State Government

Weekly Briefs: Judge orders reform of school-funding system; BigLaw malpractice suit settles

School-funding system violates state constitution, judge says A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that the state’s school-funding system, which is heavily dependent on local property taxes, violates the state constitutional rights of students in poor school districts. Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer said the system violates the Pennsylvania Constitution’s education clause and…

Feb 10, 2023 2:44 PM CST

Meet the Texas judge who is a favorite of conservatives in hot-button lawsuits, including abortion-pill litigation

A conservative federal judge in Texas is at the center of attention because of a pending case in which he has been asked to rule that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should not have approved the medication abortion-drug mifepristone.

Feb 10, 2023 11:43 AM CST

State law criminalizing derogatory campaign speech is likely unconstitutional, 4th Circuit rules

A federal appeals court has ruled that a law that bans derogatory speech about political candidates is likely unconstitutional, providing a win for Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.

Feb 9, 2023 1:44 PM CST

Madison Square Garden lifts ban on some lawyers as it explores sale of Tao Group

The Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. has made a change to a policy that bans lawyers from its venues if they have "active litigation against the company."

Feb 7, 2023 12:57 PM CST

Ex-judge is suspended after secret recording by possible rival candidate revealed threat

A former judge in Missouri has been suspended for at least two years after he was recorded threatening to reveal the affairs of a rival’s husband if she ran against him in the judicial election.

Feb 7, 2023 10:21 AM CST

ABA supports right to travel for abortion services and other medical care

All government entities should enact laws and regulations that protect the right of any individual to travel across state lines to access medical care, the House of Delegates said at the 2023 ABA Midyear Meeting in New Orleans on Monday.

Feb 6, 2023 5:31 PM CST

Now with a GOP majority, top state court votes to rehear 2 recently decided voting-rights cases

The North Carolina Supreme Court on Friday agreed to rehear two cases that blocked voter ID requirements and struck down gerrymandered partisan maps of federal congressional and state Senate districts.

Feb 6, 2023 12:04 PM CST

Florida judges can no longer get CLE credit for general ‘fairness and diversity’ courses, state supreme court says

Florida judges can no longer take “fairness and diversity” courses to satisfy continuing education requirements, unless the classes relate to judicial professionalism, ethics opinions or the judicial conduct code, the Florida Supreme Court has decided.

Feb 6, 2023 8:37 AM CST

Sanctions sought against Trump, lawyers for ‘boilerplate’ responses, ‘demonstrably false’ denials

Updated: The New York attorney general’s office is seeking sanctions against former President Trump and his lawyers for “deficient” verified answers to allegations in a lawsuit accusing the Trump Organization of fraud.

Feb 1, 2023 12:10 PM CST

Delaware’s major-party requirement for judges on top state courts won’t be enforced under consent decree

A Delaware constitutional provision that effectively requires judges on its top state courts to be Republicans or Democrats won’t be enforced as a result of a consent decree reached between the governor and a litigant.

Feb 1, 2023 9:23 AM CST

Appeals judge should be removed for using client and campaign account as a ‘personal ATM,’ ethics panel says

A judicial ethics panel is recommending removal of a suspended Georgia appeals judge for exploiting an elderly client before joining the bench and using campaign cash when he was a state legislator to pay for personal expenses, including a family trip to Hawaii.

Jan 31, 2023 3:35 PM CST

Citing show-cause order against Reed Smith partner, judge allows firm to withdraw from case

A federal judge in Maryland is allowing four Reed Smith lawyers to withdraw from the representation of former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby because of possible contempt proceedings against one of them.

Jan 30, 2023 1:39 PM CST

Legal services company Axiom opens ‘reimagined law firm’ to directly serve clients, thanks to Arizona approval

A subsidiary of legal services provider Axiom Global will open as an Arizona law firm, thanks to its approval of as an alternative business structure by the Arizona Supreme Court.

Jan 25, 2023 3:41 PM CST

‘Routine performance management’ can’t be basis for fired associate’s bias suit, BigLaw firm argues

Kirkland & Ellis is arguing that a fired associate’s lawsuit against the firm should be tossed partly because a harassment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act can’t be based on “routine performance management.”

Jan 25, 2023 2:17 PM CST

Google has monopoly in digital advertising technology, DOJ antitrust suit claims; are consumers harmed?

The U.S. Department of Justice has joined with eight states in a civil antitrust lawsuit alleging that Google is monopolizing the digital advertising industry, bringing harm to website publishers, advertisers and ultimately consumers who get less content for free.

Jan 25, 2023 9:06 AM CST