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

1,706 decisions
Mar 2 2026
10th Cir. 1:23-CV-00811-JB-JFR Panel Decision

DONALD SOUSA v. CHIPOTLE SERVICES, LLC

The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Chipotle, ruling that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence of pretext to support his age discrimination claim under the New Mexico Human Rights Act. The court held that the employer's stated reasons for termination—persistent pest infestations and widespread cleanliness failures—were legitimate and not a cover for age-based discrimination.

Mar 2 2026
3rd Cir. 24-3311 Panel Decision

R. S., by and through his parents; M. S.; N. S., in their own right v. EAST BRUNSWICK SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Third Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of summary judgment for the East Brunswick School District, holding that the district provided a Free Appropriate Public Education to a student with Down Syndrome. The court ruled that placing the student in a self-contained classroom for specific subjects was necessary because he could not be educated satisfactorily in a general education setting despite extensive supplementary supports.

Feb 27 2026
8th Cir. 25-2345 Panel Decision

Untitled Opinion

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has issued an opinion in this civil rights appeal. The court has entered judgment in accordance with the opinion and provided instructions regarding post-submission procedures.

Feb 27 2026
3rd Cir. 25-2480 Panel Decision

Faycal Manz v. Walmart Supercenter, Secaucus #3520

The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's claim that a store's Wi-Fi policy discriminated against international visitors based on national origin. The court held that the complaint failed to plausibly allege discriminatory animus and modified the dismissal of state-law claims to be without prejudice.

Feb 26 2026
7th Cir. 23-3060 Panel Decision

Nielsen v. Sexton

The Seventh Circuit affirmed that prison officials violated an inmate's Eighth Amendment rights by using her as bait to catch a sexual predator, but reversed the damages award due to insufficient evidence and procedural errors. The court ordered a new trial on compensatory and punitive damages while leaving the liability finding intact.

Feb 26 2026
7th Cir. 24-1696 Panel Decision

Nielsen v. Sexton

The Seventh Circuit affirmed that prison officials acted with deliberate indifference by using an inmate as bait to catch a staff member who was sexually assaulting her, rejecting their qualified immunity defense. However, the court reversed the damages award, ordering a new trial because the jury lacked sufficient evidence to link the officials to the abuse prior to their specific knowledge and because the exclusion of evidence regarding the inmate's state of mind prejudiced the punitive damages calculation.