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News Roundup
Weekly Briefs: Justice Thomas responds to luxury trips story; suit filed over Idaho AG’s abortion referrals opinion
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Justice Thomas: I was following colleagues’ advice on luxury trips
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said he was following guidance from colleagues and others in the judiciary when he didn’t report luxury trips financed by a good friend, Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. ProPublica’s report on the trips said Thomas has traveled on Crow’s superyacht, flown on his private jet, and stayed at his private resort. (The Washington Post)
Suit challenges Idaho AG’s opinion on abortion referrals
A Planned Parenthood affiliate and two physicians have sued to block Republican Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador from enforcing his legal opinion on abortion referrals. The opinion said any health care provider who provides information about abortion services outside the state could violate the state law banning abortion. (Reuters, the Associated Press, American Civil Liberties Union press release, the April 5 lawsuit)
Law firm adds 23 lawyers and new office
Butler Snow has opened a new office in Huntsville, Alabama, with 23 lawyers and nine staff members from the newly merged law firm Maynard Nexsen. The two law firms that formed Maynard Nexsen on April 1 are Maynard Cooper & Gale and Nexsen Pruet. (Reuters, Butler Snow press release, Maynard Nexsen press release)
Trump awarded nearly $122K in additional attorney fees in tossed Stormy Daniels case
A federal appeals court commissioner has awarded nearly $122,000 in additional attorney fees to former President Donald Trump in Stormy Daniels’ failed defamation lawsuit against him. Daniels had sued over a tweet in which Trump ridiculed her claim that she had been threatened when she planned to tell her story about an alleged affair with Trump. Daniels had to pay attorney fees under a Texas law that allows early dismissal of cases involving statements of public concern. The latest fee award covers attorney fees in Daniels’ latest appeal. One of Trump’s lawyers tweeted that Daniels has been ordered to pay a total of more than $600,000 in Trump’s legal fees. (The Associated Press, the April 4 decision)
9th Circuit revives suit by fired Jehovah’s Witness
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco has reinstated a religious bias lawsuit by a California state worker who was fired for refusing to sign a loyalty oath before taking a better-paying job. The plaintiff, Brianna Bolden-Hardge, is a Jehovah’s Witness. (Law360, Courthouse News Service, the April 3 decision via How Appealing)
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