The piece explains why leaked IRS tax-return information could fuel a civil case with a potential $1.7 billion damages award, outlining the privacy violations, legal theories behind damages, and how a payout could be calculated and awarded.
An Australian court upheld a ruling in favor of a transgender woman and doubled the damages awarded against a female-only app in a discrimination case.
Blake Lively is pursuing more than $200 million in a federal civil trial against Justin Baldoni, including $35 million for a never-made It Ends With Us sequel. Baldoni’s lawyers criticized the damages figure as “pie in the sky” and challenged an expert tied to the claim, while Lively contends a targeted online smear campaign damaged her career and two product launches. The case hinges on whether online backlash could be linked to her lost earnings, with experts expected to testify about damages to her hair-care line Blake Brown and beverage line Betty Booze. A judge is weighing expert admissibility ahead of the May trial date.
A California civil jury found Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger in 1972, awarding her $59.25 million in total damages (comprising $17.5 million in past damages and $1.75 million for future damages) plus $40 million in punitive damages in a second phase. Cosby’s attorney said they’ll appeal; Motsinger said the verdict brings accountability after more than 50 years.
A California civil jury found Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger in 1972, awarding a total of $59.25 million: $17.5 million in past damages, $1.75 million for future damages, and $40 million in punitive damages, after a two-week Santa Monica trial. Cosby’s lawyers said they will appeal. Motsinger described finally being heard after decades, as the case adds to the wave of #MeToo-era scrutiny surrounding Cosby and parallels earlier lawsuits and his overturned Pennsylvania conviction.
A Santa Monica jury found Bill Cosby liable in the 1972 drugging and rape of former waitress Donna Motsinger, awarding about $19.25 million in damages ($17.5 million for past trauma and $1.75 million for future suffering); Cosby testified he could not remember the encounter and maintained his innocence.
A California civil jury found Bill Cosby liable for sexual assault against Donna Motsinger and awarded about $19.25 million in compensatory damages, with punitive damages to be decided later; Cosby plans to appeal amid a long history of allegations and changes to California’s statutes of limitations that enabled the suit.
Hawaii is assessing the widespread damage from the islands’ worst flooding in more than two decades, with thousands evacuated, about 200 rescues, and at least $1 billion in damages; officials say the immediate dam threat has eased as waters recede, but isolated flooding could continue before drier weather returns midweek.
A California federal jury ruled that Elon Musk misled Twitter shareholders with two May 2022 tweets during the $44 billion takeover, contributing to a drop in Twitter’s stock; the verdict could expose him to billions in damages (plaintiffs estimate about $2.6B), though he was cleared on some fraud claims; Musk plans to appeal; Twitter was acquired in 2022, later renamed X, and merged with his AI startup xAI and SpaceX.
A California jury delivered a mixed verdict in the Malibu mansion case: Kanye West (Ye) was found liable on some claims by Tony Saxon, a worker at Ye’s $57 million Malibu home, with $140,000 awarded for past medical expenses and past pain and suffering (no future pain, and no punitive damages). The panel also found Saxon’s status varied by issue, including an employer/employee distinction for certain purposes, and Ye may owe Saxon’s attorney fees and costs. The verdict reflects disputes over permits, safety, and wage status during the Gutting of the Ando-designed mansion, amid Ye’s controversial public persona.
Kanye West was found liable in a Malibu mansion renovation case brought by project manager Tony Saxon, but the jury awarded Saxon only $140,000 in damages—far short of the $1.7 million sought and with potential attorney-fee increases to come. The verdict also found Saxon an employee for certain purposes, denying many wage-related claims, and Ye’s team has signaled plans to appeal. The outcome also foreshadows a separate lawsuit over an allegedly unlawful mechanic’s lien on Ye’s property.
President Trump said he will seek $1 billion in damages from Harvard in a long-running funding feud tied to his administration’s efforts against what it calls woke campus ideology. The move follows reports that the administration backed off a $200 million demand, and comes after a federal court partially overturned the previous $2 billion funding cuts Harvard challenged in court, with the White House vowing to continue challenging the ruling; other Ivies have struck deals to preserve funding rather than fight in court.
London’s High Court ruled in McLaren’s favour in the breach-of-contract case against Alex Palou, awarding more than $12 million (about $10.2m plus another $2m–$2.5m) after Palou refused to join Arrow McLaren for IndyCar and potential Formula 1 duties. The judgment also found partial success on some related claims (sponsorship and performance-related aspects), while Palou’s team argued damages were inflated. Palou indicated he is considering his options and will continue with Chip Ganassi Racing; further interest and legal costs will be decided at a later hearing.
Musk is seeking $79–$134 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft in a lawsuit arguing OpenAI abandoned its nonprofit mission; he relies on economist C. Paul Wazzan’s analysis that claims Musk contributed 50–75% of OpenAI’s value. OpenAI and Microsoft call the math unreliable and accuse it of cherry-picking factors and ignoring others’ contributions, including co-founders and researchers. They question Wazzan’s method, note he didn’t access xAI data, and say private individuals cannot hold nonprofit economic interests; a trial begins in April, with OpenAI seeking to exclude Wazzan’s opinions.}