Legal News & Analysis
Breaking developments in recording laws, privacy legislation, digital rights, and legal technology.
525 articles
Fifth Circuit Strikes OSHA Rule Requiring Logs of Workplace Mental Illness
The Fifth Circuit vacated an OSHA citation against Exxon, holding the OSH Act's illness-recordkeeping duty covers physical conditions only, not PTSD.
Ameris Bank Hit With $79.5M Whistleblower-Retaliation Judgment
A California federal court entered a $79.5M judgment against Ameris Bank for whistleblower retaliation and the wrongful firing of ex-Balboa CEO Patrick Byrne.
New York Bans Smart Glasses From Every State Courthouse
New York's court system banned camera and microphone smart glasses from all 1,240-plus state courthouses, effective July 20, 2026. What the rule covers.
FTC Sues Hims & Hers Over Billing, Cancellations, and Data Sharing
The FTC, Utah, and LA County sued Hims & Hers on July 29, 2026, alleging deceptive billing, buried cancellations, and health data shared with Meta and Snap.
The Atlantic Asks a Court to Dismiss Kash Patel's Defamation Suit: The Actual-Malice Standard, Explained
The Atlantic moved on July 27, 2026 to dismiss FBI Director Kash Patel's defamation suit, arguing he cannot meet the actual-malice standard. The motion is undecided.
Australia's Privacy Regulator Ends Its Inquiry Into the 2025 Qantas Data Breach Without a Full Investigation
Australia's OAIC found on 16 July 2026 that the evidence did not show Qantas failed to take reasonable steps under the Privacy Act over its 2025 data breach, and declined a formal investigation.
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.
Walmart Sued Under Illinois Biometric Law Over AI Phone System That Allegedly Captures Callers' Voiceprints
A proposed class action filed July 28, 2026 alleges Walmart's AI phone system captures callers' voiceprints without consent, in violation of Illinois BIPA (740 ILCS 14).
Rebel Wilson Wins MacInnes Defamation Case on Australia's Serious Harm Test; Appeal Filed
The Federal Court of Australia dismissed Charlotte MacInnes's defamation suit against Rebel Wilson, finding no serious harm under the Defamation Act 2005 (NSW). MacInnes has appealed.
Dallas Jury Returns $604 Million Verdict Against C.H. Robinson
A Dallas County jury awarded roughly $604 million against a trucking company, its driver, and freight broker C.H. Robinson over a fatal 2021 Mississippi pileup.
UnitedHealth's Defamation Suit Against The Guardian Dismissed
A Delaware judge dismissed all six defamation counts UnitedHealth Group brought against The Guardian, ruling the 2025 reporting on nursing-home payments was substantially true.
Serial CIPA Website-Wiretap Filer Declared a Vexatious Litigant
A federal judge declared prolific plaintiff Vivek Shah a vexatious litigant on July 20, 2026, barring new CIPA website-wiretapping suits in the Central District of California without leave of court.
Third Circuit Strikes Down New Jersey's Assault-Weapons and Magazine Bans
A divided en banc Third Circuit ruled on July 17, 2026 that New Jersey's assault-weapons and large-capacity magazine bans violate the Second Amendment. The ruling is not yet in effect.
Google Must Face Robby Starbuck's AI Defamation Lawsuit
A Delaware judge denied Google's motion to dismiss Robby Starbuck's defamation suit over false AI chatbot statements, letting the case proceed to discovery.
Michigan Bars Large Investors From Buying More Single-Family Homes (HB 6074)
Michigan's new Public Act 32 of 2026 (HB 6074), signed July 21, bars large institutional investors that control 100+ single-family homes from buying more, with civil fines up to $25,000 per home.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Lowers the Proof Bar for Whistleblower Retaliation Claims
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court revived a state agent's whistleblower retaliation claim in Adams v. OAG (July 2026), holding that some evidence of a connection is all the Whistleblower Law demands to reach trial.
California Pixel-Wiretap Rulings Split the Same Week: Blue Shield Claim Dismissed, BlueChew Claims Advance
Two N.D. Cal. rulings in July 2026 split on website tracking-pixel wiretap claims: the federal Wiretap Act claim against Blue Shield was dismissed with leave to amend, while state wiretap claims against Google and Meta over BlueChew trackers advanced.
Ohio Appeals Court Reverses HOA Rental Restriction Ruling Against Six Lot Owners Over Missing Deeds
Ohio's Twelfth District affirmed part and reversed part of an HOA rental-restriction win in Alum Cliff Industries v. Hickory Woods, 2026-Ohio-2756, over deeds missing from the record.
FTC Bans Superior Servicing Operator Over Student Loan Forgiveness Scam
The FTC on July 21, 2026 announced a proposed order permanently banning Superior Servicing operator Dennise Merdjanian from debt relief and telemarketing, with a $45.9 million judgment, over a student loan forgiveness scam.
GAO Flags Oversight and Data Risks as VA Explores AI for Disability Claims
GAO report GAO-26-109137, released July 10, 2026, finds the VA is exploring AI for disability claims while oversight, training, data, and cybersecurity gaps persist. It changes no veteran's rating.
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.
New Jersey Court: Anti-SLAPP Law Shields a Law Firm's Blog Post
A published New Jersey ruling holds that a law firm's website post about a case it filed is protected under the state's UPEPA anti-SLAPP law, not commercial speech.
Canada Bill C-16: Deepfake Intimate Images Are Now a Crime
Canada's Bill C-16 took effect July 18, 2026, bringing AI deepfake intimate images under the Criminal Code and making it a crime to threaten to share one.
UK Court of Appeal: Misleading Headline Can Be Unfair Data Processing Even Where Libel Fails
Court of Appeal: a misleading Daily Mail headline was unfair UK GDPR data processing, even where a libel claim over the same article had failed.