Aisha Johnson

Correspondent

Aisha Johnson

Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.

Civil Rights & Constitutional

Decisions covered by Aisha Johnson

1,080 decisions
Apr 8 2026
9th Cir. 8:21-cr-00072-DOC-1 Unpublished

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ELANO SERRANO ZUNIGA

The Ninth Circuit vacated a conviction for illegal reentry, holding that ineffective assistance of counsel can functionally deprive a defendant of meaningful judicial review under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(d). The court reversed the denial of a motion to dismiss the indictment because the defendant's counsel failed to pursue the only form of relief legally available to him.

Civil Immigration (Civil) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Apr 8 2026
9th Cir. 2:23-cv-02767-KJM-SCR Unpublished

UNITE HERE INTERNATIONAL UNION v. WILTON RANCHERIA

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the Wilton Rancheria's motion to vacate an arbitration award requiring the Tribe to cooperate with a specific union election procedure. The court held that the arbitrator did not manifest a disregard of the law or issue a completely irrational decision by determining that the Tribal Labor Relations Ordinance procedure was not the exclusive method available under the parties' Memorandum of Agreement.

Civil Civil Rights - Voting
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Apr 8 2026
3rd Cir. 25-2788 Panel Decision

Y. C. Q., a minor v. CHICHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Third Circuit held that a Special Education Hearing Officer's order to develop an Individualized Education Program does not constitute an agreement to a new educational placement under the IDEA's stay-put provision. Because no prior IEP was in place, there was no existing placement to maintain, and the student is not entitled to remain in a specific setting pending further proceedings.

Civil Civil Rights - Education
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Apr 8 2026
3rd Cir. 25-2257 Panel Decision

Paul Cononie v. Borough of West View; Michael Brunner; Richard G. Opielea; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; West View Police Department

The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Paul Cononie's second amended complaint without leave to amend. The court held that Cononie failed to state a plausible claim for relief and did not follow the district court's specific directives to cure pleading deficiencies.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Apr 7 2026
5th Cir. 25-20511 Per Curiam

Linicomn v. Harris County Sheriff's Office

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's Section 1983 claims, ruling that the proposed amended complaint failed to state a valid claim regardless of the district court's procedural error. The court held that the amendment was insufficient as a matter of law because it omitted the police department and failed to allege a Monell violation.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Statute of Limitations
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Apr 7 2026
5th Cir. 25-10890 Per Curiam

McCutchan v. Nicholson

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a constitutional challenge to a Texas statute limiting marriage solemnization to religious officials or judges. The court held that the plaintiff lacked Article III standing because he failed to allege concrete plans to perform a wedding ceremony in the county.

Civil Civil Rights - Voting Standing
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Apr 7 2026
9th Cir. 3:21-cv-00753-MO Unanimous

Julio Aguilar-Padilla v. Boydstun Equipment Manufacturing, LLC

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the jury's finding that an employer violated the Oregon Safe Employment Act by retaliating against an employee for taking COVID-19 quarantine leave. However, the court vacated the district court's award of full attorney's fees, remanding the issue to determine which legal work was exclusively devoted to the state retaliation claim versus the federal claim.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment
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Apr 7 2026
10th Cir. 4:23-CV-00126-CVE-CDL; 4:23-CV-00266-GKF-CDL Panel Decision

Savage v. Dobbertin

The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for jail officers in an excessive force claim where the plaintiff failed to prove a specific officer caused a non-de minimis injury. The court also upheld the dismissal of a second lawsuit because the plaintiff failed to serve defendants within the time limits required by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment
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Apr 7 2026
10th Cir. 2:22-CV-00942-MV-SCY) Panel Decision

JESUS DOMINGUEZ v. M. RIOS; ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

The Tenth Circuit denied Jesus Dominguez's request for a certificate of appealability, upholding the district court's dismissal of his federal habeas petition as untimely. The court found that Dominguez failed to show that reasonable jurists could debate the correctness of the procedural ruling regarding the statute of limitations.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Statute of Limitations
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Apr 7 2026
10th Cir. 5:21-CV-00653-SLP Panel Decision

JUAN DOMINGUEZ v. WEISER SECURITY SERVICES, INC

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the grant of summary judgment for Weiser Security Services, ruling that the plaintiff failed to prove causation in his Title VII retaliation claim. The court held that there was insufficient evidence that the decisionmaker knew of the protected activity or that a biased supervisor used the decisionmaker as a cat's paw.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Summary Judgment
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