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 civil rights complaint. The appellate court held that the appellant forfeited the right to appeal because his informal brief did not challenge the basis for the lower court's decision.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment in a Fair Housing Act case brought by a pro se plaintiff. The appellate panel concluded that the plaintiff waived challenges to the evidence sufficiency and jury instructions by failing to file a post-verdict motion.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a pro se complaint filed under Bivens. The appellate court found no reversible error in the lower court's application of the screening statute.
The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court's grant of summary judgment in a dispute over life insurance policy premiums. The appellate court held that the policy language was ambiguous and must be construed in favor of the insureds under Alaska law.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights complaint filed by an inmate. The court found no reversible error in the district court's order dismissing the amended complaint under the prisoner litigation statute.
The Ninth Circuit reversed in part and affirmed in part a district court order regarding an insurance dispute. The court found a genuine dispute of material fact existed concerning whether the insurer was prejudiced by late notice.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order dismissing a civil complaint filed under the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The appellate court found no reversible error in the lower court's application of the statutory dismissal standard.
The Ninth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for a jail officer in a federal civil rights action arising from a detainee's suicide. The court held that the law was not clearly established because the officer received vague and inconsistent information about the detainee's risk.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling that the Coast Guard Auxiliary did not violate a volunteer member's First Amendment rights by disenrolling him. The court held that the Auxiliary's interest in maintaining discipline and public confidence outweighed the member's speech interests.
The Ninth Circuit denied a petition for review of a Board of Immigration Appeals order denying a motion to reopen removal proceedings. The court found no abuse of discretion or due process violation regarding the petitioners' claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.
