Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Edgar Merida's employment discrimination claims because he failed to adequately brief his arguments on appeal. The court held that by neglecting to rebut the district court's analysis or explain legal errors, Merida forfeited all appellate arguments.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment against Terry Joyner on his Title VII and Georgia Whistleblower Act claims but reversed the grant of qualified immunity to individual defendants on his First Amendment retaliation claim. The court held that removing Joyner's flexible work schedule after he reported ticket-fixing constituted a material adverse action that likely chilled protected speech.
The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a voter's challenge to election machine security, ruling that she lacked Article III standing because her alleged injury was speculative. The court held that without proof she was prevented from voting or that her vote did not count, her claim amounted to an impermissible generalized grievance.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Michael Haspel's appeal sua sponte because the district court's order was not a final judgment. The court held that claims against three defendants remained pending, preventing immediate appellate review under the final judgment rule.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a plaintiff's civil rights claims, ruling that law enforcement officers had probable cause to arrest him for domestic violence. The court held that the officers' reliance on the victim's statements and body-camera footage satisfied the Fourth Amendment requirements for a warrant.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court order compelling arbitration and denying a motion to vacate an arbitration award in favor of Dell Technologies. The court also issued a stern warning to the pro se appellant regarding the fabrication of legal citations using generative artificial intelligence.
The First Circuit affirmed summary judgment for an employer, ruling that an employee failed to prove his termination was caused by his request for a disability accommodation. The court held that the chronological sequence of events demonstrated the employer had already decided to terminate the employee before he asserted his protected rights.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's motion for release pending the resolution of his 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion. The court held that Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 9 governs release in a criminal case but does not apply to release pending post-conviction relief.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a pro se prisoner. The dismissal followed the appellant's request to voluntarily withdraw the case.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a First Amendment challenge brought by parents of students in California charter school independent study programs. The court held that these programs constitute public school education, allowing the state to require secular curricula without violating the Free Exercise or Free Speech Clauses.
