News By Edition

The Supreme Court of Hawai’i recently considered an appeal brought forward by an individual who had previously disputed chain of title with the parent company of a golf course and country club, alleging that the lands in question were royal holdings.

Legislators in the territory of Puerto Rico are considering a bill referred to as the Puerto Rico Real Estate Regulation Act which would establish a regulatory board, formally criminalize illegal real estate practices and more.

Tax lien sales have their own part to play in contributing to housing inventory, and that part could have taken on a radically different shape depending on the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Pung v. Isabella County.

A bill signed into law by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on June 22 amended state law to prohibit foreign adversary nations or agents from purchasing, owning, leasing, or acquiring any substantial interest in real property in the state.

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation announced on July 7 that nearly 3,000 consumers, mainly from Filipino, Chinese, and Hispanic communities, will receive checks totaling over $7 million in restitution for securities fraud.

The office of Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown was able to save Montanans more than $18 million in Fiscal Year 2025-2026 by denying insurance rate increases, according to an announcement by Brown’s office.

A bill has been introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives that would, if enacted, require the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator to create an online flood insurance information tool relating to the National Flood Insurance Program.

A dispute between California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Consumer Watchdog was settled on June 30, when a court order upheld Lara’s recent efforts to stabilize the state’s insurance market through two recent bulletins.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on July 1 that Rohit Chopra, former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, had been sworn in as secretary of the newly-created California Business and Consumer Services Agency.

Lawmakers in Alaska have passed a comprehensive bill to update the terminology, definitions and procedures governing secure transactions and electronic records in the state, including delivery of electronic documents of title.

California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation announced on July 1 that five financial companies were being compelled to return more than $1.3 million to customers charged excessive commissions.

A New York jury has rendered a guilty verdict against a 63-year-old man for using fake deeds to steal two brownstones in Harlem valued at about $4.7 million, according to the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James.

More than 90 years of legal precedent on presidential authority over independent federal agencies, set by the 1935 decision in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, was overturned on June 29 by a Supreme Court ruling.

A property in Aurora, Colo., was foreclosed by the local municipality which failed to notify the correct owner, leading to a court-ordered voided foreclosure and invalidated interests. The property’s new owner appealed the lower court decision.

Under the statutes of a law recently signed by Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, mortgage servicers operating in the state will be required to adhere to updated capital, liquidity and accounting standards.

In early June, Michigan State Senate Democrats introduced legislation that would ban home insurance companies from using price optimization to set their rates.

In a recent bulletin, the Texas Department of Insurance reminded all regulated entities that they must ensure their decisions and actions, especially those influenced by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, comply with existing insurance laws and regulations.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on June 25 the arrest and indictment of a Queens (N.Y.) man for stealing the home of an elderly woman living in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, while she was receiving dementia care in her home.

Identity theft is becoming more complex, moving away from just a single event like a stolen credit card, according to the 2026 Trends in Identity Report released by the Alliance for Identity Resilience’s Identity Theft Resource Center. Chief Operating and Programs Officer Mona Terry shared some takeaways with The Legal Description.

During a meeting with Brooklyn homeowners, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul outlined the state’s ongoing efforts to combat deed theft, including an announcement that her office had secured $4.5 million for enforcement and education to prevent deed theft.

Vermont became the fourth state to pass a comprehensive data privacy law this year when Gov. Phil Scott signed the Vermont Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act, which goes into effect in 2028.

A bipartisan bill was passed by Congress on June 23 which would direct the U.S. General Accountability Office to evaluate federal cybersecurity assistance to small businesses and mandate a study to find shortcomings in current preventative and mitigating measures.

Commissioner James Brown announced on June 24 that, due to settlements reached with entities that failed to properly file required notices, approximately $60,000 has been added to Montana’s Securities Fraud Restitution Assistance Fund for 2026.