Civil Law

Any relationship between the Microsoft and air traffic outages?

an airport filled with lots of airplanes parked on top of tarmac

The WashingtonPost.com reported that “Outlook went down, then air traffic systems. It’s been a bad week of outages.”  The November 14, 2026 article entitled “Outlook went down, then air traffic systems. It’s been a bad week of outages.” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/11/14/bad-week-outages-after-ground-stop-microsoft-outlook-went-down/) included these comments from Reporter  Miriam Waldvogel:

There is no evidence that the global Microsoft outage and the nationwideground stop were related— or that they were cyberattacks or linked to some sort of artificial intelligence threat. Officials on Saturday said maintenance … Read the rest

Civil Law

School District Violated Labor Code By Rejecting Applicants Based On Expunged Misdemeanor Convictions

A.S. v. Los Angeles Unified Sch. Dist., 123 Cal. App. 5th 519 (2026)

Two applicants for employment with the Los Angeles Unified School District (one for a part-time after-school program position and the other for a legal secretary position) were rejected based on their prior misdemeanor convictions (for battery and grand theft, respectively), both of which had been expunged pursuant to Cal. Penal Code § 1203.4. The District contended that its duty to protect students required it to … Read the rest

Civil Law

The Climate Hush – Unpacking the 2026 Midterms’ Environmental Messaging

Commercial real estate developers and business leaders routinely underwrite projects against ten, twenty, and thirty year horizons, knowing that capital expenditures must outlast political cycles. Yet every two years, Washington and the state capitals deliver a referendum on policy priorities that alters the regulatory risk calculus.

The 2026 midterm elections delivered an unmistakable verdict: for the average American voter, immediate economic stability and affordability decisively superseded aspirational climate agendas.

While environmental stewardship remains a societal value, a palpable “climate hush” … Read the rest

Civil Law

When Use of Artificial Intelligence Conflicts With Employees’ Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs (US)

“Call it the fault of civilization. God isn’t compatible with machinery …”

Or so Mustapha Mond warns John the Savage in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, but that tension is not confined to great works of literature. As businesses embrace generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, a new trend is emerging: conscientious objectors requesting exemption from AI tools to accommodate their sincerely held moral views.

One may ask how AI intersects with religious observance, but prominent religious leaders … Read the rest

Civil Law

Monday Practice Pointer: Want your settlement to stick? Waive fraud claims expressly.

In Udell v. Udell, 397 So. 3d 1050 (Fla. 4th DCA Nov. 27, 2024), a surviving spouse settled with the trustees of his late wife’s trust, accepting larger monthly payments and waiving the right to receive any other distributions from the trust. He later petitioned to reopen the estate, alleging that the personal representative withheld material information about his rights as the surviving spouse to the wrongful death settlement. The trial court held the settlement barred his claim. The Fourth … Read the rest

Civil Law

Top 10 in Law – October 30, 2026

Every week, lawyers add sharp, timely commentary to the Library at LexBlog, covering the issues shaping their practices and industries. Top 10 in Law highlights the pieces that stood out and drew readers in.

Honeywell Aerospace Hit with Securities Suit Following FCA Cybersecurity Settlement

The D&O Diary — By Sarah Abrams — October 29, 2026

The D&O Diary has spent months tracking DOJ’s widening use of the False Claims Act, and here is the consequence it kept flagging. Honeywell Aerospace

… Read the rest