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

Mar 30 2026

4th Cir. 25-2423 Per Curiam

Andrew Chien v. Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles; Judge Rossie David Alston, Jr.; Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, III; Judge James Andrew Wynn; Judge Pamela A. Harris; Judge Robert B. K...

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit against seven federal judges, holding that they are protected by absolute judicial immunity. The court found no reversible error in concluding that the judges' alleged conduct fell within their judicial capacity.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983

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Mar 30 2026

4th Cir. 25-2471 Per Curiam

Dymond Thomas v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a pro se litigant's Rule 60(b) motion because the appellant failed to challenge the specific reasons for that denial in his informal brief. The court further held that it lacked jurisdiction to review the underlying dismissal order because the appeal was untimely and the Rule 60(b) motion did not toll the appeal period.

Civil Other Civil

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Mar 30 2026

4th Cir. 25-2068 Per Curiam

Lorenzo Dominic Richardson v. Gerald Baker; Jet Insurance Company; On Point Risk Solutions; Adam B. Midgette; Thomas L. Teal; Tim C. Jarvis; J.R. Moore; David S. Brannon; Wake C...

The Fourth Circuit dismissed the appeal regarding the underlying dismissal and denial of post-judgment motions because the notice of appeal was filed after the mandatory thirty-day deadline. The court affirmed the separate order enjoining further filings, finding no reversible error in the district court's decision.

Appellate Jurisdiction Civil Insurance

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Mar 30 2026

6th Cir. 25-1527 Unanimous

RENEE MARIE JOHNSON v. HON. MATTHEW ANTKOVIAK, Chief Circuit Court Judge

The Sixth Circuit vacated a district court's dismissal of a § 1983 complaint alleging due process violations in a child custody removal, ruling that the domestic-relations exception does not automatically bar federal constitutional claims. The appellate court remanded the case for further proceedings, determining that the lower court prematurely dismissed the complaint without allowing the plaintiff to prove her federal claims.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983

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Mar 30 2026

10th Cir. 4:17-CV-00336-EFM-SH Panel Decision

MICHAEL MANNING, as the Administrator of the Estate of Terence Crutcher, Sr v. CITY OF TULSA; BETTY JO SHELBY

The Tenth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of qualified immunity to Officer Betty Shelby, holding that the right to be free from deadly force against an unarmed, nonthreatening suspect was clearly established. The court affirmed the dismissal of Monell claims against the City of Tulsa but remanded for consideration of supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state-law wrongful death claim.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity

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Mar 30 2026

7th Cir. 24-3346 Panel Decision

MAURICE J. HOLT v. GARY BOUGHTON

The Seventh Circuit reversed a district court's grant of habeas relief, holding that the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reasonably applied federal standards in rejecting a defendant's claims regarding excluded evidence and ineffective assistance of counsel. The appellate court found that the state court's decision was not an unreasonable application of Supreme Court precedent under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Confrontation Clause Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

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Mar 27 2026

11th Cir. 1:18-cv-04753-TWT Per Curiam

IRVIN E. CARAWAY, II v. EQUIFAX

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed Irvin E. Caraway II's appeal for lack of jurisdiction because his notice of appeal was filed after the deadline expired. The court held that the district court's failure to issue a separate judgment document delayed the entry of the order until 150 days later, rendering the appellant's filing untimely.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner

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Mar 27 2026

11th Cir. 1:23-cv-00309-MU Per Curiam

KEITH COOPER v. AIRBUS AMERICAS, INC

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Airbus, ruling that the plaintiff failed to prove race discrimination or retaliation under Title VII and Section 1981. The court held that the employer's reasons for termination were legitimate and that the plaintiff could not demonstrate that similarly situated employees outside his protected class were treated more favorably.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment

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Mar 27 2026

1st Cir. 25-1359 Panel Decision

Holland v. Elevance Health, Inc.

The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a disability discrimination claim against a health insurer that excluded coverage for weight-loss medications. The court held that the exclusion was facially neutral and that the plaintiff failed to allege sufficient facts showing the policy was motivated by animus toward obesity or that it constituted proxy or disparate impact discrimination.

Civil Civil Rights - ADA / Other

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Mar 27 2026

5th Cir. 25-10886 Panel Decision

Chasity Congious, by and through her Guardian, Kimberly Hammond v. Aaron Ivy Shaw, DO Defendant—

The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Dr. Aaron Shaw, holding that the plaintiff failed to prove he had subjective knowledge of a substantial risk of serious harm to the pretrial detainee. The court ruled that because the Medical Director did not personally review the specific email detailing the inmate's symptoms, he lacked the requisite awareness to establish a constitutional violation.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment

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