Judge Denies Johnson & Johnson Subsidiary’s Bankruptcy Plan, Casting Doubt on Future Talc Liability Strategies

HOUSTON — A pivotal decision by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez has jeopardized Johnson & Johnson’s efforts to mitigate its extensive talc-related liabilities. On March 31, 2025, in the Southern District of Texas, Judge Lopez dismissed the prepackaged Chapter 11 plan of J&J’s subsidiary, Red River Talc LLC, citing multiple legal and procedural flaws, including impermissible nonconsensual non-debtor releases under the recent Supreme Court precedent set by the Purdue Pharma decision. Johnson & Johnson has faced mounting legal challenges as thousands of lawsuits claim its talcum powder products, used by millions, contain asbestos and have … Read more

New Voter ID Laws in 12 States: Ohio’s Tough Regulations Prevent 8,000 From Casting Votes

Columbus, Ohio — A wave of new voter ID laws has been sweeping across the United States, affecting the voting rights and procedures in 12 states. Notably stringent, Ohio’s recently implemented regulations have led to a significant number of would-be voters, approximately 8,000, being turned away at the polls. This development has sparked a fiery debate about the balance between election security and voter accessibility. The intent behind the enforcement of stricter voter ID laws, as stated by proponents, is to fortify the security of elections by eliminating voter fraud. However, critics argue that these … Read more

Federal Judge Rules Miami’s City District Maps Unconstitutional, Casting Doubt on Future Elections

Miami, Florida – A federal judge in Miami, Florida has invalidated the city’s district maps, ruling that they were racially gerrymandered for several decades, causing uncertainty for the city’s electoral future. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and NAACP, who alleged that Miami’s council districts were illegally segregated based on ethnic makeup. Judge Michael Moore issued the ruling, affirming the claims made by the plaintiffs. In his decision, Moore stated that by categorizing citizens by race, the city violated the equal … Read more

Florida Death Row Inmates Outlive Sentencing Judges, Casting Doubt on Death Penalty’s Effectiveness

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — The death penalty in Florida may not be as swift or effective as intended, as many inmates on death row outlive the judges who sentenced them. Last year, Florida executed six inmates, but four of them lived longer than the judges who condemned them. One example is Duane Owen, who was sentenced to death in 1986 for the murders of a 14-year-old babysitter and a 38-year-old mother in separate attacks. Owen was 62 when he was executed last June, four years after the death of Palm Beach Judge Richard Burk, who … Read more