Legal news on October 28, 2026

1. 0112:05 UTC

   Federal High Court dismisses a claimant’s N10bn rights claim

   3 outlets · first: Punch Newspapers Court decisions

   Machine summary The Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a N10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by actor Emeka Ike against Lere Olayinka and INEC. Justice Salim Ibrahim upheld the respondents' preliminary objections, holding the suit incompetent and improperly constituted and characterising the complaint as a data protection matter. Proceeding on the assumption, without conceding, that it had jurisdiction, the judge also held the applicant failed to establish his case on the affidavit evidence.

   1. Justice Salim Ibrahim upheld the respondents' preliminary objections, ruling the suit incompetent and improperly constituted.
   2. The judge ruled that bringing the case via originating summons rather than a writ of summons was incorrect, given that the matters in dispute involved contention and hostility.
   3. Without conceding that it had jurisdiction, the judge proceeded on the assumption that it did, saying the affidavit evidence from the respondents had persuaded him and ruling that the applicant did not prove his case.

   Reported by Punch Newspapers, Premium Times Nigeria and Ghanamma.

2. 0223:02 UTC

   Zillow settles securities class action over Zillow Offers for $212.5 million

   3 outlets · first: Reuters Corporate law

   Machine summary Key facts from the reports:

   1. Within 20 business days of the court granting preliminary approval, Zillow will place $212.5 million into escrow; that fund covers costs of notice and administration, attorneys' fees approved by the court, and class recovery (HousingWire)
   2. HousingWire reports a complaint accusing Zillow and several executives of omissions and material misstatements concerning Zillow Offers' home-purchase volumes, pricing accuracy, and operational improvements that allegedly pushed the stock price higher.
   3. On November 2, 2021 Zillow announced it would wind down Zillow Offers, cut 25% of its workforce and take a $304 million write-down on homes bought in Q3 2021, and told investors it expected $240 million to $265 million in further losses on Q4 2021 planned purchases (HousingWire)

   Reported by Reuters, GeekWire and housingwire.com.

   • Zillow Group
   • Zillow Offers

3. 0301:08 UTC

   Judge rules L.A.'s top federal prosecutor is unlawfully serving

   2 outlets · first: latimes.com Court decisions

   Machine summary On Tuesday, J. Michael Seabright, a Senior U.S. District Judge, determined that Bill Essayli's service as Los Angeles' top federal prosecutor is unlawful, after finding the Justice Department had granted him powers so sweeping he effectively occupied the U.S. attorney position. The judge disqualified Essayli from two criminal cases but delayed the disqualifications while he considers a government request for a stay pending appeal. A defense attorney who filed the renewed motion in August called the ruling a victory for the rule of law, while the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles said the Supreme Court will decide the matter.

   1. On Tuesday, a ruling by Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright found that Bill Essayli is holding the position of Los Angeles' top federal prosecutor in violation of the law, and the judge disqualified him from two criminal cases.
   2. Seabright, in his writing, concluded that Essayli is holding the U.S. attorney post unlawfully as a de facto officer, since the Justice Department gave him powers so broad that he effectively occupied that position.
   3. While weighing an expected request from the government for a stay pending appeal, the judge put off the disqualifications' implementation.
   4. Following a December 2025 appellate ruling that her appointment was illegal, Alina Habba resigned from the position of New Jersey’s chief federal prosecutor; meanwhile, a Virginia judge’s determination that Lindsey Halligan had been improperly appointed caused indictments to be dismissed.

   Reported by latimes.com and ABC7 Los Angeles.

4. 0422:50 UTC

   Texas county GOP sues to halt election certification pending hand count

   2 outlets · first: Democracy Docket Court decisions

   Machine summary The 27-page complaint, filed in the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas and assigned to Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, does not allege that any voting machine changed votes and concedes no previous Potter County election was altered, Democracy Docket reported.

   1. A complaint running 27 pages was filed with the U.S. District Court's Amarillo Division, in the Northern District of Texas; the case is assigned to Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of that court, who was appointed by President Trump.
   2. Plaintiffs ask the court to block certification of the Nov. 3 election until officials hand count every paper ballot cast in every Texas precinct, the report states.
   3. According to the filing, there is no allegation that ballot machines in Potter County, or elsewhere across Texas, switched votes; the plaintiffs also admit that they do not contend any earlier Potter County contest was changed or reported incorrectly.
   4. Per the report, the filing contends that hacking risks, software flaws, and manipulation enabled by ever-more advanced artificial intelligence render current Texas election protections constitutionally insufficient.
   5. Democracy Docket reports that Kacsmaryk's Amarillo courtroom has drawn scrutiny over judge shopping because litigants filing in the division have historically landed before him.

   Reported by Democracy Docket.

   • Artificial Intelligence
   • Democracy Docket

Each summary and its key facts are a machine summary of the reports linked under it; the outlets, times and counts come from those reports' own records. How a rundown is built.