New York Federal Judge Postpones Government’s Termination Of TPS For Yemenis
NEW YORK — A federal judge in New York granted motions in two putative class complaints to postpone the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary’s decision to terminate the temporary protected status (TPS) for Yemen, which was first designated in 2015.
Expert Can Testify On How Costco Could Have Prevented Fall; Summary Judgment Denied
NEW ORLEANS — A Louisiana federal judge on May 4 ruled that an expert can testify about the relative safety of a speed bump that a woman allegedly tripped over in a Costco parking lot and denied the store’s motion for summary judgment.
Judge Enters $36M Judgment In Hong Kong Company’s Favor For Brand Dispute
LOS ANGELES — A California federal judge on May 5 entered judgment confirming a JAMS award worth more than $36 million against the Hong Kong entity that owns the distribution rights for a popular pop culture and lifestyle brand and in favor of a distributor, also based in Hong Kong, that was accused of violating the parties’ licensing agreement, after dismissing the rights owner’s petition to vacate as untimely and rejecting its arguments opposing confirmation.
Value Of Proposed Class Deal To Close ESOP Case Is Estimated At More Than $22.5M
NEW YORK — On May 4, a New York federal judge granted preliminary approval to a settlement that a class of employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) participants say has “a total economic value exceeding $22.5 million” and “represents a recovery of approximately 71% of remaining losses” in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act case.
Federal Circuit Agrees ‘About’ Phrase Indefinite In Food Chemical Patent Dispute
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel on May 4 affirmed an Arkansas federal judge’s ruling that a plaintiff-appellant chemical company’s asserted patent claims were invalid as indefinite; the panel saw no error in the judge’s finding that the claim term “about” did not define the boundaries of a claimed range of pH levels.
3rd Circuit Reverses In RICO Suit Alleging Internet Filing Of False Documentation
PHILADELPHIA — The Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reversed and remanded a lower court ruling dismissing a woman’s suit alleging Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) violations and Pennsylvania state law claims related to underlying suits involving a bankruptcy and a wage dispute, finding that the lower court erred in its determinations that the woman failed to allege racketeering activity and that alleged false internet filings in the underlying suits constituted intrastate wires.
10th Circuit Reverses Course On ‘Tiger King’ Funeral Video Fair Use Determination
DENVER — In a reversal from a March 2024 opinion, a 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel affirmed an Oklahoma federal judge’s entry of summary judgment in favor of Netflix Inc. and another production company, now agreeing with the judge that video clips from a funeral used in the documentary television series “Tiger King” constituted a fair use.
High Court Puts Ruling That Would Force In-Person Visits For Mifepristone On Hold
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. on May 4 administratively stayed a decision by the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that granted Louisiana’s motion to stay the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2023 decision that removed the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone, one of two drugs used to induce early termination of pregnancy.
Judge Grants Final Approval To $27M PFAS Settlement Between Residents And DuPont
ALBANY, N.Y. — A federal judge in New York has granted final approval to a $27 million class action settlement to resolve a long-running dispute between residents and E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. over the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination of drinking water in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., finding that the settlement is “fair, adequate, and reasonable” and saying that it drew no objections and no opt-outs.
Calif. Panel Affirms Judgment For Attorney In Fraud, $17.5M Life Policy Dispute
SANTA ANA, Calif. — A California state appeals court affirmed a lower court ruling granting summary judgment to an estate planning attorney and his firm in a suit by a woman asserting that the attorney tried to defraud trust beneficiaries and the insurer that issued a $17.5 million split-dollar life insurance policy by trying to cancel the policy after a loan was obtained to fund the policy premiums, finding that the fraud claim is barred by a three-year statute of limitations.
Judge Allows Newsom’s Defamation Suit Against Fox News, Denies Attorney Fees
WILMINGTON, Del. — A Delaware state judge on April 30 denied a motion by Fox News Network (FNN) to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it for defamation per se by California Gov. Gavin Newsom regarding FNN’s claim on-air that the governor “lied” about not having a phone call with President Donald J. Trump in June 2025 and denied FNN’s request for attorney fees based on Newsom’s withdrawal of a claim for violation of California’s unfair competition law (UCL).