Sixth Circuit Upholds Tennessee Law Barring Transgender Birth Certificate Amendments - Knox County Vital Records Division via knoxcounty.org

The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Tennessee statute that prohibits transgender individuals from changing the sex listed on their birth certificates. The ruling, delivered on Friday, dismissed constitutional challenges based on equal protection and due process grounds. A group of transgender women born in Tennessee brought the... Read More »

Involuntary Manslaughter Charges Against Alec Baldwin Dismissed by New Mexico Judge - Luis Sanchez Saturno/Santa Fe New Mexican via AP Pool

A New Mexico judge has dismissed involuntary manslaughter charges against actor Alec Baldwin, citing prosecutorial misconduct and the withholding of critical evidence. The decision brings an unexpected and dramatic end to the high-profile case stemming from the tragic on-set shooting that killed "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021. On Friday,... Read More »

Appeals Court Rules College Athletes in Revenue-Generating Sports Can Seek Labor Protections - Adobe Stock Images by jetcityimage

Thursday (July 11), the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that college players in Division I revenue-generating sports, such as football and basketball, cannot be categorically excluded from U.S. labor protections. This ruling challenges the NCAA's longstanding stance that athletes are "student-athletes, " not employees. The decision came in... Read More »

Beastie Boys Sue Chili’s Parent Company for Copyright Infringement Over Unauthorized Use of Hit Song 'Sabotage' - Getty Images via Variety

The Beastie Boys have initiated legal action against Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s, alleging the unauthorized use of their 1994 hit “Sabotage” in a social media advertisement. Filed in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, the lawsuit contends that Brinker International infringed on the group’s copyrights by using the... Read More »

Roberto Schmidt via The Daily Beast

Kevin Hart is facing a $12 million lawsuit filed by his former friend Jonathan "J.T." Jackson over an alleged breach of contract related to the 2017 sex-tape scandal that involved Hart. The legal dispute, brought to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, centers on Hart's failure to adhere to the... Read More »

Federal Judge Strikes Down 156-Year-Old Ban on At-Home Distilling - Adobe Stock Images by karandaev

A federal judge in Texas has declared a 156-year-old ban on at-home distilling unconstitutional, siding with a group advocating for the legalization of personal spirit production. This ruling marks a shift in the regulation of homemade alcoholic beverages, potentially paving the way for hobbyists to distill spirits like whiskey and... Read More »

Family of Teen Who Died After Spicy 'One Chip Challenge' Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit - Steve LeBlanc/AP via NBC News

The family of Harris Wolobah, a 14-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit following his tragic death after participating in a social media trend, the "One Chip Challenge." The lawsuit, filed on Thursday (July 11), alleges that the Paqui brand, owned by the Hershey Co., and Walgreens,... Read More »

U.S. Copyright Office Finalizes Rule to Ensure Fair Streaming Royalties for Songwriters - Adobe Stock Images by Krakenimages.com

The U.S. Copyright Office has finalized a new rule to guarantee that songwriters who exercise their termination rights to regain control of their music will receive streaming royalties. This ruling addresses concerns that previous policies would have continued to send royalties to former owners, even after songwriters reclaimed their rights.... Read More »

Former Red Hot Chili Peppers Guitarist Sued After Fatal Collision with Pedestrian - Mat Hayward/WireImage via People

Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is facing a wrongful death lawsuit following an incident in which he allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian in Alhambra, California. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday (July 10) by Ashley Sanchez, the daughter of Israel Sanchez, who was 47 years old... Read More »

Elon Musk Wins Dismissal of $500M Severance Lawsuit from Ex-Twitter Employees - Getty Images via BBC

Elon Musk secured a legal victory with the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging he failed to pay $500 million in severance to thousands of Twitter employees laid off following his acquisition of the social media company, now rebranded as X. U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson in San Francisco ruled on... Read More »

Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images via Politico

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (PCUCPA) is a bill in Congress that would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation. The bill says that fetuses in the womb are able to react “to stimuli that would be recognized as painful if applied to an adult human, for example, by recoiling.”... Read More »

Adobe Stock

California law, not a federal statute, governs whether carjacking qualifies as an aggravated felony that justifies a deportation penalty. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on July 2 that a man convicted of carjacking without force may remain in the United States. This ruling partially denied the defendant’s... Read More »

FTC Bans Anonymous Messaging App NGL from Hosting Users Under 18  - Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Getty Images via CNN

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office have banned the anonymous messaging app "NGL: ask me anything" from being used by anyone under 18. This decisive action follows allegations that the app was inappropriately marketed to minors and facilitated cyberbullying and harassment. The settlement, announced... Read More »

Boeing Agrees to Plead Guilty Over 737 MAX Crashes, Faces New Penalties - Gabriel Araujo / Reuters via qz.com

Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to misleading air safety regulators prior to two deadly 737 MAX crashes, marking a significant concession that will label the world’s largest aerospace company a felon. This development comes after a federal court filing late Sunday. The plea agreement involves Boeing formally acknowledging its... Read More »

Adobe Stock

The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFASASHA or the Act) was signed into law in March 2022. Sponsored by Senator Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY), the new law stops employers from requiring their workers to enter into arbitration regarding incidents related to sexual assault or harassment in... Read More »