Judge

Judge Criticizes Lack of Diversity in Juul Settlements as $150 Million in Attorney Fees Move Forward

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge in California has granted approval for up to $150 million in attorney fees to move forward in settlements involving Juul Labs. The settlements include a $255 million class action settlement on behalf of consumers. U.S. District Judge William Orrick approved $76.5 million in fees in the class action and accepted the recommendation of a fee committee allocating common benefit funds. However, Orrick expressed concern over the lack of diversity among the lawyers involved in the Juul cases, noting that none of the 62 plaintiffs’ firms had a Black … Read more

Maryland Judge Allows Opponents of Swallow Falls Bridge Replacement Plan to Challenge Decision in Court

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Oakland, Maryland — Construction opponents of the Swallow Falls bridge replacement plan have won a significant victory in court. On Monday, visiting Judge W. Timothy Finan denied the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) motion to dismiss a petition challenging the state’s decision to grant an exception to the protected Youghiogheny River corridor. The petition, filed in September, calls on the court to remove the exception that would allow for the construction of a new bridge on an offset alignment of the existing Swallow Falls span. The petitioners, including property owner Steve Storck, argue that … Read more

Judge Grants New Life to Oakland Port Development, Allowing Potential Coal Shipments

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Oakland, California – A judge has granted developer Phil Tagami a new lease on a port development in Oakland, a project that has been at the center of a long-running battle over the storage of coal in the city. The decision extends Tagami’s ground lease until summer 2026, allowing him to proceed with the construction of a 34-acre marine terminal and potentially ship coal from the port. The court ruled in favor of Tagami, stating that Oakland unfairly terminated its lease agreement with him, citing missed deadlines that were beyond his control. The city had … Read more

Lawsuit Dismissed: Federal Judge Upholds Mississippi’s Medical Marijuana Advertising Restrictions

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JACKSON, Miss. — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Mississippi who claimed that state regulations prohibiting advertising in most media amounted to censorship. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills ruled that since marijuana possession is still illegal under federal law, it is not considered a “lawful activity” and therefore does not receive constitutional protections for commercial speech. The owner of Tru Source Medical Cannabis, Clarence Cocroft II, opened his dispensary in Olive Branch following Mississippi’s legalization of medical marijuana for people with debilitating conditions … Read more