Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court preliminary injunction regarding federal research grant terminations. The court held that plaintiffs had standing but lacked jurisdiction for claims based on form-letter terminations, while finding a likely First Amendment violation for terminations based on diversity viewpoints.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a pro se employment discrimination appeal. The court held that the appellant forfeited appellate review because her objections to the magistrate judge's recommendation lacked the required specificity.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed consolidated appeals filed by a Maryland inmate. The court ruled that the appeals were untimely because the notice of appeal was not filed within the required thirty-day window.
The Ninth Circuit denied a petition challenging an Immigration Judge's refusal to accept a late motion and dismissed the petition regarding a request to reopen proceedings. The court found the petitioner waived his challenge to the timeliness ruling and lacked jurisdiction to review the discretionary denial of a sua sponte reopening.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment dismissing an employment discrimination claim brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove he was qualified to perform the essential functions of his custodial job while working a part-time schedule.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a Voting Rights Act claim due to the plaintiff's lack of Article III standing. The court held that the plaintiff failed to allege sufficient facts showing a substantial likelihood of future injury from the sheriff's conduct.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order dismissing a civil rights complaint without prejudice. The appellate court held that the appellant forfeited the right to challenge the dismissal because his informal brief did not address the basis for the lower court's decision.
The Eleventh Circuit held that ERISA requires pension plans to use reasonable actuarial assumptions when calculating annuity benefits. The court reversed the district court's dismissal of claims alleging that the plan used outdated mortality data to reduce participant benefits.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed a life sentence for kidnapping resulting in death, rejecting claims of insufficient evidence. The court also dismissed a constitutional speedy trial challenge and a Commerce Clause argument.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's Section nineteen eighty-three action against state judges. The court held that judicial immunity and the Eleventh Amendment barred the claims arising from orders restricting the plaintiff's access to a courthouse.
