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

1,707 decisions
Mar 6 2026
3rd Cir. 24-2761 Panel Decision

CHRISTOPHER G. MASSEY v. BOROUGH OF BERGENFIELD

The Third Circuit reversed the District Court's grant of summary judgment, predicting that the New Jersey Supreme Court would invalidate the state's 'Background Circumstances Rule' for employment discrimination claims. The court held that the rule, which imposes a heightened burden on majority-group plaintiffs, is incompatible with the text of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourteenth Amendment - Equal Protection
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Mar 5 2026
10th Cir. 5:23-CR-00094-D-2 Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. DONALD EUGENE COOKS

The Tenth Circuit granted counsel's motion to withdraw and dismissed the defendant's direct criminal appeal after an independent review found no arguable grounds for relief. The court concluded that procedural failures barred a suppression claim and that an ineffective assistance claim was improperly raised on direct appeal.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255)
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Mar 5 2026
10th Cir. 4:17-CV-00367-GKF-CDL Panel Decision

DEANDRE BETHEL v. DAVID LOUTHAN

The Tenth Circuit denied Deandre Bethel a certificate of appealability because his attempt to add a Fourth Amendment claim via a Rule 60(b) motion constituted an unauthorized second or successive habeas petition. The court held that the motion substantively challenged the validity of his conviction rather than addressing a procedural defect in the habeas proceedings themselves.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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Mar 5 2026
3rd Cir. 2:13-cv-06437 Panel Decision

JOSE MENDEZ v. SUPERINTENDENT HOUTZDALE SCI; THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA; THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF THE COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA

The Third Circuit granted appointed counsel's motion to withdraw from a habeas corpus appeal after determining the case presented no nonfrivolous issues. The court affirmed the District Court's denial of Jose Mendez's petition challenging his first-degree murder conviction.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Mar 5 2026
3rd Cir. 2:22-CV-02760 Panel Decision

MEMPHIS STREET ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL AT J.P. JONES v. PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a charter school's challenge to its closure, ruling that the school district's enforcement of a surrender clause was not motivated by racial discrimination. The court held that the district acted within its contractual and statutory authority to revoke the charter based on the school's failure to meet agreed-upon academic benchmarks.

Civil Civil Rights - Housing
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Mar 5 2026
9th Cir. 2:25-cv-00255- Published

Pacito v. Trump

The Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court preliminary injunction blocking Executive Order No. fourteen thousand one hundred sixty-three. The panel held that the President acted within statutory authority to suspend refugee admissions but found the government violated the Administrative Procedure Act by defunding resettlement services without reasoned explanations.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment
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