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Iowa AG Pushes Supreme Court Route in Paramount-WBD Antitrust Fight
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Texas surrogate fights for sole custody as heart-defect newborn battles for life
A Dallas court is weighing a high-profile custody dispute over a newborn with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Surrogate McKenna West seeks sole conservatorship to make medical decisions after California parents Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed requested termination; the baby underwent a Norwood procedure, was re-intubated, and remains critically ill as the court considers who should control life-saving care.
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Dallas surrogacy battle could rewrite parental rights and Texas policy
texastribune.org•6 days ago
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Limerick tragedy spurs wrongful-death suit over defective badminton racket
The Portland Press Herald•7 days ago
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Trust Dispute Could Unlock Nick Reiner’s Defense Funds
Nick Reiner is in a civil court clash with the trustee of his parents’ trust over access to roughly $550,000–$1.6 million earmarked for his 30th‑birthday distribution to fund his murder defense. The trustee says the distribution never left the trust and may be withheld under California law depending on the outcome of his criminal case, while Reiner maintains the money should be released to hire top defense lawyers; a Monday LA hearing will address eligibility and why funds were not disbursed as the criminal case proceeds, with mediation possible.
Ex-ABC Producer Sues Over Harassment Claims Linked to Matt Gutman
A former ABC News field producer, Samira Said, filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court naming ABC, The Walt Disney Co., Matt Gutman, and former LA bureau chief David Herndon. The suit accuses Gutman of making sexualized remarks about a female colleague’s appearance, alleges Said was demoted and denied mental-health accommodations leading to a rushed return from medical leave, and claims retaliation culminating in her termination. Gutman has since moved to CBS News; ABC/Disney have not commented, and Said seeks damages and costs.
BBC Moves to Subpoena Trump Kin in High-Stakes Defamation Suit
The BBC is asking a court to issue subpoenas to Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner to obtain information in its defense against Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit, alleging the trio had knowledge of the president’s intent when he revised and delivered his January 6 speech; the broadcaster says it has faced repeated failures serving the subpoenas in person and seeks alternative service methods, with a trial scheduled for February 2027.
LA surrogate defies parents, delivers baby with rare heart defect amid legal battle
A Los Angeles-based surrogate gave birth to a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome after the intended parents sought abortion over the fetal defect. The surrogate fled to Texas, where abortion is banned, and a court ordered lifesaving medical care for the infant while restricting the surrogate’s involvement, fueling a high-profile custody dispute that highlights surrogacy contracts and bodily autonomy.
Cross-state surrogacy clash tests parental rights and medical decisions in Texas
A baby with a rare congenital heart condition was born amid a multistate legal dispute involving the child’s intended parents, the surrogate who carried him, and Texas’ attorney general, who asked a court to weigh in on medical decisions for the infant. The surrogate says she faced repeated pressure to abort, while the biological parents insist they want what’s best for the child; the case centers on surrogacy agreements and who has authority over the baby’s medical care across state lines.
Jury awards $33M to twins after Redwood City street-racing crash
A San Mateo County jury awarded $33 million to 11-year-old twin girls whose parents were killed in Redwood City when their car was struck during a street race on Nov. 4, 2022. The 17-year-old driver, Cesar Morales, was speeding up to 110 mph while racing another car; Morales' parents were found negligent for failing to intervene. Morales received 90 days of home detention. The other driver, Kyle Harrison, pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter and racing Morales and was later found dead in his jail cell after serving less than a month of an eight-year sentence. The twins, adopted by their aunt, are pursuing payment of the award, but it is unclear how much the Morales family can pay.
Lawsuit alleges paid Truth API access violates First and Fifth Amendments
Two groups—the Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation—filed a federal lawsuit against Donald Trump and his Truth Social team, alleging that Truth API’s paid, real-time access to the president’s posts restricts information flow and violates the First and Fifth Amendments; subscribers reportedly pay between $60,000 and $100,000 per month for early access. Legal experts say there is no de minimis exception for restricting First Amendment rights, and the case raises questions about ownership of presidential statements and access to public information, with lawmakers urging regulators to review the arrangement.
Ben Crump Takes Case for Teen Punched by Arkansas Trooper
Ben Crump has been retained by Alisa Hackett, an 18-year-old from Osceola, after an Arkansas State Police trooper punched her in the face during an August 1 traffic stop. Video shows Trooper Moisses Arellano slamming Hackett to the ground and striking her; Arellano’s use‑of‑force report acknowledges a closed‑fist blow. Crump is urging Arkansas State Police to open a use‑of‑force investigation and release any prior use‑of‑force reports, while Hackett faced five traffic charges following the stop. The case has drawn widespread attention to police conduct at traffic stops.
Defense Seeks TikTok Critic as Witness in Clancy Trial
In the Lindsay Clancy murder case, the defense requests adding Emily Thorndike, a former McLean Hospital social worker who posted a viral TikTok criticizing the facility, as a rebuttal witness to counter prosecutors’ portrayal of McLean as a top-tier facility. Thorndike would discuss the short-term unit’s operations and therapy practices from 2014–2021, potentially challenging claims about adequate care. The defense plans to argue postpartum psychosis as the basis for an insanity defense, while prosecutors have noted Clancy initially showed no clear psychosis in early assessments.
Murdaugh Fee Suit Tossed Over Causation Gap After Clerk's Jury Comments
A federal judge dismissed Alex Murdaugh's $600,000 lawsuit against former clerk of court Rebecca Hill, ruling there was no causal link between Hill's juror comments and the murder charges; the suit was dismissed without prejudice, leaving room to refile, as Murdaugh's retrial remains tentatively scheduled for April 2027.