Fire Law Blog

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for March 9, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss a lawsuit out of Washington that may reach the SU Supreme Court of the issue of accommodation of firefighters’ religious beliefs; the $1.25 million settlement of an FLSA overtime suit involving battalion chiefs in California; a ruling allowing a First …

Eight Washington firefighters who lost a religious accommodation case in the Ninth Circuit have asked the U.S. Supreme Court for additional time to file a petition for certiorari. The request arises out of Petersen v. Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue, a lawsuit challenging how the department handled requests for religious exemptions from a COVID-19 vaccination mandate.

Ten battalion chiefs with the Tulare County Fire Department have resolved a lawsuit alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) after a federal court approved a settlement totaling more than $1.25 million.

A federal court in North Carolina has denied motions to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a former part-time fire chief who alleges he was terminated in retaliation for protected speech and subjected to defamatory statements about his conduct. Chief William Lanham filed suit in Franklin County Superior Court naming the Town of Louisburg, its mayor and town administrator.

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 claims against the Chief.

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 205 South Stricker Street in Baltimore.

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 her removal; a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging an …

The dismissal of two criminal cases against firefighters are in the Fire Law News today, one in Texas, the other in Tennessee.

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.

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.

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 defendants.

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.

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 harassment, discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by a …

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.

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 Public Safety, where she worked for more than 21 years.

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, and emotional distress arising out of his suspension and alleged constructive termination.

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.

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 disconnection of electrical service that lasted more than two months.

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 sustained in the original accident.

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 proceed; anti-trust lawsuits brought by the State of California, LA City, …