New York

Lights, Camera, Contracts: The harsh legal reality of reality television

The main legal need surrounding reality show participants concerns their employment status—or lack thereof. Reality show participants are treated as independent contractors, which technically lets networks and productions evade many of the labor laws that protect employees.

Feb 10, 2025 8:59 AM CST

Judge resigns for second time after he’s accused of staging fake proceeding

A New York judge has resigned for a second time for allegedly staging a sham proceeding, but this time, he won’t be returning to the bench.

Feb 6, 2025 11:23 AM CST

Town court judge resigns after using this excuse to avoid jury duty

A town court judge in Rensselaer County, New York, has resigned after allegedly asserting that he should not serve on a grand jury because he is a judge, and he thinks that people who appear in his court are guilty.

Feb 4, 2025 3:17 PM CST

States are starting to offer reduced prison time to survivors of domestic violence

According to one study of women in Oklahoma’s prisons, 66% were abused by a partner the year before they were incarcerated. The state has a new law that allows domestic violence survivors to seek shorter sentences. Oklahoma is one of only a handful of states to pass laws that provide sentencing relief specifically for domestic violence survivors.

Feb 1, 2025 1:00 AM CST

This BigLaw firm will represent Trump in appeal of hush-money conviction

Sullivan & Cromwell will represent President Donald Trump in his appeal of his conviction and sentence for falsifying business records to hide a hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election.

Jan 30, 2025 12:47 PM CST

Dechert sues former lawyer for alleged salary overpayment

Dechert has sued a former senior project attorney for more than $90,000, the money that the law firm said it is still owed after a $132,250 salary overpayment.

Jan 29, 2025 10:56 AM CST

Drake sues Universal over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

Drake has filed a defamation and harassment lawsuit against Universal Music Group, alleging that the mega media corporation improperly promoted his rival Kendrick Lamar’s diss track to damage his career and gain leverage over future contract negotiations.

Jan 15, 2025 2:30 PM CST

Mastercard agrees to $26M settlement over pay discrimination claims

Mastercard has agreed to pay $26 million to settle a proposed class action lawsuit accusing the company of paying female, Black and Hispanic employees less than their male and white counterparts.

Jan 15, 2025 9:26 AM CST

New York judge faces discipline for years of ‘improper’ political contributions

A New York judge has been admonished for contributing more than $6,000 to progressive political causes.

Jan 13, 2025 10:20 AM CST

Trump sentenced in hush money case, will not face jail or probation

Donald Trump was sentenced without penalty on Friday for his felony conviction in his hush money trial, appearing virtually at what was likely his final court hearing as a criminal defendant before he is sworn in for another term in the White House.

Jan 10, 2025 10:36 AM CST

New York will adopt NextGen bar exam, considers surprising shifts in state-law tests

New York, the jurisdiction with the largest number of bar candidates, will adopt the NextGen bar exam as it considers rejiggering the state-specific part of the exam, too, according to the New York Court of Appeals.

Jan 9, 2025 10:46 AM CST

Alito says his phone call with Trump concerned former clerk

Updated: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday to provide a job reference for one of his former law clerks.

Jan 9, 2025 9:09 AM CST

When should life sentences be overturned? Judge shares how he decides

A federal judge’s new book is giving readers a rare inside glimpse at how a judge determines which prisoners deserve to have their sentences overturned.

Jan 8, 2025 9:30 AM CST

Giuliani contempt decision blocks him from doing this, putting his Florida condo at risk

Disbarred lawyer Rudy Giuliani is “in dire jeopardy” of having to turn over his Palm Beach, Florida, condo to two Georgia election workers who sued him for defamation after a federal judge held the former New York City mayor in civil contempt Monday, according to a report by Politico.

Jan 7, 2025 10:34 AM CST

Lawyer v. Attorney: Are all titles created equal?

Updated: “Tomayto,” “tomahto”—what’s in a name? In the legal field, the distinction between an attorney and a lawyer could be a big deal, despite the fact that few attorneys or lawyers even know the difference.

Jan 6, 2025 8:53 AM CST