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Texas Judge Overturns Centuries-Old Ban on Home Distilling, Citing Constitutional Rights

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FORT WORTH, Texas — In a landmark ruling, a Texas federal judge has deemed the 1868 federal ban on at-home distilling unconstitutional, marking a significant win for advocates of home-based spirit production. The decision, issued on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, not only struck down a longstanding prohibition but also emphasized the constitutional limits of governmental authority over individual liberties. The plaintiff in the case, the Hobby Distillers Association, represented by lawyers from the libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, argued that the ban overstepped Congress’s taxing powers and infringed upon the Commerce Clause of … Read more

Settlement Reached in 2020 Lawsuit Accusing Gateway Church of Failing to Report Minor’s Sexual Assault at Volunteer’s Home

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Southlake, Texas – A 2020 lawsuit alleging mishandling of a minor’s sexual assault claim at a church-affiliated sleepover resulted in an out-of-court settlement earlier this year, according to Tarrant County court records. Gateway Church was sued by a former member who claimed church leaders failed to report her daughter’s assault during the 2018 incident properly. The suit claimed the girl, then age 11, was assaulted by the minor son of the couple hosting the sleepover, who were volunteers at Gateway Church. Allegations suggested that church officials learned of the incident but struggled to handle it … Read more

Jury Deliberates Fate of Alleged Hawaii Crime Boss Accused in Multi-Faceted Racketeering Trial

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Honolulu, Hawaii — After a long and grueling trial spanning 98 days, the case against Micheal J. Miske Jr., a man accused by federal prosecutors of leading a criminal enterprise that perpetrated a wide range of illegal activities in Hawaii, is now in the hands of a jury. The deliberations, which began on Monday, follow testimony from 241 witnesses presented by the U.S. Department of Justice. Prosecutors argued that Miske, 49, was far from the benevolent businessman he masqueraded as, instead orchestrating a host of nefarious activities including murder, kidnapping, and arson. On the other … Read more

Billions on the Line: How Litigation Finance Is Fueling a Surge in Mass Tort Lawsuits

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New York — The expansive world of mass tort litigation has emerged as a major player in the financial sectors influencing both the legal and investment landscapes. A growing interest in these types of cases has led to a significant influx of capital, with litigation funding reaching new heights. Companies have invested nearly $17 billion into various high-stakes lawsuits, including the widely publicized Camp Lejeune and 3M earplug cases, in 2023 alone. This surge in financial backing not only underscores the profitability of such lawsuits but also signals a shift in how legal battles are … Read more