Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Eighth Circuit reversed a district court's default judgment in a civil forfeiture case involving five thousand five hundred dollars in cash. The appellate court held that the claimant's pro se filing sufficiently stated an interest in the property under Supplemental Rule G.
The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that excluded dental services from Louisiana's Preferred Provider Organization Act. The court held that dentists qualify as healthcare providers under the statute and remanded the case for further proceedings on remaining claims.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's denial of a prisoner's motion to amend his complaint against a medical doctor. The court held that adding the doctor as a defendant would be futile because her actions amounted to medical negligence rather than deliberate indifference.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied a petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed by Michael Ray Fuqua. The court held that the Arizona post-conviction relief court did not unreasonably apply federal law in rejecting Fuqua's claims of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the district court's order enforcing a foreign arbitral award against Venezuela, rejecting the argument that enforcement would violate U.S. public policy by infringing on the President's exclusive power to recognize foreign governments.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a dismissal of a billboard operator's federal claims against state transportation officials. The court held it lacked jurisdiction because the plaintiff failed to establish a sufficient enforcement nexus against the named state official under the Ex parte Young exception to sovereign immunity.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed a district court order denying summary judgment in a Fair Labor Standards Act overtime dispute. The court held that an employee paid under a hybrid salary and day-rate scheme was exempt from overtime requirements because he received a guaranteed biweekly salary.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a pro se complaint against the Army. The court found no reversible error in the lower court's handling of the case despite the appellant's objections.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order denying a motion to extend discovery and granting summary judgment in a Title VII employment discrimination case. The appellate court found no reversible error in the lower court's handling of the appellant's claims for race and gender discrimination and retaliation.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction sought by a daycare provider dismissed from a state voucher program. The court held that the provider was not constitutionally entitled to a pre-deprivation hearing before dismissal for failing to comply with an on-site investigation.
