Internet Law

Afternoon Briefs: Missing ex-lawyer is arrested at thrift store; DC considers banning gay-panic defense

Disbarred lawyer-on-the-lam is arrested at thrift store A disbarred lawyer who is accused of murdering his mother was arrested at a Nashville, Tennessee, thrift store Monday. U.S. marshals arrested Richard Vinson Merritt about eight months after he failed to report to prison for defrauding clients out of their settlement checks.…

Oct 1, 2019 4:09 PM CDT

Employers’ job ads on Facebook discriminated against women and older workers, EEOC says

Two years ago, ProPublica and the New York Times revealed that companies were posting discriminatory job ads on Facebook, using the social network’s targeting tools to keep older workers from seeing employment opportunities. Then ProPublica reported companies were using Facebook to exclude women from seeing job ads.

Sep 27, 2019 12:48 PM CDT

Europe’s top court rules ‘right to be forgotten’ doesn’t apply to internet search results worldwide

The European Union’s top court ruled Tuesday that Google and other search engines are not obligated to delete links to websites and databases worldwide under a “right to be forgotten” privacy rule. The European Court of Justice said the rule applied only within the 28 nations that are part of…

Sep 26, 2019 11:22 AM CDT

Three lawyers are among this year’s MacArthur Foundation ‘genius grant’ winners

Lawyers working in the field of criminal justice reform, restorative justice and cyber harassment are among this year’s 26 MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” winners. The winners will each receive a no-strings-attached $625,000 stipend, report NPR and the Associated Press. The complete list of winners is here. The lawyer winners are:…

Sep 25, 2019 1:00 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Man acquitted for Facebook rants about judge; trial to begin in law prof’s slaying

Jurors acquit Michigan dad in connection with Facebook rants about judge Jurors in Michigan deliberated for 26 minutes before acquitting a dad charged for his angry Facebook posts about a judge he blamed for his son’s death. Jonathan Vanderhagen, 35, was acquitted on a misdemeanor charge of malicious use of…

Sep 20, 2019 4:15 PM CDT

Education Department no longer blocks Public Citizen website after lawsuit is filed

Employees at the U.S. Department of Education are no longer blocked from accessing the Public Citizen website when using its Wi-Fi and employee networks.

Sep 16, 2019 1:50 PM CDT

Ex-client sued by lawyer for alleged libel in negative review that stays atop ratings through editing

A Pittsburgh lawyer has sued a former client for alleged libel in a negative online review that stays atop Google ratings because of reposting and editing.

Sep 9, 2019 3:55 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Ex-White House counsel acquitted; lawyer pleads guilty in alleged attack on colleague

Former White House counsel is acquitted on false-statement charge Federal jurors on Wednesday acquitted former White House counsel Greg Craig on a charge of making false statements to the government about his lobbying work for Ukraine while working at Skadden Arps. Craig was accused of making false statements to the…

Sep 4, 2019 4:55 PM CDT

Some states are allowing people and companies to use blockchain to authenticate documents

Looking to capture a slice of the emerging blockchain market, states have enacted new laws and procedures for recognition of signatures, documents and contracts stored on the technology as legal instruments for verification.

Sep 1, 2019 1:40 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Parking lot shooter’s self-defense bid fails; lawyer charged in alleged Mercedes attack

Shooter of unarmed black man found guilty of manslaughter; sheriff hadn’t charged him Michael Drejka’s self-defense argument didn’t succeed when Florida jurors convicted him of manslaughter Friday for fatally shooting a black man who shoved him to the ground. Prosecutors brought charges after the Pinellas County sheriff declined to charge…

Aug 26, 2019 4:17 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer told shooting suspect to give up; judge says slurs didn’t describe defendants

• A defense lawyer for the suspect accused of shooting six Philadelphia police officers says he advised his former client to surrender. The police commissioner says the lawyer, Shaka Johnson, deserves a lot of credit for speaking with suspect Maurice Hill. But it was tear gas that ultimately ended the…

Aug 15, 2019 4:36 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Suit allowed over website’s bankruptcy-lawyer ban; judge resigns and ends case

• The California Supreme Court has revived bankruptcy lawyer Robert White’s civil rights suit against the online payment service Square. White contended that he was wrongly denied service by the company because of a user agreement that banned bankruptcy attorneys or debt collectors from using its services. The court said…

Aug 13, 2019 5:21 PM CDT

4th Circuit upholds search of home based on one web click

A federal appeals court has upheld a home search based on a single click to a website that posts child pornography videos.

Aug 5, 2019 10:30 AM CDT

Facebook isn’t liable for algorithm that put terrorist content in news feeds, 2nd Circuit rules

A federal appeals court has ruled for Facebook in a lawsuit by U.S. citizens who are victims of Hamas attacks in Israel. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New York ruled for Facebook on Wednesday in a 2-1 decision, report Courthouse News Service, Reuters and Law360. Circuit Judge…

Aug 1, 2019 12:43 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer who scammed Charles Barkley gets prison; DA wants death penalty overturned

• An Alabama lawyer was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday for running an energy investment scheme that defrauded former NBA star Charles Barkley and other athletes. Donald Watkins Sr., 70, will also have to pay about $14 million in restitution. Watkins said he still considers the victims…

Jul 17, 2019 5:00 PM CDT