
This post was authored by Matthew Loescher, Esq.
In 2018, the City of Puyallup adopted the Puyallup Municipal Ordinance (PMO) 3179, which established a new chapter of the Puyallup Municipal Code—chapter 20.72 (PMC 20.72). This new code chapter restricted the sites of day use centers and overnight shelters serving people experiencing homelessness within the City. The ordinance permitted such centers and shelters only in industrial zones in a small corner of the City that was distant from any services and had almost no access to transit. Siting anywhere else in the City required approval from a majority of Puyallup’s city…

This post was authored by Matthew Loescher, Esq.
In 2003, the City of Augusta, Georgia enacted an adult-entertainment ordinance with the stated purpose of combating negative secondary effects associated with adult-oriented businesses. The owners and operators of two longstanding nude-dancing clubs in downtown Augusta, the Discotheque Lounge and Joker’s Lounge, sued the City and others claiming that the ordinance and related regulations violated the First Amendment. The district court granted summary judgment to the City on some claims and held that the plaintiffs lacked standing on other claims, and this appeal followed.
On appeal, Plaintiffs first argued that the 2003…

This post was authored by Julie Tappendorf and Tyler Smith of Ancel Glink and originally posted in the Municipal Minute and reposted with permission
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled against a billboard company in its First Amendment challenge to a county’s sign code. GEFT Outdoors, LLC v. Monroe County.
A billboard company sought to install a digital billboard which did not comply with the county’s sign code regulations. The company applied for a variance from the County’s Board of Zoning Appeals (BZOA). After the BZOA denied the variance request, the billboard company sued the county under a…

Conscious Consumerism, Class Actions, and Carbon Offsets
Rina ZhangA growing segment of environmentally-minded consumers choose to spend their money on brands and products that signal their commitment to sustainability.”[1] However, as more companies label their products with environmental sustainability claims like “green,” and “carbon neutral”, there are increasing concerns that some of these terms are misleading and misrepresent practices that fall short of consumer perceptions.[2] As more corporations turn towards carbon offsets to reduce their environmental footprint, recent greenwashing class actions highlight issues that arise when voluntary carbon markets and marketing intersect.[3]
In October 2022, plaintiffs filed a class…

Sokoloff Lawyers are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle your personal information to protect your privacy.
Privacy Legislation:Since January 1, 2004, all Canadian organizations engaged in commercial activities have been required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) and the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information incorporated by reference into PIPEDA . These obligations extend to lawyers and law firms, including Sokoloff Lawyers.
As a services firm, we have professional and ethical obligations to keep confidential the information we receive in the context of…

Sokoloff Lawyers are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle your personal information to protect your privacy.
Privacy Legislation:Since January 1, 2004, all Canadian organizations engaged in commercial activities have been required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) and the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information incorporated by reference into PIPEDA . These obligations extend to lawyers and law firms, including Sokoloff Lawyers.
As a services firm, we have professional and ethical obligations to keep confidential the information we receive in the context of…
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PIERRE, SD (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has appointed the lead prosecutor in the Senate impeachment trial of former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg to fill the remainder of Ravnsborg’s term.
Noem’s interim appointment of Pennington County State’s Attorney Mark Vargo was effective Tuesday.
She pushed for Ravnsborg, a first-term fellow Republican, to step down days after he was struck and killed a pedestrian with his car in 2020, and later pushed for his impeachment. Ravnsborg was ultimately successful last week of two impeachment counts and was removed from the office.
“Mark Vargo returns integrity, experience and stability to…

EV Tax Credits and the Shift Towards Electrification
Kate MeulemansAs Americans begin to shift toward cleaner energy, the demand for electric vehicles has skyrocketed, but not without a similar spike in the political attitude surrounding electric cars. Switching from gas to electric cars is no longer just a fad among progressive elites and is in fact becoming embedded into the mainstream vernacular. But even so, buying a new car solely for fuel efficiency is not something that most people are financially stable enough to do. In this respect, it is important not only to prioritize a political push that…