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CompaniesCompanies Law Firms Grail Inc FollowIllumina Inc Follow(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday said it will accelerate reviewing Illumina Inc's challenge to a federal agency order requiring the biotechnology company to divest cancer diagnostic test maker Grail LLC. The agency said Illumina had not shown why the appeals court needed to speed up its consideration of the antitrust dispute. San Diego-based Illumina, which specializes in gene sequencing, is appealing an April 3 FTC order that said the company's $7.1 billion acquisition of Grail will curb competition in the cancer-testing market. The FTC in 2021 sued Illumina over its bid for Grail, a former subsidiary of the company. The case is Illumina Inc and Grail Inc v. Federal Trade Commission, 5th U.S.

April 19 (Reuters) - The Boys Scouts of America said on Wednesday it had emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after securing approval of a $2.46 billion reorganization plan from a bankruptcy judge in September. The organization had filed for bankruptcy in February 2020 after several U.S. states enacted laws allowing accusers to sue over decades-old abuse allegations. Reporting by Granth Vanaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday bolstered a bid by Turkey's state-owned lender Halkbank (HALKB.IS) to avoid criminal charges in the United States for allegedly helping Iran evade American economic sanctions. The court's majority, while rejecting a key defense mounted by Halkbank, ordered the Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Shares in Vakifbank (VAKBN.IS), another Turkish state bank, jumped 9.9% and the bourse's banking index climbed more than 4%. Sovereign immunity generally protects countries from facing legal action in another country's courts. The majority found that the 2nd Circuit did not fully consider whether the bank has immunity under "common law" principles.

April 19 (Reuters) - Fox News on Tuesday disposed of one legal threat with its $787.5 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, but the network still faces a $2.7 billion lawsuit from another voting technology company, Smartmatic USA, over its coverage of debunked election-rigging claims. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File PhotoSmartmatic is seeking $2.7 billion in damages from Fox and five individuals, including former Trump lawyers and hosts. Smartmatic alleges in its lawsuit in New York County Supreme Court that the defendants knowingly spread false claims that its software was used to flip votes. Conspiracy theorists erroneously claimed Smartmatic owned Dominion, and the companies mounted similar allegations in their lawsuits. Fox denies the allegations, saying in a recent statement the network had a right to report on highly newsworthy allegations of voter fraud.

3M and Aearo say the earplug litigation has spiraled out of control. But attorney Adam Silverstein, who represents veterans suing 3M over hearing loss, said at a court hearing in Indianapolis that filing for bankruptcy, like "pulling a fire alarm," should be reserved for urgent threats. Aearo was not in need of emergency rescue, because it had filed for bankruptcy solely as "a strategic alternative to managing 3M's litigation," Silverstein said. Aearo, which made the combat arms earplugs, filed for bankruptcy last July, with 3M pledging $1 billion to fund its liabilities stemming from the lawsuits that accuse both Aearo and 3M of misrepresenting the earplugs' effectiveness, leading to hearing damage. Aearo should be allowed to proactively resolve the growing problem of earplug lawsuits through a bankruptcy settlement, Husnick said.

Dominion accused Fox and its parent company Fox Corp (FOXA.O) of ruining its business by airing claims that its machines were used to rig the 2020 U.S. presidential election in favor of Democrat Joe Biden and against then-president Donald Trump, a Republican. Smartmatic alleges in its lawsuit in New York County Supreme Court that the defendants knowingly spread false claims that its software was used to flip votes. Conspiracy theorists erroneously claimed Smartmatic owned Dominion, and the companies mounted similar allegations in their lawsuits. Fox denies the allegations, saying in a recent statement the network had a right to report on highly newsworthy allegations of voter fraud. Fox has said the allegations are “baseless” and were immediately investigated by outside lawyers.

[1/2] A box containing a Mifepristone tablet is seen at Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula, Montana, U.S. February 28, 2023. REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare/File PhotoCompanies Genbiopro Inc FollowWASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - GenBioPro Inc, maker of the only U.S. generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking to ensure that it can continue selling its pill amid ongoing legal challenges. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Baltimore, comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide by midnight whether to block a lower court order that would undo the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of GenBioPro's generic pill. GenBioPro in its lawsuit named the FDA as a defendant so that it can ask the court to order the agency to keep the drug on the market. The privately held, Nevada-based company currently supplies a majority of the mifepristone used for medication abortion in the United States.

April 19 (Reuters) - Lawyers for Tyre Nichols' family filed a lawsuit on Wednesday in federal court seeking damages from those responsible for the beating death of the 29-year-old Black man at the hands of Memphis police. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a tweet that the lawsuit would seek to hold the Tennessee city, the Memphis Police Department and individual officers accountable for Nichols' death in January. Nichols' death on Jan. 10 came three days after his beating by police during a traffic stop and triggered a nationwide outcry and protests, leading to the arrest and indictment for second-degree murder of five police officers. Police and fire department responders left a mortally wounded Nichols on the ground, his hands cuffed behind his back, and intermittently propped him against a patrol car. Besides seeking damages for wrongful death, Crump's legal team is also suing Memphis police for intentional infliction of emotional distress for lying to his mother.

In a 9-0 ruling written by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court's decision against MOAC Mall Holdings LLC, the parent company of the mega-mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota. The lease provided Sears with a three-story, 120,000-square foot (11,000 square meters) location at the mall for a rent of just $10 a year. Mall of America went to court to try to stop the lease transfer during the Sears bankruptcy process. Circuit Court of Appeals found in 2021 that bankruptcy law does not allow for appeals of court-approved bankruptcy sales. While bankruptcy law limits the ability of courts to unwind a sale after appeal, it does not prevent appeals entirely, the Supreme Court ruled.

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday grappled with a convicted stalker's claim that thousands of unwanted Facebook messages he sent to a female musician in Colorado were protected speech in a case testing the limits of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment safeguards. Rather, Counterman was convicted based on a showing that his messages would cause a "reasonable person" serious distress, a so-called objective legal standard. Counterman, citing mental illness and delusions, argued his statements were never intended to be threatening and were thus protected speech. The First Amendment prohibits the government from enacting laws "abridging the freedom of speech," but the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that the provision does not protect true threats. His appeal was rejected by the Colorado Court of Appeals.

CompaniesCompanies Law Firms Dominion Voting Systems Corp FollowFox Corp FollowApril 19 (Reuters) - Dominion Voting Systems' defamation lawsuit against Fox (FOXA.O), which resulted in Tuesday’s $787.5 million settlement, is part of a broader legal campaign by the company to seek accountability from companies and individuals whom it claims have spread falsehoods about its technology. The company said it stands by its coverage and will "vigorously defend" itself against Dominion's claims. TRUMP LAWYERS AND PATRICK BRYNEAlso in August 2021, Dominion sued Patrick Byrne, the former chief executive of online retailer Overstock.com Inc, saying he too spread conspiracy theories about the company's technology. Dominion also has lawsuits pending against former Trump lawyers, Sidney Powell and Rudy Giuliani, over the vote rigging claims. Each suit against the lawyers seeks at least $1.3 billion in damages.

Even before Tuesday's settlement, Staple Street's investment in Dominion had paid off handsomely. Yaghoobzadeh told reporters on Tuesday that Staple Street backed Dominion in its mission to shoot down lies against it. Staple Street investor Mark Hauser, managing partner of Hauser Private Equity, also welcomed the settlement news. "We are very pleased with the outcome and think that Staple Street has handled the situation very well on behalf of their investors. We’ve had a relationship with Staple Street since 2014 and think highly of their management team," he said.

LTL has said litigation against J&J would imperil its effort to negotiate a comprehensive settlement of all current and future talc claims in its bankruptcy. Before the talc lawsuits could resume, LTL filed for bankruptcy a second time, re-opening the legal battle over the bankruptcy's legitimacy. It has said its second bankruptcy is different because it has less funding available and more plaintiff support for a settlement. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Kaplan agreed to protect J&J from lawsuits during LTL's first bankruptcy, saying at the time it offered the best way to fairly resolve all of the talc lawsuits together. Kaplan, who is also presiding over the second bankruptcy, will now decide whether to stop the lawsuits again to give LTL a second shot at a bankruptcy settlement.

November 15, 2020 -- Fox’s daytime average audience reaches a 35% decline since the eve of the election, according to statistics cited in Dominion's lawsuit. March 26, 2021 -- Dominion sues Fox News in Delaware Superior Court. March 31, 2023 -- Davis rules that the statements aired on Fox were false, defamatory and not covered by legal protections for the press under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. April 12, 2023 -- Davis sanctions Fox after it was revealed that the network failed to turn over relevant recordings and transcripts until the eve of trial. April 16, 2023 -- Davis delays trial by one day without giving a reason, but two sources told Reuters that Fox and Dominion were holding last-minute settlement talks.

Law Firms Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP FollowApril 18 (Reuters) - New York's Senate on Tuesday easily confirmed Governor Kathy Hochul’s nominee to lead the state’s highest court, elevating a judge favored by liberal lawmakers. Rowan Wilson was approved by a vote of 40 to 19 as chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. Wilson will be the first Black judge in the role, which also oversees the state's court system. Wilson dissented from prominent decisions by former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, including a ruling last year that maps of the state’s congressional districts redrawn by Democratic lawmakers violated the state’s constitution. Wilson's swift confirmation comes after Hochul’s first nominee for the post, appellate Judge Hector LaSalle, was rejected by the state Senate amid criticism from Democratic lawmakers about his record on abortion and labor issues.

Bragg called the subpoena part of a "campaign of intimidation" by Trump's congressional allies in response to the first-ever criminal charges against a U.S. president. Trump is seeking the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2024. Jordan has said Bragg's charges against Trump demonstrated the need to evaluate Congress' provision of federal funds to local prosecutors. Bragg has accused Republican congressmen of trying to impede New York's "sovereign authority" and interfere in an ongoing criminal case. U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil is set to hold a hearing in the case on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan.

The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, told Reuters that Fox was seeking a possible settlement. The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal also reported that Fox was pursuing settlement talks, citing sources. Dominion is suing Fox Corp (FOXA.O) and Fox News in a defamation lawsuit over the network's coverage of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Davis on Wednesday sanctioned Fox News, handing Dominion a fresh chance to gather evidence after Fox withheld records until the eve of the trial. An expert report commissioned by Dominion attributed scores of lost contracts to Fox's coverage, though much of the report remains under seal.

April 16 (Reuters) - A judge in Delaware on Sunday delayed by one day the start of trial in a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox Corp (FOXA.O), a courthouse spokesperson said. "The Court has decided to continue the start of the trial, including jury selection, until Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. I will make such an announcement tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 7E," said Judge Eric Davis, according to the statement. Davis had said on Thursday he expected to conclude jury selection on Monday and proceed to opening statements. The trial is one of the most closely watched U.S. defamation cases in years, involving a leading cable news outlet with numerous conservative commentators.

[1/2] Sanofi logo at the company's headquarters during the annual results news conference in Paris, France, February 4, 2022. Sanofi in 2009 acquired the rights to Auvi-Q, an epinephrine auto-injector intended to compete with EpiPen. Injection of epinephrine is used to treat serious and sometimes life-threatening allergic reactions to foods, medications, bee stings and other causes. Circuit Court of Appeals last July agreed, noting that the exclusive contracts in question were "a normal competitive tool within the epinephrine auto-injector industry." The 10th Circuit added that Sanofi could have competed on those terms, but instead chose initially to market Auvi-Q as a more expensive, premium product.

[1/2] A Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) sign is at the U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. May 25, 2018. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File PhotoWASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a bid by General Motors Co (GM.N) to revive its racketeering lawsuit against rival automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), now part of Franco-Italian automaker Stellantis NV , over bribery allegations involving the United Auto Workers union. Stellantis in a statement praised the court's decision to turn away what it described as "baseless claims" by GM. "Today's decision upholding the district court's dismissal of GM's lawsuit is another reaffirmation that its claims are meritless," Stellantis said. FCA paid a $30 million fine while the UAW agreed to independent oversight to resolve the U.S. Justice Department investigation.

Fox has said Dominion cannot prove that the network knowingly spread falsehoods or recklessly disregarded the truth, the legal standard of "actual malice" that plaintiffs in defamation lawsuits must meet. Fox is now largely limited to arguing that Dominion cannot prove actual malice. Fox has called Dominion's lawsuit an assault on the free press and framed its stance in the case as a defense of journalism and diversity of ideas in the public square. Fox has attacked the credibility of Dominion's damages estimate, saying it is based upon unrealistic growth projections and faulty assumptions. An expert report commissioned by the company attributed scores of lost contracts to Fox's coverage, though much of the report remains under seal.

Postal Service for alleged religious discrimination is set for U.S. Supreme Court review on April 18, poses in an undated handout image taken at an unknown location. Postal Service over his refusal to work on Sundays gives the Supreme Court another chance to widen religious rights but also has led to a debate over whether religious people are more legally deserving than others to weekend days off from work. The court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, has a track record of expanding religious rights in recent years, often siding with Christian plaintiffs. The Postal Service in 2013, in a bid to remain profitable, contracted with Amazon.com to deliver packages, including on Sundays. His absences caused tension among other carriers who had to cover his shifts, the Postal Service said.

NEW YORK, April 14 (Reuters) - Societe Generale SA (SOGN.PA) agreed to pay $105 million to settle U.S. investor litigation accusing the French bank of violating antitrust law by conspiring with rivals to rig Euribor, a key European interest rate benchmark. A preliminary settlement was filed late Friday with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, and requires a judge's approval. Societe Generale denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, court papers show. The case is Sullivan et al v. Barclays Plc et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan on Friday rejected Trump's renewed effort to require that prospective jurors provide their names, employment and 38 other pieces of information on written questionnaires. While jurors would hear much about Trump even in "normal" circumstances, "the risk of prejudice is even more elevated" because of Bragg's case, Trump's lawyers said. She is separately suing Trump for defamation over his June 2019 denial that the dressing room encounter happened. The case is Carroll v Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Fox has argued that Dominion cherry-picked evidence to mischaracterize the network's coverage decisions, which it said were reasonable because election-rigging claims by the president's lawyers were inherently newsworthy. Fox has said it also gave Dominion's side of the story by airing its denials. The Fox Corp chairman is set to take the witness stand, along with other executives including Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott. The trial is also due to include testimony from a parade of conservative-leaning Fox hosts including Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro. Fox has attacked the credibility of Dominion's damages estimate, saying it is based upon unrealistic growth projections and faulty assumptions.

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