Maria Santos

Correspondent

Maria Santos

White House correspondent, covers patent, trade and regulatory news

Business & Regulatory patent

Decisions covered by Maria Santos

1,021 decisions
Jul 14 2026
7th Cir. 25-1346 Panel Decision

Oak Lawn Respiratory and Rehabilitation Center, LLC v. United States Small Business Administration

The Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court ruling upholding the Small Business Administration's Corporate Group Rule limiting Paycheck Protection Program loans. The court held that the agency acted within its statutory authority to define corporate groups and set aggregate loan caps to ensure fair distribution of limited funds.

Civil ERISA / Employee Benefits Summary Judgment
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Jul 14 2026
9th Cir. 5:19-cv-04312-BLF Unpublished

TEVRA BRANDS, LLC V. BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC, ET AL.

The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment in an antitrust dispute between a generic drug manufacturer and a pharmaceutical company. The appellate court held that the plaintiff waived its challenge to an earlier dismissal and that the district court properly admitted expert testimony and survey evidence.

Antitrust (Civil) Civil
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Jul 14 2026
United States Court… 24-5277 Panel Decision

AXEL DIEGELMANN v. SCOTT BESSENT

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed sanctions imposed on German nationals for purchasing finished precious metals from Russia. The court held that acquiring refined gold bars constitutes procuring geological materials under the applicable sanctions regulations.

Civil Forfeiture / Penalty Summary Judgment
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Jul 14 2026
9th Cir. 2:22-cv-00272-TOR Unpublished

Guenter v. Emmons

The Ninth Circuit reversed a district court ruling that denied mandatory attorneys' fees under a Washington statute. The appellate court held that diversity jurisdiction does not preclude fee awards when the amount in controversy falls below the statutory threshold due to subsequent dismissals.

Civil Contract
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Jul 14 2026
United States Court… 25-5239 Panel Decision

ALIGNMENT HEALTHCARE INC v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed a district court ruling upholding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services decision to retain survey data for Medicare Advantage plans. The court held that the agency acted within its authority and did not act arbitrarily or capriciously in refusing to discard survey results despite claims of language access errors.

Administrative / Agency Review Civil
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Jul 13 2026
1st Cir. 25-1801 Panel Decision

Bruno Project Rescue Inc. v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed a district court ruling upholding a Centers for Disease Prevention regulation requiring all imported dogs to be at least six months old. The court held that the age requirement constitutes a valid inspection measure under the CDC's statutory authority and was not arbitrary or capricious.

Administrative / Agency Review Civil Summary Judgment
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Jul 13 2026
11th Cir. 4:26-cv-00027-MW-MAF Per Curiam

Cadejuste v. Miliken

The Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a pro se prisoner challenging a district court order directing him to amend his complaint. The court held it lacked jurisdiction because the underlying order was not final and the notice of appeal was filed before the judgment was entered.

Civil Securities
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Jul 13 2026
5th Cir. 25-20409 Per Curiam

Dennis v. State of Texas

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Jeffery James Dennis's complaint regarding a property foreclosure. The court held that the district court correctly rejected claims based on a flawed understanding of Uniform Commercial Code filings.

Civil Contract
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