Today's Legal Pulse
Biden sues DOJ to block release of interview audio
President Biden filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Department of Justice from publishing an audio interview, arguing the release would be improper. The action has sparked political commentary, including remarks from former President Trump.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader clear final merger hurdles
Interior Secretary Summons ESA "God Squad" For Gulf Of Mexico Drilling
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has summoned the Endangered Species Committee, known as the “God Squad,” for a March 31 meeting to consider an exemption from the Endangered Species Act for oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The request follows a push to open the eastern Gulf to new leases, despite the region hosting at least 19 threatened or endangered marine species. Burgum’s notice promises a public YouTube livestream, which conservation groups argue does not satisfy open‑meeting requirements. The move revives concerns tied to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, which devastated Kemp’s ridley sea turtles and other wildlife.
A Pardon Lobbyist, $500,000 Demand and Alleged Enforcer Lead to Extortion Charge in New York
Federal authorities in New York arrested lobbyist Joshua Nass, accusing him of attempting to extort $500,000 from a former client and the client’s son. Nass, who had lobbied for a presidential pardon of the client, Joseph Schwartz, allegedly hired a...
Brendan Carr Now Trying to Threaten Away the Networks' Negative War Coverage
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr used social media to warn broadcasters that stations spreading what he calls “fake news” about the U.S. bombing of Iran could face license renewal challenges. He emphasized the FCC’s public‑interest mandate and suggested that non‑compliant stations...
Virginia Restaurants Must Follow This Unusual Alcohol Law
Virginia mandates that restaurants holding mixed‑beverage licenses generate at least 45% of sales from food and non‑alcoholic drinks, while beer and wine revenues are excluded from the calculation. The rule, rooted in the 1968 Mixed Beverage Act, forces any venue...
Photobucket’s Attempted TOS Amendment Mostly Fails–Pierce V. Photobucket
Photobucket tried to bind dormant users to a 2024 Terms of Service that added a biometric‑data clause for AI and an arbitration provision. The Colorado district court held that only legacy users who received clear notice—like Ms. Hughes—were bound, while...
Lawyers Citing Nonexistent Cases Ordered to Pay Opponents' Attorney Fees, Double Costs, $15K Fine Each
The Sixth Circuit sanctioned attorneys Van Irion and Russ Egli for repeatedly citing nonexistent cases in appeals stemming from the City of Athens fireworks litigation. The court identified more than two dozen fabricated citations and ordered the lawyers to reimburse...
Elizabeth Warren Slams SEC Over Justin Sun Settlement, Demands Crypto Laws Confront Trump’s ‘Crypto Corruption’
Senator Elizabeth Warren publicly rebuked the SEC for ending enforcement actions against crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun and related Tron entities, after a $10 million civil fine was imposed on Rainberry. The settlement dismissed core allegations without any admission of wrongdoing, prompting...
The Case for College Athlete Unions
The NCAA posted roughly $1.4 billion in revenue for 2024, while the College Football Playoff posted record profits. Labor activist Jennifer Abruzzo, former NLRB general counsel, has been spearheading unionization drives at schools such as Northwestern, Dartmouth and USC. Federal momentum...
Kennedy Center Must Allow Ex Officio Board Member To Voice Her Dissent In Meeting On Trump’s Plans For Closure And...
A federal judge ruled that Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, an ex‑officio board member of the Kennedy Center, must be provided with renovation details and allowed to speak at the upcoming board meeting on Donald Trump’s proposed closure and overhaul. The order...
Feds Move to Dismiss Charges Against Army Veteran Who Burned American Flag Near White House
The Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the misdemeanor charges against Army veteran Jay Carey, who set fire to an American flag in Lafayette Park as a protest against President Trump’s executive order targeting flag‑burning. Carey, a former soldier...
Govt Bans LPG Refills for PNG Dual‑connection Users
#WestAsiaWar | Govt prohibits #LPG refills, connections for consumers using PNG 🔴Consumers with dual connections of PNG & LPG cannot retain or refill LPG cylinders 🔴Consumers with #PNG connections need to surrender their domestic LPG connection 🔴PNG consumers cannot...
Nebraska, Huskers Athletes Share Representation in CSC Arbitration
Eighteen Nebraska athletes have filed arbitration against the College Sports Commission over denied NIL deals, using a joint‑representation agreement with law firm Husch Blackwell and the university. The February 18 agreement, signed by the athletes and Nebraska’s general counsel, allows the...
John Lothian: Week in Review (March 9th – 13th, 2026)
The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has launched a Binary Order Entry API that represents a structural shift in how participants connect, moving performance‑critical paths to client‑side design rather than merely reducing latency. This change alters development skill requirements, certification processes, and...
Hypothetical Legal Advice to SecDef Hegseth on “No Quarter” Statement (From Office of General Counsel)
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s March 13, 2026 remarks that U.S. forces would give "no quarter, no mercy" to Iranian combatants could be interpreted as an illegal command under the law of armed conflict. The Department of War’s General Counsel...
NGL Pro Users Charged without Authorization Can Apply for a Refund — Deadline Is April 6
The Federal Trade Commission is offering refunds to users of NGL Pro who were charged unauthorized weekly fees after the app promised a one‑time payment. The settlement, stemming from a July 2024 lawsuit, totals $4.5 million and targets subscribers who paid between...
"If the Defendants Continue the Practice, It Will Not End Well for Them"
A federal judge in the Elephant Shoe, LLC v. Cook case issued an injunction prohibiting defendants from copying the judge and magistrate on emails sent to third parties, a practice barred by Local Rule 7.1(M). The judge noted that the...
US Gov't Revokes Controversial AI Hardware Export Rule that Would Mandate Investments From Foreign Companies — New Export Rules Are...
The U.S. Commerce Department withdrew a proposed export rule that would have forced foreign operators of large AI clusters to invest an equal amount in U.S. AI infrastructure to obtain accelerators. The draft, part of the AI Action Plan, introduced...
Fed Independence Now Secured by Courts, Not Norms
The Fed won a sweeping court victory Friday. But the fact that it needed one tells you everything about how much has changed. The unsealed filings are something else—the Fed catalogued 100 Trump attacks on Powell and told a court...
Some Top US Lobbying Firms Are Working Both Sides of the Pfas Issue at the Same Time
A new analysis by the nonprofit F‑Minus reveals that several leading U.S. lobbying firms are representing both PFAS manufacturers and public‑health or environmental groups on the same issue. Firms such as Holland & Knight, KP Public Affairs and Princeton Public...
S. Korea Wins Int'l Arbitration Case Against Elevator Maker Schindler
South Korea won an international arbitration case against Swiss elevator maker Schindler, avoiding a 320 billion won ($211.4 million) damages claim. The Permanent Court of Arbitration dismissed all claims, confirming Seoul acted within legal authority and recovering 9.6 billion won in costs. The...
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Could Your Social Security Payments Be Garnished Due to Unpaid Debts? What To Know First
Social Security retirement and disability benefits can be reduced when recipients owe child support, federal taxes, or other government debts, with the IRS allowed to garnish up to 15% of payments. Overpayments trigger a 50% withholding until the excess is...
EU Court Rules Member States Must Recognize Transgender Identity in Official Documents
The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that all EU member states must update official identity documents to reflect the gender identity of transgender citizens who have transitioned in another member state. The decision stems from a case...
Warsh's Fed Chair Hopes Dashed by DOJ Appeal
For a moment on Friday, Kevin Warsh was on a glide path to becoming the next chair of the Fed. But within the hour, a possible pathway for him narrowed about as quickly as it had emerged, as the Justice...
Attorney Withdrawal Creates New Delay in Tupac Shakur Murder Case Against Keefe D
Duane “Keefe D” Davis, accused of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s 1996 murder, faced another procedural setback when his defense attorney Robert Draskovich withdrew on March 10, citing a dispute over retainer payments. Judge Carli Kierny approved the withdrawal and set a...
Breitling for Women? More Like Bad Faith for Women, Says the EUIPO
The EUIPO Fifth Board of Appeal upheld the Cancellation Division’s finding that the trademark "BREITLING FOR WOMEN" was registered in bad faith. The decision relied on Article 59(1)(b) of the EU Trade Mark Regulation and CJEU precedent, noting the applicant’s lack of a...
Ray J Hit With New American Express Lawsuit Over Alleged $78K Credit Card Debt
R&B singer Ray J, legally Ray Norwood, faces a new American Express lawsuit demanding repayment of a $78,704.56 credit‑card balance, plus interest and legal costs. The complaint alleges he breached his cardholder agreement by failing to settle the amount. This...
A Few Takeaways From the Conclusions & Decisions of the HCCH Governing Body (CGAP – 2026 Meeting): Parentage/Surrogacy, Jurisdiction Project,...
The HCCH Council on General Affairs and Policy released its 2026 Conclusions & Decisions, marking the end of the long‑running parentage‑surrogacy project without adopting a new convention. A UK‑initiated working group was mandated to explore a future convention on cross‑border...
I’m a Small Landlord. What Can I Do About My Nonpaying Tenants?
A small New York landlord of a rent‑stabilized building is grappling with nonpaying tenants. The article outlines two practical routes: filing a nonpayment eviction case early, or negotiating a payment plan to avoid court altogether. It highlights the chronic delays...
Ryanair Nearly Had a Plane Seized By Debt Collectors After Airline Failed to Pay Court-Ordered Compensation to Passenger
Ryanair almost had a Boeing 737 seized at Linz Airport after a court‑sanctioned debt collector boarded the aircraft to enforce a €892.87 judgment. The debt stemmed from a passenger who claimed EC‑261 compensation for a 13‑hour delay and won a...
26-163 - Mitchell V. Sharp
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma adopted the full Report and Recommendation in Mitchell v. Sharp. The court denied Mr. Mitchell’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis, requiring him to pay the standard filing fee. He...
26-185 - Edwards Et Al V. Oklahoma County Detention Center
On March 12, 2026, Judge Jodi W. Dishman of the Western District of Oklahoma issued an order adopting the Report and Recommendation in Edwards et al v. Oklahoma County Detention Center. The court declined a de novo review because petitioners failed to object within the required...
26-058 - Miller V. Amason
On March 12, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma issued an order in Miller v. Amason. The court accepted Report and Recommendation document No. 5 and dismissed the action without prejudice. Judge Jodi W. Dishman signed...
23-895 - Association Casualty Insurance Company V. Veerlakshmi LLC
The federal court initially denied Association Casualty Insurance Company’s motion to dismiss as moot on December 1, 2023, keeping the lawsuit alive. After nearly three years, Judge Jodi W. Dishman granted the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment on March 12, 2026. The order now requires both...
Businesses Beware: Top Data Privacy Threats in 2026
Data privacy risk is intensifying in 2026 as legacy “zombie” statutes, expanding state regulations, and pervasive AI usage converge. Companies face renewed class‑action exposure from outdated laws like California’s 1960s invasion‑of‑privacy act, while Texas and Connecticut enforce stricter opt‑in consent...
TikTok Sale Questioned Over Unauthorized Extension and Influence
The TikTok deal is being challenged because it may be unlawful. The divestment law allowed the president one 90-day extension, and critics say Trump issued extensions he didn’t have authority to give. That means the deal built on that extension...
Top Experts to Follow for AI Data Privacy
On the topic of data privacy, and compliance concerns for enterprises in the age of AI… Who are the voices to follow / the smartest people for best practice on this topic?
The Future of AML Compliance: Exploring the Benefits of AML Compliance Software
AML compliance software is rapidly becoming essential for financial institutions, leveraging AI and machine learning to automate customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and suspicious activity reporting. The technology improves detection accuracy, cuts false positives, and reduces operational costs,...
General AI Can't Outpace Specialized Legal Templates
Pretty interesting argument on why ChatGPT and Claude won't replace all the vertical AI tools. In law specifically, it would actually slow you down. Lawyers have to read and understand every word in a document, and it's actually faster to work...
AI Threatens Junior Lawyers' Training Ground
#TimTalk – Will AI accidentally destroy the training ground for junior law associates? with Matt Mishak https://t.co/yKGchqQBMZ via @DLAIgnite #SocialSelling #DigitalSelling #Sales #SalesTips #SalesLeader #SalesEnablement #Marketing #Leadership #Tech #TechNews #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureofWork
Ninth Circuit Thwarts Attempt to Halt Copper Mine on Apache Land
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a motion to stop the construction of the Resolution Copper mine at Oak Flat, a site sacred to the Western Apache tribe. The panel held that the Forest Service’s environmental impact statement...
PA Counts Non‑alcoholic Beer Toward Purchase Limits
TIL that the sale of nonalcoholic beer counts towards your beer purchase quota in PA. (The Commonwealth imposes limits on alcohol sales at the grocery store.)
Judge Denies Epic's Dismissal Motion, Loss Expected
Another big Epic litigation update, as Judge Fillmore denied Epic's Motion to Dismiss in full in Texas v. Epic. It’s a loss, but somewhat of an expected one, as the state specific 91a pleading standard is a low bar. https://t.co/S9eI9qwFOV
AI Tool of the Week: This New Plugin Is Transforming Legal Operations.
The Claude Legal plugin, launched on Claude.ai and its Desktop app, automates routine contract, NDA, and compliance document review. By extracting key clauses and flagging risks, it reduces a two‑hour vendor contract analysis to minutes. The tool targets in‑house legal...
Ryanair's Unpaid Claim Leads Bailiff to Seize Plane
Ryanair Refused To Pay A Delayed Passenger $1,182 — So A Bailiff Boarded Its Boeing 737 And Seized The Plane - View from the Wing https://t.co/1jGevwMAxU
MD5's Insecurity Threatens Justice: Wrongful Convictions Possible
Good article explaining exactly how the continued use of the insecure "MD5" hash function in forensics and courts could result in wrongful conviction of the innocent and in the guilty going free. https://t.co/WoGJjdOu3J
US Senate Advances Housing Legislation that Includes a Ban on Institutional Investors Purchasing Single-Family Homes
On March 12, 2026 the U.S. Senate passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by an 89‑10 bipartisan vote. The bill temporarily bans large institutional investors from purchasing single‑family homes and also blocks the Federal Reserve from issuing a...
Klaus Schwab Seeks Swiss Watchdog Clarification on WEF Influence
WEF founder Klaus Schwab has reached out to Switzerland’s foundations watchdog to clarify how much influence he can still exert at the organization https://t.co/QV0mXK3Et1 via @bbenrath https://t.co/20K8TQ4hes
Guardian, FT Push AI Copyright Half‑truths for Profit
Guardian and FT really going hard on the half truths in relation to the AI copyright debate today There is a serious conflict of interest in advocating for policy that would directly benefit their publications at the expense of giving the...
SEC Exempts D&Os of Canadian Issuers From Section 16(a) Insider Reporting
On March 5, 2026 the SEC issued an order exempting directors and officers of Canadian issuers from the Section 16(a) insider‑reporting mandate of the Exchange Act. The exemption hinges on Canada’s National Instrument 55‑104, which the SEC deems a "qualifying regulation" in a "qualifying...
Uber Sued over $10M Fraudulent App Install Scheme
Worth noting that Uber sued an app marketing agency in 2019, alleging that it knowingly bought tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent traffic. So I’m not sure Uber ever saw its unit economics defined as unlimited free app installs. https://t.co/sGvPKJdlv2