The Bottom Line The Supreme Court held 6-3 that federal law prohibiting states from enacting sports betting schemes was an unconstitutional "commandeering" of state law issues by the federal government. In striking down the prohibition, the Court paved the way for states to decide for themselves Continue Reading
New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects No-Harm TCCWNA Claims, Dealing Blow to Consumer Class Actions Under the Act
The Bottom Line The New Jersey Supreme Court's recent holding is expected to eliminate no-harm class actions under the TCCWNA. Violations of the statute, unaccompanied by any injury to the consumer, will no longer be sufficient to support a claim. The need for class action plaintiffs to prove Continue Reading
Recent Cases Highlight “Digital Assets” As A New Frontier in Estate Planning and Litigation
The Bottom Line New York State's EPTL now includes a provision that clarifies how matters involving digital assets are handled in estate administration. The full scope of the Act’s implications has yet to play out, but digital assets will undoubtedly affect estate planning and litigation matters Continue Reading
No Harm, No Foul? Individualized Consent Issues Sink TCPA Class Action
The Bottom Line The Northern District of Illinois' practical approach to analyzing whether lack of consent gives rise to actionable harm under the TCPA, and whether this issue can truly be determined on a class-wide basis, may represent a significant victory for businesses that rely heavily on Continue Reading
Employee Relations Law Journal | Supreme Court Decision Upholds ERISA ‘Church Plan’ Exemption for Church-Affiliated Organizations
Westlaw | State Interpretations of Copyright’s ‘Bundle of (Drum) Sticks’: The Dilemma of Pre-1972 Sound Recordings
Intellectual Property Magazine | Trouble in Patent Troll Paradise?
Possibility Defeats Practicality: Federal Court of Appeals Limits Class Action Defense Regarding Infeasibility of Ascertaining Class Members
The Bottom Line Given the split among several courts of appeal, Petrobras will not be the last word on ascertainability in class action suits. Indeed, this fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider a petition for certiorari regarding the certification of a plaintiff class allegedly lacking Continue Reading
The Days of Patent Plaintiff Forum Shopping May be Over
The Bottom Line The Supreme Court’s decision in TC Heartland establishes that just having sold goods in the judicial district is now insufficient on its own to establish jurisdiction. Patent holders bringing suit must do so in either the judicial district where the defendant resides, or Continue Reading
“Nominative Fair Use” Defense May Enable Use of Another’s Trademark
4th Edition: Trends in Marketing Communications Law Certain third-party trademark uses can be deemed a "nominative fair use" that does not infringe another's trademark rights even in the absence of permission to use the other's mark. For example, "Our show will feature the GRAMMY AWARD® winning Continue Reading