Case Summaries (eNews)
Purdue Bankruptcy Plan Vacated—No Authority for Sackler Family Releases
Posted
17 Dec 2021 in Case Summaries (eNews)
Yesterday, District Court Judge Colleen McMahon vacated Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain’s confirmation of the Purdue Plan of Reorganization (In re Purdue Pharma L.P., no. 21-cv-07532 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 16, 2021)). As discussed in IMLA’s Opioid Group calls, under the Plan, the Sackler family members were to receive complete releases from all civil liability--even though they did not personally file for bankruptcy--in exchange for contributing $4.5 billion to be distributed to creditors via various “abatement trusts.” But eight states and the US Attorney...
Equal Protection: Veterinarians Must Physically Examine Animals before Telemedicine Advice, But Doctors Have no such Requirement for Patients
Posted
04 Dec 2020 in Case Summaries (eNews), Commentary
Hines v. Quillivan, no. 19-40605 (5th Cir. Dec. 2, 2020). Reversing and remanding on the dismissal of a First Amendment claim but affirming dismissal of an Equal Protection claim, the Fifth Circuit finds Texas' prohibition against veterinarians providing telemedicine advice unless they have actually seen the animal in question-even though medical doctors are not bound by that restriction-is supported by rational basis. This opinion opens with the question presented: "Does a veterinarian have a right to engage in telemedicine for a pet...