Does Insurer Have Duty to Defend Non-Covered Lawsuit When Insured Proclaims Innocence?
11/23/15
By: Bill Buechner
An insurer’s duty to defend is generally determined by comparing the allegations in the complaint to the insurance policy. If the allegations in the complaint arguably or potentially bring the claim within coverage, the insurer has a …
Arbitration Agreements Cannot Change the Rules for Judicial Review of a Final Award
11/18/15
By: Bart Gary
Agreements to arbitrate are now uniformly enforceable throughout the country. While some states have shown reluctance to enforce arbitration agreements because they are seen as ousting the courts of jurisdictions, an agreement that evidences commerce among the …
Houston Voters Reject Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Antidiscrimination Law
11/18/15
By: Tim Holdsworth
In one of the most closely watched votes on Election Day 2015, citizens of Houston overwhelmingly voted to repeal the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (“HERO”). Passed by the city council last year, the ordinance augmented federal and …
U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Fifth Circuit on Whether Officer is Entitled to Qualified Immunity
11/16/15
By: Coleen Hosack
On November 9, 2015, the Supreme Court reversed the Fifth Circuit’s decision to uphold a district court ruling denying summary judgment to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Chadrin Mullenix, the sole issue being whether Mullenix was …
Homeland Security Alert for Georgia Local Governments: Don't Miss End of Year Deadlines
11/12/15
By: Coleen Hosack
I. Public Benefits Report pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-36-4 and Immigration Compliance Reports pursuant to O.C.G.A. §§ 36-60-6(e) & 13-10-91(7)(A)
An annual immigration compliance report to the Department of Audits and Accounts (http://www.audits.ga.gov/) is due …
Obama "Bans the Box" to Give Ex-Offenders a Shot at Employment
11/6/15
By: Nina Maja Bergmar
This week, President Obama announced the Administration’s latest effort to reintegrate ex-offenders into society—this time by “banning the box.”
The “box,” of course, refers to the question on job applications of whether the applicant has been …
The Wrong Way to Respond to a Data Breach
11/5/15
By: Dave Cole
In a recent interview with Entrepreneur Magazine, the former general counsel for the National Security Agency shared his top three mistakes that businesses make when responding to a data breach. You can read the complete article here…