Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a racial discrimination complaint filed by a union member against her local union. The court held that the plaintiff failed to exhaust administrative remedies and failed to state a plausible claim for racial discrimination or a hostile work environment.
The Eleventh Circuit granted the government's motion for summary affirmance in a criminal forfeiture appeal. The court held that the appellant failed to establish standing and did not properly challenge the district court's procedural rulings.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in an employment discrimination case brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act. The court held that regular attendance was an essential function of the plaintiff's job and that he failed to establish a convincing mosaic of intentional discrimination.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court dismissal of a Title VII retaliation claim brought by a school bus monitor. The court held that reporting workplace safety violations does not constitute protected activity under the statute.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a summary judgment dismissing a plaintiff's false arrest and excessive force claims against a police officer. The court held that the officer was entitled to qualified immunity because the plaintiff failed to identify controlling authority clearly establishing that the officer's conduct violated the Fourth Amendment.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court dismissal of a challenge to Texas ballot-qualification rules. The court held the plaintiff lacked standing and that the pre-filing bar was properly imposed.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in a Title VII employment discrimination case. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove a hostile work environment or retaliation because the alleged harassers were not employees and she did not utilize the employer's anti-harassment policy.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a pro se plaintiff's motion to vacate a prior judgment. The court held that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate the judgment was void under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure sixty point B four.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment granting a defense verdict to a police sergeant in a civil rights lawsuit alleging excessive force. The court held that the jury reasonably credited the officer's account over the plaintiff's conflicting testimony regarding the arrest and takedown.
The Eleventh Circuit reversed a district court's grant of summary judgment to a correctional officer in a prisoner's excessive force case. The appellate court found that video evidence did not clearly contradict the inmate's account of a violent takedown and subsequent pain compliance technique.
