Law Commentary (2026)

01/09/2026

J.M. Smucker can continue pursuing its trademark claim accusing Trader Joe’s of copying the distinctive look of Uncrustables sandwiches after a federal judge rejected the grocer’s attempt to dismiss part of the lawsuit.

A federal judge has rejected Trader Joe’s bid to dismiss a trademark claim in J.M. Smucker’s lawsuit accusing the grocer of copying the distinctive look of its Uncrustables sandwiches.The dispute pits Smucker’s familiar round, crimped sandwich design against a Trader Joe’s product the retail...

01/09/2026

Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, making him the first person convicted in the rapper’s death nearly 30 years after the fatal shooting.

Prosecutors did not accuse Davis of firing the shots. They argued he organized the retaliatory attack, obtained the gun, and passed it to the back seat of the Cadillac used in the shooting. Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before returning the verdict.

A Las Vegas jury found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder Monday in the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, making the former gang leader the first person convicted in the rapper’s death nearly 30 years after the fatal drive-by shooting.Jurors deliberated for less than three hours o...

01/09/2026

Rep. Thomas Massie has named 14 people on the House floor as Jeffrey Epstein “co-conspirators” who he says should be investigated and potentially prosecuted.

The Kentucky Republican made the allegations while launching a new discharge petition aimed at forcing a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. The bill would expand access to federal Epstein records for victims, state prosecutors and members of Congress.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, named 14 people on the House floor Monday as Jeffrey Epstein “co-conspirators” who he said should be investigated and prosecuted. He also launched a discharge petition to force a House vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act II.The bill would expand ...

01/09/2026

A Florida grand jury found that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration misappropriated $10 million from a Medicaid settlement by directing the money to the Hope Florida Foundation, with most of it later reaching political groups.

Jurors found the money belonged to Florida taxpayers and was improperly diverted outside the normal state spending process. About $8.5 million ultimately reached a political committee that helped oppose a 2024 ma*****na legalization measure.

A Florida grand jury found that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration misappropriated $10 million from a Medicaid settlement by directing the money to the Hope Florida Foundation, where most of it later reached political groups. No one was criminally charged because jurors said they could not determin...

01/09/2026

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos has received the first lifetime ban in Kalshi’s history after the prediction market found that he improperly traded contracts tied to whether he would attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Kalshi says Santos made nearly $18,000 while trading on an event he could directly influence and making public statements that affected contract prices. He was also fined $71,356.

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos has received the first lifetime ban in Kalshi’s history and was fined $71,356 after the prediction market concluded that he improperly traded contracts tied to his own attendance at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.Santos made nearly $18,000 trad...

01/09/2026

Amazon has been sued by the Federal Trade Commission and 22 states over allegations that it secretly changed how its advertising auctions set prices and overcharged about 1.2 million U.S. advertisers by more than $20 billion.

Amazon was sued Monday by the Federal Trade Commission and 22 states over allegations that it secretly changed how its advertising auctions set prices and overcharged about 1.2 million U.S. advertisers by more than $20 billion.Filed August 31 in federal court in Washington state, the lawsuit claims....

01/09/2026

Bank of America will pay $72.5 million to women who accused the bank of helping facilitate Jeffrey Epstein’s s*x trafficking operation after a federal judge approved the settlement.

The agreement resolves claims that Bank of America provided financial services that accusers alleged helped Epstein’s network operate. The bank denied facilitating s*x trafficking.

Bank of America will pay $72.5 million to women who accused the bank of helping facilitate Jeffrey Epstein’s s*x trafficking operation after a federal judge approved a settlement in Manhattan.U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff entered final judgment Friday following an August 27 approval hearing. The ...

01/09/2026

Singer D4vd has pleaded not guilty in the murder case involving 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez and has replaced his private attorneys with lawyers from the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.

The 21-year-old singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, faces murder, continuous s*xual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains charges.

Singer D4vd pleaded not guilty Monday in the murder case involving 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez and replaced his private attorneys with lawyers from the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.The 21-year-old singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, faces charges of murder, cont...

01/09/2026

Google Maps is now showing Lake Ontario as “Lake America” to users in the United States after President Donald Trump ordered the federal government to adopt the new name.

Google made the change after the designation appeared in the federal Geographic Names Information System. U.S. users will see “Lake America,” Canadian users will continue to see “Lake Ontario,” and users elsewhere will see both names.

Google Maps is now showing Lake Ontario as “Lake America” to users in the United States after President Donald Trump ordered the federal government to adopt the new name. The change brings the federal designation onto one of the world's most widely used mapping platforms.Google said U.S. users w...

01/09/2026

California is withholding Medi-Cal behavioral health funding from 10 county plans after repeated failures to meet standards for provider access and timely mental health and substance use treatment.

The affected counties include Merced, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Shasta, Tehama, Ventura, Napa, Fresno, Tulare and San Francisco. State officials say the money will be restored once each plan corrects its deficiencies.

Across the United States, the need for mental health and substance use treatment has become impossible to separate from the question of access. Families can recognize when someone is struggling, patients can have insurance coverage, and doctors can recommend treatment, but none of that helps much if...

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