Aisha Johnson

Correspondent

Aisha Johnson

Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.

Civil Rights & Constitutional

Decisions covered by Aisha Johnson

1,757 decisions
Apr 3 2026
10th Cir. 1:24-CV-02138-GPG-KAS Panel Decision

LINDA FRENCH, an individual v. U.S. CENTER FOR SAFESPORT, a Colorado non-profit corporation

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's confirmation of an arbitration award upholding the suspension of the U.S. Center for SafeSport's president. The court held that the arbitrator acted within the bounds of the SafeSport Code by relying on an investigative report and that the appellant failed to demonstrate misconduct or a fundamentally unfair hearing.

Civil Other Civil
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Apr 3 2026
11th Cir. 1:07-cv-01276-KOB Published

MARCUS BERNARD WILLIAMS v. STATE OF ALABAMA

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that Marcus Bernard Williams failed to demonstrate prejudice under Strickland v. Washington. The court concluded that Alabama courts would likely have weighed Williams's severe aggravating circumstances more heavily than his new mitigation evidence regarding childhood trauma.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 3 2026
5th Cir. 25-50222 Per Curiam

United States v. Swift

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a motion to suppress evidence found on a microSD card, ruling that the subsequent warrant search was constitutional under the good faith exception. The court held that an officer's reliance on the warrant was objectively reasonable because the legality of the school district's initial search was unclear.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 3 2026
1st Cir. 25-1324 Panel Decision

Wescott v. Stanfill

The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a First Amendment challenge to Maine's IOLTA program, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to plausibly allege that the program compelled their speech. The court held that the plaintiffs did not sufficiently demonstrate that the client funds in question would have earned net interest outside the IOLTA program, a necessary element for a compelled-speech claim under existing precedent.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Apr 3 2026
5th Cir. 25-60494 Per Curiam

Bishop v. Bennett

The Fifth Circuit dismissed Montez Lesha Bishop's appeal as frivolous because he failed to meaningfully challenge the district court's ruling that his Bivens claims were noncognizable. This dismissal counts as a strike toward the three-strike limit under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), restricting his ability to proceed in forma pauperis in future civil actions while incarcerated.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Apr 3 2026
6th Cir. 25-1823 Published

Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc. v. Trustees of the Operating Engineers' Local 324 Fringe Benefit Funds

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of ERISA claims alleging that union benefit funds violated fiduciary duties by refusing contributions. The court held that the Garmon doctrine preempted the claims because resolving them required determining whether the funds violated the National Labor Relations Act.

Civil ERISA / Employee Benefits Labor
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Apr 3 2026
6th Cir. 25-3323 Published

JOHN PETSCHE v. JERRY N. HRUBY; DAVID J. MATTY; GERALD F. BROSKI; LOUIS N. CAROUSE, JR.; LAURA REDINGER; KIMBERLY VERAS; CITY OF BRECKSVILLE, OHIO

The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for city officials, ruling that a former council member failed to prove his prosecution was retaliatory because he lacked probable cause to rebut the presumption of validity arising from a grand jury indictment. The court held that the official's undisclosed financial interest in a public contract negated any First Amendment protection, regardless of the government's motive.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 2 2026
5th Cir. 25-20062 Per Curiam

Brown v. American First National Bank

The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for American First National Bank, ruling that the Browns failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove racial discrimination under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The court held that the plaintiffs' allegations were speculative and did not allow a reasonable jury to infer that the bank's refusal to open accounts was motivated by race rather than legitimate business concerns.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment
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Apr 2 2026
9th Cir. 8:21-cv-01317-DOC-DFM Unpublished

CHARLES HEAD v. Officer J. ROCHA, individual; KENNETH CHIN, individual; Police Officer QUINN individual; Officer C. MCPHAIL, Officer Badge no. A171 La Habra Police Department

The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers in a civil rights action, ruling that the plaintiff's own deposition testimony defeated his claims of evidence fabrication and malicious prosecution. The court held that the plaintiff's admission that he failed to register his weapon as required by law established probable cause for his arrest, which serves as a complete defense to both constitutional torts.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Summary Judgment
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