Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Joe Biden has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio recording of his interview. The action, reported by Axios and TIME, aims to keep the interview confidential amid political controversy.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
Georgia Cuts Income Tax Rate to 4.99% and Scales Back Property Tax Relief
The Georgia General Assembly approved a reduction of the state income‑tax rate from 5.19% to 4.99% and a scaled‑back property‑tax relief that will be financed by a new one‑cent sales tax. The measures, set to take effect if Gov. Brian Kemp signs them, alter deductions, overtime exemptions, and the fiscal balance for local governments.
FedEx Secures $2.68 Million Judgment Against MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell Over Unpaid Shipping Fees
FedEx obtained a $2,677,933.31 default judgment against MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell after the court found he owed the carrier for unpaid shipping fees. The ruling follows a broader $9 million claim and highlights the challenges carriers face when extending credit to...
UK, Allies Mull Fresh Iran Sanctions as Hormuz Toll Threatens Oil Supply Chain
Britain and a coalition of allies announced they are drafting new sanctions on Iran after Tehran imposed a $2 million toll on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, while European nations rebuffed President Trump’s request for military support. The move threatens...
California Lawmakers Pitch State‑Run Construction Insurance to Spur Factory‑Built Housing
A bipartisan group of California lawmakers introduced a package of six bills, including Assembly Bill 2166, that would create a state‑run construction insurance program to guarantee payouts for developers and lenders using factory‑built housing. The move targets the chronic housing...
Colorado Forces Lawyers to Swear Off Assisting ICE to Use State E‑Filing System
Colorado has made it mandatory for all private attorneys to sign a perjury‑penalized pledge that they will not use court‑record information to aid federal immigration enforcement, or they will be barred from the state’s electronic filing system. The rule, stemming...
Labor Department Proposes Rule to Expand 401(k) Access to ETFs and Other Alternative Assets
The U.S. Department of Labor released a proposed rule on March 30, 2026 that would broaden the range of investment options—including ETFs—in employer‑sponsored retirement plans. The rule creates a safe‑harbor framework for fiduciaries and defines “designated investment alternatives” to include...
Monarch Tractor’s $250 Million Collapse Highlights AI Hardware Risk
Monarch Tractor, once valued at more than $500 million and backed by $240 million in venture capital, burned through roughly $250 million before laying off its entire workforce and vacating its Livermore headquarters. The failure of its autonomous electric tractors has sparked lawsuits...
The Loophole that Keeps a Trump Loyalist Serving as L.A.’s Top Federal Prosecutor
Bill Essayli, a Trump loyalist, remains Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor by holding the title of “first assistant U.S. attorney,” a loophole that bypasses Senate confirmation. A federal judge ruled he cannot act as an interim U.S. attorney, but the...
TDM Call for Papers on “Project Finance in International Arbitration”
Transnational Dispute Management (TDM) announced a special issue on “Project Finance in International Arbitration,” edited by Seabron Adamson and Tiago Duarte‑Silva of Charles River Associates. The call invites scholars and practitioners to explore how special‑purpose vehicle structures, lender rights, and...
Poland, Romania Ordered to Honor Vaccine Deal with Pfizer
A Belgian court ordered Poland and Romania to accept and pay for €1.9 billion ($2.2 billion) of Pfizer‑BioNTech COVID‑19 vaccine doses. The ruling stems from a contract signed with the European Commission that obligates the two countries to take a fixed number...
Navigating NYC’s Updated Safe and Sick Leave Law: A Practical Guide for Restaurants
Effective February 22, 2026, New York City’s safe and sick leave law adds 32 hours of unpaid leave, 20 hours of paid prenatal leave, and broadens qualifying reasons for time off. Restaurants must now track three distinct leave categories—paid safe...
Twin DNA Tests Challenge U.S. Paternity Presumptions
This is not an isolated situation. There are published court opinions on this issue in the U.S. Nevada goes so far as to address it by statute (a “presumption that a man is the natural father of a child” if...
A Special EB-1A/O-1 Offer
Boundless Immigration is rolling out a special reduced‑fee EB‑1A/O‑1 filing program for highly experienced professionals who already satisfy three or more eligibility criteria. The offer applies to candidates with 8‑20+ years of experience or 4‑7 years with demonstrable high‑impact achievements,...
Minnesota Kicks Off Legal Battle With Trump Administration To Hold ICE Shooters Accountable
Minnesota prosecutors have filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department to compel the release of evidence in three ICE shootings that left two civilians dead and one wounded. The Trump administration has repeatedly...
Iowa Passes Landmark Law to Tackle $172 Billion Child‑Care Crisis
Iowa's Senate unanimously approved a bill making the Child Care Assistance program permanent, aiming to lower costs for providers and families amid a $172 billion national child‑care affordability gap. Governor Kim Reynolds is set to sign the legislation, positioning the state...
Tennessee Law Removes Child‑Support Hurdle for Felons Restoring Voting Rights
The Tennessee General Assembly approved a bipartisan bill that relaxes two long‑standing financial barriers for people with felony convictions seeking to regain their voting rights. The measure allows proof of a year‑long child‑support payment plan and unties court‑cost payments from...
South Carolina Bill Would Presume 50/50 Custody, Redefining Fathers' Rights
South Carolina legislators introduced a bill that would create a legal presumption of equal shared parenting, making a 50/50 custody split the default unless a parent proves it would harm the child. The proposal aims to curb judicial discretion and...
Parent PLUS Borrowers Face July 1 Deadline as IDR Benefits Vanish
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4 2025, ends income‑driven repayment (IDR) for Parent PLUS loans on July 1 2026. About 3.6 million borrowers, collectively owing more than $114 billion, must consolidate into a Direct Consolidation Loan or lose IDR and forgiveness pathways.
Hashed and Bloomingbit to Host EastPoint:Seoul 2026 on Digital Assets and AI
Hashed and Bloomingbit will co‑host EastPoint:Seoul 2026 on Sept. 28, bringing together global policymakers, finance executives and blockchain innovators to chart the future of digital assets and AI. The forum builds on a 2025 debut that attracted 503 participants and is...
FCC Moves to Ban Foreign‑Made Routers, Citing Enterprise Security and National‑Security Risks
The Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on foreign‑manufactured Wi‑Fi routers, citing risks to enterprise networks and national security. The move targets equipment from China and other adversarial nations, urging businesses to replace vulnerable devices to protect data and critical...
Appeals Court Revives Three Atlanta Hotel Sex‑Trafficking Cases
A Georgia appellate panel has revived three criminal cases alleging sex‑trafficking activity at metro Atlanta hotels. The decision overturns earlier dismissals and puts hotel operators back in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors, highlighting growing legal exposure for the hospitality sector.
AI Porn Startup Sues Apple over App Store Takedowns, Claims $500,000 in Lost Revenue
AI startup Ex-Human has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the removal of its Botify AI and Photify AI apps from the App Store caused $500,000 in lost revenue. Apple cited “dishonest or fraudulent activity” after an MIT Technology...
Trump’s Pentagon Slammed in Court for Retaliation Scheme
Ray Brescia discusses a recent preliminary injunction issued by Judge Lynn blocking the Trump administration's punitive actions against AI firm Anthropic, which provides the Claude AI tool. The administration, citing the company's contract restrictions against mass surveillance and lethal autonomous...
India’s Crypto Exchanges Reach 49 Registered, Marking Regulatory Shift
India’s Financial Intelligence Unit has certified 49 cryptocurrency exchanges under its anti‑money‑laundering framework, turning a fragmented market into a regulated ecosystem. The move promises tighter fraud controls, clearer tax rules and a more attractive environment for institutional investors.
Trump Ousts Bondi, New Appointee Threatens Voting Rights
NEW EPISODE: Donald Trump fired Pam Bondi and her replacement could be someone even more hostile to voting rights. Ashley Cleaves and I analyze Bondi's legacy and discuss the implications of this move for the 2026 elections. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N6ghJsRUxo
Overarching Governance Structure: The Important Structure Of Governance
A robust AML/CFT governance framework hinges on board leadership, a dedicated chief AML officer, and clearly defined three‑line defenses. The board establishes a compliance culture, creates a Board Compliance Committee (BCC) and oversees internal and external audit independence. Management translates...
Democratic Lawyer Calls McIver Prosecution Political Abuse
Marc Elias, the powerful Democratic lawyer who has taken a personal interest in Ms. McIver’s case, has called the prosecution “an absolute travesty” and “a misuse of the law enforcement system to target their political enemies.” https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/03/us/politics/lamonica-mciver-immigration-congress-trump.html
Live Facial Recognition Scans Millions on UK High Streets Daily
"'Live' facial recognition cameras, which scan the faces of passers-by to search for wanted people in real time, now regularly appear on British high streets" 8.6m faces scanned in 2025. 😱 If only the UK had stayed in the EU... #EUAIAct https://t.co/N0XKWoy0gL
What California Law Requires in Your Job Postings
California’s pay‑transparency regime now obligates every employer to provide a pay‑scale on reasonable request and, for firms with 15 or more employees, to embed the salary range directly in each job posting. Recent amendments, notably SB 642, require those ranges to...
Regulators' Data Mandate Created Massive Identity Leak
A fintech left tens of thousands of government identity docs on a public server for 5 years. Not rogue behavior. Standard behavior under a framework that mandates collection but not protection. Regulators built the honeypot. Companies just filled it. https://t.co/xpczIoR9i0
Legal AI Firms Overstate RAG's Hallucination‑free Promise
“Recently, certain legal research providers have touted methods such as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) as “eliminating” (Casetext, 2023) or “avoid[ing]” hallucinations (Thomson Reuters, 2023), or guaranteeing “hallucination-free” legal citations” 👀 https://t.co/kn1551aRr5
Live Nation Trial Week 4 Recap: Defense Witnesses Back Ticketmaster & Judge Weighs ‘Intimidation’
In week four of the Live Nation antitrust trial, the company presented defense witnesses who argued that Ticketmaster’s dominance stems from superior service, not illegal monopoly power. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Laurie Jacoby and Monumental Sports president Jim Van...
Westlaw AI Delivers Gibberish on Tough Queries Despite Paid Service
“when I fed it intermediate to hard to very difficult questions in the past, Westlaw AI shrugged, gave me unhelpful gibberish…And people are paying for this (loads).” 👀
Community Banks Challenge OCC's Coinbase Trust Charter Approval
JUST IN: US community banks are fighting the OCC's approval of Coinbase's trust charter, claiming it doesn't meet regulatory requirements and risks consumers and the financial system.
Cleary Gottlieb Partner Warns AI Could Upend Billable‑Hour Model
Michael Gerstenzang, senior partner at Cleary Gottlieb, says artificial‑intelligence tools are eroding the traditional billable‑hour model, forcing firms to adopt speed‑and‑results pricing. He points to his firm’s ClearyX subsidiary, which delivers due‑diligence work at roughly 50% of junior‑associate cost, as...
New Tool Summarizes 36 State Permitting Reform Resources
No Time to Read 36 Resources on State Permitting Reform? We Built an Easy-to-Use Tool That Will Do It for You. #energysky -- via RMI https://t.co/8Oravywaqf
EU Prosecutor Probes Alleged Solar Tender Fraud in Slovenia
European prosecutor investigates suspected solar tender fraud in Slovenia #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/vxuL2kIHo3
Lawsuit Claims Eightfold AI Breached Fair Credit Reporting Act, Raising Red Flags for HRTech
A California lawsuit filed in January accuses AI recruiting platform Eightfold AI of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act by scoring and filtering candidates without required disclosures. The case underscores a growing compliance risk for employers that rely on AI‑driven...
26-666 - Lietzke V. Shashy Realty LLC Et Al
On April 2, 2026 the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma dismissed the plaintiff’s complaint in Lietzke v. Shashy Realty LLC without prejudice, allowing the case to be refiled. The court also denied the plaintiff’s motion to proceed in federal court without...
26-391 - Nguyen V. Figueroa
The article provides the official citation formats for Nguyen v. Figueroa, a 2026 decision from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. It lists Chicago, APA, MLA, and Bluebook references and links to the full opinion on...
Red Light Cameras Are Still Illegal In These US States
Red‑light cameras remain illegal in nine U.S. states and lack statewide authorization in another 25, creating a patchwork of enforcement across the country. While the technology can curb red‑light running—a factor in more than one‑quarter of intersection‑related fatalities—its legality is...
Virginia, Texas Lead New Data Center Regulation Wave
How Virginia, Texas, and Other States Are Starting to Regulate Data Centers #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/o1X9pP2Zc8 https://t.co/um8OSslPeJ
26-259 - Quintero Leal V. Warden of Diamondback Correctional Facility
On April 2, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma issued an order in Quintero Leal v. Warden of Diamondback Correctional Facility. Chief Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti adopted a report and recommendation and dismissed the case without...
California Sues to Block Trump’s Order on Vote-by-Mail
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a federal lawsuit to block President Donald Trump’s executive order that would give the U.S. Postal Service authority to reject mail ballots not on state‑provided voter lists. The order, issued through the Department of...
Batton Plaintiffs File Appeal After Anywhere Opt-In Deal
The Batton plaintiffs have appealed to the Seventh Circuit after a district court denied their request for a preliminary injunction aimed at blocking Anywhere Real Estate’s opt‑in to the Tuccori settlement. Anywhere, along with The Keyes Company, Illustrated Properties and...
Georgia Lawmakers Pass Bill that Lets Property Owners Sue over Homeless Encampments
Georgia lawmakers passed a bill that would let property owners sue local governments if policies banning homeless encampments and limiting sanctuary cooperation are not enforced. If Governor Brian Kemp signs, owners could claim compensation for alleged property value loss or...
I Got Neil Stone to Delete All His False and Defamatory Quotes About Paul Thomas (There Were a Lot)
Dr. Neil Stone posted a false, defamatory claim that Dr. Paul Thomas’s advice caused a tetanus infection, then deleted the content after being warned of actual‑malice liability and possible regulator action. The post suggested the patient was under Dr. Thomas’s...
CEO of Health Tracking Startup Bevel Speaks Out After Whoop Files Lawsuit
Whoop, the wearable health‑tech leader that recently secured $575 million in funding and reached a $10.1 billion valuation, filed a lawsuit accusing Bevel of trade‑dress, copyright and patent infringement. The 111‑page complaint claims Bevel copied the look and feel of the Whoop...
Trump Calls Vance the ‘Fraud Czar.’ Here’s What We Know About the Role
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Vice President J.D. Vance will serve as the nation’s “fraud czar,” heading a new anti‑fraud task force created by a March 16 executive order. The order makes Vance the chair of a...
Vietnam: IP Framework to Accelerate Technology Commercialisation
Vietnam is overhauling its intellectual property framework to turn patents into commercial assets, guided by Resolution No. 57‑NQ/TW and updates to the 2025 Science, Technology and Innovation Law. The reforms give creators stronger ownership rights and invite enterprises to co‑develop and...