Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The First Circuit granted a motion to stay a district court order that had halted a federal directive regarding interpretive materials at national parks. The appellate court found the Department of the Interior likely to succeed on appeal because the lower court erred in finding irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's second amended complaint as an impermissible shotgun pleading. The court held that the complaint failed to provide defendants adequate notice of claims and contained frivolous allegations.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity for two detention officers who delayed checking on an inmate for twenty minutes to avoid extra paperwork. The court held that the officers violated clearly established law by consciously disregarding a substantial risk of serious harm after hearing sounds of distress.
The Eighth Circuit reversed the district court's dismissal of constitutional challenges to Kansas City and Jackson County ordinances regulating conversion therapy. The court remanded the case for reconsideration in light of the Supreme Court's recent decision in Chiles versus Salazar.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a lower court ruling that Indiana's merit-based judicial selection system for Lake County does not violate the Voting Rights Act. The court held that the Supreme Court's recent decision in Louisiana v. Callais requires proof of intentional discrimination, which the plaintiffs failed to provide.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment dismissing a prisoner's civil rights claims against county officials. The court held that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence of unconstitutional policies or conspiracies.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that the Energy Policy and Conservation Act does not preempt a local air district's zero-emissions rule for appliances. The court held that the rule, enacted to meet federal ozone standards under the Clean Air Act, regulates emissions rather than energy use.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court order denying a pro se litigant leave to amend his complaint. The appellate panel found the lower court acted within its authority in dismissing the case for failing to state a claim and for being time-barred.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied petitions for review and granted enforcement of a National Labor Relations Board order finding the employer committed unfair labor practices.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit alleging that Gwinnett County discriminated against a man with a mental health disability by failing to train police officers. The court held that the plaintiffs failed to allege deliberate indifference because they did not identify prior similar incidents of disability discrimination.
