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News•Feb 25, 2026
Brooklyn Terror Trial Opens for Man Accused of Plotting to Kill Trump, Other US Officials
Federal prosecutors opened the Brooklyn trial of Pakistani national Asif Merchant, who faces terrorism and murder‑for‑hire charges for an alleged scheme to assassinate high‑profile U.S. officials, possibly former President Donald Trump. Prosecutors say Merchant tried to hire two undercover FBI agents, paid a $5,000 advance, and used a clothing business as a cover while allegedly coordinating with Iranian intelligence. The defense paints Merchant as a devout family man and challenges the credibility of the government’s evidence. The case, expected to last two to four weeks, carries a potential life sentence.
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 25, 2026
Railroad Company Wins Appeal in Montana Asbestos Death Case
The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that held BNSF Railway strictly liable for asbestos dust from the Libby, Montana, vermiculite mine, invoking the federal common‑carrier exemption. A 2024 jury had awarded each estate $4 million, but the appeals court...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 25, 2026
Ninth Circuit Won’t Pause Injunction Against Feds’ Discontinuation of School Mental Health Grants
A three‑judge Ninth Circuit panel denied an emergency stay, leaving in place a district court injunction that bars the U.S. Department of Education from canceling school‑based mental health grants without following required procedures. The court ordered the department to issue...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 25, 2026
Feds and Defense Attorneys Lay Out Dueling Narratives in North Texas ‘Antifa’ Trial
A federal prosecutor and defense attorneys opened a high‑profile trial in Fort Worth, alleging that a self‑identified “North Texas antifa cell” conspired to attack the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4, shooting fireworks and injuring a police officer. The government...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 25, 2026
OpenAI Fends Off xAi’s Claims of Trade Secret Theft
A U.S. District Judge dismissed xAI's trade‑secret lawsuit against OpenAI, finding no evidence that OpenAI induced former employees to steal confidential information. The ruling emphasized that mere possession of trade secrets does not constitute misappropriation and that the plaintiff failed...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 25, 2026
Florida Beach Access Fight Returns to 11th Circuit
Two Florida waterfront owners appealed to the 11th Circuit to overturn Redington Beach’s ordinance that permits public use of dry sand up to 15 feet from private property. The case hinges on the “customary use” doctrine, which allows public access...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 24, 2026
Kanye West Trial over Botched Remodel of ‘Architectural Treasure’ Set to Kick Off This Week
A civil suit filed by construction foreman Tony Saxon alleges Kanye West, now known as Ye, owes more than $1 million for unpaid wages and expenses tied to a stalled remodel of a Tadao Ando‑designed Malibu beachfront home. The 12‑day trial will...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 23, 2026
25 Years Later, San Diego-Area High School Shooter Eyes Release
Attorney Laura Sheppard argued that Charles Andy Williams, convicted for the 2001 Santana High School shooting, should be released after 25 years. A Superior Court judge vacated his 50‑to‑life sentence under California's new juvenile resentencing law, prompting an immediate appeal...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 23, 2026
Ohio School District Sues Microsoft, Roblox over Video Game Harm to Students
The Champion Local School District in Ohio filed a 185‑page lawsuit against Microsoft (including its Mojang subsidiary) and Roblox, alleging that their games such as Minecraft and Roblox are engineered to create addiction and mental‑health issues among students. The district...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 23, 2026
San Francisco Seeks Breakaway From PG&E to Create Public Utility
California State Senator Scott Wiener introduced Senate Bill 875 to let San Francisco municipalize its electric distribution, aiming to break away from PG&E. The move follows repeated blackouts, rates that are roughly double those of neighboring areas, and safety failures...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 23, 2026
Wisconsin Taxpayers Accuse Legislature of Wasting Funds on Private Attorneys
Three Wisconsin taxpayers have sued the state Legislature, alleging it misused about $26 million of public funds to hire private attorneys to challenge Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. The lawsuit targets a 2018 lame‑duck package that gave the Legislature authority to...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 21, 2026
Hawaii Tackles Government Ethics in Slate of Bills Passing Initial Muster
The 2026 Hawaii legislative session cleared a slate of bills on ethics, gambling, education and Native Hawaiian land while many environmental measures stalled. Senate Bill 2824 makes failure to report bribery a misdemeanor, and SB2661 extends anti‑nepotism rules. House Bill...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 21, 2026
Authors, Illustrators Push for Copyright Owner Class in Case Against Google AI
A coalition of authors and illustrators has asked the court to certify a class that would include any copyright owner whose works were used to train Google’s Gemini AI. Judge Eumi Lee pressed both sides on the feasibility of such...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 21, 2026
Utah Supreme Court Dismisses GOP Legislature Appeal in Redistricting Fight
The Utah Supreme Court unanimously rejected the Republican‑led Legislature’s attempt to appeal a lower‑court ruling that its 2021 congressional redistricting map violated Proposition 4, the state’s voter‑approved anti‑gerrymandering amendment. The court said the Legislature missed the 30‑day window for certification, leaving...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 21, 2026
California Lawmakers Focus on Immigration This Session
California’s 2025 legislative session has seen a surge of bills, with immigration at the forefront. Key proposals include AB 1627, which would bar former ICE agents from law‑enforcement and teaching positions, and SB 1105, aimed at preventing local police from...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 21, 2026
Bakersfield College Can’t Fire Professor for Anti-DEI Beliefs
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing Bakersfield College from disciplining history professor Daymon Johnson for his anti‑DEI speech, while still allowing the college to require mandatory DEI training for faculty screening committee service. Johnson, who leads the right‑leaning...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 19, 2026
Seventh Circuit Doubts Indiana ‘Intellectual Diversity’ Law Harms Professors
Indiana’s 2022 higher‑education law requires public universities to promote intellectual diversity and expose students to varied ideological perspectives. Four professors from Indiana University and Purdue argue the mandate forces curricular changes that violate their First Amendment free‑speech rights. A lower...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 19, 2026
Washington Justices Revive Sodium Nitrite Suicide Suit Against Amazon
The Washington Supreme Court revived a wrongful‑death suit against Amazon, allowing families of four young victims who ingested high‑purity sodium nitrite purchased on the platform to pursue claims. The court rejected the lower courts' view that sellers have no duty...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 19, 2026
New York High Court Clears Manhattan Hotel over 2017 Balcony Suicide
New York Court of Appeals cleared the TRYP Hotel of negligence in the 2017 balcony suicide of Dr. Noah Beadell. The majority held the hotel had no control over the guest and that the family’s expectation of an immediate 911...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
Former Students Blast Grand Canyon University over ‘Worthless Degrees’
Grand Canyon University is facing a class‑action lawsuit alleging it misled students about the accreditation and licensure eligibility of its Master of Science in Psychology program. Plaintiff Katie Ogdon says she spent over $20,000 and was told the degree qualified...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
Judge Clears Navy Contractor’s $1.5 Million Settlement with Hunters Point Residents
A federal judge approved a $1.5 million settlement between Tetra Tech, the Navy contractor cleaning the former Hunters Point Naval Yard, and 6,500 local residents, deeming the agreement made in good faith. The settlement follows an earlier, far larger $27 billion...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
Texas AG Sues Wi-Fi Company over Links to China
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued TP‑Link Systems Inc., alleging the Wi‑Fi maker deceived consumers by marketing its routers as "Made in Vietnam" while sourcing most components in China. The complaint cites longstanding firmware vulnerabilities that Chinese state‑backed hackers have...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
Victims Recall Horror of School Shooting in Trial Against Suspect’s Father
Multiple survivors of the September 4, 2024 Apalachee High School shooting testified about severe physical injuries and lasting anxiety as the murder trial of their shooter’s father, Colin Gray, proceeds. The father faces 29 charges, including second‑degree murder and child cruelty, after...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
‘No Careless Mistake’: Trump Sued for Removing Pride Flag at Stonewall Monument
LGBTQ advocates sued the Trump administration after the National Park Service removed the rainbow flag from the Stonewall National Monument, citing a Department of the Interior memo that limits flags at federal parks. The plaintiffs argue the action reflects targeted...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
Massachusetts Judge Pauses ICE Policy Allowing Enforcement in Churches
A Massachusetts federal judge issued a preliminary injunction halting the Department of Homeland Security’s new guidance that permits ICE agents to conduct immigration enforcement inside and near houses of worship. The memo, introduced by acting DHS secretary Benjamine Huffman, replaced...
By Courthouse News Service
News•Feb 17, 2026
Virginia Democrats Weigh Increasing Parole Opportunities to Decrease Rising Prison Medical Costs
Virginia Democrats approved a bill to double the state parole board to at least ten members, slated to take effect in 2028, as part of a strategy to curb soaring prison medical expenses. A recent Department of Corrections report showed...
By Courthouse News Service