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486 articles · page 5 of 9
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How the FTC's Nationwide Noncompete Ban Was Struck Down, and What It Means for At-Will Workers
A Texas federal court set aside the FTC's 2024 noncompete ban in Ryan LLC v. FTC. The agency dropped its appeal in 2025, and the rule was pulled from the CFR in 2026.
Hunter Biden Wins $1.7M Defamation Default Judgment Against Byrne
A federal judge entered a $1.7 million default judgment for Hunter Biden against Patrick Byrne, who claimed Biden solicited an $800 million bribe from Iran.
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ICO Fines Call-Blocker Seller £190,000 Over 758,000 Nuisance Calls to TPS Numbers
The UK's ICO fined Elderly Aids Ltd £190,000 under PECR for 758,053 nuisance calls to TPS-registered numbers. What TPS actually protects, and how to complain.
ICO Governance Overhaul Complete: Information Commission Took Over on 30 September 2026
SI 2026/1015 has been made, appointing 30 September 2026 for the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 sections that abolish the Information Commissioner and transfer its functions to the new Information Commission.
ICO Reprimands Staffordshire Police Over DVPN Address Disclosure
The Information Commission reprimanded Staffordshire Police on 13 October 2026 after it disclosed a domestic abuse victim's address in a DVPN. No fine was issued.
Idaho Supreme Court: Business Unfitness Is Defamation Per Se
The Idaho Supreme Court held on September 25, 2026 that statements imputing unfitness for a lawful business are defamation per se, and ordered a new trial.
Idaho Upholds a $1.176M Defamation Verdict and Flags AI-Faked Citations
The Idaho Supreme Court affirmed a $1,176,000 defamation judgment on September 22, 2026 and found only six of twenty-two quotations in the appellant's brief were accurate.
Illinois AI Safety Measures Act: What SB 315 Requires of Frontier AI Developers
Illinois Gov. Pritzker signed SB 315 on July 6, 2026, the first US law requiring annual AI audits, catastrophic-risk plans, and 72-hour incident reporting.
Illinois Appeals Court Affirms $45 Million J&J Talc Verdict, Upholds Survival Act Damages
On July 10, 2026, an Illinois appellate panel affirmed a $45 million talc mesothelioma verdict against Johnson & Johnson, upholding a $30 million Survival Act shortened-life-expectancy award.
Illinois Appeals Court Reverses Guardianship Over Reunification
Illinois appellate court reverses a private guardianship order over a mother's objection, ruling permanency cannot override a strong parent-child bond.
Illinois Appellate Court Rejects $1 Nominal Damages Award in Facebook Defamation Per Se Case
An Illinois appeals court vacated a $1 defamation damages award to a doctor, holding nominal damages cannot substitute for proven harm in a per se case.
Illinois Clean Slate Act: Shorter Waiting Periods to Seal Records Take Effect June 30
Illinois HB 1836 takes effect June 30, 2026, cutting misdemeanor sealing waits from 3 to 2 years. Automatic sealing begins January 2029. What changes now.
Illinois Court Reverses Order of Protection Over Missing Findings
An Illinois appeals court reversed a Cook County order of protection and its $2,290.97 award on September 8, 2026, over two missing statutory findings.
Illinois Court Vacates Chicago Eviction Over Unproven Notice
Illinois appeals court vacated a Chicago eviction judgment: the landlord proved neither which notice law governed his 120-day notice nor when the tenancy ended.
Illinois Court: Five-Year Wait to Expunge Retail-Theft Supervision
An Illinois appellate court ruled that a retail-theft record resolved by court supervision cannot be expunged until five years after supervision ends, not two.
Illinois Court: Jury Must Decide Actual Malice in Campaign Mailer Defamation Case
Illinois appeals court rules a jury, not a judge, must decide if a campaign acted with actual malice over $36,000 tax fraud mailers against Burr Ridge's mayor.
Illinois Court: Stalking Order Petition Won't Bar Civil Suit
Quitno v. Gilson (Sept. 8, 2026): an Illinois appellate court held a stalking no contact order petition is not the same cause of action as a later civil suit.
Illinois Enacts a Junk Fee Ban Requiring All-In Upfront Pricing (HB 228)
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed HB 228, the Junk Fee Ban Act, on June 25, 2026, requiring all-in pricing with mandatory fees included. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
Illinois Enacts Buy Now, Pay Later Licensing Law Under SB 3561
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB 3561 on June 25, 2026, requiring BNPL lenders like Affirm and Klarna to register with IDFPR by January 1, 2028.
Illinois Enacts Social Media Age-Assurance Law (HB 5511)
Gov. Pritzker signed Illinois HB 5511 into law July 31, 2026 as Public Act 104-0664, using device-level age checks and default protections for minors.
Illinois Law Bars Police From Stopping Drivers Solely for Windshield Obstructions Like Air Fresheners
Illinois HB 2389 amended 625 ILCS 5/12-503 so police cannot stop or search a driver solely for an object hanging from the mirror, unless it truly blocks the view.
Illinois Schools Must Now Treat AI Deepfakes of Students as Cyberbullying
Illinois HB 3851 took effect July 1, 2026, amending 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7 so unauthorized AI 'digital replicas' of students count as cyberbullying.
Illinois Woman Sues Apple Over Face ID, Alleging Hidden Eye Scans Violate State Biometric Law
A newly filed class action alleges Apple's Face ID collects iris and retina scans without the specific consent Illinois law requires. Apple has not responded; claims are unproven.
Indiana HEA 1210: HOA Rental Votes Go Homestead-Only and Cities Lose Rental Caps on July 1, 2026
Indiana HEA 1210 takes effect July 1, 2026, limiting HOA rental votes to homestead owners and barring cities from capping residential rentals statewide.
Instacart Agrees to $5 Million DOJ and EEOC Settlement Over PERM Hiring
DOJ and the EEOC announced a $5 million Instacart settlement on October 20, 2026 over PERM recruitment that allegedly burdened U.S. applicants.
Iowa Age-Verification Law (HF 864) Takes Effect July 1, 2026
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed HF 864 on June 1, 2026, requiring adult sites to verify users' ages from July 1 and barring verifiers from keeping the ID data.
Iowa Locks In 50% Front-Side Tint Floor: HF 766 Takes Effect July 1
Iowa HF 766, signed May 15, 2026, sets a 50% VLT front-side window minimum and a 70% windshield floor in statute. Takes effect July 1, 2026.
Iowa Sues Lorex and ADI Over China-Linked Camera Claims
Iowa sued Lorex and ADI Global in Polk County in petitions dated Oct. 8 and Oct. 7, 2026, over undisclosed Dahua and Hikvision hardware. Allegations only.
Ireland's Courts Set Generative AI Rules for Court Documents
From 1 September 2026, Irish practice directions CA16 and HC142 require independent verification of generative AI content in civil court documents.
Ireland's DPC Fines Google EUR 403 Million Over Location Data Processing
Ireland's DPC fined Google Ireland EUR 403 million on Sept. 21, 2026 over location-data practices in three features between 2018 and 2020.
Irish DPC Fines HSE EUR 645,000 Over Rotting Records
Ireland's DPC fined the HSE EUR 645,000 after finding mould-damaged, decaying medical records at two disused hospitals, plus corrective orders.
Italy Fines BBVA Bank EUR 5.5 Million Over Marketing Opt-Out
Italy's Garante fined BBVA's Italian branch EUR 5,508,000 for ignoring a customer's marketing opt-out for seven months, a violation of GDPR Article 21.
Italy Garante Fines Corona EUR 4,950 for Publishing Chat Audio
Italy's Garante fined Fabrizio Corona EUR 4,950 for publishing Raoul Bova's private chat audio. Order n. 492 adopted 3 July 2026, published 3 September.
Italy's Garante Fines IQVIA EUR 7 Million: Data Not Anonymous
Italy's Garante fined IQVIA EUR 7 million in provvedimento n. 710 (23 September 2026): health data on one million patients was pseudonymised, not anonymous.
Italy's Garante Fines Piaggio €460,000 Over Unlawful Employee Email Monitoring
Italy's Garante fined Piaggio & C. S.p.A. €460,000 on 29 July 2026 for retaining 112 employees' corporate emails beyond lawful limits and inadequate transparency.
ITS Logistics to Pay $396,135 in EEOC Religious Harassment Case
The EEOC announced October 26, 2026 that Reno-based ITS Logistics will pay $396,135.54 to resolve a religious harassment charge through pre-suit conciliation.
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Jade's Law Takes Effect on 18 December 2026, and Only for Offences Committed From That Date
Section 18 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 comes into force on 18 December 2026, and only for offences committed on or after that date.
Judge Awards Blake Lively $407,451 in Fees and Costs Under California Civil Code Section 47.1
A federal judge ordered Wayfarer Studios to pay Blake Lively $407,451 in fees under Cal. Civ. Code 47.1, far below the $8M sought. Treble damages were denied.
Judge Blocks Utah's VPN Age-Verification Clause, Not the Law
A federal judge preliminarily enjoined Utah Code 78B-3-1002(3), the VPN 'actually located' clause, on September 24, 2026. The age-verification duty stands.
Judge Denies Approval of $2.3M OE Federal Breach Settlement
A federal judge denied preliminary approval of the $2.3M OE Federal Credit Union data breach settlement on Sept. 16, 2026. There is no claim form.
Judge Dismisses Kash Patel's Suit Against Blogger Over Jurisdiction
A federal judge vacated Kash Patel's $250,000 win over blogger Jim Stewartson, ruling Nevada courts lacked personal jurisdiction over his online posts.
Judge Dismisses Trump Media's $3.8 Billion Defamation Suit Against The Washington Post
Judge grants Washington Post summary judgment, tossing Trump Media's $3.8B defamation suit for lack of actual-malice evidence under NYT v. Sullivan.
Judge Grants Final Approval to $68M Google Assistant Settlement
Final approval granted to the $68M Google Assistant privacy settlement on October 13, 2026. All seven objections overruled; service awards cut to $5,000 each.
Judge Holds Off on $80M Conduent Settlement, More Due Nov. 5
A New Jersey federal judge did not grant preliminary approval to the proposed $80 million Conduent data breach settlement. No claim form exists yet.
Judge Orders White House to Restore CNN, MS NOW, POLITICO Passes
A federal judge entered a 14-day TRO on September 24, 2026, ordering White House officials to restore the revoked hard passes of CNN, MS NOW and POLITICO staff.
Judge Who Jailed Two Children After Custody Hearing Loses Appeal
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity on October 13, 2026 for a Missouri judge who had two children locked in holding cells.
Jury Finds NY Times Defamed Ex-Alabama Player, Awards $9.25M
A federal jury found The New York Times liable for defamation and false light against ex-Alabama player Kai Spears, awarding $9.25M. No final judgment yet.
Justice Kagan Denies Surrogate's Emergency Stay in Parentage Case
Justice Kagan denied an emergency stay Sept. 22, 2026 in a California surrogacy parentage case. A stay denial is not a merits ruling and sets no precedent.
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Kansas Court of Appeals: A Father Cannot Undo a 4-Year-Old Paternity Acknowledgment in a Child Support Case
The Kansas Court of Appeals held a father cannot revoke a 4-year-old voluntary acknowledgment of paternity in a child support case, past the one-year deadline under Kansas law.
Kentucky Anti-SLAPP Ruling Ends Hog Farm Defamation Lawsuit
Kentucky's Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a hog farm's defamation suit under the KUPEPA anti-SLAPP law on September 4, 2026, and a $46,998.60 fee award.
Kentucky Court of Appeals: Foster Parents Lack Standing to Block Reunification Order
Kentucky's Court of Appeals denied foster parents' emergency motion to stop a reunification, ruling notice and a right to be heard under KRS 620.360 do not make a foster parent a party. The writ petition is still pending.
Kevin O'Leary, Fox News Sued for Defamation Over Alleged CCP Smear Campaign Against Utah Advocacy Groups
Two Utah groups sued Kevin O'Leary and Fox News for defamation on July 15, 2026, over alleged false Chinese Communist Party claims. Nothing is decided.
KY Appeals Court Revives Tenant's URLTA Retaliation Suit
Kentucky Court of Appeals reverses dismissal of a HUD tenant's retaliation suit, ruling circuit courts have jurisdiction and rent includes HUD's payment.
Kyra's Law Explained: New York's Custody-Safety Overhaul Awaits the Governor's Signature
Kyra's Law passed the New York Legislature on June 5, 2026 and awaits Governor Hochul's signature. What the custody-safety bill would change, and its current pending status.
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LAPD Officer's 16 Felony Recording Counts Reduced to Misdemeanors
The LA County DA reduced all 16 felony eavesdropping counts against LAPD Officer Daniel Flores to misdemeanors on August 20, 2026, and the court granted one year of diversion.
Legal Changes This Week: September 21 to 27, 2026
New laws and rulings for September 21-27, 2026: California DUI, restraining order and debt bills signed, HOA vetoes, a Montana deepfake injunction, and more.
Legal Changes This Week: Weekly Digest of New Laws and Rulings
Our weekly digest of new laws, vetoes, effective dates and court rulings, each linked to the official record, plus the guides we updated for them.
LinkedIn Wins Permanent Injunction in Fake-Account Scraping Suit
A federal judge entered a consent judgment permanently barring ProAPIs, Netswift and Rehmat Alam from scraping LinkedIn data after a fake-account mill lawsuit.
Loblaw Signs OPC Compliance Letter After 2026 Data Breach
Loblaw signed a voluntary compliance letter with Canada's Privacy Commissioner on October 21, 2026 after a breach affecting about two million customers.
Louisiana Act 605 Makes Equal 50/50 Custody the Default Standard
Louisiana Act 605 (HB 1239) changes joint custody law so physical custody "shall" be shared equally, effective August 1, 2026. Here's what changed and what didn't.