Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order dismissing a pro se civil action without prejudice. The dismissal occurred because the appellant failed to complete the required in forma pauperis affidavit or pay the full filing fee.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling in a student's due process claim against university officials. The court held that the student received adequate procedural process during an academic dispute over her doctoral major professor.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights complaint. The court held that the appellant forfeited the right to appellate review by failing to file specific objections to a magistrate judge's recommendation.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit denied a certificate of appealability to an Oklahoma prisoner challenging the timeliness of his habeas petition. The court held that the petitioner failed to meet the demanding standard for the actual innocence exception to the one-year filing deadline.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a pro se prisoner challenging district court orders. The court held that the appealed orders were neither final nor appealable interlocutory or collateral orders.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's lawsuit alleging ADA violations in state court proceedings. The court held that the complaint failed to plausibly allege that the denial of access to a nonpublic document was motivated by the plaintiff's disability.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a mother's claims that a school board violated federal disability laws by disenrolling her child. The court held that the school board was not responsible for providing special education services because the child did not reside within the district.
The Eleventh Circuit vacated a district court dismissal of a USERRA claim, ruling that the plaintiff adequately alleged standing. The appellate court found that reasonable inferences from the complaint showed the employer had not fully redressed the alleged injuries.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit brought by a pro se plaintiff against three Texas state officials. The court held that the plaintiff failed to allege sufficient facts to overcome the defendants' claim of qualified immunity or to establish a justiciable case or controversy for declaratory relief.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a pro se litigant's motion to reopen the time to appeal. The court held that the litigant failed to meet the strict requirements for reopening the appeal period under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure four comma six.
