Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in a prisoner's civil rights action alleging Eighth Amendment violations. The court held that prison officials took prompt and reasonable steps to assist the inmate during a mental health emergency, negating any claim of deliberate indifference.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied petitions challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's 2024 revision of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particulate matter.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a pro se plaintiff because the notice of appeal was filed after the statutory deadline. The court held that the appeal was untimely and therefore lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
The Eleventh Circuit reversed a district court dismissal, holding that three Georgia death-row prisoners alleged sufficient facts to establish standing. The court found the prisoners faced a realistic danger of imminent injury due to unequal clemency preparation conditions compared to other inmates.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a land ownership dispute due to lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. The court found the plaintiff failed to establish either federal question or diversity jurisdiction.
The Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by Broadband iTV, Inc. because the district court orders it challenged were not final judgments. The court held that it lacked jurisdiction since the underlying litigation remained pending on other counts.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of discrimination claims brought by a mixed-race couple against a bank regarding a VA home loan application. The court held that while plaintiffs need not plead a prima facie case at the motion to dismiss stage, their complaint failed to state plausible claims under federal and state anti-discrimination laws.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted the government's motion for a partial stay pending appeal of a district court injunction regarding military accession policies for individuals with HIV. A dissenting opinion argued that the government failed to meet the legal standard for interim relief due to its unexplained delay in seeking the stay.
The Sixth Circuit dismissed a petition challenging a removal order because the petitioner failed to exhaust his claims regarding removability. The court also denied a second petition alleging ineffective assistance of counsel due to procedural failures to comply with Lozada requirements.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for defendants in a First Amendment retaliation claim brought by a former city alderman. The court held that a quo warranto petition challenging an officeholder's residency eligibility requires proof of no probable cause to support a retaliation claim.
