CA Federal Court Allows Battalion Chief’s First Amendment Retaliation Claim to Proceed Against Fire Chief
A federal district court in California has ruled that a Battalion Chief with the City of Compton Fire Department may proceed to trial on his First Amendment retaliation claim against the Fire Chief, but dismissed his claims against the City and his state law c…
Maryland Federal Court Dismisses Baltimore Firefighter LODD Lawsuit
A federal judge in Maryland has dismissed a civil rights lawsuit filed by the families of three fallen Baltimore City firefighters and a fourth firefighter who was seriously injured in a 2022 rowhouse collapse. The case arises from the January 24, 2022 fire at…
Fire Law Roundup for March 2, 2026
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for March 2, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss the dismissal of two criminal proceedings against firefighters, one in Texas and one in Tennessee; The filing of a long awaited civil suit by former LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley over…
Two Dismissals Top the Fire Law News
The dismissal of two criminal cases against firefighters are in the Fire Law News today, one in Texas, the other in Tennessee.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Sues City Alleging Retaliation After Palisades Fire
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has filed suit against the City of Los Angeles, alleging she was removed from her position in retaliation for speaking publicly about budget cuts and their impact on public and firefighter safety.
Oregon Fire District Sued by Former Employee Alleging Retaliation and Due Process Violations
A former administrative employee of the Netarts-Oceanside Fire District (NOFD) has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging she was terminated after raising concerns about financial practices and recordkeeping within the district.
Baltimore Paramedic Alleges Religious Discrimination Over Sabbath and Holiday Observance
A Baltimore City Fire Department paramedic has filed a federal lawsuit alleging religious discrimination and failure to accommodate his religious observance, naming the Baltimore City Fire Department and the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City as defendan…
CA and OR Cities, Counties Sue Federal Agencies Over Conditions Placed on Fire Service Grant Funding
A coalition of California and Oregon cities and counties has filed suit in federal court challenging new conditions imposed by federal agencies on a wide range of grant programs, including several that directly fund fire departments.
Fire Law Roundup for February 23, 2026
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for February 26, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss a lawsuit filed by the widow of a detective alleging that an EMT took and shared unauthorized photographs of her husband’s body after he was killed in a motorcycle crash; a sexual…
Widow of South Carolina Detective Sues Over Unauthorized Morgue Photos Taken by EMT
The widow of an Anderson County sheriff’s detective has filed suit alleging that an EMT with a private ambulance service took and shared unauthorized photographs of her husband’s body after he was killed in a motorcycle crash.
Virginia Captain Alleges Sex Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, and Retaliation
A veteran fire captain-paramedic has filed a federal lawsuit against Franklin County, Virginia, alleging sex discrimination, a hostile work environment, and retaliation in violation of Title VII. Captain Rena Clark Jennings filed suit against Franklin County P…
Connecticut Fire Chief Alleges Retaliation, Free Speech Violations, and Constructive Termination
A part-time firefighter and volunteer fire chief in East Lyme, Connecticut has filed a multi-count civil lawsuit against the Town of East Lyme, its First Selectman, and a deputy fire marshal, alleging retaliation, free-speech violations, due-process violations…
Albuquerque Paramedic-Staffing Lawsuit Ends With Settlement, Reframes ALS Staffing Debate
A legal dispute between the City of Albuquerque’s administration and its City Council over EMS staffing in Albuquerque Fire Rescue has come to a negotiated conclusion, bringing an end to a lawsuit that has been unfolding for almost a year.
Connecticut Property Owner Sues City of Waterbury Over Electrical Inspection and 71-Day Power Shutoff
The owner of a multifamily residential property in Waterbury has filed a federal civil rights and negligence lawsuit against the City of Waterbury, multiple city inspectors, and supervisory officials, alleging unconstitutional inspections and an unjustified di…
Hawaii Fire Department Named in Lawsuit Alleging Injury During Motorcycle Crash Response
A Hawaii man has filed suit against the Hawaii Fire Department and the County of Hawaii arising out of a motorcycle crash and the emergency response that followed. Cody Conaway filed suit accusing the department of negligence for compounding the injuries he su…
Fire Law Roundup for February 16, 2026
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for February 16, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss a lawsuit filed by a Delaware BC alleging retaliation over the city’s failure to pay him severance benefits; a ruling allowing a sexual harassment lawsuit against the DCFEMS to pr…
Delaware Battalion Chief Sues City Alleging Retaliation Over Denial of Line-of-Duty Benefits
A longtime Wilmington Fire Department battalion chief has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the City of Wilmington retaliated against him by delaying line-of-duty health benefits after he served as a witness in a discrimination case against the City.
Federal Court Allows Sexual Harassment Hostile Work Environment Claim Against D.C. Fire to Proceed
A federal district court in Washington, D.C. has ruled that a female fire investigator’s hostile work environment claims against the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services (DCFEMS) may proceed, while dismissing her discrimination and retaliat…
State of California, LA City and LA County File Antitrust Suit Against Fire Apparatus Manufacturers
On the heels of our coverage of an antitrust class action lawsuit filed by Kansas City, Kansas targeting fire apparatus manufacturers, the State of California, the County of Los Angeles and the Consolidated Fire Protection District of Los Angeles County have f…
Connecticut City Suspends Volunteer Fire Department Amid Command Dispute
The City of Norwich, Connecticut has suspended operations of the Yantic Volunteer Fire Department following a dispute over whether the department would agree to operate under a city-mandated unified command structure. The suspension removes the department from…