News & Insights

Alabama Supreme Court Extends Pandemic Order For Workers’ Compensation Cases

On March 18, 2020, pursuant to §§ 12-2-30(b)(8) and 25-5-12, Ala. Code 1975, Chief Justice Tom Parker issued “Administrative Order Concerning Workers’ Compensation Cases During the Period of Suspension of In-Person Proceedings,” authorizing circuit judges to conduct workers’ compensation settlement hearings telephonically or by videoconference.  This Order also authorizes the use of the Alabama Department…
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Tennessee Appellate Court Reverses Trial Court’s Denial Of Attorney’s Fees For Plaintiff Based On Provision Of Construction Contract

In Jones v. Reda Homebuilders, Inc., the Court of Appeals of Tennessee, at Nashville, analyzed whether the trial court properly denied Plaintiffs’ Motion for Attorney’s Fees based on the language of the construction contract. 2021 WL 2375883, at *1 (Tenn. Ct. App. June 10, 2021). The appellate court additionally analyzed whether the trial court’s award…
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United States Supreme Court Holds Both State And Private Property Can Be Condemned By A Certificate Holding Natural Gas Company

In PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC v. New Jersey, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) defended the federal government’s ability to delegate its eminent domain power to a natural gas company.  No. 19-1039, 2021 WL 2653262, (U.S. June 29, 2021).  The Natural Gas Act (“NGA”) was passed by Congress in 1938 to regulate the…
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Finra, Sec, And Nasaa Offer New Resource To Assist Securities Firms In Implementing The Training Requirements Of The Senior Safe Act

FINRA, SEC, and NASAA recently announced a new presentation intended to assist securities firms in detecting, preventing, and reporting financial exploitation of seniors pursuant to the Senior Safe Act, Section 303 of the “Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act,” which was signed into law on May 24, 2018, as well as the state…
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When Is An Architect Required To Notify Its Insurer

In RLI Insurance Company v. Architrave, Inc., 2021 WL 1863259 (D.S.C. May 7, 2021), a federal court in South Carolina held that a factual issue remained as to when an architect was required to put its insurer on notice of a potential claim. Bobbitt Design Build (“Bobbitt”) was hired by Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church,…
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The Alabama Court Of Civil Appeals Disallows A Contractual Agreement Preventing Venue To Be Established In The State Of Alabama

In Sellers v. Venture Express, Inc. (not yet released for publication), the Plaintiff asserted a workers’ compensation action in the Circuit Court of Cullman County asserting an on-the-job injury in the course and scope of her employment with Defendant Venture Express.  The claimed  injury occurred in Alabama, but the Plaintiff and Defendant entered into an…
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Finra Announces All Dispute Resolution Hearing Locations Will Be Open For In Person Proceedings On August 2, 2021

In March of 2020, FINRA announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it had administratively postponed all in-person arbitration and mediation proceedings.  Subsequent announcements extended those adjournments through July 3, 2021.  In mid-May, 2021, FINRA announced that 62 hearing locations would be open for in-person hearings starting July 5, 2021, and recently, FINRA stated that…
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Engineer’s Contractual Indemnity Claim Against Contractor Dismissed, As Indemnification Agreement Excluded Claims For Damages To The Work Itself

In County of Saratoga v. Delaware Engineering, D.P.C., 189 A.D.3d 1926, 139 N.Y.S.3d 381 (3d Dept 2020), the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division held that an engineer’s contractual indemnity claim against the contractor was due to be dismissed, as the indemnity provision unambiguously and expressly excluded claims for damage to the “work itself.” In…
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