News - Page 5 - Ledford & Associates

U.S. District Judge denies consumer request to collect $2.36B in penalties from Google

February 2, 2026

Google pleaded with the judge on Friday not to add the penalty to the September verdict, which ordered the tech giant to pay about $425 million in damages to the plaintiffs who had filed the class-action lawsuit. The settlement is far below the $31 billion the plaintiffs sought in damages and other compensation.

What to know about TSA's new fee for people who fly without a REAL ID

January 30, 2026

A new TSA policy that goes into effect soon could impact your next trip if you don't have a REAL ID yet.

Starting Sunday, Feb. 1, you'll have to pay a $45 fee to use an alternative identity verification system that's called TSA Confirm ID. But paying the fee does not guarantee you'll be cleared.

Michigan high school stars can now sign NIL endorsement deals

January 28, 2026

High school students can now profit off of their own name, image and likeness, or NIL. Think endorsements and autograph sessions. The Michigan High School Athletic Association announced the policy change Tuesday to expand "personal branding activities."

Michigan is the 46th state to allow NIL deals at the high school level and that Ohio was the 45th. After the first month in Ohio, only 11 student-athletes in the buckeye state signed NIL contracts.

Michigan Federal Judge Awaiting Drunken-Driving Trial

January 27, 2026

A Michigan federal judge is awaiting trial on drunken-driving charges following his October arrest, during which officials said his blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit.

Judge Thomas L. Ludington of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan faces misdemeanor charges of operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content of 0.17 or more and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, according to the complaint filed by a local prosecutor

Meta, TikTok, YouTube to stand trial on youth addiction claims

January 26, 2026

Meta Platforms, TikTok and YouTube will face courtroom scrutiny this week over allegations that their platforms are fueling a youth mental health crisis, as the national debate about kids’ screen time enters a new phase.

The trial in California Superior Court, Los Angeles County is a test case for thousands of other lawsuits seeking damages for social media harms, in a legal onslaught that could erode Big Tech's longstanding legal defense.

Men Suing Uber, Lyft Over Women’s Safety Feature Bet on Novel Claim

January 22, 2026

Lawsuits accusing Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. of discriminating against male drivers through app features aimed at keeping women safe present a unique gig economy test for California’s broad public accommodations law.

Two proposed class actions under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act are challenging the companies’ matching programs allowing women passengers to request women drivers.

They claim these programs limit the male drivers’ income and job opportunities, as well as reinforce gender stereotypes that men are dangerous. The lawsuits seek $4,000 for each male driver, whose numbers could reach into the hundreds of thousands.

States Target AI That Tells Companies How Much to Pay Workers

January 21, 2026

The nascent practice of deciding workers’ wages via algorithms has caught the attention of advocates and state lawmakers who are pushing for regulation aimed at preventing discrimination and pay irregularities.
Bills in California, Colorado, Georgia, and Illinois proposed parameters last year on making compensation decisions with artificial intelligence systems, and at least a few more are trying again in 2026. Most of the bills aim to bar use of personal data that’s unrelated to work.

Michigan takes a big step toward phone-free classrooms

January 15, 2026

The Michigan House passed legislation Wednesday Jan. 14 that would ban K-12 students from using cellphones during class time, with exceptions for emergencies. The bill now heads to the state Senate.

Supreme Court axes ‘artificial’ limit blocking relief for federal prisoners

January 14, 2026

A Florida man’s complex jurisdictional appeal forced the justices to wrestle with whether Congress could strip the high court of authority to reign supreme over federal law.

Michigan man learns the hard way that “catch a cheater” spyware apps aren’t legal

January 12, 2026

In 2002, Bryan Fleming helped to create pcTattletale, software for monitoring phone and computer usage. Fleming’s tool would record everything done on the target device, and the videos would be uploaded to a server where they could be viewed by the pcTattletale subscriber.

Michigan Laws Making News

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Category: News