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
Supply Chains Brace for Renewed Turbulence as Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6‑3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not give the president authority to impose the sweeping tariffs enacted under the Trump administration, effectively nullifying roughly $175 billion in duties. Ports and logistics firms are preparing for a surge in cargo flow while awaiting guidance on refunds. The administration responded by announcing a new 10 % global tariff under the Trade Act of 1974, adding another layer of uncertainty. Industry analysts warn that other tariff regimes remain intact, prolonging exposure for importers.
The DOJ Expands Its Investigation of The Warner Bros. Discovery Sale to Netflix
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an antitrust probe into the $45 billion sale of Warner Bros. to Apex Media Holdings. Regulators are examining whether the deal could curtail competition for independent movie theaters by shifting distribution power toward Apex’s streaming...
Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Global Tariffs in 6–3 Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision striking down President Trump’s global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), ruling the move exceeded presidential authority. The majority held that IEEPA does not grant the power to...
FMCSA Announces Rapid Actions to Shut Down ‘Chameleon Carriers,’ CDL Mills, ELD Cheating
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration unveiled three rulemakings and a sweeping fraud‑crackdown targeting ghost offices, sham CDL schools, and fraudulent electronic logging devices. Carriers and training providers must now maintain a physical office inspectable within 48 hours, and drivers...
Ramsey Elkholy’s Monotronic Sues Pangea Entertainment Over Lack of Promotion In Alleged Breach of Contract
Ramsey Elkholy’s indie project Monotonic has sued A&R Worldwide’s Pangea Entertainment for allegedly breaching a year‑long marketing and consulting contract. The lawsuit claims Pangea failed to provide promised creative input, bi‑weekly strategy calls, artwork support, and placement of the band’s...
AICPA Wants More Guidance on R&D Expensing
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has formally requested the Treasury and IRS to issue clearer guidance on the election rules for domestic research and development (R&D) expenses under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The OBBBA reverses the Tax Cuts and Jobs...
The Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6‑3 that President Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act are unlawful, restoring congressional authority over trade barriers. The decision paves the way for thousands of lawsuits seeking refunds, with industry estimates...
AI Silos: The New Data Fragmentation Problem Inside Law Firms
Law firms are rapidly adopting a patchwork of AI applications, but the lack of a unified architecture is creating isolated data silos. These "AI silos" prevent seamless knowledge sharing across practice groups and hinder the firm’s ability to leverage collective...
A Breakdown of the Court’s Tariff Decision
The Supreme Court ruled in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the President authority to impose tariffs. A six‑justice majority focused on the statutory text, finding no reference to duties,...
Denmark Seizes Blacklisted Container Ship Tied to Iran's Shadow Fleet
The Danish Maritime Authority seized the container vessel Nora, a ship blacklisted by the United States for violating Iran sanctions. Authorities say the vessel was sailing under an unauthorized Comoros flag and abruptly raised the Iranian flag when questioned, indicating...
FHFA Eliminates Key Fair Lending/Fair Housing Rule
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced the repeal of its longstanding fair‑lending and fair‑housing rule that imposed heightened nondiscrimination standards on GSE‑originated mortgages. A recent GAO review gave FHFA a clean bill of health on its accounting, while noting...
The Rule of Law, Access to Justice and Administrative Adjudication
The Law Reform Commission of Ireland released a Consultation Paper on Non‑Court Adjudicative Bodies, unveiled at a Dublin event on February 20, 2026. The launch, chaired by Justice Bolger, featured remarks from Paul Daly, former Attorney General Frank Clarke, and former Chief...
California Appeals Court Says Exclusivity Bars Asbestos Tort Claims
The California 4th District Court of Appeal ruled that workers‑comp benefits are the exclusive remedy for San Diego city employees who alleged asbestos exposure, rejecting the fraudulent concealment exception. The workers claimed the city knowingly exposed them and hid the risk,...
Evaluating Joe Grundfest's Argument For Repealing the Shareholder Proposal Rule
In this episode, host Bainbridge critiques SEC Rule 14a-8, arguing it should be repealed or substantially reformed due to high costs, procedural flaws, and misuse, while proposing higher ownership thresholds and stricter materiality standards as alternatives. He then evaluates Joseph...
Facebook Users Petition Court To Revive Antitrust Claims
Meta users have asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive antitrust claims that Facebook monopolized the personal social network services market. A district judge dismissed the lawsuit after ruling the plaintiffs lacked expert testimony proving harm. The plaintiffs argue...
FDA Cracks Down as Novo Sues Hims over Semaglutide
This is the first reference which I heard directly from FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary regarding $HIMS, $NVO 🧵👇and the recent legal actions that the HHS had initiated against HIMs and Hers. When he was asked by @annikakimc - @CNBC’s...
J.P. Morgan Securities Fined $140,000 by FINRA
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC agreed to pay a $140,000 fine after FINRA found the firm violated MSRB Rule G‑32 and Rule G‑27. The violations involved inaccurate or incomplete Form G‑32 filings for 718 municipal bond offerings and late submission of 26 offering documents...
Supreme Court Rejection of Trump Tariffs Has Nuanced Implications for Pharma Importers
The Supreme Court struck down the broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, but left Section 232 duties untouched. Because most pharma tariffs were issued under Section 232, the ruling does not eliminate the targeted tariffs on drug imports....
AI Call Transcripts Are Everywhere—Establish Clear Usage Rules
At this point, in any call, it is likely someone is AI transcribing, whether they tell you (& whether that is legal or not). We really need clear norms & rules about how these transcripts can be used, since AI makes...
Legaltech Rundown: Reveal Announces Expanded Capabilities for Logikull, HaystackID Announces Launch of AI Governance Services, and More
Reveal has rolled out new functionalities for its Logikull platform, adding advanced contract analytics and automated compliance checks. HaystackID introduced AI Governance Services aimed at helping law firms monitor and control generative AI usage. Both announcements come amid heightened regulatory...
Space Money: Tariffs, SCOTUS, Carveouts, And Space Business
In this episode, Laura Winter discusses with legal experts Bailey Reichelt and Nick Baker how the Supreme Court’s decision deeming President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs unconstitutional impacts businesses, including those in the...
Feb. 20 Policy Watch: Trump Orders More Glyphosate and Phosphorus Production
President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act on Feb. 18 to prioritize domestic production of glyphosate‑based herbicides and elemental phosphorus, granting liability protection to Bayer, the sole U.S. phosphorus supplier, amid thousands of cancer lawsuits and an upcoming Supreme Court...
Supreme Court Strikes Down IEEPA-Based Tariffs, Doesn’t Rule on Refunds (“Likely to Be a ‘Mess’”)
The Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in a 6‑3 decision, covering both reciprocal trade‑deficit tariffs and fentanyl‑related duties. Over half of the tariff revenue collected in recent years...
US Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs as Unlawful
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not grant the president authority to impose tariffs. The majority applied the major questions doctrine, concluding that Congress must provide clear authorization for such...
Southwark Crown Court Sentences Seven Influencers for Promotions of Unauthorized FX Trading Scheme
Southwark Crown Court sentenced seven social media influencers for promoting an unauthorised foreign exchange trading scheme. Each pleaded guilty to issuing unauthorised financial promotions and received fines ranging from £600 to £3,750, plus court costs, with two receiving discharges. The...
SAVE Act Cosponsors Misinterpret REAL ID Registration Requirement
Even some of the SAVE America Act’s cosponsors are misguided about the bill’s identification requirements for registration, mistakenly believing a state driver’s license compliant with the 2005 REAL ID Act would be sufficient. https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/even-election-officials-who-like-voter-id-have-issues-with-the-save-america-act/
U.S. Businesses Line up for Tariff Refunds After Supreme Court Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, opening the door for refunds of roughly $130 billion collected by the Treasury. Importers, retailers and apparel groups are already petitioning for clear guidance on how to reclaim these...
‘Time To Move On’: Live Nation Ramps Up Settlement Effort
Live Nation is intensifying its push for a settlement after the Department of Justice dismissed the concert‑promotion portion of its antitrust case. Executive Vice President Dan Wall argues that the remaining claims—exclusive ticketing contracts, a deal with Oak View Group,...
Court Says Small Trucking Company Must Negotiate with Union Defeated in a Vote
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed an NLRB Gissel bargaining order requiring Garten Trucking to negotiate with the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers, even though the union lost the representation vote 65‑30. The union...
NAB Urges FCC to Tamp Down Reallocation Plans for Upper C-Band
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has filed reply comments urging the FCC to limit the upcoming upper C‑band reallocation to the statutory minimum of 100 MHz, warning that any additional clearing threatens broadcast infrastructure. The FCC is considering auctioning up...
I Got 99 Delegations, but a Tariff Ain't One
The episode dissects Justice Kagan's concurrence in the Supreme Court's recent tariff decision, highlighting how the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) lists nine verbs and eleven objects that combine into 99 distinct presidential powers, none of which include raising...
FBI’s AI, Biometrics Boom Is Accelerating, but Paperwork Isn’t Keeping Up
The FBI’s AI inventory more than doubled from 19 cases in 2024 to 50 in 2025, with nine high‑impact tools embedded in law‑enforcement workflows such as facial recognition and data triage. The rapid expansion outpaces the DOJ’s transparency requirements under...
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Trump Tariffs a Welcome Development for Canadian Businesses
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down many of President Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, including several that targeted Canadian imports. The ruling was hailed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business as a...
'Great News for Spot Rates'? Supreme Court Rules Against Trump Emergency Tariffs
In a 6‑3 ruling, the Supreme Court held that President Trump lacked authority under the International Emergency Economic Power Act to impose sweeping tariffs, invalidating duties that had reached 145% on certain Chinese imports. The decision dismantles a cornerstone of...
Study: Station Groups Spending Millions Lobbying to Abolish Ownership Caps
Nexstar Media Group spent $3.2 million lobbying the FCC in 2025, while Sinclair Broadcast Group increased its spend to $800,000, aiming to eliminate the television‑ownership caps that restrict reach to 39 % of U.S. TV homes. The lobbying surge coincides with massive...
Democratic Senators Press Bowman on Fed Changes
Democratic senators sent two letters to Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman questioning recent supervisory changes, including a 30% staff cut in the Fed's supervision arm and the removal of bank examiners at banks' request. They also demanded answers on her...
High Court Ruling on Trump Tariffs to ‘Ease Uncertainty,’ Says AM Best
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision rejecting President Donald Trump’s authority to impose sweeping tariffs, a move hailed by rating agency AM Best as a relief for the insurance sector. The court’s ruling eliminates the tariff‑related uncertainty that has...
He Checked Into a $149 NYC Hotel Room—Then Claimed To Own the Entire Skyscraper. Eight Years Later, He’s Guilty of...
In 2018 Mickey Barreto checked into the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel for a single night and invoked New York’s rent‑stabilization law to claim permanent‑tenant status. He filed a fraudulent deed that transferred the entire hotel to his self‑named nonprofit, then...
US Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs: Early Analysis From Chatham House Experts
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 decision striking down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, finding the administration exceeded its authority. The ruling blocks the baseline 10% "Liberation Day" tariff and related...
Most Health Systems Stall Patients' HIPAA Record Rights
HIPAA guarantees patients a right to their own medical records. In practice, most health systems require patients to fill out a release-of-information form designed for a different legal purpose; justify why they want their own data; and wait. I sampled...
DOJ and Ohio AG Charge OhioHealth with Price‑Gouging, Anti‑Competition
DOJ, Ohio attorney general accuse OhioHealth of driving up prices, crowding out competition https://t.co/oxxD0glykV via @statnews
"It Needs to Cooperate Fairly, and It's Clearly Not." Why Valve Is Facing a £656m Day in the UK Courts
A UK class‑action lawsuit led by digital‑safety advocate Vicki Shotbolt accuses Valve of breaching competition law by imposing a 30% revenue‑share fee and a price‑parity rule on Steam. The claim seeks up to £656 million in damages for consumers, arguing that...
AI's Exponential Leap Outpaces Even Seasoned Expectations
"we are now dealing with exponential improvements of ai, astounding even those, like me, who have been in the field for nearly a decade. we knew this would happen but it’s happening quicker than we thought."
Double Standard: Politicians Get Insider Trading Pass, Trump Family Penalized
It’s OK for politicians to practice insider “trading” But it’s not OK for Trump’s family to create crypto businesses?
Encompass Health, Enhabit Secure $43.1M Judgement in VitalCaring Case
Encompass Health and Enhabit secured a $43.1 million award covering attorneys’ fees and mitigation damages after a Delaware federal judge ruled that 43% of VitalCaring’s profits and any future sale proceeds must be placed in a trust for the two companies....
Incumbent Banks Weaponize Regulation to Block Fintech Rivals
“Incumbents in the financial industry do use regulation to try to keep competitors out.” —@HesterPeirce at #ETHDenver @BlockchainAssn policy lunch YESSSSSSSSSSS https://t.co/solCqLuqDC
Privacy Must Be Default for Financial Transactions
“Privacy should be the default expectation” for financial transactions. —@HesterPeirce at #EthDenver @BlockchainAssn policy lunch https://t.co/HKdQpnmoPA
Producer Who Accused Karol G of Beat-Theft Dismisses His Lawsuit, Adding “We Were Wrong”
Producer Alfr3d Beats, real name Dick Alfredo Caballero Rodriguez, withdrew his lawsuit accusing Karol G of stealing his beat for the 2022 hit “Gatúbela.” During discovery, DJ Maff supplied session files proving the beat was created months before Alfr3d Beats posted his...
Digital ID Tracking Has Been Power's Goal Since 2017
I've been reporting on this legal effort since 2017 in the U.S. (and it started far before that). Whitney Webb is 1000% correct that the goal of Digital ID and tracking everything every person says/consumes online has long been the...
NYT’s SCOTUS Tariff Blog Offers Live Global Coverage
The @nytimes #SCOTUS tariff decision blog is a thing to behold. Reporting and graphics from around the world --including, of course, Canada. Head over there for your live updates: https://t.co/fO09GrdVlu