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Chatbots, Copyrights, and the Courts: The Latest in Litigation Developments in the Cases Against OpenAI
FEATURED
January 5, 2026
Chatbots, Copyrights, and the Courts: The Latest in Litigation Developments in the Cases Against OpenAI
By: Abbey Block
Litigation Update: Open AI’s Discovery Woes and Fair Use Defenses in Infringement Lawsuits Since its formation in 2015, the artificial intelligence company “Open AI” – most known for its creation of the widely used chatbot, “ChatGPT” – has faced its fair share of legal disputes. Two of the most notorious lawsuits, one filed by the New York Times and the other by a class of prominent fiction authors, are moving full steam ahead, illustrating the complex interplay of legal rights, litigation tools, and technological innovation. This blog post examines the most recent developments in the lawsuits, and considers what these developments mean for the parties, and the future of artificial intelligence more broadly. Judge Orders Open AI to Disclose Chat…
The Truth Will Out – Even About Mar-a-Lago
December 27, 2025
The Truth Will Out – Even About Mar-a-Lago
By: James Trusty
The Truth Will Out is a fairly obscure phrase that was popularized in Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.” It suggests that even against the most active obstruction and obfuscation, the Truth seemingly has an invisible hand behind it that relentlessly—if slowly—pushes it into plain view. Nearly 2 ½ years after the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago, the Truth may be emerging into the daylight. August 8,…
White-Collar Sentencing Under the Amended Guidelines: Fewer Steps, Same Dance
November 12, 2025
White-Collar Sentencing Under the Amended Guidelines: Fewer Steps, Same Dance
By: Robert Ward
For years, the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s Guidelines Manual has guided courts through a three-step process to determine the sentence to be imposed. At a high level, that process looked like this: First, the court would calculate the guideline range based on relevant offense conduct and related factors, along with the defendant’s criminal history. Second, the court would consider the Sentencing Commission’s policy statements or commentary…
It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism
May 19, 2025
It is Time for a “Second Look” at Legislative Efforts to Combat Mass Incarceration & Recidivism
By: Sara Dalsheim
Government efficiency and spending is a hot topic of controversy in the United States. But even in the context of heated “DOGE” fights, there are proven examples of government efficiency and reduced spending that are clearly working—the passing of measures like the Second Chance and First Step Acts in an effort for mass incarceration and recidivism reduction. The U.S. government spends a total of $80.7…
A Luigi Mangione Death Penalty Trial
April 15, 2025
A Luigi Mangione Death Penalty Trial
By: James Trusty
The Attorney General’s recent announcement that DOJ will seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione raises a host of interesting legal and philosophical issues, and it almost certainly reflects a dramatic about-face from the Biden administration’s approach towards federal prosecutions for death-eligible offenses. Aside from having personally prosecuted three death penalty trials while I was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Maryland and when I was…
Trouble in Paradise: White Lotus Character’s Legal Woes Illustrate Civil Forfeiture’s Overreach
April 14, 2025
Trouble in Paradise: White Lotus Character’s Legal Woes Illustrate Civil Forfeiture’s Overreach
By: Abbey Block
Last Sunday, millions of viewers tuned in to watch the season finale of White Lotus – a widely popular show that centers around the week-long vacation of several ultra-wealthy patrons of the fictional “White Lotus” resort in Thailand.[1] The show follows a dynamic cast of quirky characters as they navigate their opulent getaway. One of those characters in this most recent season was Timothy Ratliff…
Amending Arbitration Clauses – No Notice, Big Problem?
April 8, 2025
Amending Arbitration Clauses – No Notice, Big Problem?
By: Robert Ward
Many websites’ terms and conditions allow online service providers to make changes without providing prior notice to users. Often, the terms state that the user agrees to read the terms and conditions, and that continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of any modification. A recent Fourth Circuit decision highlights the potential risk that such unilateral change-in-terms provisions might pose to another common feature of…
Maryland Moving at a Misguided PACE
March 14, 2025
Maryland Moving at a Misguided PACE
By: James Trusty
Maryland legislature is considering passing a law ineptly called the Protecting the Admissibility of Creative Expression (“PACE Act”) which would limit the use of rap lyrics, among other forms of expression, in criminal and juvenile proceedings. While prosecution use of rap lyrics in criminal trials is a bit uncommon, the state house move here is in reaction to a 2020 murder case in which a…
