Warner Bros. is suing the AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement. The lawsuit claims Midjourney allows users to create AI-generated images and videos of copyrighted characters like Superman and Bugs Bunny. This is the third lawsuit against Midjourney by a major Hollywood studio, following Disney and Universal's joint lawsuit in June. The lawsuit alleges Midjourney trained its AI on illegal copies of Warner Bros. works and misleads users into thinking the generated content is authorized. Midjourney has not responded to the lawsuit. The company's CEO previously compared the service to a search engine, suggesting AI learning is similar to human creativity.
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit by book authors who say the company took pirated copies of their works to train its chatbot. The landmark settlement, if approved by a judge as soon as Monday, could mark a turning point in legal battles between AI companies and the writers, visual artists and other creative professionals who accuse them of copyright infringement.
The District of Columbia has sued to stop President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard during his law enforcement intervention in Washington. The city's top legal official says the surge of troops amounts to a forced 'military occupation.” Brian Schwalb is the district’s elected attorney. He says in the federal lawsuit Thursday that the surge of troops essentially amounts to an “involuntary military occupation” and is an illegal use of the military for domestic law enforcement. The White House said deploying the Guard to protect federal assets and assist law enforcement is within Trump’s authority as president.
A bill that would let Texas residents sue out-of-state abortion pill providers for up to $100,000 has been passed by lawmakers and sent to the governor. It’s the first legislation of its kind in any state. Supporters hail it as a tool to stop medication abortions, which remain available despite being illegal in Texas. Abortion rights groups deride it as a “bounty hunter bill” that would encourage private citizens to engage in a form of legalized vigilante justice. Lawmakers agreed to cap the award for most people at $10,000, with the other $90,000 to go to charity. If the law is signed, it’s likely to face legal challenges.
A jury has ruled in favor of Cardi B in a lawsuit where a security guard accused her of assault during the rapper's first pregnancy. On Tuesday, the jury in Alhambra, California, deliberated for about an hour before finding Cardi not liable. Emani Ellis claimed Cardi cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her in a Beverly Hills doctor's office in February 2018. Cardi admitted they argued but denied it turned physical. Ellis sought damages for medical expenses and emotional suffering. A receptionist supported Cardi's account, and the jury sided with the rapper.
Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson and former Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager are among 10 plaintiffs suing the NCAA over its redshirt rule that puts restrictions on the five years the athletes have to practice, play and graduate from college. The class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee alleges the NCAA violates U.S. antitrust laws with how its redshirt rule covers playing time for athletes during five seasons of eligibility. The lawsuit includes seven other named plaintiffs and potentially thousands of current and former NCAA football, baseball and tennis players.
The White House has indicated it plans to appeal a judge's ruling that President Donald Trump’s use of National Guard troops during California immigration enforcement protests is illegal. Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco ruled Tuesday the Trump administration violated federal law by sending troops to accompany federal agents on immigration raids. California sued, saying the troops sent to Los Angeles over the summer violated a law that prohibits military enforcement of domestic laws. Lawyers for the Republican administration say the troops were protecting federal officers, not enforcing laws. A White House spokeswoman says “a rogue judge is trying to usurp” Trump’s authority. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom says the court sided with democracy.
The Trump administration has tried to deport Guatemalan children living in U.S. shelters or foster care. Advocates for these children filed lawsuits to stop the removals, and a federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportations. The administration says it's reuniting children with families at the Guatemalan government's request. However, advocates argue the process bypasses immigration courts and frightens the children. Legal cases are ongoing in Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Illinois. Guatemala has expressed willingness to receive children who want to return voluntarily. The exact number of children affected remains unclear.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook is suing the Trump administration in an effort to overturn the president’s attempt to fire her, launching an unprecedented legal battle that could significantly reshape the Fed’s longstanding political independence. No president has sought to fire a Fed governor in the institution’s 112-year history until President Donald Trump posted a letter on his Truth Social media platform late Monday saying that Cook was fired. Trump said the reason for her removal were allegations that she committed mortgage fraud in 2021, before she was appointed to the board.
A federal judge in Miami has refused to pause her order to wind down the immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Florida Everglades. Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had requested a stay, arguing the order would disrupt immigration law enforcement. Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe opposed the request. Their lawsuit claims the facility threatens sensitive wetlands and reverses environmental restoration efforts. The center, built two months ago, has faced multiple lawsuits over environmental and civil rights concerns. Florida officials are preparing to open a second facility called “Deportation Depot.”