Supreme Court

Justices validate right to renew lawsuit after voluntary dismissal

Justices validate right to renew lawsuit after voluntary dismissal

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Gary Waetzig filed an age discrimination suit against his former employer, Halliburton. He then dismissed the suit when the company pointed out that he had agreed to arbitrate. When he lost in arbitration and tried to return to federal court, the statute of limitations on the alleged age discrimination had passed, and he asked the court instead to grant relief from the previous order of dismissal, essentially reopening that first case.

At the Supreme Court, his case, Waetzig v. … Read the rest

Civil Law

Boost Your Online Visibility With Strategic Photo Naming: Why It Works and How to Do It Right

When it comes to building a strong online presence, many people focus on content, keywords and social engagement – but often overlook a small yet impactful detail: naming their photos. This seemingly minor step can significantly boost your searchability, especially on professional platforms like LinkedIn, and reinforces your brand identity in the digital landscape. Here’s why it matters, along with actionable steps to make the most of it.

Why Naming Your Photos Matters for Search and Visibility

  1. Optimize for Search
… Read the rest
Civil Law

Will Australians connect with the right to disconnect?

The right to disconnect has been in the media a lot. But if we look behind the headlines, what impact is it actually going to have?

The new laws give employees a limited right to ignore work-related contact outside of working hours. This right is limited by what is reasonable. It does not:

  • outlaw reasonable out-of-hours contact; or
  • give employees rights to unreasonably ignore work-related communications.

Given the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) has always prohibited unreasonable additional work outside … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices consider civil rights tester’s right to sue

Justices consider civil rights tester’s right to sue

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral argument in the case of a civil rights tester who searches the internet to find hotels whose websites do not provide information about the accessibility of their facilities, as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The owner of a Maine hotel argued that because the tester, Deborah Laufer, never intended to stay at the hotel, she does not have a legal right to bring a lawsuit. But after roughly 90 minutes … Read the rest

Supreme Court

In New York bid-rigging case, justices are dubious of the “right to control” theory of fraud

In New York bid-rigging case, justices are dubious of the “right to control” theory of fraud

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The Supreme Court heard oral argument on Monday in the case of Louis Ciminelli, an executive convicted of federal wire fraud in connection with bid-rigging to secure a $ 750 million New York state contract. The trial court informed a federal jury regarding a “right to control” theory of fraud, and the jury convicted Ciminelli. At argument, Justice Neil Gorsuch remarked at the “radical agreement” among all that the right-to-control theory was flawed, but there was less consensus as … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices asked to strengthen the right to earn a living

Justices asked to strengthen the right to earn a living

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The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.

Under longstanding constitutional law, most laws survive constitutional challenges so long as the government has a “rational basis” for enacting them. This week, we highlight cert petitions that ask the court to consider, among other things, whether rational basis is the correct standard of review for a law that affects … Read the rest