A federal judge in Florida dismissed Donald Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times for being excessively lengthy and inappropriate, giving him 28 days to amend the complaint. The judge criticized the filing for containing personal boasts and invective, highlighting issues of procedural compliance and the practice of forum shopping, where litigants choose courts they believe will be more favorable.
The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that Big Tobacco companies can choose which judges hear their challenges to FDA tobacco regulations, making it easier for them to select courts favorable to their interests, especially benefiting cases in the conservative Fifth Circuit. This decision expands the ability of tobacco companies and related retailers to challenge regulations, potentially undermining congressional intent and affecting future litigation strategies.
A judge in North Carolina denied Florida State University's request to dismiss the Atlantic Coast Conference's lawsuit, leading to a focus on the upcoming hearing in Leon Circuit Civil court. The judge expressed concerns about forum shopping and the ACC's anticipatory filing, leaning more towards FSU's argument regarding the grant of rights. The hearing addressed issues of sovereign immunity, media rights, and public records laws, with FSU's legal team emphasizing the importance of the ESPN contract. The dispute revolves around FSU's desire to leave the ACC without penalty, while the ACC seeks to uphold the Grant of Rights agreement.
The federal judiciary has announced a new rule aimed at limiting "forum shopping" in civil cases with nationwide implications, where plaintiffs seek a sweeping remedy. This practice involves choosing sympathetic judges in specific courthouses. Under the new rule, judges for such cases will be assigned at random from across the district instead of defaulting to judges in a particular courthouse, making it harder for litigants to cherry-pick judges for their cases.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is urging a chief judge in a Texas federal court to change case assignment practices to prevent "forum shopping" by litigants who are able to hand-pick judges to hear their civil cases. Schumer argues that the current practice has led to "chaotic and flawed rulings" on various issues. He is calling for a more even distribution and random assignment of cases to judges in the district court. Schumer warns that if flexibility continues to allow litigants to hand-pick their preferred judges, Congress will consider more prescriptive requirements.
