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
Mar 26 2026
3rd Cir. 2:19-cv-00450 Panel Decision

ASHLEY POPA v. HARRIET CARTER GIFTS, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation; NAVISTONE, INC., a Delaware corporation

The Third Circuit held that the plaintiff lacked Article III standing because her alleged conduct did not result in a sufficiently concrete injury-in-fact. The court vacated the District Court's grant of summary judgment and remanded the case with instructions to return it to state court.

Administrative / Agency Review Civil
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Mar 26 2026
6th Cir. 24-1526 2-1

MACHELLE PEARSON v. MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HEIDI E. WASHINGTON

The Sixth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for high-level prison officials, holding that their reliance on incompetent medical contractors did not constitute a clearly established Eighth Amendment violation. While the court affirmed that the officials were not the proximate cause of the injuries under state law, it remanded the case to allow the plaintiffs to pursue their state-law negligence claims.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Mar 26 2026
6th Cir. 24-1528 2-1

MACHELLE PEARSON v. MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HEIDI E. WASHINGTON

The Sixth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for high-level prison officials who relied on contracted medical providers to treat a scabies outbreak. The court held that officials are not liable for the incompetence of contractors unless their own actions were so unreasonable as to violate clearly established law.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Mar 26 2026
10th Cir. 5:24-CR-00398-R-1) Panel Decision

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MARLON DEWAYNE MARTIN

The Tenth Circuit dismissed Marlon DeWayne Martin's appeal of his child sex trafficking sentence because he signed a plea agreement containing an enforceable waiver of appellate rights. The court found the waiver covered the specific claim raised and that enforcing it would not result in a miscarriage of justice.

Constitutional Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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Mar 25 2026
3rd Cir. 25-1257 Panel Decision

PHYLLIS M. ALSTON v. THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS; LANKENAU MEDICAL CENTER; MAIN LINE HEALTH; CVS PHARMACY, INC. d/b/a SimpleDose; DR SARA R. HEFTON, M.D.; et al

The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Phyllis Alston's federal civil rights claims against healthcare providers, ruling that her allegations of racial discrimination were conclusory and unsupported by specific facts. The court further held that Alston's challenge to the denial of a continuance to file certificates of merit was moot because she had already refiled her state medical negligence claims in state court.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Mar 25 2026
3rd Cir. 25-2188 Panel Decision

ANTHONY VENTO v. AVIS RENT A CAR; AVIS RENT A CAR, dba PUI HOLDINGS, CORP

The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a negligent entrustment claim against Avis, ruling that the plaintiff failed to plausibly allege the rental company knew the driver posed an unreasonable risk. The court also held that the plaintiff forfeited any arguments based on a specific Pennsylvania statute by failing to raise them in the lower court.

Civil Forfeiture / Penalty
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Mar 25 2026
3rd Cir. 25-2733 Panel Decision

SHENA HICKMAN v. FACEBOOK/META

The Third Circuit summarily affirmed the dismissal of Shena Hickman's civil rights complaint against Facebook/Meta, ruling that the doctrine of claim preclusion barred her suit. The court held that Hickman's allegations were identical to claims previously dismissed with prejudice in two other federal actions.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Res Judicata
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