Mason Lawlor

Mason Lawlor

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November 27, 2024 | Law.com

Federal Judge Weighs In on School's Discipline for 'Explicitly Copying AI-Generated Text' on Project

"Plaintiffs cite no case law to suggest that a student has a constitutional right to receive a certain grade on an assignment, to avoid a Saturday detention, or to gain membership in an extracurricular group such as the National Honor Society," U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson said in a Nov. 20 opinion.

By Mason Lawlor

5 minute read

November 21, 2024 | Daily Report Online

Woman's Suit Alleging Negligence to Sex Trafficking by Hotel Tossed by Federal Judge

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia dismissed a suit in an opinion issued Nov. 15, finding that the Jane Doe plaintiff's allegations did not contain enough "non-conclusory" factual support to justify a claim under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

By Mason Lawlor

4 minute read

November 19, 2024 | Law.com

Hospital Succeeds in Denying Vaccine Religious Accommodation Through 'Undue Hardship' Defense

According to the case law from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, courts may consider indirect costs such as health and safety along with direct economic costs when determining an "undue hardship" from granting an accommodation.

By Mason Lawlor

4 minute read

November 15, 2024 | Law.com

Federal Judge Rejects Teams' Challenge to NASCAR's 'Anticompetitive Terms' in Agreement

"At this stage, the teams are no closer to irreparable harm than they are to the command, 'Drivers, start your engines,' at the first race of the 2025 season," U.S. District Judge Frank Whitney wrote in a Nov. 8 order.

By Mason Lawlor

6 minute read

November 15, 2024 | Law.com

'A Template' for Religious Accommodation: Attorney Gives Insight to $12M Win Over Employer's COVID-19 Vaccination Policies

Noah Hurwitz told Law.com that he believes the decision issued last week by a Michigan federal jury is just the fourth religious accommodation case to reach a jury trial since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

By Mason Lawlor

5 minute read

November 13, 2024 | Law.com

Dominion Energy Accused of Terminating Employee for Remote Work Request Following Medical Leave

Despite dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis and complications from surgery, plaintiff Stephanie Arble was allegedly threatened by her manager at Dominion Energy Ohio that it would be "insubordination" if she did not come into the office on returning from medical leave.

By Mason Lawlor

3 minute read

November 12, 2024 | Law.com

Overcoming Hurricane Helene: How the Western North Carolina Legal Community Managed Court Closures, Sanitation Concerns

Attorneys working in private and public practice spoke to Law.com about the devastation left by Helene, reflecting how their day-to-day legal operations were affected and how their professional community pulled together in the aftermath.

By Mason Lawlor

9 minute read

November 11, 2024 | Law.com

Hurricane Helene's Impact On Asheville, North Carolina: How Public and Private Attorneys Dealt With Closures, Safety and Sanitation

"I think as a whole, there was a lot of resiliency and we bounced back pretty well," attorney Steve Cash of Searson, Jones, Gottschalk & Cash in Asheville, North Carolina said.

By Mason Lawlor

10 minute read

November 08, 2024 | Law.com

Transgender Woman Awarded $150K Default Judgment Against Corrections Officer for Alleged Assault

Unlike other cases where traumatized plaintiffs have requested punitive damages in their complaints, transgender female Haleem Gilliland did not raise the request until the default judgment stage.

By Mason Lawlor

3 minute read

November 07, 2024 | Daily Report Online

Georgia RICO Case Against Trump Likely to Avoid Trial Amid Election Win, Nationally-Known Law Professor Says

"It is very unlikely that courts—including, if necessary, the U.S. Supreme Court—would permit a local state criminal trial to proceed against a sitting president or even against a president elect," Public Interest Law Prof. John Banzhaf wrote.

By Mason Lawlor

4 minute read