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Corporate Transparency Act Ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court

Client Alert

Over the past several weeks, the federal judiciary has provided numerous rulings on the enforceability of the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), which took effect on January 1, 2024. For a more detailed overview on the CTA, click here.

Most recently, on December 26, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reinstated a previous injunction barring enforcement of the CTA’s filing requirement for entities throughout the country.

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the government’s appeal of the Fifth Circuit’s December 26 decision, lifting the nationwide injunction. While many interpreted this ruling to reinstate the CTA’s reporting requirement, recent guidance from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCen”) makes clear that enforcement of the CTA’s filing requirement is still barred nationwide.

While the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the injunction on appeal before the Fifth Circuit, a separate nationwide injunction issued by a different federal judge on January 7, 2025 (Smith v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, Case No. 6:24-cv-336-JDK) remains in effect. FinCen continues to accept voluntary reporting, but as of this publication, businesses are not required to comply with the CTA’s filing requirements.

For guidance on complying with these updated requirements, business owners should reach out to their BMD legal advisors or contact BMD Member Blake Gerney at brgerney@bmdllc.com.


Counselor, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board Rule Changes

The Counselor, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board has proposed changes to the Ohio Administrative Code rules discussed below. The rules are scheduled for a public hearing on April 23, 2024, and public comments are due by this date. Please reach out to BMD Member Daphne Kackloudis for help preparing comments on these rules or for additional information.

Latest Batch of Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board Rules: What Providers Should Know

The Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board recently released several new rules and proposed amendments to existing rules over the past few months. A hearing for the new rules was held on February 16, 2024, but the Board has not yet finalized them.

Now in Effect: DOL Final Rule on Classification of Independent Contractors

Effective March 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has adopted a new standard for the classification of employees versus independent contractors — a much anticipated update since the DOL issued its Final Rule on January 9, 2024, as previously discussed by BMD.  In brief, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) creates significant protections for workers related to minimum wage, overtime pay, and record-keeping requirements. That said, such protection only exists for employees. This can incentivize entities to classify workers as independent contractors; however, misclassification is risky and can be costly.

Florida's Recent Ruling on Arbitration Clauses

Florida’s recent ruling on arbitration clauses provides a crucial distinction in determining whether such clauses are void as against public policy and providers may have the opportunity to include arbitration clauses in their patient consent forms. On March 6, 2024, Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeals reversed and remanded Florida’s Fifteenth Circuit Court ruling of Piero Palacios v. Sharnice Lawson. The Court of Appeals ruled that the parties’ arbitration agreement did not contradict the Legislature’s intent of Florida’s Medical Malpractice Act (the “MMA”), but rather reflects the parties’ choice to arbitrate claims entirely outside of the MMA’s framework. Therefore, the Court found that the agreement was not void as against public policy.

Corporate Transparency Act Update 3/14/24

On March 1, 2024, a federal district court in the Northern District of Alabama concluded that the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) exceeded Congressional powers and enjoined the Department of the Treasury from enforcing the CTA against the plaintiffs. National Small Business United v. Yellen, No. 5:22-cv-01448 (N.D. Ala.). On March 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice appealed the district court’s decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.