, and Arizona, were traveling home from an international trip when they claim that US border officers targeted them and questioned them about their... Read More about 3 American Muslims Sue Over Religious Questioning by Border Officers

Former Tik-Tok Content Moderators Sue the Video Sharing App Over Emotional Toll Caused by Graphic Videos

Two former Tik-Tok moderators are suing the popular video-sharing app and its parent company, ByteDance. The federal lawsuit, which is seeking class-action status, accuses the Chinese-owned app of violating California labor laws for not offering proper mental and emotional support for its content moderators. The plaintiffs named in the suit... Read More about Former Tik-Tok Content Moderators Sue the Video Sharing App Over Emotional Toll Caused by Graphic Videos

A close-up of hands typing on a laptop keyboard with green code displayed on the screen, illustrating themes of cybersecurity and data breaches.

Massachusetts-Based Company Faces Multiple Lawsuits After Data Breach

A Massachusetts-based company that specializes in background checks is at the center of four lawsuits. The lawsuit accused the company, Creative Services, Inc., of negligently failing to protect the private information of its clients. The company, which is located in Mansfield, Massachusetts, offered services to employers, universities, and government agencies... Read More about Massachusetts-Based Company Faces Multiple Lawsuits After Data Breach

The exterior view of Chapman University, showcasing its main building and landscaped gardens.

Professor Sues to Discover Who Posted His Copyrighted Exam on the Web

There is nothing new about students obtaining copies of professors’ old exams. Fraternities, sororities and unethical individuals have been writing down test questions, hijacking midterms and finals, and keeping them in files for years. What is new is their easy online availability, due to companies that profit from the exchange. ... Read More about Professor Sues to Discover Who Posted His Copyrighted Exam on the Web

Family Dollar at the Center of Several Lawsuits Over Rat Infestation

Lawyers in several states are pushing for class-action lawsuits against Family Dollar after reports of a rat infestation in the company’s distribution center surfaced earlier this year. Attorneys in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee have all come forward with lawsuits seeking class-action certification. Reports of the infestation began... Read More about Family Dollar at the Center of Several Lawsuits Over Rat Infestation

A person sitting at a table with paperwork and a credit card, looking stressed or overwhelmed by financial issues.

How Soon Can You File Another Bankruptcy?

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans file for individual bankruptcy. 2020 actually saw fewer bankruptcy filings than recent years, with around 520,000 as compared to the 750,000+ filings per year from 2016 through 2019. Regardless, the implication is clear: Bankruptcy is incredibly common and reflects the realities of the... Read More about How Soon Can You File Another Bankruptcy?