U.S. Courts News Reporter
On February 28, 2026 I joined a friend to see “Emalani,” a newly commissioned play at Arena Stage, inspired by the life Emm Na’ea Rooke, who became Queen when she married into the Kamehameha royal family, and who became known as a humanitarian, health care crusader, and advocate for native Hawaiians in the years before the United States took over the islands.
I had the good luck to chat with the playwright, Lee Cataluna, before the event started, which … Read the rest
On February 11, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a $ 2.75 million settlement with The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”), the largest civil penalty to date under the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, “CCPA”), resolving claims that Disney’s opt-out mechanisms did not fully satisfy CCPA requirements. This settlement stems from California’s 2024 investigative sweep examining streaming services’ compliance with the CCPA.
The Attorney General’s complaint (“Complaint”) centered on Disney’s targeted advertising … Read the rest
In November 2025 the UK Court of Appeal confirmed that a “pay-first” clause in a marine liability policy is valid when it accordingly prevents direct recovery by a third party from the insurer when the insured is unable to discharge its underlying liability.
Because the insured was insolvent, the court refused a direct claim by a third party under the UK Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010. The ruling matters for South African charterers, brokers and claimants because many local … Read the rest