News from April 2024
Homeservices of America to pay $250M to settle real estate commission antitrust lawsuits
Attorneys could stand to rake in more than $80 million in fees from the new deal, meaning plaintiffs' lawyers could be in line for more than $300 million in fees from multiple settlements worth more than $940 million so far, with potentially more on the way.
4th Circuit says W.Va., N.C. refusal to pay for transgender surgeries is discriminatory
RICHMOND, Virginia – A federal appeals court has ruled West Virginia and North Carolina’s refusal to cover some health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance is discriminatory.
Attorney General Moody Challenges Biden's Title IX Regulations, Protecting Women's Rights
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General Ashley Moody has taken a stand against the Biden administration's newly announced Title IX rule, which seeks to redefine "sex" to include "gender identity" and "sexual orientation." In a statement, Attorney General Moody expressed her concerns, saying, “Biden’s new Title IX rules shred protections for women—that so many fought for over decades."The coalition, including Attorney General Moody, raised issues about the new rule's implications, particularly regarding facilities like bathrooms and locker rooms. They stated, “... the rule...
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim Delivers Remarks at One-Year Anniversary of the Launch of the TIMBER Working Group
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim delivered remarks at the Department of Justice on April 29, 2024, marking the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Timber Interdiction Membership Board and Enforcement Resources Working Group.Kim expressed gratitude towards the members of the TIMBER Working Group, non-member interagency partners, NGOs, and his staff from the Environment and Natural Resources Division for their contributions and support. He highlighted the importance of combating timber trafficking and deforestation, emphasizing the significant impact these crimes...
The Justice Department Advocates for Lower Prices and More Competition in Incarcerated People's Communication Services
The Justice Department's Antitrust Division has voiced its support for enhanced competition and reduced prices in incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS). Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter emphasized the importance of affordable communication, stating, "Telephone services are a lifeline between incarcerated people and the outside world." He commended the FCC for its efforts to make rates fairer and more just over the past decade and encouraged further improvements in this area.In a comment submitted to the FCC, the Justice Department highlighted the...
Attorney General Kaul Joins Multistate Coalition to Defend U.S. EPA’s Light-Duty Vehicle Emission Standards
Attorney General Josh Kaul, alongside 23 attorneys general and four cities, has taken a stand in defense of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s final rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles emissions standards for model years 2027-2032. The coalition filed a motion to intervene in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to support the EPA's efforts to set stricter tailpipe emissions standards for harmful air pollutants."In setting high but achievable vehicle emissions standards, the EPA’s final rule is a step forward in addressing climate...
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Tragic Shootings of Law Enforcement in North Carolina
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed deep sorrow following a tragic incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a Deputy U.S. Marshal and two Task Force Officers lost their lives in the line of duty. The operation, which was part of a U.S. Marshals Task Force mission, resulted in multiple other officers being wounded."Every single day, Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers put their lives on the line to apprehend some of our country’s most dangerous criminals. Today, three of those dedicated public servants made the ultimate sacrifice. Multiple other...
Former NSA Employee Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Prison for Attempted Espionage
Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 32, of Colorado Springs, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison for attempted espionage in connections with his efforts to transmit classified National Defense Information (NDI) to an agent of the Russian Federation.According to court documents, Dalke pleaded guilty in 2023 to six counts of attempting to transmit classified NDI to a foreign agent. From June 6 to July 1, 2022, Dalke was an employee of the National Security Agency (NSA) where he served as an Information Systems Security Designer. Dalke admitted that between August and September...
Attorney General Miyares Files Support for Writ of Actual Innocence in Virginia
Attorney General Jason Miyares has filed a notice with the Virginia Court of Appeals supporting Keshawn Duffy's innocence and request for a writ of actual innocence. Duffy, who was wrongfully sentenced to two life sentences in 2019, was convicted of two counts of forcible sodomy and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences after his ex-girlfriend's young son reported that Duffy had sexually abused him."A free and just society owns up to its wrongdoings and has steps to correct them. Virginia's writ of actual innocence process is intended to right those wrongs. It's...
AG Kaul Opens Public Comment Period for Request for an Attorney General Opinion on Constitutional Amendment regarding Election Officials
MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul has announced the opening of the public comment period for a request for an Attorney General (AG) opinion on a constitutional amendment concerning election officials. The request, initiated by the Dane County Corporation Counsel, seeks clarification on the recent amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution regarding election officials.In accordance with the process, the Wisconsin Department of Justice is inviting public input on the proposed AG opinion topics before the opinion is finalized. The AG opinion request document can be...
Two Former Missouri Health Care Charity Executives Sentenced for Roles in Multimillion-Dollar Bribery and Embezzlement Scheme
Two former executives of a Springfield, Missouri-based charity were sentenced for their roles in a multimillion-dollar public corruption scheme that involved embezzlement and bribes paid to multiple elected public officials in the State of Arkansas."Bontiea and Tom Goss were the former chief operating officer and chief financial officer, respectively, at Preferred Family Healthcare Inc.," the court documents stated.Bontiea Bernedette Goss, 65, was sentenced to three years in prison, and her husband, Tommy “Tom” Ray Goss, 68, was sentenced to six years in prison. They...
America First Legal Partners With State of Texas to Sue Biden Administration Over Title IX Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal joined Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in filing a critical lawsuit against President Biden’s Secretary of Education and others to stop the Biden Administration’s newly promulgated Title IX rules from wreaking havoc on women, children, and schools across the country.Title IX is a federal statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program that receives federal money, including K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. The new rule contorts these protections for women by forcing schools to...
New York fights appeal of ghost gun makers
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Letitia James is hoping to block the appeal of the makers of "ghost guns" after a federal judge ruled they are probably firearms and should be regulated as such.
Former NBA ref fired over COVID vaccine wins $3 million
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - An NBA referee fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine has won nearly $3 million after filing a lawsuit.
DraftKings faces class action over promotions to new users
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A gambler unhappy with "risk-free" bets earned for signing up to DraftKings has filed a class action lawsuit.
Lawsuit filed after bus hits moped, kills driver
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A wrongful death lawsuit in Massachusetts state court seeks compensation for the estate of a man killed while driving a moped in Chelsea.
COVID could be occupational disease, as split Nebraska SC rules for nurse
LINCOLN, Neb. (Legal Newsline) - The Nebraska Supreme Court overturned the denial of a woman’s claim for workers compensation over a COVID-19 infection early in the pandemic, although dissenters including the court’s chief justice said the opinion misinterpreted the law and may not have any legal effect.
Former Maryland Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Activities
A Minnesota woman, Kymberly Starr, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for preparing false tax returns on behalf of her clients. Starr, who owned and operated The Tax Lady in Maryland, inflated her clients' tax refunds by submitting false tax returns to the IRS, resulting in approximately $400,000 of tax loss.Furthermore, Starr obtained over $83,000 in COVID-19-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through fabricated IRS forms and filed a false claim for unemployment insurance with the Maryland Department of Labor, receiving over $55,000.U.S. District...
Richmond Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm
A Richmond man, Walter Lavelle Allen, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. The sentencing comes after Allen, a previously convicted felon, was found with a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol in his possession.According to court documents, Richmond Police observed Allen displaying the firearm in an Instagram story before finding him asleep in a parked vehicle with the weapon under his leg. Allen's previous conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine prohibited him from legally owning a firearm or...
Disruptive Technology Protection Network Summit Strengthens US, Japan, and ROK Collaboration
The Departments of Justice and Commerce, in collaboration with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), held the first high-level trilateral summit in Washington, D.C. to launch the Disruptive Technology Protection Network. The summit aimed to strengthen collaboration on technology protection measures and enhance connections between the enforcement agencies of the three countries.Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division emphasized the global importance of preventing sensitive technology from falling into the wrong...