Verdict . News

Supreme Court of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Supreme Court Amends Appeals Court Rules for SUMAC System

The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico issued Resolution ER-2025-03 on Dec. 19, 2025, implementing comprehensive amendments to the Appeals Court Regulations to align procedures with the new SUMAC digital case management system. The changes follow months of legal community orientation and feedback collection.

•Supreme Court issued Resolution ER-2025-03 amending 16 rules in the Appeals Court Regulations

•Changes align court procedures with SUMAC digital case management system implementation

•Iowa Supreme Court issued unanimous ruling on foreign corporation jurisdiction requirements

Supreme Court of Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court Rules on Foreign Corporation Jurisdiction Requirements

The Iowa Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling December 19, 2025, addressing whether foreign corporations must consent to personal jurisdiction when registering to do business in Iowa. The decision came in response to a certified question from a federal court handling a class action lawsuit against CRST transportation companies.

•Federal court certified question about whether business registration equals consent to jurisdiction

•Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed lower court decisions protecting Iowa Northern Railway from culvert installation requirements

Supreme Court of Iowa

Iowa Supreme Court Reverses Railroad Culvert Case, Backs Drainage District

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously reversed lower court decisions and ruled that a joint drainage district can require Iowa Northern Railway Company to install a culvert through a railroad embankment. The high court vacated a Court of Appeals decision that had protected the railroad from the infrastructure modification requirement.

•Joint drainage district representing Floyd and Cerro Gordo counties can require railroad to install 5.5-foot diameter steel pipe culvert

•Alaska Supreme Court denied Alex Koponen's claim to a driveway easement across neighbors' property

Alaska Supreme Court

Alaska Supreme Court Denies Driveway Easement Claim in Property Dispute

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that denied Alex Koponen's claim to an easement for a driveway across his neighbors' property in Fairbanks. The court rejected both Koponen's arguments for an easement by estoppel and a prescriptive easement.

•Court rejected both easement by estoppel and prescriptive easement arguments

•CFTC approves final rule eliminating duplicative business conduct and documentation requirements for swap dealers

CFTC Finalizes Rule Eliminating Decade-Old Regulatory Burdens

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved a final rule that eliminates duplicative requirements and excessive costs for swap dealers and major swap participants, resolving over a decade of regulatory uncertainty. The rule codifies existing staff no-action positions and harmonizes CFTC regulations with SEC and MSRB requirements.

•Rule resolves over 10 years of regulatory uncertainty and reduces excessive compliance costs

•Voluntary recall affects 32 oz. containers of Publix Rice & Pigeon Peas manufactured by A.S.K. Foods, LLC

A.S.K. Foods Recalls Publix Rice & Pigeon Peas Over Undeclared Soy

A.S.K. Foods, LLC of Palmyra, PA has issued a voluntary recall of 32 oz. containers of Publix Rice & Pigeon Peas due to undeclared soy allergens. The FDA announced the recall to protect consumers with soy allergies from potentially life-threatening reactions.

•Product contains undeclared soy allergen that could trigger severe or life-threatening reactions in sensitive individuals

•Federal court ordered $185,000+ restitution and permanent CFTC trading ban for Robert Narvett

CFTC Secures $185K Judgment Against Wisconsin Man in Trading Fraud

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission obtained a federal court judgment requiring Wisconsin resident Robert Narvett to pay more than $185,000 in restitution and face a permanent trading ban for operating a fraudulent commodity trading scheme that lasted eight years.

•Eight-year fraud scheme involved misappropriation of client commodity futures trading accounts

•Instacart will pay $60 million in refunds to consumers harmed by deceptive practices

Instacart to Pay $60 Million to Settle FTC Lawsuit Over Deceptive Practices

The Federal Trade Commission announced that grocery delivery giant Instacart will pay $60 million in consumer refunds to settle allegations of deceptive business practices. The company allegedly misled customers with false 'free delivery' claims while charging mandatory service fees and automatically enrolling users in subscription services without proper consent.

•Company falsely advertised 'free delivery' while charging mandatory service fees up to 15% of order cost

New York Court of Appeals

NY Court of Appeals Affirms Dismissal in Settlement Release Case

The New York Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court's dismissal of a false arrest lawsuit against New York City on December 18, 2025. The court held that plaintiff Johnte Smith's broad settlement agreement in a separate case released all claims against the city.

•Smith filed two separate false arrest lawsuits against NYC in 2021, both from 2020 arrests

•Settlement agreement in second case included broad release covering all claims through settlement date