Court
Federal Judge Consolidates Antisemitism Lawsuits Against Harvard
A U.S. district judge consolidated two lawsuits alleging Harvard failed to address campus antisemitism — one filed in January and the other in May — “for discovery purposes” on Tuesday.
Healey Admin Seizes St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, CEO Resigns
Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 announced in a press release Friday that the state had officially seized St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center by eminent domain, putting an end to the Brighton hospital’s tumultuous, decade-long stint under for-profit owner Steward Healthcare.
Arraignment Delayed Again for Pro-Palestine Harvard Graduate Students
Harvard graduate students Elom Tettey-Tamaklo and Ibrahim I. Bharmal arrived at Brighton District Court at 9 a.m. on Wednesday prepared to enter pleas to charges of assault and battery over their involvement in an altercation at a pro-Palestine protest last fall.
Sale of St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Gets Green Light in Bankruptcy Court
A federal judge in Texas approved the sale of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton and five other hospitals on Wednesday after the hospital’s owner, Steward Health Care, went bankrupt earlier this year.
Federal Judge Denies Harvard’s Motion to Dismiss Antisemitism Lawsuit
A U.S. district judge denied Harvard’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by six Jewish students alleging that the University failed to address “severe and pervasive” campus antisemitism.
‘Last One Standing’: William R. Fitzsimmons ’67, the Keeper of Harvard’s Gates
William R. Fitzsimmons ’67, Harvard College Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, served for decades as chief architect of Harvard’s admissions program — including through Harvard’s turmoil in court.
Man Who Placed Fake Bomb At Harvard Sentenced to 3 Years Probation
William A. Giordani, a New Hampshire man arrested for placing a fake bomb in the Science Center Plaza on Harvard’s campus, will face three years of probation for failing to report a felony.
Luke Tang’s Case Manager Did Not Tell Lowell Staff About His Medical History Before Suicide
Harvard Counseling and Mental Health Services employee Melanie G. Northrop said that when Luke Z. Tang ’18 returned to campus following the summer she did not ask her CAMHS colleagues about Tang or communicate his medical history to Lowell House staff.
CAMHS Employee, Facing Wrongful Death Suit, Testifies She Followed ‘Standard Procedure’
Harvard Counseling And Mental Health Services employee and defendant Melanie G. Northrop testified that she complied with “standard procedure” in providing for Luke Z. Tang ’18.
CAMHS Employee Said Not Consulted for ‘Care Contract’ in Wrongful Death Trial Over 2015 Student Suicide
A Harvard Counseling and Mental Health Services employee said that despite being listed on a “care contract” with Luke Z. Tang ’18, he was never consulted about Tang’s wellbeing.
Harvard Students Face Court Date Over Confrontation at HBS ‘Die-In’ for Palestine
Rep. Elise M. Stefanik ’06 (R-N.Y.) accused Harvard of delaying “justice” for students involved in a confrontation during a pro-Palestine protest at Harvard Business School in October, according to a letter sent to University leadership Thursday morning.
Lawyers Present Opening Arguments in Wrongful Death Trial Over 2015 Student Suicide
Attorneys representing the estate of Luke Z. Tang ’18, a sophomore student who died by suicide on Harvard’s campus in 2015, told a jury on Tuesday that Harvard Counseling and Mental Health Service employee Melanie G. Northrop was negligent in her care for Tang.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Cambridge Police Officer Over George Floyd Remarks
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against the Cambridge Police Department from an officer who was punished for social media comments calling George Floyd “a career criminal, a thief and a druggie,” ruling that the comments were not protected by the First Amendment.
Wife of Former Harvard Morgue Manager Pleads Guilty to Interstate Transport of Cadavers
Denise Lodge, the wife of former Harvard morgue manager Cedric Lodge, pled guilty to the interstate transport of stolen human remains, according to a filing released Wednesday.
Former Harvard Student Appeals Dismissal of Suit Alleging Wrongful Denial of Undergrad Degree
Former Harvard undergraduate Damilare Sonoiki appealed a federal judge’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the University wrongfully withheld his degree after three women accused him of sexual assault, according to a filing by his lawyers on Thursday.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Filed by Families Over Harvard Medical School Morgue Theft
A Massachusetts Superior Court judge dismissed a class action lawsuit on Monday filed by families affected by the mishandling of human remains at Harvard Medical School.
Marsh USA Files to Dismiss Harvard Lawsuit Regarding SFFA Legal Fees
Insurance broker Marsh USA asked the federal District Court of Massachusetts to dismiss its liability for up to $15 million in legal fees, according to filings made last month.
Man Arrested for Planting Fake Bomb at Harvard to Plead Guilty to Misdemeanor Charge
William A. Giordani, a New Hampshire man arrested for planting a fake bomb on Harvard’s campus, is scheduled to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge in a hearing Wednesday as part of a plea agreement, according to a Thursday legal filing.
Lawsuit Against Harvard Over Professor Comaroff Harassment Allegations Will Move to Mediation
The lawsuit filed against Harvard alleging the school ignored years of sexual misconduct complaints against professor John L. Comaroff will move to mediation, according to court filings this month.
Chief Justice of India’s Supreme Court D.Y. Chandrachud Discusses Role of the Judiciary and Indian Court System at HLS Talk
Days after the Supreme Court of India’s landmark refusal to legalize same-sex marriages, Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud sat down with Harvard Law Professor David B. Wilkins to discuss the role of the judiciary in modern society at a Harvard Law School event.
Deep Within the Anti-Affirmative Action Lawsuit, a Holocaust Denier
“Nobody in the media has been willing to point out the fact that my research was the basis of the lawsuit now before the Supreme Court," Ron K. Unz ’83, the controversial conservative activist cited in the Students for Fair Admissions’ lawsuit against Harvard, said.
Ex-Harvard Medical School Morgue Manager Indicted, Accused of Stealing and Selling Human Remains
Federal prosecutors allege that Cedric Lodge, former manager of the morgue at the Anatomical Gift Program at Harvard Medical School, stole and sold human remains from the school for profit.
Judges Cast Doubt on Harvard’s Claim that Insurance Firm Must Cover Admissions Lawsuit Fees
A panel of three federal judges appeared skeptical of Harvard’s claim that Zurich American Insurance Company is responsible for covering the University’s remaining legal expenses during a hearing Wednesday.
Seth Waxman ’73 Reflects on Path from Quincy House to the Supreme Court
In October 2022, nearly 50 years after his graduation from Harvard, Seth P. Waxman ’73 defended his alma mater before the Supreme Court.
Suspect in Harvard Science Center Plaza Bomb Scare Released on Bond as Authorities Seek Accomplice
The man accused of planting a fake bomb on Harvard’s campus as an accomplice in an effort to secure a “large” amount of Bitcoin from the University according to a criminal complaint was released on an unsecured bond with conditions at a hearing Friday.