We here at Trellis Law Blog wish you a joyous holiday season. We will return with coverage on Monday, 8 Jan. 2024. Until then, we invite you to rediscover five of our most engaging blog posts for this year, linked here below.
Top Five Blog Stories
1. A look at the changes made within the legal system in states recognizing gender pronouns.
2. Judge Epstein’s pressing questions to attorneys for Lizzo and her backup dancers.
3. Inquiring into whether the technology taking the world by storm is effective in the legal field and especially by those training to become the lawyers of tomorrow.
4. A look at the very strange week that saw Sam Altman’s firing and the storm that ensued, leading to his rehiring all within about seven days.
5. A closer look at the outcome of the trial for the once Wunderkind of Crypto, SBF or Sam Bankman-Fried.
Five Stories to Lookout for in 2024
The stakes are high for 2024 litigation in the United States. Circuits will split on controversial social matters, states will battle the federal government for power, a decisive presidential election will take center stage in the media, and the Supreme Court will review cases and make decisions that will have nationwide implications. Here are five legal topics that are sure to make headlines in the coming year:
1. Presidential Election
The 2024 election will take center stage in this year’s news headlines. As former President Trump continues his legal battle in the courts over matters concerning the January 6th insurrection, the Supreme Court will most likely weigh in and influence how the 2024 election will play out.
We are entering unchartered constitutional territory as some states try prohibiting Trump from being on their ballot. Colorado was the first state to become successful –however, this case will likely be taken up by the Supreme Court –determining the outcome for all states.
2. Abortion Litigation
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the following abortion bans implemented in many southern states –the courts have seen an increase in abortion litigation. Lawyers and lawmakers are trying to iron out what the new abortion bans actually ban and at what point doctors become liable for performing abortions in states where the procedure has been outlawed. The Supreme Court is likely to take up the abortion issue in 2024, with the first case since the overturn of Roe v. Wade already in their pipeline.
3. Startups
There will be numerous startups involved in litigation in 2024. From WeWork filing for bankruptcy to Sam Bankman-Fried facing additional criminal charges, and Uber and Lyft in hot water for wage theft, these stories will make headlines.
4. Elon Musk
In 2023, Elon Musk and his companies, Tesla and X (formally Twitter), are in hot water for a slew of controversial legal issues related to self-driving cars and Musk’s behavior on social media. In November, X filed a lawsuit against the nonprofit Media Matters for America (MMFA). The complaint alleges that MMFA’s recent report saying big-name advertisers appeared next to antisemitic content on X was an attempt by MMFA to dismantle X by encouraging advertisers to pull their ads and money from the social media site. Following this lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office announced it would investigate the MMFA for fraudulent activity.
5. Artificial Intelligence
The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has led to many lawsuits being filed concerning copyright infringement and intellectual property. Celebrities, writers, authors, and artistic creators are concerned that large language models (LLMs) replicate protected works without compensating the original creator. The United States is trying to play catch-up so that laws are implemented to safeguard the public from the risks of AI. President Biden’s Executive Order sought to develop guidelines for AI’s safe and secure development. State Bars are implementing guidelines for the ethical use of AI in the legal industry.
Stay Informed with Trellis
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From all of us here at Trellis, we wish you a very happy holiday season!
