Case Filings Alert™ reports daily on new cases filed in courts around the country, alerting you to significant new cases at the beginning of the litigation process, long before the case is settled or a decision handed down. A wide range of topics are covered, including product liability, intellectual property, antitrust, among others. A number of these cases, particularly the product liability litigation, will develop into mass torts as new cases raising similar issues are filed. Mass torts are covered in our report MDLCases.com, which deals with major multidistrict litigation (MDL) cases. Also see our litigation reports: Social Media Addiction, Copyright-Litigation.com, and Litigation Report 2026-27. Editor: Robert S. Want (rwant@LegalEditor.com).
August 7, 2026 – Constitution
DOJ Files Challenge to Virginia Mask Ban for Federal Officers
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil action against the state of Virginia, alleging that the state attempted to regulate federal law enforcement officers by criminally prohibiting them from wearing masks and requiring them to wear individual identifiers.
In its lawsuit filed in federal court in Richmond, Va., DOJ argues that the state law is an illegal attempt to regulate the federal government, and that the law threatens the safety of federal officers who have faced an unprecedented wave of harassment, doxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with prosecution for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations, the department says.
DOJ asserts that the law violates the Contracts Clause of the Constitution, conflicts with federal immigration statutes, and obstructs congressional objectives. The department argues that Virginia is attempting to control “what agents must wear, how they must conduct enforcement operations, where they may conduct such operations,” and other aspects of federal enforcement.
August 6, 2026 – Product Liability
Nissan Cooling Fans Are ‘Dangerously’ Defective, Lawsuit Alleges
A proposed class action claims that Nissan North America knowingly sold 2017–2022 Nissan Rogue Sport vehicles with defective radiator cooling fans that can cause engine overheating, air-conditioning failure, stalling, and potentially catastrophic engine damage.
In their lawsuit, filed in federal court in Nashville, Tenn., plaintiffs say they incurred repair costs ranging from hundreds of dollars to more than $1,600 after the alleged defect manifested in their vehicles. The suit contends that defective radiator fans can cause engines to overheat, leading to damage to components such as cylinder heads and gaskets and, in some cases, complete engine failure.
Nissan “knew or should have known about the defect before selling the vehicles” through pre-sale testing and consumer complaints but failed to disclose the issue or provide a recall, according to the complaint. Plaintiffs argue that consumers were left to choose between paying for costly repairs or continuing to drive unsafe vehicles.
August 5, 2026 – Public Nuisance
xAI, SpaceX Face ‘Noise Pollution’ Lawsuit Over Data Centers
Mississippi residents have filed a proposed class action against Elon Musk’s xAI Corp. and SpaceX, alleging that a gas-powered turbine facility built to support defendants’ artificial intelligence operations has created relentless noise, vibrations, and property-related harms for nearby homeowners.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, claims that defendants began operating gas-fired turbines at a Southaven, Miss., site in mid-2025 to power nearby AI data centers, including xAI’s Colossus facilities. Plaintiffs allege that the number of turbines grew from three to as many as 57 in less than a year, producing persistent noise “24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
According to the complaint, residents describe the sound as resembling a “jet engine,” with one resident stating, “This is heard at night when I’m trying to go to sleep, and I hear it when I wake up.” The complaint alleges that the noise has caused sleep disruption, headaches, tinnitus, stress, and diminished enjoyment of homes and outdoor spaces. Plaintiffs contend that defendants failed to adequately address foreseeable impacts on nearby neighborhoods and continued expanding operations despite mounting complaints. The suit cites public opposition at permitting hearings and says noise levels have exceeded limits established under Southaven’s municipal code.
August 4, 2026 – Intellectual Property
Musicians Union Sues Warner, Universal Over AI Licensing Deals
The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group, alleging that the companies violated a collective bargaining agreement by licensing recordings featuring union musicians to artificial intelligence companies Suno and Udio without providing compensation or required disclosures.
In its suit, the AFM alleges that the companies profited from agreements allowing the AI platforms to train on recordings while refusing to compensate the musicians whose performances were used. The union says that the music labels are now permitting AI firms to do “exactly what [plaintiff] warned about” by using recordings to generate AI-created music.
The suit points to the Sound Recording Labor Agreement’s “new use” provision, which requires companies to notify the union and compensate musicians when recordings are used for purposes not covered by existing contracts. The AFM argues that training generative AI models constitutes such a new use and “looms over musicians’ livelihoods.” According to the complaint, Universal and Warner previously accused Suno and Udio of unlawfully scraping and ingesting copyrighted recordings to build AI music generators capable of producing songs that resemble famous artists and recordings.
August 3, 2026 – Civil Rights
Quinnipiac Women’s Rugby Players Challenge Program Elimination
Twenty-three current and incoming Quinnipiac University women’s rugby players have filed a proposed class action alleging that the university engaged in sex discrimination in violation of Title IX of the Civil Rights Act by eliminating the school’s nationally recognized women’s varsity rugby program and retaliating against athletes who raised concerns about inequitable treatment of female athletes.
The complaint, filed in federal court in New Haven, Conn., challenges Quinnipiac’s April 14 announcement that it would discontinue women’s varsity rugby at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Plaintiffs contend that the decision came “just two weeks before the end of classes and the beginning of final examinations” and blindsided athletes who had structured their academic and athletic careers around the program.
According to the lawsuit, Quinnipiac has long provided female athletes with unequal “benefits, treatment, services, resources, and support.” The players allege that the university chose to eliminate rugby rather than address repeated Title IX concerns raised by the team’s coach and others. The complaint notes that Quinnipiac added women’s rugby after losing earlier Title IX litigation and later entered a consent decree requiring equal treatment of male and female athletes.
July 31, 2026 – Disability Act
DOJ Immigration Lawyers Sue Agency for Eliminating Remote Work
Two immigration court attorneys have filed a proposed class action against the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging that the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) unlawfully adopted a policy of denying telework accommodations to employees with disabilities following the Trump administration’s return-to-office mandate.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that EOIR implemented a “No Telework Accommodations Policy and Practice” under which requests for remote work accommodations are routinely denied regardless of medical necessity. Plaintiffs contend that the agency engages in a “sham process” in which “the result — denial of telework accommodations — is preordained.”
Plaintiff Kimberly Panian says she suffers from Type I diabetes and severe migraines that can resemble strokes. She claims that EOIR revoked accommodations that had allowed her to work remotely since 2020, despite years of successful performance reviews. Co-plaintiff Hoi Yee Baxter has Stage IV lung cancer and says telework was essential because cancer treatments have left her severely immunocompromised. She alleges that EOIR denied her request to continue working remotely even after her oncologist stated that telework would allow her to perform her job “safely and effectively without undue burden” to the agency.
July 30, 2026 – Consumer Fraud
IVF Patients File Lawsuit Against Natera Over Genetic Testing Claims
Two women have filed a proposed class action against Natera, alleging that the genetic testing company falsely marketed its preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) as an accurate and effective tool for improving in vitro fertilization outcomes while concealing evidence that the test is unreliable and unproven.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit contends that Natera promoted its PGT-A testing as a means of increasing implantation and live-birth rates, reducing miscarriages and improving pregnancy outcomes. The suit says the company advertised the test as “99% accurate” despite scientific literature showing lower accuracy and no demonstrated improvement in overall IVF success rates.
Plaintiffs claim that they paid thousands of dollars for the testing after relying on Natera’s marketing. They argue that they would not have purchased the service had they known that major insurers and professional medical organizations considered PGT-A “unproven,” “experimental,” or supported by “insufficient evidence of efficacy.”
July 29, 2026 – Privacy
Amazon’s Ring Hit With Lawsuit Over Facial Recognition Feature
Amazon has been sued in a proposed class action in which plaintiff alleges privacy violations after the company’s Ring doorbell cameras at friends’ and family members’ homes collected and stored images of his face using facial recognition software.
In his lawsuit filed in Seattle federal court, plaintiff claims that a feature known as “Familiar Faces” scans visitors and passersby captured by Ring cameras, creating unique biometric “face prints” that can identify individuals over time. Plaintiff claims that he and others had their biometric data collected without their consent while visiting homes equipped with Ring devices.
According to the suit, privacy advocates and lawmakers have warned that the technology enables mass surveillance. The complaint quotes U.S. Senator Edward Markey as stating that Amazon’s system “forces non-consenting bystanders into a biometric database without their knowledge or consent” and calling that practice “an unacceptable privacy violation.” The complaint says that Ring knowingly avoids deploying the feature in jurisdictions with strict biometric privacy laws, while offering it elsewhere.
July 28, 2026 – Antitrust
Arizona Sues MultiPlan, Major Insurers Over Alleged Out-of-Network Pricing Conspiracy
The state of Arizona has sued one of the nation’s largest preferred provider healthcare networks, accusing it and eight large insurance companies of operating a price-fixing scheme that underpaid hospitals and overcharged patients for out-of-network care.
The complaint, filed in Maricopa County (Ariz.) Superior Court, names as defendants healthcare network MultiPlan and insurers Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealth Group, Humana, Elevance Health, Health Care Service Corp., Centene, and Molina Healthcare. In its lawsuit, Arizona alleges that since 2015, MultiPlan and its insurer clients have “contracted and combined to artificially suppress the prices they pay for out-of-network medical care far below reasonable levels,” resulting in underpayments to providers and increased costs for patients.
MultiPlan uses a proprietary algorithm known as Data iSight to reprice out-of-network claims, according to the complaint. The state contends that insurers shared confidential claims and pricing data through MultiPlan’s platform, enabling competitors to coordinate reimbursement rates and eliminate competition. This arrangement, the complaint argues, effectively created a buyer-side “cartel” that fixed prices for out-of-network healthcare services.
July 27, 2026 – Intellectual Property
Duke University Faces Trademark Suit Over ‘Put Up Your Dukes’
A boxing equipment company has sued Duke University, alleging that the school infringed plaintiff’s federally registered “Put Up Your Dukes” trademark by using the phrase in the school’s athletic branding, stadium signage, and apparel sales.
Plaintiff, KDukesBoxing Inc., which describes itself as the first premier Black-owned boxing gloves and equipment company, filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In its lawsuit, the company says it has used its mark for more than nine years and owns federal trademark registrations covering shirts, boxing gloves, and related products.
Duke University unveiled a football-related secondary logo in August 2024 featuring the phrase “Put Up Your Dukes,” according to the complaint. The university displayed the slogan on billboards at Wallace Wade Stadium, promoted it through social media, and used it on apparel sold through its online store. The complaint contends that Duke had “express knowledge” of plaintiff’s trademark rights as early as October 2017 but nevertheless adopted and continued using the contested phrase.
July 24, 2026 – Securities
SEC Charges Individuals With Wide-Reaching Insider Trading Scheme
The Securities & Exchange Commission has charged 21 individuals for their alleged involvement in a decade-long insider trading scheme that used information misappropriated from multiple global law firms and resulted in millions of dollars in illicit profits.
Between 2018 and 2024, Nicolo Nourafchan, a mergers and acquisitions attorney based in Los Angeles, orchestrated a global scheme with his partner Robert Yadgarov, of Long Beach, N.Y., according to the lawsuit filed in Boston federal court. The complaint alleges that Nourafchan misappropriated nonpublic information from his firm’s clients regarding more than 12 pending corporate transactions.
The suit further contends that he or Yadgarov tipped that information to other scheme participants who agreed to kick back a portion of their trading profits, or who, in turn, tipped others who traded. Nourafchan and Yadgarov allegedly recruited an additional corporate lawyer who also misappropriated material nonpublic information about additional deals and tipped that information to Nourafchan and Yadgarov. The SEC’s action charges defendants with violating the antifraud provisions of federal securities laws and seeks injunctive relief and civil penalties.
July 23, 2026 – Intellectual property
CNN Accuses Perplexity of Massive Copyright and Trademark Infringement
Cable News Network has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against Perplexity AI, alleging that the artificial intelligence company unlawfully copied and distributed thousands of CNN news stories and other copyrighted works to power its AI products without authorization or compensation.
CNN contends in its suit that Perplexity built its business by crawling and storing CNN content, then using that material to generate answers for users through its chatbot and AI-powered browser. The complaint says that Perplexity copied more than 17,000 CNN articles, videos, images, and other works, undermining CNN’s ability to monetize its journalism.
According to the complaint, Perplexity markets its products as providing users with information while avoiding the “extra steps and clicks” associated with traditional search engines. CNN claims the company’s outputs often reproduce or closely paraphrase CNN content. The complaint also alleges trademark violations, arguing that Perplexity falsely suggests affiliations with CNN and generates inaccurate or fabricated content that is attributed to the news organization.
July 22, 2026 – Consumer Fraud
Florida Sues OpenAI, Claiming ChatGPT Hid Safety Risks From Users
The state of Florida has filed a sweeping lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman alleging that its chatbot, ChatGPT, was deceptively marketed as safe and trustworthy, yet in fact caused widespread harm to consumers, including minors, and posed a threat to public safety.
Filed in Florida state court, the civil complaint accuses OpenAI of building its multibillion-dollar business through “a web of deceit and the exploitation of users,” alleging that the company misrepresented ChatGPT’s capabilities and safety while collecting vast amounts of user data. The state seeks relief under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and asks the court to halt unlawful practices.
Florida argues in its lawsuit that ChatGPT has been falsely promoted as reliable for tasks ranging from healthcare and finance to business management. But the complaint cites studies and examples of so-called AI “hallucinations,” claiming the chatbot has generated inaccurate information and misled users despite OpenAI’s assurances that safety is “core to our mission.” The suit places particular emphasis on children and teenagers, alleging that OpenAI marketed ChatGPT as safe for minors while failing to implement meaningful age verification or parental oversight. The state claims that the chatbot can foster emotional dependency and encourage harmful behavior among young users.
July 21, 2026 – Constitution
Uber Files Challenge to NYC’s ‘Reckless’ Driver Protection Law
Ride-sharing company Uber Technologies has sued New York City to block enforcement of a new law that the company says would unconstitutionally force it to keep drivers it does not want on its platform.
In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, Uber argues that the law against “wrongful deactivations” would improperly shield drivers who engage in dangerous or other inappropriate behavior, threatening public safety and causing “immediate and irreparable harm” by undermining the company’s reputation and goodwill. In its suit, Uber asserts that the law violates its free speech and due process rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The suit contends that several provisions would require Uber to retain drivers it believes have violated company policies, including those related to safety, fraud, or misconduct. Uber says the law could require reinstatement of drivers based on procedural issues even where “the driver engaged in dangerous, criminal, or fraudulent misconduct.” The company is seeking a permanent injunction.
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