‘Et tu Prius?’ Toyota Issues another Recall

7/16/2015 On Wednesday, Toyota announced that it was recalling over 625,000 hybrid vehicles, the large majority of them Prius models, due to a flaw in the software that controls the power converter. The defect could cause the vehicles to shut down and come to a complete stop. The recall affects the Prius V wagon/minivan, which



What is Strict Products Liability?

Hawaii has long followed the Restatement (Second) of Torts Section 402A (1965) which sets out the elements a plaintiff must prove in a strict products liability case as: 1)    A defect in the product that rendered it unreasonably dangerous for its intended or reasonably foreseeable use; 2)    A causal connection between the defect and the


Tom Brady Threatens Federal Appeal if NFL Doesn’t Overturn Suspension

7/15/2015 According to Ryan Smith of ABC News, New England Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) plan to file a challenge in federal court if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell does not overturn the four-game suspension he handed Brady in the aftermath of the Deflategate investigation. Brady was suspended on May


The Future of Journalism Altered?: FOIA Filings now Published Online

7/15/2015 The Obama administration quietly launched the Open Government initiative last week by requiring seven agencies to publish documents they furnish via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) online. By publishing this information, the public will be able to view the same documents that have been requested via the FOIA online form or through the


Celgene to Acquire Receptos for $7.2 Billion in Continuation of Buying Spree

7/15/2015 Biotech manufacturer Celgene is making an earnest push to become one of the industry’s leaders following a wave of transactions aimed at increasing long-term sustainability. Celgene’s current success is largely based on the popularity of its breakthrough cancer drug, Revlimid; however Celgene is attempting to set itself up for future growth when Revlimid’s patent



EPA Becomes new Ground-Zero in the Federal-State Power Struggle

7/14/2015 Following a month of monumental Supreme Court decisions regarding Obamacare and gay marriage, both battles which saw federal authority win out over state sovereignty, the ceaseless tug-of-war between the two levels of government has increasingly focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority over state regulators. On Tuesday, representatives for state-level enforcement, as well