Duane Morris – State Attorneys General Blog

Attorneys general from 26 states and the District of Columbia have joined forces to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to adopt a federal rule prohibiting landlords from imposing hidden fees and charges on prospective renters. The coalition of states—led by Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Tennessee— sent a letter to the FTC on April 13, 2026, calling for decisive action against deceptive rental fee practices that, the states allege, harm consumers nationwide.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 by Duane Morris

DEA Issues Order Expediting Cannabis Rescheduling to Schedule III

By Paul P. Josephson, Michael D. Schwamm and Tracy Gallegos

On April 22, 2026, a final order issued by the acting U.S. attorney general and the Drug Enforcement Administration took effect, fundamentally altering the federal regulatory landscape for marijuana. The order moves FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana and marijuana subject to qualifying state-issued medical marijuana licenses from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Though a welcome and long-hoped-for action, it is critical to note this is not a broad legalization of all adult use cannabis sales. Nor does it legalize the controversial category of hemp-derived THC products.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

April 17, 2026April 17, 2026 by Duane Morris

States Prevail in Live Nation Antitrust Trial: Lessons from the Verdict

By Sean P. McConnell, Christopher H. Casey and Katie Speegle

On April 15, 2026, a federal jury found that Live Nation Entertainment and its Ticketmaster subsidiary violated federal and state antitrust laws. The verdict holds critical lessons for any business relying on vertical integration, exclusive contracts, or data-driven strategies.

The jury concluded that Live Nation unlawfully monopolized multiple live entertainment markets by leveraging its dominant position in concert promotion, venue ownership, and ticketing to foreclose competition. Key evidence showed Ticketmaster controls approximately 86% of primary ticketing at major concert venues, while Live Nation’s promotion arm handles roughly 70%. Internal communications—including references to using a “velvet hammer” against competitors and exerting power over concert-goers by “robbing them blind”—proved particularly damaging.

Read the full analysis on the Duane Morris Antitrust Law Blog.

March 27, 2026March 27, 2026 by Duane Morris

AGs in Eight States Challenge TV Merger After Federal Approval

By Sean P. McConnell, Christopher H. Casey and Katherine Speegle

State attorneys general are increasingly challenging federal antitrust settlements and merger approvals—most recently in the $6.2 billion Nexstar/Tegna broadcast television transaction. In addition, congressional Democrats have proposed expanding the Tunney Act to enhance transparency, empower states to continue abandoned federal cases, and constrain merger closings during judicial review. For companies planning strategic transactions, these developments signal that federal clearance alone may no longer end deal risk.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 by Duane Morris

What Practitioners Need to Know About NJ Supreme Court Adoption of “Merits Briefing”

By Robert M. Palumbos, Paul P. Josephson, Christopher H. Casey, Andrew R. Sperl and Justin G. Mignogna

In a February 26, 2026, notice, the Supreme Court of New Jersey announced sweeping amendments to the court rules governing briefing before the court. The new framework provides for merits briefing in all appeals taken on or after February 10, 2026. These changes represent the most significant overhaul of the court’s briefing procedures in years and carry important implications for appellate practitioners, amicus participants and anyone following the court’s docket.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 by Duane Morris

New California Bill Aims to Significantly Broaden Antitrust Law

The California Legislature is currently considering a bill that would substantially expand the scope and enforcement mechanisms of California’s antitrust regime. On January 30, 2026, the California Law Revision Commission officially approved a final legislative proposal to broaden the state’s antitrust statute, the Cartwright Act, to include single-firm conduct and to allow state enforcers to go beyond the federal Sherman Act. While the bill, AB 1776, remains under consideration in the state Legislature, it reflects a broader trend toward more aggressive antitrust regulation and enforcement at the state level, both in California and nationally. Read the Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

February 13, 2026February 17, 2026 by Duane Morris

Multistate Cannabis Operators Face First-of-Their-Kind Antitrust Claims from Ohio Attorney General

By Sean P. McConnell, Wayne A. Mack, Christopher H. Casey, Paul P. Josephson, Tracy Gallegos, Michael D. Schwamm, and James Hearon

The Ohio attorney general recently filed an unprecedented state antitrust enforcement action against nine of the nation’s largest multistate cannabis operators. The complaint alleges these defendants formed illegal cartels through reciprocal supply agreements, competitively sensitive information exchanges and discriminatory distribution practices designed to exclude independent Ohio cannabis operators from the market and artificially inflate consumer prices. The complaint seeks injunctive relief, civil forfeitures of $500 per day per defendant for each day the alleged combinations were in effect, and attorneys’ fees. Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris website.

October 24, 2025October 24, 2025 by Duane Morris

13 State Attorneys General Move to Intervene in Federal Review of DOJ’s Settlement Allowing $14 Billion Merger

On October 14, 2025, a coalition of 13 state attorneys general, including those from California, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois, filed a motion seeking to intervene in the Tunney Act review by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) settlement that allowed the $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks to proceed.

Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris website.