Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that denied qualified immunity to police officers who mistakenly entered the wrong apartment. The court held that the officers' actions were not clearly established as unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment given the exigent circumstances and lack of binding precedent.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions and sentence of Kelvin Bolton after he abandoned all challenges to his case on appeal. The court noted that Bolton may file a new motion under Section twenty-two hundred fifty-five once the mandate issues.
The Eleventh Circuit denied the defendants' motion to dismiss an appeal filed before the district court entered a final judgment on all claims. The court held that the premature notice of appeal was cured when the district court later dismissed all remaining claims and entered a final judgment.
The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court dismissal, holding that the plaintiffs' efforts to serve process were sufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact regarding diligence. The court clarified that Texas law requires ordinary diligence, not the highest degree of effort, and that delays may be excused by reasonable explanations.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed a summary judgment in favor of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations, Inc. The court held that the employee failed to prove that anyone involved in her termination knew of her protected whistleblower activity.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling upholding a Texas city's zoning ordinance that prohibits short-term rentals in residential districts. The court held that Texas law does not recognize a vested property right to lease a home on a short-term basis and that the ordinance satisfies rational-basis review under the Equal Protection Clause.
The Sixth Circuit reversed the district court's judgment that invalidated Ohio's Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act. The panel held that the trade association NetChoice lacked prudential standing to assert the First Amendment rights of minor users on behalf of its members.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction of a police officer who submitted a false report to cover up coercing a minor into sex. The court rejected challenges regarding federal jurisdiction intent, Franks hearing denials, the good-faith exception, and claims of substantial prejudice from indictment delay.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated a dismissal, holding that a male student plausibly alleged sex-based sexual harassment under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause due to hazing intended to emasculate him.
The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in a civil rights action brought by a prisoner. The court held that the plaintiff failed to meet his burden of producing evidence to support his failure-to-protect claim.
