SCOTUS …
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal domestic-violence gun ban, ruled that citizens can’t sue over foreign spouses’ visa denials and rejected states’ settlement over Rio Grande waters … Earlier in the week the court ruled against a convicted border drug ‘mule’ in an expert testimony dispute … The court preserved a tax on Americans who have invested in certain foreign corporations … The court declined to hear Blenheim Capital’s appeal over South Korea’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets but agreed to review tests for applying U.S. wage law exemptions … And Justice Clarence Thomas cast a cloud over lawsuits challenging diversity programs.
Legal education …
The California Bar’s plan to develop its own bar exam stalled over copyright concerns … Nineteen Democratic-led states pledged to help defend the ABA’s requirement that law schools advance diversity goals … Columbia Law School named University of Chicago law professor Daniel Abebe as its next dean … And a growing number of law schools now offer classes on AI, according to a recent ABA survey.
LGBTQ+ rights …
The 10th Circuit revived a challenge to an Oklahoma law prohibiting transgender people from changing their birth certificates … The Biden administration failed to revive its legal protections for LGBTQ+ students and a Kentucky judge further blocked the protections, making it the 10th state to do so … A baker urged the Colorado Supreme Court to back his refusal to not make gender transition cakes … Anderson Lee Aldrich, who attacked a Colorado gay club, received multiple life sentences without the possibility of release … And Thailand is set to become the first Southeast Asian country to recognize same-sex marriage.
Healthcare and Pharma …
Eli Lilly filed six more lawsuits to curb the sale of counterfeit diabetes drug Mounjaro … A UnitedHealthcare unit agreed to pay a $1 million penalty to New York for failing to cover all FDA-approved birth control without restriction … U.S. industry groups backed GSK and other drugmakers’ appeal in Zantac cancer lawsuits … Novant Health abandoned a $320 million deal to acquire two North Carolina hospitals after the 4th Circuit blocked the transaction … Apotex sued rival Amarin, accusing it of thwarting competition for a generic version of its drug Vascepa … Teva said it is in active talks with the DOJ to settle a lawsuit alleging multiple sclerosis drug kickbacks.
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A potentially seismic moment for civil litigation occurred last Friday during oral arguments at the 9th Circuit in ticket seller Live Nation’s appeal of a trial court decision allowing consumers to band together to litigate antitrust claims. There is a possibility – still remote but now within the bounds of conceivability — that the Live Nation appeal could mark the beginning of the end of a decades-long campaign by U.S. corporations to evade class actions by forcing consumers to arbitrate their claims individually. Intrigued? Read Alison Frankel’s column!
Check out other recent pieces from our columnists: Alison Frankel and Jenna Greene
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Additional writing by Kuheli Biswas.
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