Correspondent
Federal courthouse correspondent, covers civil rights, employment discrimination, housing rights, and Second Amendment disputes.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Keyona Campbell's Title VII claim against Edward-Elmhurst Health because she lacked Article III standing. The court held that Campbell failed to allege a concrete injury in fact since she voluntarily withdrew from the onboarding process before any alleged harm could materialize.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Stepan Sereda's employment discrimination lawsuit, ruling that he failed to exhaust administrative remedies and that several of his statutory claims lack a private right of action. The court held that Sereda's Title VII charge was untimely and that his OSHA and Whistleblower Protection Act claims could not be privately enforced or were procedurally barred.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a police officer who conducted a warrantless search of an apartment following a stabbing. The court held that the officer was entitled to qualified immunity because it was not clearly established law that such a search violated the Fourth Amendment under the emergency aid exception.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for prison officials, ruling that the evidence did not establish deliberate indifference to unsanitary cell conditions or retaliation for grievances. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove officials had actual knowledge of a serious health risk or that adverse actions were motivated by his protected speech.
The Tenth Circuit reversed the district court's dismissal of Fourth Amendment claims against Colorado Springs police officers, holding that three search warrants executed during a housing-rights march were overbroad and violated clearly established law. The court affirmed the dismissal of claims against the FBI regarding data retention but remanded the remaining claims for further proceedings.
The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Yong Chul Son's federal claims, ruling that they were barred by the two-year statute of limitations. The court held that the alleged events occurred years before the complaint was filed and that no grounds existed to equitably toll the deadline.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a federal employee's Title VII claims for failure to exhaust administrative remedies, holding that he missed the mandatory 45-day reporting deadline for most alleged discriminatory acts. While the court upheld the summary judgment against the plaintiff, it remanded one specific issue regarding whether a later dismissal letter could retroactively exhaust an earlier investigation claim.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed the Army's denial of a former soldier's reenlistment application, ruling that federal military regulations prohibiting waivers for major misconduct override state expungement laws. The court held that the Army acted within its congressionally delegated authority and did not act arbitrarily or capriciously in rejecting the appellant's request.
The Seventh Circuit vacated the dismissal of a prisoner's due process claim, ruling that lengthy disciplinary segregation may implicate a protected liberty interest requiring factual scrutiny. The court further held that allegations of a hearing officer predetermining guilt and directing false evidence are sufficient to state a constitutional violation.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court ruling that a school district complied with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by moving a student with Down syndrome from one special education class to another. However, the court reversed the lower court's dismissal of the case as moot regarding the student's alternative assessment placement and ordered a remand for further proceedings.
