Lead-Based Paint Harming Hundreds of Children in Low-Income Areas The dangers of lead are nothing new. For over 100 years, people have been aware exposure to lead can cause a variety of health problems, and that children are particularly at risk. But lead-based dangers were considered relatively under control. Lead has been banned from gasoline, … [Read more...]
About Scott Berls
9th Circuit Court Rules DACA Allowed to Continue
Fate of Childhood Immigrants Soon Likely in the Hands of Supreme Court While 800,000 DACA recipients currently reside within the United States, they can just as easily be described as living in a state of limbo. Between recent court rulings, potential future court rulings and ever-present hostility from the Trump Administration, the status of DACA … [Read more...]
Chicago Struggles to Implement Consent Decree
Massive Police Department Reforms Opposed by Federal Government, Police Unions On October 20, 2014, a 17-year-old African American named Laquan McDonald was fatally shot by Chicago Police Office Jason Van Dyke. Initially, the police department claimed the shooting was justified because the teen had been erratically brandishing a knife. However, … [Read more...]
Court Rules Federal Obamacare Subsidy Payments Must Be Made
Despite the continued efforts of the Trump Administration, the Affordable Care Act refuses to die. A recent attempt to end subsidy payments was reversed by a federal court – and the government could now be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. What exactly happened and how could your health coverage be affected? Here’s a closer … [Read more...]
Can Civil Litigation Help Curb Human Sex Trafficking?
Human sex trafficking has the dubious distinction of being one of the fastest growing crimes in the world – as well as one of the hardest to stop. But a new, somewhat unusual legal strategy is showing great promise in fighting a terrible industry. Instead of focusing on criminal prosecution, victims are filing civil lawsuits. How can civil … [Read more...]
Flyin’ High: LAX Allows Pot Possession
Airports Nationwide Attempt Balance Between Federal and State Marijuana Laws Is air travel about to reach all new heights? Los Angeles International Airport recently announced policy changes which permit passengers to pack pot into their carry-ons. However, in what continues to be a hazy line between federal and state marijuana laws, bringing a … [Read more...]
The Missing Language from Trump’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan
A New Draft of the Affordable Clean Energy Plan Notably Omits Any Mention of Climate Change Will climate change simply go away if it’s ignored? The Trump Administration sure seems to think so. For almost a year now, the White House has been aggressively dismantling Obama-era environmental regulations, often with questionable justifications for … [Read more...]
$250 Million Settlement Reached in Hale v State Farm
Decades of Auto-Insurance-Related Legal Drama Now Resolved After almost 20 years of litigation, State Farm’s ongoing legal woes came to an end last week with the surprise announcement of a $250 million settlement in a class action suit related to vehicle repairs in the 1980s and 90s. The announcement of the settlement – literally minutes before … [Read more...]
In Depth: Trump Wants to Lengthen Detainment of Immigrant Minors
Move by DHS and HHS Could Increase Confinement Times for Migrant Children The Trump administration recently signaled its intention to expand federal detention facilities and increase custody times for migrant children. In the process, a decades-old settlement regarding the treatment of unaccompanied immigrant minors could be eliminated. What … [Read more...]
History of Invasive Searches by Customs Officers Emerges
Multiple Women Allege Full-Body Searches, Forced Medical Exams and more by CBP Officials Passing through a port of entry into the United States can be a tedious, frustrating and overly bureaucratic process – but it should be safe. Unfortunately, an investigation from the Center for Public Integrity and the Washington Post details a disturbing … [Read more...]
