Verdict . News

•Arizona Supreme Court unanimously ruled residents can propose initiative to block city street narrowing project

Jul 30, 2025•4 min read

Arizona Supreme Court

Arizona Supreme Court Rules City Residents Can Block Street Project

The Arizona Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision and held that a citizen initiative to prevent the City of Page from narrowing a street is legislative in nature and falls within residents' constitutional right to initiate local laws.

•Court held the citizen initiative is legislative in nature and protected under state constitutional provisions

•FTC receives $14.6 million federal grant for technology modernization to build AI-powered analytics platform

Regulatory

Jul 28, 2025•4 min read

FTC Gets $14.6M Grant to Build AI-Powered Investigation Platform

The Federal Trade Commission has been awarded a $14.6 million Technology Modernization Fund grant to upgrade its data processing infrastructure and develop AI-powered analytics tools for investigations. The modernization effort aims to reduce investigation timelines from weeks to hours while saving millions by bringing data analysis capabilities in-house.

•New system will reduce data processing time from weeks to hours for investigations

•Attorney Kathy H. Murphy was found in criminal contempt during a preliminary examination and sentenced to two days in jail

Jul 25, 2025•4 min read

Michigan Supreme Court

Michigan Supreme Court Reviews Attorney Contempt Case After Circuit Reversal

The Michigan Supreme Court addressed the criminal contempt conviction of attorney Kathy H. Murphy, who was found in contempt during a preliminary examination proceeding. The Wayne Circuit Court had reversed the district court's contempt finding, citing insufficient record-keeping.

•Wayne Circuit Court reversed the contempt conviction, citing the district court's failure to maintain adequate records

•Indiana Supreme Court found trial court erred by allowing counsel to waive juvenile's rights advisement without personally questioning the minor

Jul 23, 2025•5 min read

Indiana Supreme Court

Indiana Supreme Court Rules on Juvenile Rights Procedures in Sex Crime Case

The Indiana Supreme Court affirmed a juvenile's delinquency adjudication while finding the trial court erred in allowing counsel to waive rights advisements without personally questioning the minor. The case involved charges of child molestation and dissemination of harmful material to minors.

•Court affirmed delinquency adjudication on harmless error grounds despite procedural violations

•Jacqueline Davis won over $3 million in six days on BetMGM's online platform in 2021

Michigan Supreme Court

Michigan Supreme Court Rules on $3 Million Online Gambling Dispute

The Michigan Supreme Court decided *Davis v. BetMGM, LLC*, a case involving a player who won over $3 million on an online gambling platform but faced account suspension and denial of winnings. The court addressed claims of fraud, conversion, and breach of contract after BetMGM alleged the winnings resulted from game malfunctions.

•BetMGM initially approved a $100,000 withdrawal and congratulated Davis on her winnings

•Indiana Supreme Court ruled 4-1 that Perry County properly excluded councilman Keith Huck from health insurance

Indiana Supreme Court

Indiana Supreme Court Upholds County's Right to Exclude Part-Time Officials

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that Perry County lawfully excluded elected councilman Keith Huck from group health insurance coverage by classifying him as a part-time employee. The 4-1 decision reversed a lower court's preliminary injunction and clarified local governments' authority over employee benefit eligibility.

•Court held local governments can exclude part-time employees from group health coverage under state law

Supreme Court of Missouri

Missouri Supreme Court Limits County Authority to Tax Cannabis Sales

The Missouri Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling and held that counties cannot impose a 3 percent sales tax on recreational marijuana in areas where cities already have that authority. The court ruled in favor of Robust Missouri Dispensary 3, LLC, clarifying that only one local government may tax cannabis sales in any given area.

•Missouri Supreme Court ruled only one local government can impose 3% cannabis sales tax per area

•Counties cannot tax marijuana sales in incorporated areas where cities have authority

Supreme Court of Missouri

Missouri Supreme Court Suspends Police Attorney Over Confidential Disclosures

The Missouri Supreme Court suspended attorney Ryan Christopher McCarty indefinitely for disclosing confidential client information while working for the Kansas City Police Department. McCarty claimed First Amendment and whistleblowing protections, but the court rejected these defenses and imposed a one-year minimum suspension.

•McCarty was suspended indefinitely with no possibility of reinstatement for one year

•He claimed First Amendment and whistleblowing protections for his confidential disclosures

Supreme Court of Missouri

Missouri Supreme Court Rules Defendants Abandoned by Appointed Counsel

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled July 22 that two defendants, Jessie Nelson and Cameron Woods, were abandoned by their appointed counsel who filed untimely amended motions for postconviction relief. The court affirmed the lower courts' judgments despite finding counsel abandonment.

•Missouri Supreme Court found appointed counsel abandoned clients by filing untimely amended postconviction motions

•Court affirmed trial court judgments despite counsel abandonment, finding no clear error on the merits