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
Feb 18 2026
7th Cir. 24-1733 Panel Decision

MARLEIS TROVER, as Personal Representative of the Estate of DONALD D. GADDIS v. CRAIG OGLESBY and DUSTIN KELLEY

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers in a civil rights suit involving an inventory search of a trespasser's vehicle. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove the officers' conduct was clearly established as unlawful and that the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing an adverse inference instruction for missing dashcam footage.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Feb 18 2026
7th Cir. 25-2508 Panel Decision

WESLEY C. TAYLOR v. DIANE COWGER

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a § 1983 lawsuit challenging a state family court order, holding that federal courts lack jurisdiction to review or alter such orders under the Rooker-Feldman doctrine and the domestic-relations exception. The appellate court modified the judgment to clarify that claims dismissed on jurisdictional grounds should be dismissed without prejudice, while claims dismissed on immunity or pleading deficiencies remain with prejudice.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983
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Feb 17 2026
7th Cir. 24-2774 Panel Decision

EDWARD L. ASH v. CITY OF AURORA

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the City of Aurora and its officers, ruling that the plaintiff's Fourth Amendment claims were either time-barred or defeated by the existence of probable cause. The court held that a state judge's finding of probable cause to charge the plaintiff with a weapon offense provided an absolute defense to his civil rights lawsuit, regardless of his subsequent acquittal.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Statute of Limitations
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Feb 13 2026
1st Cir. 24-1397 Panel Decision

Soscia Holdings, LLC v. State of Rhode Island

The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Soscia Holdings' federal constitutional and statutory claims against state officials, upholding Eleventh Amendment immunity for the State and qualified immunity for individual defendants. The court sustained the district court's dismissal of remaining federal claims arising from a civil penalty assessment under the state Permitting Act.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Feb 13 2026
11th Cir. 0:23-cv-60762-RKA Published

Winston Calder v. Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Winston Calder's federal habeas petition, holding that the state court's finding of no prejudice constituted an adjudication on the merits under AEDPA. The court concluded that the state court's determination that the evidence was sufficient for conviction without the challenged impeachment statement was not an unreasonable application of federal law.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)
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Feb 13 2026
United States Court… 25-7005 Panel Decision

STABIL LLC v. RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The D.C. Circuit affirmed that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act permits U.S. courts to enforce arbitral awards against the Russian Federation for the expropriation of Ukrainian assets in Crimea. The court held that Russia's waiver of immunity under the New York Convention and the FSIA's arbitration exception precludes its immunity defense, even absent direct commercial contacts with the United States.

Civil Civil Rights - Voting
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Feb 13 2026
7th Cir. 24-2962 Panel Decision

ARTURO SOLIS v. STEVEN MERENDINO, Warden

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of a federal prisoner's habeas petition, holding that the Ex Post Facto Clause does not prohibit applying an amended statute that extends the time period for collecting criminal fines. The court ruled that because the original liability period had not expired when the law changed, the amendment did not constitute retroactive punishment.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241)
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Feb 12 2026
7th Cir. 25-2779 Panel Decision

WILLIAM CLYDE GIBSON III v. RON NEAL

The Seventh Circuit reversed a district court order transporting a death row inmate for mental health testing, holding that the All Writs Act does not authorize such measures without a sufficient nexus to a specific claim for relief. The court found the petitioner failed to demonstrate how the requested brain scans would be admissible evidence to support his equitable tolling argument.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - General (28 USC 2241) Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254) Sixth Amendment - Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
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